Post-Game Talk: 1st place hockey

[Anarchism]

I and a few others have been saying that all season long... there's players within this org that will take this team over the top.

There's a fine line between an underachieving/overachieving team and this team will be a playoff team with guys like Benson/Benning/Persson/Lagesson in the lineup.

Even Marody (who most don't think is any good any longer) has the hunger and spark to propel this team towards a ~100 pt season and playoffs.


Not a coincidence when guys like Khaira and Granlund are out... the team does better with the players that replace them.

Absolutely another few key pieces like Benson/Benning/Persson will give this team more depth and players that simply play well in their roles... making this team more than the sum of its parts.

Holland and Tippett eventually will "get it" even though they've been a little slow on the uptake... but once they see and realize which players actually deserve roster spots... this team is a playoff team with ~100 pts.... (or even more if they outperform).

I realize that sometimes professional hockey guys suffer from being too close to the trees and sometimes miss the forest ....but your post basically says Holland and Tippett are blind or stupid or both....
Maybe they know alot more than you do...???

 

[ElysiumAB]

Checks time, check. Your doomed, you're never going to get that 200 word essay done. Looks like you'll be scrabbling something together in 5minutes of deadline doom. The average time it takes me to write 200 words around here..

Do people actually get 200word essay assignments? I went to the wrong schools.

Lol, no, it's a meme.

Maybe it hasn't made its way to Canada yet.

 

[Arctic Fox]

Eh, I'm not sure we really need one, but either way I think between Bouchard and Broberg we have one coming in a couple years. I do like the composition of our top-4 defence group as is though.

You need to factor in injuries which are likely over a long season and/or playoffs.

 

[SwedishFire]

Wow, Atchibald is a fast player. I first wondered if it was McDavid or Nygård. He is close to as fast. If he plays first line, who of him and Kassian is going LW?? Neal starts to be a problem 5 vs 5. Where should he fit?

IAnd I must say Gagner still has some hands. At least.

What a stupid article. Blame Hall, a player good enough in NJ to have a MVP season, instead of obvious looking at such crash and burns as PK Subban who is a hockey abortion in NJ.

But... its true.

 

[Anarchism]

Regarding all the Hall talk, I certainly do feel bad for him. Not a fan of analyzing body language, but come on, the look on his face after he scored said it all. I certainly wouldn't mind having him back, but at the same time, looking at our cap situation, long-term that would likely cost us RNH. That's not a price I'd pay. I think RNH is a far more valuable piece on this team than Hall could be. Honestly I think our forward core (top 6) is set for the foreseeable future with the exception of Benson.

But anyways, enough talk about opposing players, let's get some more love for Archibald and Sheahan. You know your team is rolling when your 4C has a 4 point night. Credit to Tippett as well. And Bear. And Nurse, and basically everyone who played tonight (including the guy we all want out of the lineup, Gagner, who scored today). Solid, important win.

Screw the Habs for gifting Vegas a point. Should have had an easy regulation win. Thanks to the Sens for demolishing Cowtown. Go Sharks!

Yes the 9 plus million Hall will get should go to a 1LW and a 3c....
I realize next years cap (21) will be over 83 mil....and cap for '22 will be close to 90 ...but thats then ....we have nurse and bear and kassian and maybe a 1B guy....

 

[ujju2]

You need to factor in injuries which are likely over a long season and/or playoffs.

Yeah, but there aren't many teams that have a top-4 defenceman playing on their third pairing to cover for injuries. And that's certainly not a luxury we can afford considering the salary devoted to our forward group. This team is not going to have a world-beating defence, except maybe if Bouchard/Broberg/Samorukov play really well on their ELC. But we do have a competent defence imo, and a world-beating forward group. That sounds like a playoff team, and in the not-so-distant future, a cup contender, to me.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I realize that sometimes professional hockey guys suffer from being too close to the trees and sometimes miss the forest ....but your post basically says Holland and Tippett are blind or stupid or both....
Maybe they know alot more than you do...???

They aren't stupid or blind.. but sometimes coaches and GMs stick to certain players longer than they should... happens all the time.

 

[noeticfuzz]

Kassian's craziness I think ended up being a last bit stitch that solidified this group into a team.

They are going to do damage in April.

