When Will McDrai Pull Their Collective Heads Out of Their Asses?

[Dazed and Confused]

A big part of the issue is Bouchard, who despite being stabled to them is still yet to get an assist; not just on the PP, but in any situation.

But we saw the exact same thing last year, it just doesn't look as bad as last year due to the supporting cast being half decent.

The 3rd line has a couple goals. vs. the donut Holloway-McLeod-Foegele started off with last year, Kulak-Emberson have kept their nose clean while Kulak-Vinny struggled early.


I put this in the PGT, but I think the answer is to get McDrai onto lines with a proper identity. Imo this means speed with McDavid and size with Drai.

Perry had a strong start to the year, so I don't mind giving him a short tour in the top 6. Though that spot will/should go to Podz or maybe Jarventie down the line.

RNH-McDavid-Arvidsson
Hyman-Drai-Perry
Skinner-Henrique-Brown
Janmark-Ryan-Podz

I don't mind tossing Skinner in there for RNH, but he and Henrique have been a solid combo and I'd rather not touch the one line that's working up front.

 

[Stoneman89]

The McDrai production is pretty much exactly what it was last year at EV. If the PP was going at all they would be leading scoring race as per usual. Its a given there would be fallback with Hyman this season, and Booch too. We were getting best ever years from those too. Nuge isn't doing enough at bumper on PP either.

The bigger fish to fry is that we didn't necessariy get the right wingers. You look at a guy like Marchhment on the Stars and that guy would be great in our topsix. Our topsix got a bit small with Skinner and Arvid added. We're really missing Kane which has been said a lot. But we're missing Hyman and Nuge too, Can't be missing all those contributions and Booch having less production.

We have to go back to separating McDrai at some point but would their wingers be? Skinner works with McD. Not sure who would be best with Drai.


Sometimes its just luck though. Last year on the same chances Hyman already has 3 goals. This year nothing.

Too early to worry about McDrai Bryan. They're carrying the club, to less of an extent but still doing it. The superstar skill guys often take a bit longer to get into form. Last year it took about a dozen games.

ps the barbie movie was awful. Hopefully McD isn't into that...

No they are not carrying the club. Not sure what you're watching. Other than a couple PP goals this year, Draisaitl has done nothing. And I still think something is wrong with McDavid physically.

The amount of over passing is killing this team. Connor looks like he wants to flirt with being a 30 goal a year guy instead of a 50+ goal a year guy. If Connor once again doesn't win the Art Ross I hope that he's willing to cut us some damn slack on his next contract. He does not look like the best player in the world right now. I don't know if he is still hurt, if he was playing Barbie for his wedding or wtf. I just know that this isn't the same player that led the league in goals, assists and points 2 seasons ago. As for Drai, he's the highest paid guy in the league, it's time that he plays like it.

Better watch it Bryan, the apologists on here will jump all over you and have a field day. Apparently, the guys making the massive dollars on the team are supposed to be immune from any type of criticism, constructive or otherwise, despite barely producing a squirt through 5 games this year.

 

[Stoneman89]

You can tell neither one skated nearly as much over the summer as they usually do.

Season went into late June which insanely late for a hockey season.

Then McDavid had a big wedding in July plus a well deserved big honeymoon.

Draisaitl got engaged and had contract negotiations over the summer.

Lots of family obligations.

They're just off. How long it takes to resolve, well who knows. Not sure what RNH's excuse would be though, lol.

Excuses. Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennet had a short summer too, and they seem to be doing okay.

 

[Spawn]

Excuses. Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennet had a short summer too, and they seem to be doing okay.

The thing that’s funny is that Reinhart and Bennet aren’t even Floridas McDrai. That’s Barkov and Tkachuk, and those two have collectively played 4 games and combined for 3 points between them.

Floridas secondary players are able to pick up the slack. Ours wither and die on the vine.

