Get Draisaitl and McDavid some help

[TheNumber4]

I can respect your opinion. I have zero issues with you thinking Bouch is the second coming.

To me, Bouch is complimentary. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great complimentary piece. But I watch Hughes and he drives play.

I’ll ask you this, switch each players roles. What does a season of Hughes playing with McDrai look like. What does Bouchard’s season look like?

I think if we’re both being honest, we know what happens.

You gotta watch him more then. Barrie as an Oiler was complementary. Bouch is much better and makes McDrai better as well. Elite vision, elite ability to dance defenders, elite shot, elite passing. Lots of McDrais apples this year is loading up the Bouch bomb. Something Hughes doesn’t have.

Hughes drives play with the puck on his stick. And it looks dynamic. But Bouch can be just as effective doing much less, his skill is more subtle. He doesn’t need to make 5 circles in the o zone to find a pass. He only needs his vision and a slight fake and juke of a defender to find that same pass.

I would much rather Bouch over Hughes on the Oilers as a stylistic fit too. McD and Drai don’t need nor want a puck carrying defender. They’d rather have the puck on their stick, and with the puck on their stick I’d much rather they be loading up Bouch bombs than Hughes wristers.

 

[HugginThePost]

You gotta watch him more then. Barrie as an Oiler was complementary. Bouch is much better and makes McDrai better as well. Elite vision, elite ability to dance defenders, elite shot, elite passing. Lots of McDrais apples this year is loading up the Bouch bomb. Something Hughes doesn’t have.

Hughes drives play with the puck on his stick. And it looks dynamic. But Bouch can be just as effective doing much less, his skill is more subtle. He doesn’t need to make 5 circles in the o zone to find a pass. He only needs his vision and a slight fake and juke of a defender to find that same pass.

I would much rather Bouch over Hughes on the Oilers as a stylistic fit too. McD and Drai don’t need nor want a puck carrying defender. They’d rather have the puck on their stick, and with the puck on their stick I’d much rather they be loading up Bouch bombs than Hughes

We’re going to agree to disagree here, which I’m totally fine with.

Sounds like you want a guy to pass to McDrai. Hughes would be a weapon on the Oilers.

I get it, neither are defensive defensemen, but Quinn’s creativity would beat out the “Bouch Bomb”.

 

[Three On Zero]

We’re going to agree to disagree here, which I’m totally fine with.

Sounds like you want a guy to pass to McDrai. Hughes would be a weapon on the Oilers.

I get it, neither are defensive defensemen, but Quinn’s creativity would beat out the “Bouch Bomb”.

Bouch is alright, but he’s almost invisible 90% of the time, his partner has to do 90% of the lifting. Unless he’s shooting the puck from the point

 

[TheNumber4]

We’re going to agree to disagree here, which I’m totally fine with.

Sounds like you want a guy to pass to McDrai. Hughes would be a weapon on the Oilers.

I get it, neither are defensive defensemen, but Quinn’s creativity would beat out the “Bouch Bomb”.

We can and that’s fine. Bouch has a lot of creativity too. Like I said it’s subtle and doesn’t look as dynamic as Hughes. But the production and analytics shows it can be just as effective. Bouchard’s hockey IQ is better allowing him to do more with less. We haven’t talked much about defence either, but I take Bouchs defending over Hughes, atleast what I’ve seen in these playoffs.

 

[ijuka]

Bouch is alright, but he’s almost invisible 90% of the time, his partner has to do 90% of the lifting. Unless he’s shooting the puck from the point

This is absolute nonsense. He was not invisible in either game. His play with the puck is very solid in comparison to the rest of the team, and he often makes smart plays in 5on5. He's only invisible if you're not watching.

While I think Ekholm has overall been better, still their styles are quite different and it's obvious Bouchard is better with the puck, even outside of power play.

 

[North Cole]

I feel like it's a given that Hughes is better than Bouch, but there'd ways of making that point without talking completely out of your ass about Bouchard.

 

[HairyKneel]

Every other shift they are on the ice creating chances and have bums around them.

They have 4 other people in stripes cutting them the odd break. How much help do you want? Hyman the rodent got 50 goals as a modern day Blair Macdonald. Evander Kane has full immunity to slew foot other players and act like Ike Turner off ice. McDavid can slash people in the grill and Nurse can blow players up from behind. 55 lottery picks and you’re asking for help.

You have a miserable meat puppet in Mark Spector pimping the team all over Canada while taking shots a coach who died of cancer. Craig Simpson, Chris Cuthbert and the entire SN panel save Bieksa, are clapping their paws and disco dancing to the Oilers beat. What is the team song anyways? Feels like a Barry Manilow tune.

McJesus and Dr Drai aren’t the problem. They need a f***ing goalie.

 

[Dicky113]

B…b…but, I thought they were “the greatest since Gretzky”

Truly great players don’t need help.

Go look at Gretzky oilers roster

 

[Fourier]

Go look at Gretzky oilers roster

Seven Hall of famers on those teams plus guys like Tikkanen, Moog, Linseman, Huddy, Simpson, Napier, Nilsson etc along for the ride.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Vancouver media is absolutely fixated like hell on reffing biases, despite Canucks leading the series with 6 PP to 4.