Arch with a hell of a game sublime patience on the break (earlier in the year I think he would of shot) and one hell of a sauce; Underated smart plays by Neal tonight (who is finding ways to be effective when his stick doesn't seem like its gifted by greek gods) without his hounding before Sam's goal that may not happen and the game doesn't play out the way it does; Yamo really benefits from playing with Drai, Gallagher lite is my feel right now, don't think he has the same success the McDavid, he made a few moves on the rush today that I didn't like (Yamo), bit to deferential, poor passes and wasn't finding ice rather letting guys step in his lane; RNH's feed to Drai before he made a beauty cross to McDavid was absolutely killer, I actually cussed at Klef's pass cause I thought a stick check and shortie break were coming; Hockey DB'd and was shocked that Riley was only in his late 20's, keep that MF'er for the next 3 yrs!

 

[fuswald]

I think Arizona (and Hall) did pretty good considering they were playing the #1 team in the Pacific!

 

[GodPucker]

I don't discount this either. The Oilers really did a number on Taylor Hall. Imagine if you will being pumped that your club now has Draisaitl and McD after years of a bleak outlook here, imagine being thrilled at that, wanting to be part of that, and then traded for Adam Larsson..

Career gut punch is good way to look at it. Even by accounts this led to a year of soul searching and Hall being lost the first year in NJ until Shero helped him turn it around.

and if he REALLY wants to win now (or try to), he has the chance to join them if his ego doesn't get in the way. If he wants to get paid, he will siuffer as he is not a guy you build entirely around. Up to him.

I could see Calgary being desperate and giving Hall 8+ easily as they have no superstars.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Kassian's craziness I think ended up being a last bit stitch that solidified this group into a team.

They are going to do damage in April.

Arch with a hell of a game sublime patience on the break (earlier in the year I think he would of shot) and one hell of a sauce; Underated smart plays by Neal tonight (who is finding ways to be effective when his stick doesn't seem like its gifted by greek gods) without his hounding before Sam's goal that may not happen and the game doesn't play out the way it does; Yamo really benefits from playing with Drai, Gallagher lite is my feel right now, don't think he has the same success the McDavid, he made a few moves on the rush today that I didn't like (Yamo), bit to deferential, poor passes and wasn't finding ice rather letting guys step in his lane; RNH's feed to Drai before he made a beauty cross to McDavid was absolutely killer, I actually cussed at Klef's pass cause I thought a stick check and shortie break were coming; Hockey DB'd and was shocked that Riley was only in his late 20's, keep that MF'er for the next 3 yrs!

I saw it similar to when he beat the shit out of OEL and Duclair after OEL ran Hendricks from behind.

That incident seemed to galvanize the team similar to the most recent rat boy incident.

 

[The Panther]

Man, I love Ethan Bear. He is one of the few Oiler regulars who isn't a minus on the season (just), is producing some points, is the only D who can make sharp, fast passes out of the zone without panicking, and is just a rookie!

Good thing Chiarelli isn't still in charge, or he'd probably trade him in the off-season for a 35-year-old winger who'll score 3 goals and then retire.

Good to see the depth scoring coming through, finally. Those guys needed a confidence boost, and now they've got it.

I'm still not sold on Mike Smith. If the Oilers make the playoffs, I think I'd prefer to see Koskinen in there. Full credit to Smith for his recent 'comeback' from purgatory, but I think the wins are more due to depth scoring arriving than anything special Smith has done. Actually, he didn't look too good on some of the goals tonight. (At this point, I'm undecided whether the Oilers' goaltending situation is a strength or a weakness...)


Taylor Hall, what can you say...? 600+ NHL regular season games... 5 career playoff games. (Give him credit for production at the World Championships, I guess.) He'll probably make it back in this year, but I hope not.

 

[Louis Cypher]

I was just thinking of starting a thread. Good job!

f*** you all you whiney naysayers looking for any reason to bitch and complain.

Go oilers go!

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

I was just thinking of starting a thread. Good job!

**** you all you whiney naysayers looking for any reason to ***** and complain.

Go oilers go!

 

[The Nuge]

Tonight was a prime example of what I was talking about earlier in the season. Our bottom 6 was somehow scoring less than our bottom 6 last year, and everyone was talking about how we couldn’t be good this year because we were counting on McDrai and the goalies to win us every game. But everyone ignored the fact that our bottom 6 had actual NHL calibre players, and they just couldn’t seem to put the puck in the net. It’s now turned, and those guys are scoring like they should. Chiasson should get 30 points, while Sheahan, Archibald, Gagner, and Nygard should all hit 20+. Not bad for having to ignore the top 6 calibre free agents and go after a bunch of bargain signings

 

[GodPucker]

When we play hard and compete heavily on the forecheck like we did today, we’ll be just fine and well positioned to make the playoffs.