 

[Stoneman89]

The thing that’s funny is that Reinhart and Bennet aren’t even Floridas McDrai. That’s Barkov and Tkachuk, and those two have collectively played 4 games and combined for 3 points between them.

Floridas secondary players are able to pick up the slack. Ours wither and die on the vine.

Barkov has been injured and has only played 2 games this year, and during the 2nd one he was injured.And Tkachuk usually plays with him. Bad comparison.

 

[DavidHasselhoffsFist]

My fools hope says we go on a 5 game heater. The Nashville game will ironically be the toughest of the 5. No need to argue because deep down I know I’m wrong but let a girl dream.

 

[K1984]

The thing that’s funny is that Reinhart and Bennet aren’t even Floridas McDrai. That’s Barkov and Tkachuk, and those two have collectively played 4 games and combined for 3 points between them.

Floridas secondary players are able to pick up the slack. Ours wither and die on the vine.

Our secondary scorers have kicked in 7 goals through 6 games so far. Would be more too if a few of the goals hadn’t been arbitrarily taken away. Average of around a goal per game from support players is more than enough.

A grand total of 5 total goals between McDavid, Drai, Hyman, Nuge and Bouchard is why we aren’t winning. Two of those goals were in total garbage time too after the game had been thrown away anyways. So three goals at any time where it actually mattered through 6 games. Completely unacceptable for this group, and the reason we are where we are.

 

[Spawn]

Our secondary scorers have kicked in 7 goals through 6 games so far. Would be more too if a few of the goals hadn’t been arbitrarily taken away. Average of around a goal per game from support players is more than enough.

A grand total of 5 total goals between McDavid, Drai, Hyman, Nuge and Bouchard is why we aren’t winning. Two of those goals were in total garbage time too after the game had been thrown away anyways. So three goals at any time where it actually mattered through 6 games. Completely unacceptable for this group, and the reason we are where we are.

I’m not talking about Hyman, Nuge and Bouchard.

I’m talking about McDavid and Drai. Who even while playing poorly are ppg players.

Meanwhile when our other players are playing poorly they contribute literally nothing.

We are somehow still in a situation where McDrai need to score 2+ points a game or else this team is going to lose.

Meanwhile Floridas two best players have missed most of the start of the season and they’re still winning games and having their secondary players step up.

 

[GOilers88]

Excuses. Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennet had a short summer too, and they seem to be doing okay

They went to the finals back to back and were capable of starting on time both times.

The whole hangover/short summer thing for the Oilers holds as much water as a strainer.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

I was convinced mcdavid was injured last season, it just made no sense how his goal scoring was cut in half. But then he didn’t get surgery or anything in the summer, I thought for sure he was needing surgery.

Now I don’t know what to think. He’s not the same, someone was saying he’d have 5-10 magical goals per season before, that’s true, he’d also have a glorious chance pretty much every game that didn’t go in and doesn’t make the highlight reels. He was (edit: originally said he wasn’t 0: ) constantly a danger, you felt it whenever he was on the ice and it was just electrifying.

So yeah, idk what to think. Maybe it’s mental? If it’s physical he either still needs surgery or it’s very long term/permanent.

Like just shoot more.. I don’t get it. He didn’t score 60+ beautiful goals 2 years ago, he shot a lot, get back to that dude..

Also I totally agree he needs different linemate. At the very least it’s stale, but I agree with the guy who said he needs more speed on his line. Give him both Arvidsson and Skinner, they’re both quick, both tenacious and hungry for goals.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I was convinced mcdavid was injured last season, it just made no sense how his goal scoring was cut in half. But then he didn’t get surgery or anything in the summer, I thought for sure he was needing surgery.

Now I don’t know what to think. He’s not the same, someone was saying he’d have 5-10 magical goals per season before, that’s true, he’d also have a glorious chance pretty much every game that didn’t go in and doesn’t make the highlight reels. He wasn’t constantly a danger, you felt it whenever he was on the ice and it was just electrifying.

