What happened to the once high-powered Stars offense?

[iCanada]

The Oilers defense.

There's a reason we had the least shots against in the playoffs and the third least shots against in the regular season.

And our team defense has stepped up yet another level as these playoffs have went on.

 

[ujju2]

This

This must be the case, from everything im gathering. The Oilers were simply underrated in that area of the game. Extremely underrated.

What were the #s saying during the regular season im just curious?? Were they this tough to play against all season long and people just weren’t paying attention??

I'll have to look up the numbers (I assume someone will beat me to it and save me the work lol) but the Oilers were absolutely one of the best defensive teams in the league in the regular season once Knoblauch took over.

 

[lopper]

This

This must be the case, from everything im gathering. The Oilers were simply underrated in that area of the game. Extremely underrated.

What were the #s saying during the regular season im just curious?? Were they this tough to play against all season long and people just weren’t paying attention??

It’s a combination of the coaching change early in the season with the new system they play and the core superstar players bearing down and realizing they can’t ourscore their defensive lapses every game in the playoffs.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Here’s some facts. Oilers pk is the best ever in playoff history so you more or less have to score all your goals at 5 on 5. Guess who scores the most 5 on 5 goals? The oilers. Guess who has the best pp in the playoffs? The oilers. Just right there makes for a tough situation. Only time the oilers have been taken down is when they completely stop skating or the goaltending falls apart.

"Completely stop skating". I've seen the Rangers completely stop skating during long stretches against the Panthers. I guess they're beating themselves.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Pavelski has played 99 games this season (82 reg season/17 playoffs). At his age, the tank is probably empty. No reason for a guy his age to play in all 82 games.

Benn is slower than a lot of beer leaguers. Seguin has high mileage.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are as much of an endurance test as they are about skill and execution. Too many of The Stars have hit the wall.

That being said, they will win the next two games

 

[SimpleJack]

It’s a combination of the coaching change early in the season with the new system they play and the core superstar players bearing down and realizing they can’t ourscore their defensive lapses every game in the playoffs.

Adds up. Makes sense. I really had no idea they had become such a strong defensive team. Major props for that coaching hire. He’s apparently turned the team into a legit Cup contender with whatever changes he’s made. Night and day compared to previous additions of the McDrai era Oilers.

 

[Kcb12345]

Pavelski has played 99 games this season (82 reg season/17 playoffs). At his age, the tank is probably empty. No reason for a guy his age to play in all 82 games.

Benn is slower than a lot of beer leaguers. Seguin has high mileage.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are as much of an endurance test as they are about skill and execution. Too many of The Stars have hit the wall.

That being said, they will win the next two games

Benn really isn't that slow when he gets going. Not sure where people get that from. Sometimes he's slow with his decision-making, but pace wise his skating has actually been good in these playoffs

Deboer loves and prefers playing his vets. He doesn’t like injecting kids like Bourque into the lineup. He keeps putting Pavelski out on the #1PP unit and has done no adjustments to the PP. He will likely be fired if they lose on Sunday.

He is not getting fired lol. Back to back WCF appearances and the team just won their division playing his system. Management won't blame him, and I'm not sure I entirely do either. Team just needs to get faster

 

[MessierII]

"Completely stop skating". I've seen the Rangers completely stop skating during long stretches against the Panthers. I guess they're beating themselves.

Have the rangers ever really shown they can dominate teams for long stretches? The Rangers only real recipe is have a hot pp and get insane goaltending.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Have the rangers ever really shown they can dominate teams for long stretches? The Rangers only real recipe is have a hot pp and get insane goaltending.

Whether you dominate the other team for long stretches or not is besides the point. I was being facetious to prove a point. There's a second team out there. A team stopping skating no matter how good deep in the playoffs in the best league in the world is likely due to their opponent. Your take that the Oilers who very well may win the cup is this team that just cannot be stopped unless they stop themselves even just for stretches is insanely homerific. I'm actually rooting for the Oilers after the Rangers will lose in 6 but Jesus have some humility.

 

[MessierII]

Whether you dominate the other team for long stretches or not is besides the point. I was being facetious to prove a point. There's a second team out there. A team stopping skating no matter how good deep in the playoffs in the best league in the world is likely due to their opponent. Your take that the Oilers who very well may win the cup is this team that just cannot be stopped unless they stop themselves even just for stretches is insanely homerific. I'm actually rooting for the Oilers after the Rangers will lose in 6 but Jesus have some humility.