Having two legit top 6 lines has been a revelation. I get excited when Nuge-Drai-Yamo hop on the ice as well as McDavids line.

This. I just remember hating when McDrai went off. Now I look forward to watching that 2nd line

 

[Panthera]

It seems reports of the Oilers demise were greatly exaggerated

I think I'm officially recovered from the dreadful December and ready to start having faith in this team again. This team finding a way to get McDavid and Draisaitl to be effective on separate lines *and* getting some good depth scoring too? So much scarier to go up against than one godlike line and a bunch of nothing happening.

 

[Mowzie]

All this Hall talk, I'm not even entirely convinced he finishes the season with Arizona. If they continue to trend down like this, you would think they would want to get some of their assets back, and cut their losses.

I hope Edmonton is able to stay out of the bidding war for him both at the deadline and in the summer.

 

[ujju2]

It seems reports of the Oilers demise were greatly exaggerated

I think I'm officially recovered from the dreadful December and ready to start having faith in this team again. This team finding a way to get McDavid and Draisaitl to be effective on separate lines *and* getting some good depth scoring too? So much scarier to go up against than one godlike line and a bunch of nothing happening.

And to be honest the Nuge-Drai-Yama line has been pretty damn close to godlike. It's almost as if McDavid is playing as the 2C, although that is of course impossible considering he's McDavid. We have two first lines now, and both are top-10 in the league imo.

 

[MaxR11]

All this Hall talk, I'm not even entirely convinced he finishes the season with Arizona. If they continue to trend down like this, you would think they would want to get some of their assets back, and cut their losses.

I hope Edmonton is able to stay out of the bidding war for him both at the deadline and in the summer.

Hall's like that chick that's decent looking from afar until you get up close and see all the wrinkles, pimples and warts.

 

[Morpheus]

Hall's like that chick that's decent looking from afar until you get up close and see all the wrinkles, pimples and warts.

“good from far, but far from good”

said that old adage last night at the bar lol

 

[Rusoilers]

Classic Taylor Hall game 1g and -5. Hall is basically a Rick Nash/Phil Kessel at this point. A very very good hockey player/talented winger but can't be your best player if you want to win.

I'd take him back but he'll want 10m+ and probably get it somewhere in free agency. Good luck to him.

He is a 1b player. He can put up many points offensively but not so good defensively. He is not a leader by any stretch either at least that's how it seems. He should be the number 2 guy on your team, a team with him as your main superstar wont win in the playoffs. And to top it off he will be severely overpaid after free agency. I dont hate him but I doubt holland will pay him as much as he will want to bring him back here.

 

[GodPucker]

He is a 1b player. He can put up many points offensively but not so good defensively. He is not a leader by any stretch either at least that's how it seems. He should be the number 2 guy on your team, a team with him as your main superstar wont win in the playoffs. And to top it off he will be severely overpaid after free agency. I dont hate him but I doubt holland will pay him as much as he will want to bring him back here.

I would jump for joy if we got Hall back, but not for any overpay whatsoever. I believe we can jump much more ahead with a guy like him playing 3rd fiddle here. Nightmare for opponents. If he took maximum 7 I would do it. Guys made a lot of dough. At this point in his career, how much $$ do you really want over a great situation?

 

[OilerTitanFan]

Not sure if anyone noticed but when Sheahan scored that empty net goal, Archibald could have passed it to McDavid then McD to Sheahan. That would've given McD another point. Archibald was plain stupid there. If McDavid misses the Art Ross by a point, that missed point is pretty much the dagger.

 

[FlameChampion]

Tonight was a prime example of what I was talking about earlier in the season. Our bottom 6 was somehow scoring less than our bottom 6 last year, and everyone was talking about how we couldn’t be good this year because we were counting on McDrai and the goalies to win us every game. But everyone ignored the fact that our bottom 6 had actual NHL calibre players, and they just couldn’t seem to put the puck in the net. It’s now turned, and those guys are scoring like they should. Chiasson should get 30 points, while Sheahan, Archibald, Gagner, and Nygard should all hit 20+. Not bad for having to ignore the top 6 calibre free agents and go after a bunch of bargain signings

i agree. We have players in the bottom 6 now. They are scoring more now.

I would be interested in knowing the goals against as well. I am sure our bottom 6 is getting scored on less as well.

Not to mention out bottom 6 have a significant impact on the pk which is top 10 I believe. Not dead last like most years.