So yeah, idk what to think. Maybe it’s mental? If it’s physical he either still needs surgery or it’s very long term/permanent.

Like just shoot more.. I don’t get it. He didn’t score 60+ beautiful goals 2 years ago, he shot a lot, get back to that dude..

Also I totally agree he needs different linemate. At the very least it’s stale, but I agree with the guy who said he needs more speed on his line. Give him both Arvidsson and Skinner, they’re both quick, both tenacious and hungry for goals.

We know that he didn't get surgery when his knee got wrecked and he stayed healthy after that. I wonder if he tried to go to the same well twice and this time it didn't work? He could damn near score at will that season and he hasn't looked close to that player since.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

The thing that’s funny is that Reinhart and Bennet aren’t even Floridas McDrai. That’s Barkov and Tkachuk, and those two have collectively played 4 games and combined for 3 points between them.

Floridas secondary players are able to pick up the slack. Ours wither and die on the vine.

Is that a bad comparison, when Florida's complementary players are out playing our stars, despite the same length of summer?

 

[guymez]

They went to the finals back to back and were capable of starting on time both times.

The whole hangover/short summer thing for the Oilers holds as much water as a strainer.

I think it speaks to the mental toughness of the team....especially the leadershp group.

 

[Soundwave]

I think it speaks to the mental toughness of the team....especially the leadershp group.

Where was Florida's mental toughness the first time they went to the Finals? They quit and folded like a cheap tent in one of the most embarrassingly one sided Cup Finals in the history of the league (versus Vegas).

The Oilers meanwhile, where 99% of teams would quit and maybe try to win 1 game at most to keep it academic stormed back from 0-3 and gave themselves a real shot of winning it all.

Lots of teams would give up at 2-9-1 with McDavid playing with a torn abdomen and chalk it up as "not our year".

Lots of teams would quit or become intimidated in that Battle of Alberta series where they were get blitzed hard to start the series and game 2 looked like it was going sideways as well, but they didn't quit and kept fighting back.

Lots of teams would have quit in that Vancouver series, down 0-1, down 2-1, down 3-2 ... didn't matter, they kept coming back.

This team just has stretches in the regular season where they don't play well. Just is what it is.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Where was Florida's mental toughness the first time they went to the Finals? They quit and folded like a cheap tent in one of the most embarrassingly one sided Cup Finals in the history of the league (versus Vegas).

The Oilers meanwhile, where 99% of teams would quit and maybe try to win 1 game at most to keep it academic stormed back from 0-3 and gave themselves a real shot of winning it all.

Lots of teams would give up at 2-9-1 with McDavid playing with a torn abdomen and chalk it up as "not our year".

Lots of teams would quit or become intimidated in that Battle of Alberta series where they were get blitzed hard to start the series and game 2 looked like it was going sideways as well, but they didn't quit and kept fighting back.

Lots of teams would have quit in that Vancouver series, down 0-1, down 2-1, down 3-2 ... didn't matter, they kept coming back.

This team just has stretches in the regular season where they don't play well. Just is what it is.

We never heard anything about surgery. Is that something that can heal without it?

 

[GOilers88]

Where was Florida's mental toughness the first time they went to the Finals? They quit and folded like a cheap tent in one of the most embarrassingly one sided Cup Finals in the history of the league (versus Vegas).

The Oilers meanwhile, where 99% of teams would quit and maybe try to win 1 game at most to keep it academic stormed back from 0-3 and gave themselves a real shot of winning it all.

Lots of teams would give up at 2-9-1 with McDavid playing with a torn abdomen and chalk it up as "not our year".

Lots of teams would quit or become intimidated in that Battle of Alberta series where they were get blitzed hard to start the series and game 2 looked like it was going sideways as well, but they didn't quit and kept fighting back.

Lots of teams would have quit in that Vancouver series, down 0-1, down 2-1, down 3-2 ... didn't matter, they kept coming back.