It’s not really a boast. The oilers are capable of some of the most catastrophic meltdowns possible. I’m not even comfortable up 3 goals.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

It’s not really a boast. The oilers are capable of some of the most catastrophic meltdowns possible. I’m not even comfortable up 3 goals.

But can you appreciate how "the Oilers can't be stopped unless they stop themselves" comes off as homerific?

 

[Thomas Tatar]

I have to say, this is a ridiculous thread. The copium is thick in here. OP gives no credit to the team Dallas is playing. Most posters beforehand predicted Dallas to win the series easy - completely roll over Edmonton. Now, when they are down 3-2 (it’s not over) it’s Dallas is playing poorly. Not that Edmonton is outplaying them, just that Dallas somehow forgot how to play. Most of HFboards will never give the Oilers credit. It’s quite laughable really.

 

[ViD]

People do need to come to realization this Oilers team is absolutely top notch and a clear cup contender

 

[MessierII]

But can you appreciate how "the Oilers can't be stopped unless they stop themselves" comes off as homerific?

I suppose. All I’m saying is the oilers at their best are the best.

 

[Spawn]

This

This must be the case, from everything im gathering. The Oilers were simply underrated in that area of the game. Extremely underrated.

What were the #s saying during the regular season im just curious?? Were they this tough to play against all season long and people just weren’t paying attention??

Oilers changed their coach after game 12 of the season.

Final 70 games of the year the Oilers were the best team in the league and over that stretch they were 5th best in the league in GA/G and had elite shot metrics across the board.

I had a handful of posters laugh at the start of the series when I suggested that the Stars hadn't yet faced a defensive team as good as the Oilers in the playoffs. The reality is the Oilers are just a better defensive team than a lot of posters are willing to admit.

The series isn't over though. The 4 teams left all deserve to be there and the Stars are the best road team in the league. Thread feels a game or two premature.

 

[snag]

Maybe the question should be: what happened to the Oilers we have shit on for years while we weren't paying attention? .

 

[Azzuri]

Deboer loves and prefers playing his vets. He doesn’t like injecting kids like Bourque into the lineup. He keeps putting Pavelski out on the #1PP unit and has done no adjustments to the PP. He will likely be fired if they lose on Sunday.

This narrative doesn't jive with the ice time Harley, Stankoven, and Johnston get.

 

[syz]

Something something not known for good defense.

 

[Matty Sundin]

Knob has them playing zone defence and it’s highly effective.

 

[Coffey]

This

This must be the case, from everything im gathering. The Oilers were simply underrated in that area of the game. Extremely underrated.

What were the #s saying during the regular season im just curious?? Were they this tough to play against all season long and people just weren’t paying attention??

Since Nov 12 2023 to the end of the regular season

 

[ricky0034]

playing 22+ minutes a night against Bouchard happened

 

[Chips]

Who knows. Maybe Central wasn't as good as people say. They are making for a boring WCF. This entire site was dissing both Van/Edm who ever won about having to go get dominated by the Stars. They don't look like the team HF chopped them up to be. HF is wrong once again. Who would have thunk .

And or a series is a small sample size and teams go hot cold constantly lol. Parity is real, and so is luck/timing which few teams are capable of consistently bucking

The Habs went to the cup final a few years ago. They were still a bad team before during and after but they got hot at the right time.


I’m NOT saying the oilers are the Habs, but their depth playing good or bad is more or less what makes or breaks the Oilers. They’re capable of holding it down or playing like ass. Their star players always show up.

 

[Coffey]

playing 22+ minutes a night against Bouchard happened

But Miro is playing 28 mins a night.

 

[oilexport]

Wow, you can feel the wave of domination now. It's over.

 

[syz]

A lot of advanced stats models had the Oilers at or near the top of the league even when they were losing every game to start the season. It's why a surprising number of The Nerds had the Oilers listed as cup favorites at the start of the playoffs.

Reality is though that I do think their goaltending is spotty and is a big part of why their actual record didn't always match their advanced stats, but they're definitely not the team a lot of people still seem to think they are, especially if Skinner holds up.

Funnily enough I think that the Rangers are actually the team people think the Oilers are, but they have Shesterkin so nobody notices.