Where are McDavid and Draisaitl when it matters?

[PG Canuck]

His regular season convinced me he was the best in the world, then I remembered he was in the AHL all season playing Canadian teams and now can't get a secondary assist in the post season. He has a ton to prove anymore.

How does that even make sense lol....he’s still playing a Canadian team. Unless that AHL team is all of a sudden good now?

 

[rocketdan9]

Maybe they need the Taylor Hall path

The point is they are young guys and may need leadership from experienced/successful playoff vets

Signing/trading for a guy like Joakim Nordstrom could have helped

 

[jcs0218]

Pretty disappointing.

McDavid is way too good for a bit of clutching and grabbing to slow him down this much. The first game he was pretty much a no-show.

This game he was decent in spurts but the Jets played him really well.

Crosby was getting mugged during the 2008 and 2009 Playoffs.

But he kept grinding, grinding, and grinding some more until he found small amounts of space.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

I don't blame it all on them. In the playoffs its easy to shut down a one line team. Especially if you have some good players like Winnipeg and have solid vets like Stastny, Lowry, Coop, Schiefle, Hellerbuck etc. Any true contenders would shut down those two as well or outscore the hell out of the rest of the team.

 

[c9777666]

The Neutral Zone Trap happened

 

[John Mandalorian]

McRegularseason

Mr. February

 

[nammerus]

Just a quick reminder. They’re not playing the late 90’s-early 2000’s Devils. WPG has by far the worse defensive core in the playoffs. Just a pathetic showing all-round.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Crosby has 1 goal in his past 11 playoff games.

Also Hellebuyck playing at a .985 SV% has something to do with it.

190 points in 171 playoff games

 

[Spirits]

Unless that AHL team is all of a sudden good now?

Suddenly, not "all of a sudden".

 

[Daximus]

McDavid's performance is exactly why I was on the pro-Crosby side in the recent thread about who was better at the same age.

Crosby was turning his game up several notches come playoff time, at an even younger age than McDavid is now. And this was quite impressive when you consider Crosby was also a beast in the regular season.

McDavid can score a million points against a weak North Division, with a half-million points on the PP.

But Crosby at the same age was a better overall player. At 5-on-5, and all the little things that help you win a hockey game.

Crosby also had a much deeper team and didn't have to play 3/4 of every game for his team to have a chance. If the Oilers want to go deep with McRai they have to get some depth and get his minutes to a more reasonable rate.

 

[SB164]

Next Joe Thorntons??

Unlike Jumbo Joe, McDavid hasn’t gotten outplayed by a centre coming back from cancer.

 

[snipes]

McDavid had 6 high danger chances today and was on for 14. (No Jets player was on for more than 6 high danger chances, in comparison).

His analytics and underlying numbers both games were fantastic. Drai’s as well.

Not translating into points right now though.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

McDavid doesn't want to take the hits and just wants to razzle dazzle and do figure 4's in the playoffs.

He can use a legit winger on his line, not Kahun, Chaisson or other 4th liners. Put an enforcer on his line during the playoffs so he can stand up for him. Milan Lucic is available.

 

[PG Canuck]

Maybe they need the Taylor Hall path

The point is they are young guys and may need leadership from experienced/successful playoff vets

Signing/trading for a guy like Joakim Nordstrom could have helped

There’s all this talk about depth depth depth, guys like Chaisson etc. Those aren’t the ones I would be posted about. What is Yamamoto or Nuge doing for them. What does anyone realistically see either of these two doing in the postseason when not stapled to a Drai or McDavid

 

[The Grim Reaper]

McDavid had 6 high danger chances today and was on for 14. (No Jets player was on for more than 6 high danger chances, in comparison).

How many high danger goals did he score?

 

[jcs0218]

Crosby also had a much deeper team and didn't have to play 3/4 of every game for his team to have a chance. If the Oilers want to go deep with McRai they have to get some depth and get his minutes to a more reasonable rate.

The Penguins in 2008 and 2009 had a lot of dead-weight on their roster.

 

[jetsforever]

As a Jets fan, it's only 2 games and Helle has been great. McDrai are still extremely scary for the next couple games.

 

[rocketdan9]

Pretty disappointing.

McDavid is way too good for a bit of clutching and grabbing to slow him down this much. The first game he was pretty much a no-show.

This game he was decent in spurts but the Jets played him really well.

McDavid and Drai are struggling to adapt to no daylight hockey

Crashing the net. Trying to tap in an ugly one mentality. Willing to get punched and crosschecked for trying

 

[Grandma Bingo]

The truth of the matter is.... all four North Division playoff teams would've had trouble qualifying for the playoffs if they played in any of the other three divisions. The quality of play really was AHL level for the most part.

Whoever comes out of the North will lose in 4 or 5 games to their opponent in the semifinals.

As much as I dislike them... the NY Rangers would've won the North division this year.

 

[Sky04]

His speed and off the rush game needs to be adjusted a bit for the playoffs. I thought he looked great in the first, but got worse and more frustrated as the game went on. Problem is other than Drai the team is terrible so they are draped all over those two. I think they do way better with a semblance of depth on the team.

I know people compare them to the 09 Penguins but that team still had competent role players. Oilers bottom 6 is ahl quality. That said getting completely shut out in both games is worrisome.

Regardless of the depth it's not like Crosby and Malkin were ever shutdown this early, they were still the stars of the show in every series especially in the early rounds, depth added on to they already brought, not bail them out cause they were struggling.

McDavid and Draisaitl are also playing on the same line, you can argue depth if these guys were the only ones scoring but they aren't even doing that.

 

[Bounces R Way]

The idea is to field a hockey team not a hockey duo.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

McDavid's true value is that he is the best player in NHL history at creating odd-man chances off the rush: creating a breakaway by blowing past the D, beating his man to create a 2-on-1, 3-on-2 etc.

The issue in the playoffs in twofold: first, players play harder, and will give more effort backchecking, so it makes it harder to create those chances just due to skating. Also, teams recognize that he is far more dangerous off the rush, so they play a safe game in the OZ, and layer the NZ so he always has a guy in front of him, which pushes McDavid to the walls unless he makes an amazing move. And it's proven to be successful.

 

[Spirits]

McDrai are still extremely scary for the next couple games.

Yup, the next two games until this series is a sweep.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Crosby also had a much deeper team and didn't have to play 3/4 of every game for his team to have a chance. If the Oilers want to go deep with McRai they have to get some depth and get his minutes to a more reasonable rate.

Very true the pens duo even when young usually played 19-22 minutes. Edmonton desperately needs depth, the positive effects compound. Players get pushed down the depth chart, secondary scoring gets added, and the quality of Mcdrai's minutes improve.

 

[abo9]

McDavid's performance is exactly why I was on the pro-Crosby side in the recent thread about who was better at the same age.

Crosby was turning his game up several notches come playoff time, at an even younger age than McDavid is now. And this was quite impressive when you consider Crosby was also a beast in the regular season.

McDavid can score a million points against a weak North Division, with a half-million points on the PP.

But Crosby at the same age was a better overall player. At 5-on-5, and all the little things that help you win a hockey game.

Have not watched the playoff games, but the way I see it, Crosby used his teammates so well that there were 5 dangerous players on the ice at any time. McDavid, I'm scared when he has the puck, but I'm not exactly afraid of the rest of his line.

Stop McDrai and you stop the Oilers. It's that "easy".