Pre-Game Talk: 11/1 vs Chicago

[Little Fury]

There’s a debate there for sure. Should he have been brought up while issues were still apparent in his AHL game and he didn’t even tear the AHL up. Usually a player gets brought up when it’s become apparent they can go POint per game at the AHL level. Pulju didn’t get to that point. On the flip side of that though, if Oilers fans weren’t complaining about his NHL deployment back then they were complaining about him not being up. The consensus was that he should be brought up back then, even I was guilty of this, going so far as to blame our AHL coach for making him focus on his game away from the puck too much instead of just turning him into an offensive powerhouse.

Also sometimes players spend time in the AHL to work on physical aspects of their game. Like foot speed, or size, or shot or something. Pulju already has these tools in spades. So the question is, where would be best to learn the Xs and Os or mental aspect of the game, maybe it’s the NHL, maybe AHL there’s a debate there.

But if it’s decided that it’s NHL, he has to earn the minutes in ways that he can definately show in a 3rd line role.

I have no idea if he was handled correctly in his time in the AHL or what kind of opportunity he got. My impression was the old staff heavily favoured veterans and that the big club wasn't altogether happy with how things were run down there.

As for the bold, I don't disagree (most of my beef here has been with Caggiula getting golden opportunities). But I also feel like "doing the right things" doesn't necessarily correlate with good results and can be overemphasized. If I had a choice between a hard worker who did all the right things and still gets caved in versus a guy who is a loose cannon but still ends up on the right side of the scoresheet, I think I'd choose the latter.

 

[Spawn]

They should, but there's a point where you can't just let them go out there and make the same mistakes over and over too.

Pretty much. We’re in year three and Puljujarvi has barely moved an inch forward in development. He still looks like a player who has no clue what is going on out there.

At some point it might be time to look at it maybe not being a confidence or opportunity issue but rather an issue of him just not being very good at hockey.

 

[McDNicks17]

They keep putting him in the same situation and keep bringing the whip down when it doesn't work. Maybe it's time to try something else?

I'm not sure what that something else would be.

He doesn't seem to be improving his deficiencies at all. I don't think easing up the whip is going to get him to change.

I also think they might be worried about sending him down to the AHL because he hasn't really shown a willingness to focus on what he needs to improve. I can't see him doing that down in Bakersfield where he'd probably have less eyes on him.

I think we're at a point where it's mostly on Pulju. He needs to have an epiphany and realize he needs to change his game for the NHL.

 

[TheNumber4]

I have no idea if he was handled correctly in his time in the AHL or what kind of opportunity he got. My impression was the old staff heavily favoured veterans and that the big club wasn't altogether happy with how things were run down there.

As for the bold, I don't disagree (most of my beef here has been with Caggiula getting golden opportunities). But I also feel like "doing the right things" doesn't necessarily correlate with good results and can be overemphasized. If I had a choice between a hard worker who did all the right things and still gets caved in versus a guy who is a loose cannon but still ends up on the right side of the scoresheet, I think I'd choose the latter.

I think I heard the same thing about the the Condors back then. I think it’s been addressed with Woodcroft now, he knows his job is primarily to be a development hub for the bigs.

On your second point, I’d say there’s not many or any teams these days that have a very long leash for players who don’t work hard and make mistakes. Rare is a player who can outscore his deficiencies in the more basic parts of the game. Many would argue that the basics are required to even be in the right side of the scoresheet, it’s a prerequisite more so than an either/or situation.

I would add this, remember Eberle? Or Gagner? They could produce but did very little else besides that and Oiler fans ended up running them out of town anyways. We should want Pulju to have a more complete game, because if he doesn’t well want him out of here eventually anyways even if he is scoring.

But in any case, let’s agree to disagree. LETS GO OILERS. And hope Pulju kicks some ass tonight.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

JUST WIN BABY!!
BEAT THEM BLACKHAWKS SENSELESS

McDavid with 10 points.

 

[DaGap]

/me equates PRV with MPS

 

[Oilers in NS]

I waited very patiently for Gravel to get back in. Garrison hasn’t impressed and the Oilers take a loss. Where the hell is my Gravel!?

If game makes ya sick watching Garrison lose the puck and Oilernation freaking out, take 5 of these, smoke 2 big doobies of 27%-33% THC , drink some crappy wine and enjoy the weekend

 

[Oilers in NS]

View attachment 151259

If game makes ya sick watching Garrison lose the puck and Oilernation freaking out, take 5 of these, smoke 2 big doobies of 27%-33% THC , drink some crappy wine and enjoy the weekend

But I do agree with ya, Gravel should be back in. In Todd's system, negatives are positives. Two negatives make a positive and two positives make a negative. He shows no accountability toward the vets but benched the young fellas for small mistakes. I really wanna see the Oilers succeed but I'm at the end of the rope with Todd and his decisions. Eakins 2.0

 

[CupofOil]

If we are being honest, neither Yamo, Pulju, Caggiula, Rattie look like NHLer as of late. Yamo and Pulju have star potential. Caggiula has 3LW grinder potential and Rattie is a good complimentary player. If Mclellan is a good coach, he would know his priority

You can't be serious. Rattie, Cagguila and Yamamoto have all looked pretty good this season. You're being dishonest with that assessment.

