Prospect Info: 2015 Young Stars tourney

[ohheyhemsky]

Virtanen refuses to drop the gloves at any point. He hid behind the ref and turtled.

I've heard this brought up about Virtanen's play a few times now. He's much tougher when a ref is present, etc.

 

[McTrashBoat]

I don't know how many of you follow basketball but there was a big uproar a few years back when the Spurs sat out their best players in a marquee regular season game in the middle of the season just to rest them.

How would you fans feel if the Oilers start sitting McDavid out of regular season games in the future? Let's say in a few years time, the Oilers are in 1st place in February and are playing their 5th game in 7 nights. I could easily argue that it makes more sense to rest McDavid since playoffs is what we really need him for. Would those of you who paid to be at that game be okay with that decision because it is for the greater cause?

Well thats all a big if

But they probably wouldn't rest a guy at home, much more likely on the road


And even then all you should expect at a game is for the team as a whole to show up and play their best.

 

[McBooya42]

This is correct, the moment McDavid got blasted, clean hit, dirty hit, no one cares there should have been an immediate and brutal response.

Challenging a guy to fight 4 shifts later does nothing, the whole team should have gone after the offender. Once again a missed opportunity to send a message. I'm sure we will wait until the guys gets concussed.

With all respect to you as a poster Beerfish, this is a horribly outdated attitude and a terrible post.

 

[nabob]

I've heard this brought up about Virtanen's play a few times now. He's much tougher when a ref is present, etc.

Burrows' replacement.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Burrows' replacement.

I can't for the life of me remember where I read/heard it though.

 

[Sanderson]

It was a clean hit and McDavid stopped any retaliation in the moment himself. Should Winquist of shoved McDsvid over and drop kicked Virtanen?

Not that I necessarily disagree with the rest, but this bit seems off to me. McDavid didn't try to stop anything at all. He got up, Winquist tried to get to Virtanen, and Virtanen hid behind McDavid in a way that made it impossible for Winquist to do anything. In other words, Virtanan pretty much grabbed McDavid and put him between Winquist and himself.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

Not that I necessarily disagree with the rest, but this bit seems off to me. McDavid didn't try to stop anything at all. He got up, Winquist tried to get to Virtanen, and Virtanen hid behind McDavid in a way that made it impossible for Winquist to do anything. In other words, Virtanan pretty much grabbed McDavid and put him between Winquist and himself.

Still stands nothing Winquist could of reasonably done when a dude cowers like that

 

[Sanderson]

Still stands nothing Winquist could of reasonably done when a dude cowers like that

Yes, as I said, I didn't disagree with that, Winquist did come to help his team-mate and that was all that was necessary. Everything else could easily be dealt with through going after the opponent with a big hit yourself or challenging him to a fight later on, both happened.

I just disagreed with the bit about McDavid preventing anything, he did no such thing.

 

[Replacement*]

This is correct, the moment McDavid got blasted, clean hit, dirty hit, no one cares there should have been an immediate and brutal response.

Challenging a guy to fight 4 shifts later does nothing, the whole team should have gone after the offender. Once again a missed opportunity to send a message. I'm sure we will wait until the guys gets concussed.

I think the team on the ice handled the situation well. McDavid realize it for what it was, a clean check, and the Oilers took a number and responded as the game proceeded. With the sum experience the rest of the night being that Virtanen had to face the music the rest of the night and I think he did that. its not up to somebody to have to fight just because they threw a hit. Legal clean checks are part of the game. Virtanen didn't play a shy game either after that he moved into traffic, exposed himself on a lot of occasions and knew he had a target on him and that he could get belted with a heavy hit as well. I think there was some reasonable team tough that occurred in response to the hit on McDavid and that it was an appropriate response.

 

[Halibut]

Sounds like a bunch of *****ing over nothing. You go to a hockey game to see the team play you are never guaranteed any player is going to play. If I get Oilers tickets for a game against the Penguins I'm not guaranteed that Crosby will play. The Oilers never announced that McDavid would be playing in any of the games except for the day of the game on Friday and they never said he would be playing in any of the other games. I heard Rishaug and Gregor speculating on it last week and they didnt know, they were guessing it would be two but that's all it was just a guess.

 

[oilz89*]

I can't believe some people are crying about McDavid not playing in a meaningless prospect game

 

[oilz89*]

Sounds like a bunch of *****ing over nothing. You go to a hockey game to see the team play you are never guaranteed any player is going to play. If I get Oilers tickets for a game against the Penguins I'm not guaranteed that Crosby will play. The Oilers never announced that McDavid would be playing in any of the games except for the day of the game on Friday and they never said he would be playing in any of the other games. I heard Rishaug and Gregor speculating on it last week and they didnt know, they were guessing it would be two but that's all it was just a guess.

