Post-Game Talk: 100!

[Jimmi McJenkins]

So the PK needs to pick it up a bit, but wow.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[nally]

I agree. Avs are good to get tuned up for the playoffs, he can sit out for the Yotes

I believe it's almost a foregone conclusion that they will be playing Winnipeg...just a matter of home ice

 

[Broberg Speed]

Thought Hertl was pretty invisible last night.. didn't even notice him. Also nice to light up Hill for once. I know they were missing some key players last night, but Vegas really seems like a weaker team this year compared to last.

Hertl is a very good player.

Apparently only one team was interested in him at the deadline.

 

[guymez]

I don't necessarily agree with this. There is definitely reason to play McDavid against Vancouver in particular if there's something real to play for which will certainly be the case if they beat Utah.

Not only is a division title important because you get home ice in not one but two rounds but there's also the likelihood of playing Nashville in the 1st round who, IMO, is the weakest of the west playoff teams despite their resurgence, not to mention adding the first division title in 37 years to the accomplishment list.

McDavid will have a week of rest going into Saturday, if you sit him the rest of the season you risk going from rest to rust so he should play some games if he's good to go. Rest him for one of the latter back to back games if the division is out of reach or clinched by that time but a division title race is certainly a reason to play McDavid, as long as he has a clean bill of health.

Home ice would be helpful...so I agree there but I dont think the first round opponent makes that much of a difference. Nashville is a different team (playing much better) than the last time the Oilers played them back in January. So I dont think that they will be much easier than Vegas or the Kings.
Aside from home ice advantage (where the Oilers have a very good record) I think they are going to beat whatever first round opponant they play.
So I would rather they didnt burn up the energy required to close out the season and get first place. Make sure that they are rested for the playoffs is a much bigger concern.

If they didnt have 6 games in 9 days to close out the season I would probably feel differently but 6 games in 9 days is a ridiculously stupid schedule and it lends itself to fatigue and/or injury.
Especially at the end of the season.
I just dont think its worth it.

 

[Da McBomb]

Hertl is a very good player.

Apparently only one team was interested in him at the deadline.

He is a very good player but only played 48 games last year and none this year... so it will take him some time to get back to his normal level of play.. especially after coming off a knee surgery. But with his age and major surgery... who knows if he will be as good again now.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Just got done watching the game.
Holloway must stay in the lineup. IMO, and Im bias, but Ekholm should be considered for Norris. Vinny is turning into a great Dman. Really impressed with that line of Holloway, McLeod, Perry. Very convincing team win. Not sure what to do with that McDavid fella.
Just joking. Very happy to see our captain at end of game high fiving players after game. O my Captain!

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Just got done watching the game.
Holloway must stay in the lineup. IMO, and Im bias, but Ekholm should be considered for Norris. Vinny is turning into a great Dman. Really impressed with that line of Holloway, McLeod, Perry. Very convincing team win. Not sure what to do with that McDavid fella.
Just joking. Very happy to see our captain at end of game high fiving players after game. O my Captain!

Wasn't great to watch the team beat the Knights to pucks and in battles all over the ice? They just dominated.

 

[Duke74]

- Drai was meh turned over pucks a lot.
- 3rd line was epic. Find a way to keep em together!! Need fast players with Perry. Not Kane, Not Maroon
- Ekholm showed some people on here he's much better than Bouchard
- Skinner was great. Lot's of you guys eating crow and THANK GOD
- Henrique was bad, but we gotta stop switching the lines on him


Isn't it ironic that scratching Evander Kane "may" be the best option

Add another poster to the Draisaitl Cult of Hate.

Draisaitl "only" got two points, but could have had numerous others as he set up RNH and Hyman for multiple grade A chances as well as hit a post himself.

I thought that he performed well stepping up in McDavid's absence. At this point, I don't know what people expect from him. Maybe the standard is five points per game while playing a flawless puck possession game and backchecking on every shift.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Add another poster to the Draisaitl Cult of Hate. If "meh" is getting two points in McDavid's absence, I don't know what people expect from him. Honestly.

There's a couple of guys who are edge lording about this stuff posting nonsense about the team, it's safest to look past them.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

TBH I know I’m going to get a lot of flack for this about not knowing anything about hockey but Drai kind of looked like jumbo Joe Thorton out there with his puck distribution

 

[Mav3rick07]

How about that Holloway ? I'd like to see him get a legit chance here at cracking our lineup.

 

[oXo Cube]

TBH I know I’m going to get a lot of flack for this about not knowing anything about hockey but Drai kind of looked like jumbo Joe Thorton out there with his puck distribution

Why would you get flak for this? Drai has always looked like Thornton with a better shot.

There are just people on here who think elite players never turn the puck over for some weird ass reason.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Just watched it again to make sure but Hill was smiling after the Holloway goal and Whitecloud was grinning too.

Neither was upset about the play at all. Still think theres some playing possum going on.

Good Oilers performance and domination but we're not seeing the best of opponents performance right now.

That said I'll join the chorus that hardly noticed Hertyl was on the ice. He was useless.
Not sure why people got so upset about Vegas getting this guy. The only word I had for him last night was Turtle. Slowest player on the ice by miles.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Why would you get flak for this? Drai has always looked like Thornton with a better shot.

There are just people on here who think elite players never turn the puck over for some weird ass reason.