No wonder the fans are all up in arms about reffing. Its the #1 thing they talk about nonstop every game. Players and coach always get asked about biased officiating.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

McDavid and Draisaitl don't need any help. Look at that depth, the Oilers are stacked.

9 years later and they're still a 2 man team.

 

[Three On Zero]

McDavid and Draisaitl don't need any help. Look at that depth, the Oilers are stacked.

9 years later and they're still a 2 man team.

Crazy how long management has had to build a team around McDavid and they still have a mediocre top 6 with a poor bottom 6

 

[Skolman]

Henrique isn't very good. He shouldn't be a top 6 player. The guy can barely skate but seems to know where to position himself

Neither are the Canucks players I mentioned.

Nonetheless, I said at least 3 players aside from 97 & 29 make the Canucks top-6.. Hyman & RNH obviously. Kane would as well

 

[Skolman]

McDavid and Draisaitl don't need any help. Look at that depth, the Oilers are stacked.

9 years later and they're still a 2 man team.

There were only 3 teams in the NHL with 9 players who put up 40+ points this season.

Dallas, Vegas, and Edmonton.

But yes, go off genius.

 

[cupface52]

Crazy how long management has had to build a team around McDavid and they still have a mediocre top 6 with a poor bottom 6

If Edmonton's top 6 is mediocre, what do you call the other 31 teams top 6? Edmonton has a better top 6 than Toronto and Tampa. Every other team's top 6 is far below these 3 teams, though Colorado is kinda close if Nichuskin is healthy.

4/6 of their top 6 is in the top 25 scoring over the last 2 seasons.

 

[Three On Zero]

If Edmonton's top 6 is mediocre, what do you call the other 31 teams top 6? Edmonton has a better top 6 than Toronto and Tampa. Every other team's top 6 is far below these 3 teams, though Colorado is kinda close if Nichuskin is healthy.

4/6 of their top 6 is in the top 25 scoring over the last 2 seasons.

Mcdavid makes the top 6 look good, its average at best without him

 

[Skolman]

Mcdavid makes the top 6 look good, its average at best without him

Draisaitl, Hyman, RNH, Kane, Henrique.

How many teams have a better top 6 when you remove the best forward on each team?

I'll most certainly wait for your response

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Teams always play to maximize the roster they have. If playing McDrai 25+ minutes a night leads to playoff wins, then that's a defensible strategy.

The bigger issue is if that leads to either of McDavid or Draisaitl getting worn down to the point where they get injured or can't perform at a high enough level to drag their team to victory.

^^^ This. Same thing every year: McDavid and Draisatl play so much that they inevitably wear out in the later rounds. Wash-rinse-repeat.

IMHO, it will likely get worse after the upcoming McDavid and Draisatl re-signings that will further reduce the cap available to build quality depth. Thus, it may very well be that the Oilers' window to win a Cup closes after this season, although of course they will remain a competitive team that regularly makes the playoffs albeit never very deeply.

 

[cupface52]

Mcdavid makes the top 6 look good, its average at best without him

Is McDavid not a part of their top 6? Take away any other teams best forward and it wouldn't even look "average at best".

 

[zar]

Bouch is alright, but he’s almost invisible 90% of the time, his partner has to do 90% of the lifting. Unless he’s shooting the puck from the point

Such an odd obsession to continually bash a guy who has basically the exact same stats as your boy, Norris finalist.

Goals, points, even strength goals, even strength points, +/-, Corsi, Fenwick, HDSF/HDSA while on the ice.

Eye test right?

Yes Hughes is a better skater and slightly better defender. Bouchard is more physical, stronger overall and has a better shot.

Bouchard has a significant valuable skill of shooting the puck an accurately and hard and you use that against him? Weak.

 

[Darren McCord]

Since Hyman is a bum the pens will trade you a 4th and take him off your hands.

 

[Shareefruck]

Which one of Hyman, RNH, Henrique, and Kane doesn't make the Canucks top-6?

The Canucks have Suter, Hoglander & Mikheyev in their top-6....

Not that it changes the argument, but only people who don't watch the games consider the Pettersson line the second line this year (or worse, idiots who automatically label it the first line just because a Pettersson who's playing terribly is on it). They're pretty firmly the third line at this point.

It's such a pet peeve of mine (not even referring to you, Canucks broadcasters and journalists do it too and it's frustrating as hell).

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

The problem is, the Oilers are full of passengers. If players aren’t on McDavids line, they are completely useless. They’re essentially minions who just eat up ice time to give McDavid and Draisaitl rest.

 

[Orca Smash]

Vancouver media is absolutely fixated like hell on reffing biases, despite Canucks leading the series with 6 PP to 4.

No wonder the fans are all up in arms about reffing. Its the #1 thing they talk about nonstop every game. Players and coach always get asked about biased officiating.

Fans are not up in arms about reffing tonight....Last game yes, given the 12 year past playoff history with kelly sutherland he was a massive talking point on the radio.

 

[jackjohnson]

They do have some help but when McDavid plays 50 minutes a game, how can they help??