Amen

 

[CornKicker]

i am pretty sure i said it last training camp but i still think kyle Platzer will score goals in the nhl. i just hope its with the oilers

 

[joestevens29]

I don't know how many of you follow basketball but there was a big uproar a few years back when the Spurs sat out their best players in a marquee regular season game in the middle of the season just to rest them.

How would you fans feel if the Oilers start sitting McDavid out of regular season games in the future? Let's say in a few years time, the Oilers are in 1st place in February and are playing their 5th game in 7 nights. I could easily argue that it makes more sense to rest McDavid since playoffs is what we really need him for. Would those of you who paid to be at that game be okay with that decision because it is for the greater cause?

Guess what it happens. Ovechkin gets sat yearly for this very reason. It's a part of sports. If you are paying just to see one player you really aren't a fan anyway.

 

[Replacement*]

Sounds like a bunch of *****ing over nothing. You go to a hockey game to see the team play you are never guaranteed any player is going to play. If I get Oilers tickets for a game against the Penguins I'm not guaranteed that Crosby will play. The Oilers never announced that McDavid would be playing in any of the games except for the day of the game on Friday and they never said he would be playing in any of the other games. I heard Rishaug and Gregor speculating on it last week and they didnt know, they were guessing it would be two but that's all it was just a guess.

Some posters here know that I called this weeks ago and that McDavid would only play in one game and people went to the tourney knowing that was a possibility if not a developing likelihood.

oilers have managed this well and I even stated that the Bears tilt in Edmonton would be given more priority and Chia has actually stated this exactly this weekend. it was predicatable. This is Monday with a travel day involved. The big game in Edmonton is on Wednesday. Connor wasn't going to be playing in both of these games. Connor was also unlikely to be put in a two in a row expectation for the first two games of the tournament. Theres nothing to prove here.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Some posters here know that I called this weeks ago and that McDavid would only play in one game and people went to the tourney knowing that was a possibility if not a developing likelihood.

oilers have managed this well and I even stated that the Bears tilt in Edmonton would be given more priority and Chia has actually stated this exactly this weekend. it was predicatable. This is Monday with a travel day involved. The big game in Edmonton is on Wednesday. Connor wasn't going to be playing in both of these games. Connor was also unlikely to be put in a two in a row expectation for the first two games of the tournament. Theres nothing to prove here.

As did I.

Really though, it made sense then and it makes sense now. I'm sorry a lot of people are going to miss him, but there's no point for him to play in a setting like this anymore.

 

[SPIRIT]

I can't believe some people are crying about McDavid not playing in a meaningless prospect game

I definitely can.

Edmonton tour groups sold "see McDavid for the first time" travel package, he appears in one game.

The Okanagan Valley (where I live) was plastered with McDavid advertisement. The venue was sold out, people made plans to see the player.

If you missed out on the one game, you need to either go to Vancouver or Edmonton to see him play... for 5x the cost.

We read an interview Thursday (before it started) about a 70 year old man from Alberta who drove to Penticton to see him play - because he could actually afford a decent ticket.

 

[Aceboogie]

I definitely can.

Edmonton tour groups sold "see McDavid for the first time" travel package, he appears in one game.

The Okanagan Valley (where I live) was plastered with McDavid advertisement. The venue was sold out, people made plans to see the player.

If you missed out on the one game, you need to either go to Vancouver or Edmonton to see him play... for 5x the cost.

We read an interview Thursday (before it started) about a 70 year old man from Alberta who drove to Penticton to see him play - because he could actually afford a decent ticket.

I think it could have been handled better. Edmonton could have said McDavid is playing forsure these games, or McDavid only playing 1 game and its in the air who goes

Oilers have no obligation to play McDavid because a private company sold tour packs parading McDavid. People should have bought the tickets knowing there was a chance McDavid wasnt playing all 3 games, or only playing 1. A rational person could have assumed he wasnt playing all 3

And if you pay to drive to Penticton, pay for a hotel & food etc, you are paying more than you would for tickets in Edmonton. Some good seats are going for 140 to Panthers games here.

However the tour companies should be sued if they were making false claims

 

[Tyrolean]

Yes, as I said, I didn't disagree with that, Winquist did come to help his team-mate and that was all that was necessary. Everything else could easily be dealt with through going after the opponent with a big hit yourself or challenging him to a fight later on, both happened.