The best players in the NHL have the highest TO rates. That's just facts

 

[Duke74]

Why would you get flak for this? Drai has always looked like Thornton with a better shot.

There are just people on here who think elite players never turn the puck over for some weird ass reason.

Elite players turn the puck over more often because they're going for complex and creative plays to generate offence. Some members of our fanbase fail to grasp the more complex aspects of the sport and fawn over players with "hustle" and "grit" while simultaneously berating Draisaitl.

 

[oXo Cube]

How about that Holloway ? I'd like to see him get a legit chance here at cracking our lineup.

He brings a clear speed/pace element that the bottom 6 has been lacking of late.

But he also last game notwithstanding tends to get scored on a lot so it's been a tough road to earn the trust of the coaching staff.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Wasn't great to watch the team beat the Knights to pucks and in battles all over the ice? They just dominated.

unreal. That was probably the fastest team we iced in ages and McDavid did not play. I am feeling pretty confident. Holland has done a good job IMO. Well structured team.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I dunno...

Nuge is still the secondary half-wall QB. I think that's a huge part of our PP success (that and the overall luxury of having effectively FOUR playmakers on that power play).

His other big, completely under appreciated role is in puck retrieval and as a pressure-relief valve. When the PP gets trapped on the right side triangle as you describe, it often leads to McD coasting in as close to the hash marks as possible and wiring a shot (or Drai doing the same from down low). The puck then rims around the boards to Nuge who cuts it off, gathers control and makes a quick short pass to EXACTLY the right player to relieve pressure from the closing PKers... that's why we have so many power plays where we control the puck for 1:20 and score on exhausted PK to end PP1's shift...

You don't get that type of patience and secondary playmaking with anyone else on our team, especially not with Kane (who's passing is usually "hopeful" at best and often "ill advised blind passes").

Not to discount this at all but the reason we get 1:20 and more is the whole unit. We have two generational superstars, we have Booch who is great with the puck and moving away from pressure and holding line. We have a top scorer attracting attention around net. Nuge is a component of a very successful PP. But he's also a component of the best zone entry PP I've ever seen in my life because guys like McD and Drai gain zone and get setup for fun.

I know its just maybe how you worded it but attribution is with all. Its pretty much a perfect first unit PP It isn't the ozone possession machine it is because of one player. Its every part working and meshing to be that.

 

[Drivesaitl]

He brings a clear speed/pace element that the bottom 6 has been lacking of late.

But he also last game notwithstanding tends to get scored on a lot so it's been a tough road to earn the trust of the coaching staff.

Inexperienced players invariably get scored on a lot at this level at least initially. Problem for Holloway here is the Oilers haven't committed to him enough for him to settle in here, to gain confidence, and to be comfortable in the role. He has to play each game with the intensity that he could be his last. With that mistakes occur because he's being desperate to make plays, pressure pucks and susceptible to overplay. Holloway knows in a Holland directed lineup he has to outshine to see much of any action here. Thats a real tough place to be. If Holloway was a prospect of some other teams he'd have 150 games by now.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Just watched it again to make sure but Hill was smiling after the Holloway goal and Whitecloud was grinning too.

Neither was upset about the play at all. Still think theres some playing possum going on.

Good Oilers performance and domination but we're not seeing the best of opponents performance right now.

That said I'll join the chorus that hardly noticed Hertyl was on the ice. He was useless.
Not sure why people got so upset about Vegas getting this guy. The only word I had for him last night was Turtle. Slowest player on the ice by miles.

Their media doesn't see it the same way. Yeah the Knights are missing players but they were no threat the entire game.

 

[McFlyingV]

Last night they were missing 5 important pieces, their captain, top dman in the league, top line forward, 2 solid bottom 6 forwards.

I’m not a Vegas fan, but they have been decimated by injury all year, sure hope we get them first round before they get all their chemistry back.

You know they can't actually ice that line up right now because there's a salary cap lol.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Why would you get flak for this? Drai has always looked like Thornton with a better shot.

There are just people on here who think elite players never turn the puck over for some weird ass reason.

Joe Thornton who is one of the modern era top production players. One of the most productive passers.

Innately what occurs in making plays is some do not work. Elite passers are often threading pucks through tight areas because if they work they are serious chances. So many times it seems as if the risk/reward concept is not understood. I assure anybody Drai understands it.

That said what I would like to see more of is move and pass. Change the angle and be in motion while passing. Makes it easier to find an opening and harder to stop.

Gretz used to talk about nothing will be open if you just stand there looking at it. You have to challenge the D or box and look for opens as you engage with the opponent coverage.

Their media doesn't see it the same way. Yeah the Knights are missing players but they were no threat the entire game.

Vegas didn't look like a threat playing the Yotes. Both the Knights and Kings look to be playing chicken right now or at best resting. Of course the problem is if they jockey for last WC one of them will be getting Dallas. The team you say is no good.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Add another poster to the Draisaitl Cult of Hate. If "meh" is getting two points in McDavid's absence, I don't know what people expect from him. Honestly.

I’m often critical of Draisaitls defensive play and carelessness with the puck at times but he was unreal last night. Played like the two way beast I’ve always hoped he could be.

He was responsible, limited his giveaways on low percentage passes and was great positionally playing C. There was a few times where he backtracked and I had to do double take because I didn’t believe it was him lol.

 

[McBeastMode]

That Viking clapper though.

It was so hard, it actually lifted the net up.