Of course Pulju has the highest potential of all these guys but he also plays much less of a pro style game than those guys do so I can understand why McLellan doesn't want to throw him on a tough minutes top line right now. However, for him to not have one minute of PP time in his entire NHL career is inexcusable especially when the biggest need on that top unit is a big RHS.

 

[CupofOil]

Drake doesn't have the skill or finish to play with McD, as we will see tonight. It'll be 2 periods of banging my head against a wall, followed by Drai being moved up in his place for the 3rd.

Yet you want Kassian on the top line.
FTR, neither he or Drake should be on the top line but options are thin with Rattie out and arguably thin even with him in the lineup.

 

[TheNumber4]

Blackhawks had 3 breakaways last night against the Nucks, should watch the stretch pass.

Also Saad looked surprisingly good.

 

[Canovin]

You can't be serious. Rattie, Cagguila and Yamamoto have all looked pretty good this season. You're being dishonest with that assessment.

Of course Pulju has the highest potential of all these guys but he also plays much less of a pro style game than those guys do so I can understand why McLellan doesn't want to throw him on a tough minutes top line right now. However, for him to not have one minute of PP time in his entire NHL career is inexcusable especially when the biggest need on that top unit is a big RHS.

I don't recall Rattie looking good and that's with playing McDavid and RNH. Aside from playing NA hockey, Yam hasn't been good. Caggiula was only decent and that's in a checking role. In a scoring role with RNH and McDavid, he looked out of place

 

[McBeastMode]

Until we get rid of that big bag of cement"Lucic"..This team will never make great strides.
Putting him on the PP negates it to even strength...

Draisaitl saddled with him, is like having Talbot on McDavids wing..

Chias stupid decisions, have negated any sort of positivity on this team moving forward..

 

[CupofOil]

I don't recall Rattie looking good and that's with playing McDavid and RNH. Aside from playing NA hockey, Yam hasn't been good. Caggiula was only decent and that's in checking role. In a scoring role with RNH and McDavid, he looked out of place

Agreed on Cagguila in a scoring role, disagree with the other two although I can understand why Yamamoto was demoted because of lack of production.
You said that none of those guys have looked like NHLers as of late and that's simply wrong.

 

[McGoMcD]

Until we get rid of that big bag of cement"Lucic"..This team will never make great strides.
Putting him on the PP negates it to even strength...

Draisaitl saddled with him, is like having Talbot on McDavids wing..

Chias stupid decisions, have negated any sort of positivity on this team moving forward..

Ya, sadly I completly agree.

This team still has lots of talent and the best player in the game. So we will be a bubble playoffs team. However, we could have been pitts after they added Crosby. We should be looking for a 2nd cup right about now. Thats how bad Chia f'ed us over.

 

[McDNicks17]

Until we get rid of that big bag of cement"Lucic"..This team will never make great strides.
Putting him on the PP negates it to even strength...

Draisaitl saddled with him, is like having Talbot on McDavids wing..

Chias stupid decisions, have negated any sort of positivity on this team moving forward..

I wouldn't really have Lucic near the top of the list of issues with this team right now.

 

[McCombo]

Kane plays. Need to be physical on him, can't be 100% if he was unable to play less than 24h ago.

 

[Oilhawks]

Kane plays. Need to be physical on him, can't be 100% if he was unable to play less than 24h ago.

Haha of course he does. Canucks have been riding a lot of luck so far this year (aside from some minor / short term injuries to key players). Yeah we play them back to back (overstated effect in today's NHL as some have pointed out), but they got them less their top player.

Gotta show up today and play them hard. Saad was hungry last night and with his waved off goal he'll be a hornet again tonight. My second team can go on a winning streak the game after this

 

[dssource]

Oilers need a win tonight. Very important for this mentally fragile team to get a W against a beatable opponent who played last night and may be missing a top player to get back on track.

I understand drake getting a shot on the top line especially with pulj coming back in. In order for pulj to get going he should start off against easier competition. Maybe he's actually got a fire under his b*** and gets Strome and Lucic going as well. Drake moves to the top line as he has played well, plus no where else for him to go. He's doesn't need to carry the puck. He should defer to 93 and 97, cause chaos, retrieve pucks, get to the net. I feel like he will have a good game.

Benning has slooooowly been getting better every game since he's been scratched/injured. Team obv doesn't want to play Bouchard past 9 games so this is key for oilers success as there is no one better.

 

[The Head Crusher]

It worked so well last time, lets do it again. Patrick Kane I Am Crushing Your Head!

 

[talitintti]

Have a good feeling about this 1

 

[nabob]

WTF?

Yeah it’s dumb straw man comments like that one that make having a decent discussion near impossible. Posters that so badly want to be right they’ll invent things to argue against claiming you said it.

 

[nabob]

It worked so well last time, lets do it again. Patrick Kane I Am Crushing Your Head!

Is he confirmed to be in the lineup?

 

[The Head Crusher]

Is he confirmed to be in the lineup?

no clue

 

[Canada Drai]

Wrong thread.