This team just has stretches in the regular season where they don't play well. Just is what it is.

People are using a short offseason/hangover as an excuse for the slow start.

The Panthers went to back to back finals, actually won the cup, and started the next season on time both times.

I'm saying it's not a legitimate argument.

 

[Lacaar]

I've said it all the time and it comes from the top, these two for sure.

They won't get going until the going gets tough. They're never... ever going to be a team that is much more than .500 at best come the quarter pole of the season.

Will it cost them the division? likely. Will it cost them home ice in the playoffs. Most likely.
Will it cost them the cup? well they haven't proven that Rocky Balboa comeback kid hockey works yet but they came awfully close last year.

I don't give a shit about the roster. They could have Makar filling that second right hand spot. Replace the forwards with any other pick of the league forwards and they'd still f*** up scoring chances and have a team shooting percentage/goals expected of absolute dog shit.

The only things I'm wondering is.
1. Do they really have to get a coach shit canned to get that guilt and urgency? Are they really coach killers?
2. Since they got to piss away the first 15 games last year do they have to piss more games away than that this year before the required guilt/urgency.

Leon asked the question last year after the Vancouver series. "Why do we have to make it so hard on ourselves" He doesn't know the answer.. they don't know the answer unfortunately.

I've just come to accept this team is pretty much nigh unwatchable until mid November. But after that.. enjoy the ride! just have to wait for second pre-season to end!

 

[tardigrade81]

Not sure but these slow starts are pathetic. No decent team should ever start like this. Two years in a row. It’s pathetic

 

[popo]

Bouchard reminds me a bit of his sophmore slump - that year he also seemed more hesitant to shoot. Waiting too long to make a decision and seeing more shots ending up blocked than not; or missing the net. He came around that year and hope that happens soon.

Really thought we looked dominant for stretches to start games against Winnipeg and Dallas and Chicago. But we folded in the cases of strong opposition goaltending. And like always having our goaltending perform so poorly is just soul crushing for this group. Scoring on the PP would help to turn the momentum and psyche of beating an Ottinger or Helleybuck....
No one would have predicted the futility of our PP and PK units to start the season. That was our strength last year. Absolute top priorities to straighten those out.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

I’m not talking about Hyman, Nuge and Bouchard.

I’m talking about McDavid and Drai. Who even while playing poorly are ppg players.

Meanwhile when our other players are playing poorly they contribute literally nothing.

We are somehow still in a situation where McDrai need to score 2+ points a game or else this team is going to lose.

Meanwhile Floridas two best players have missed most of the start of the season and they’re still winning games and having their secondary players step up.

McDavid and Draisaitl are paid much more than Tkachuk and Barkov. Our teams are not built the same.

It's also hard to expect your complementary guys to pick up the slack when they're all playing with each other and not with another driver.

 

[K1984]

I was convinced mcdavid was injured last season, it just made no sense how his goal scoring was cut in half. But then he didn’t get surgery or anything in the summer, I thought for sure he was needing surgery.

Now I don’t know what to think. He’s not the same, someone was saying he’d have 5-10 magical goals per season before, that’s true, he’d also have a glorious chance pretty much every game that didn’t go in and doesn’t make the highlight reels. He was (edit: originally said he wasn’t 0: ) constantly a danger, you felt it whenever he was on the ice and it was just electrifying.

So yeah, idk what to think. Maybe it’s mental? If it’s physical he either still needs surgery or it’s very long term/permanent.

Like just shoot more.. I don’t get it. He didn’t score 60+ beautiful goals 2 years ago, he shot a lot, get back to that dude..

Also I totally agree he needs different linemate. At the very least it’s stale, but I agree with the guy who said he needs more speed on his line. Give him both Arvidsson and Skinner, they’re both quick, both tenacious and hungry for goals.

It isn’t just the scoring though, his commitment to defense and playing a full ice game is non existent this year.

A soft and blind reverse pass in the o zone combined with a lazy back check to watch the opposition seal the game away is 100% a mental problem, and that kind of play has been a theme this year. Handed the game to the Flames on another similar play.

 

[Soundwave]

I've said it all the time and it comes from the top, these two for sure.

They won't get going until the going gets tough. They're never... ever going to be a team that is much more than .500 at best come the quarter pole of the season.

Will it cost them the division? likely. Will it cost them home ice in the playoffs. Most likely.
Will it cost them the cup? well they haven't proven that Rocky Balboa comeback kid hockey works yet but they came awfully close last year.

I don't give a shit about the roster. They could have Makar filling that second right hand spot. Replace the forwards with any other pick of the league forwards and they'd still f*** up scoring chances and have a team shooting percentage/goals expected of absolute dog shit.

The only things I'm wondering is.
1. Do they really have to get a coach shit canned to get that guilt and urgency? Are they really coach killers?
2. Since they got to piss away the first 15 games last year do they have to piss more games away than that this year before the required guilt/urgency.

Leon asked the question last year after the Vancouver series. "Why do we have to make it so hard on ourselves" He doesn't know the answer.. they don't know the answer unfortunately.

I've just come to accept this team is pretty much nigh unwatchable until mid November. But after that.. enjoy the ride! just have to wait for second pre-season to end!

These things are interconnected though ... you can't expect 2 players (primarily 1 really) to do everything for the team and be balls to the wall 110% for a full 82-game season and fairly lengthy playoff stretches when they don't get much help from their management.

The management teams for this franchise do a whole lot of f*** all and as such haven't built as good of rosters as they should have.

They win a trade like once every 5 years maybe, draft someone good who actually makes a difference in wins/losses like once every 7-10 years, 10 years into McDavid's tenure and they still can't find a really reliable starting goalie the team can lean on during tough times. We're making due with a starter who in all honesty is probably not much if at all better than the AHL call up (Pickard) who is his back up.

Largely basically all but 2 of the impact players on the roster are because of lottery balls or picks in the top 10.

You can't expect everything to go 100% right when the management side of the franchise is not pulling their weight. They should have brought a lot more to the table to build a more complete roster so that it could weather stretches where McDavid doesn't have it going.

 

[LevelingSolo]

0 points through 6 games for Hyman was not on my bingo card

 

[Spawn]

McDavid and Draisaitl are paid much more than Tkachuk and Barkov. Our teams are not built the same.

It's also hard to expect your complementary guys to pick up the slack when they're all playing with each other and not with another driver.

Barkov and Tkachuk take up 1.5m less on the cap than McDavid and Drai. Florida is winning games without them even in the lineup!

We’ve got as much money tied up in RNH, Hyman, Skinner, Arvidsson and Henrique as we do in McDavid and Draisaitl and collectively they’re producing at half the rate of those two.

I’m not saying McDavid and Draisaitl are playing well. But they’re at least contributing something. We constantly spend all this money on guys who are supposed to provide secondary offense and they all fall off a cliff unless they can leach off of one of McDavid or Draisaitl.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Barkov and Tkachuk take up 1.5m less on the cap than McDavid and Drai. Florida is winning games without them even in the lineup!

We’ve got as much money tied up in RNH, Hyman, Skinner, Arvidsson and Henrique as we do in McDavid and Draisaitl and collectively they’re producing at half the rate of those two.

I’m not saying McDavid and Draisaitl are playing well. But they’re at least contributing something. We constantly spend all this money on guys who are supposed to provide secondary offense and they all fall off a cliff unless they can leach off of one of McDavid or Draisaitl.

The bottom line is that neither the top dogs nor the big dogs are getting it done. What separates the two groups is that the one group is paid to be the elite of the elite. people shit on RNH and based on his play this year I get it. But he took a reasonable deal to stay on while guys like Leon and Darnell took the bag. They all need to be better but we aren't winning shit without McDrai being 1.3-1.5+ point per game players.