I just disagreed with the bit about McDavid preventing anything, he did no such thing.

Another thiing the team can do is to go after the other team's superstar the same way.

 

[Tarus]

I guess you're ignoring that the culture of the team has changed. They cleaned house this summer. Included with that house cleaning was an instilling of personal accountablility from the top of the organization down to guys on a PTO.

The front office has been changed, the team is largely the same. Chia and Mclellan get a crack at changing the team's culture, but the top 6 and the defense didn't become courageous overnight.

Tambo spent time and money acquiring enforcers and supposed tough guys, Mactavish declared toughness a priority his first day on the job and threw money at guys like Clarkson while acquiring the current cast of bottom of the roster tough players(Hendricks, Ference, Klinkhammer, Gadzic). It's not as simple as just replacing the GM/Coach and expecting the leash to be off with regards to toughness, it's going to take time and effort.

Fortunately, Nelson did start to lay the ground work for a team atmosphere that Mclellen can build off of.

The worst way to get positive change is to keep on talking about what didnt work in the past instead of what needs to be done now. You seem to be focusing on the past.

Weird comment, we have no impact as fans on how the team moves forward

Mind you, I'm just pointing out that the seeds of the Oiler's problems run deep, even Chia/Mclellan have been saying real change will take time.

 

[Tyrolean]

Just my opinion, but I have a hard time seeing something like this as something that would be likely to happen because playoff races in the NHL tend to be tighter than in other leagues due to that single point being awarded for overtime/shootout losses.

If you go back a few years and look at how the standings were as of Feb 1, the difference between 1st and 8th in a Conference hovers somewhere around 8 to 13 points for the most part. Further, for teams that are near the top in a Conference it's not just about making the playoffs, it's about fighting for home ice advantage where it's usually a very tight thing between those top 4 teams in a Conference.

At that time of year, it's in a team's best interest to put your best lineup on the ice every night. You simply can't take for granted that you're going to be in the playoffs with room to spare, the margin for error is too slim for that kind of chicanery.

The points system is why the NHL has less integrity than the other leagues. It's totally artificial to market to the public that the team's got a chance becasue of the lousy points system.

 

[SPIRIT]

I think it could have been handled better. Edmonton could have said McDavid is playing forsure these games, or McDavid only playing 1 game and its in the air who goes

Oilers have no obligation to play McDavid because a private company sold tour packs parading McDavid. People should have bought the tickets knowing there was a chance McDavid wasnt playing all 3 games, or only playing 1. A rational person could have assumed he wasnt playing all 3

And if you pay to drive to Penticton, pay for a hotel & food etc, you are paying more than you would for tickets in Edmonton. Some good seats are going for 140 to Panthers games here.

However the tour companies should be sued if they were making false claims

Definitely, you're completely right. I chose one game and "picked wrong" with the Calgary game.

Poor me, I was treated to a damn good come-from-behind victory and the first down-right Nurse BEAT down in Oiler silks.

I was elated with the game I saw, wasn't disappointed one bit.

I can, however, have some empathy for the casual hockey fan who just wanted to see the new hotness - especially the way it was marketed, as you pointed out... not transparently.

 

[Evilsports]

I would have liked to have seen a little more from Slepyshev in today's game. He was mostly invisible aside from once or twice in the 3rd.

 

[McShogun99]

I definitely can.

Edmonton tour groups sold "see McDavid for the first time" travel package, he appears in one game.

The Okanagan Valley (where I live) was plastered with McDavid advertisement. The venue was sold out, people made plans to see the player.

If you missed out on the one game, you need to either go to Vancouver or Edmonton to see him play... for 5x the cost.

We read an interview Thursday (before it started) about a 70 year old man from Alberta who drove to Penticton to see him play - because he could actually afford a decent ticket.

I hate sob stories like that. The old dude could have bought a ticket to the U of A game for $30 and saved himself a drive. He could also go on stubhub or ticket exchange right now and get preseason tickets for under $20. Instead he spent hours of his life driving to Penticton, paid for gas/hotel/food/tickets or he could use that money to buy one of the thousands of regular season tickets that are available right now.

 

[Replacement*]

I definitely can.

Edmonton tour groups sold "see McDavid for the first time" travel package, he appears in one game.

The Okanagan Valley (where I live) was plastered with McDavid advertisement. The venue was sold out, people made plans to see the player.

If you missed out on the one game, you need to either go to Vancouver or Edmonton to see him play... for 5x the cost.

We read an interview Thursday (before it started) about a 70 year old man from Alberta who drove to Penticton to see him play - because he could actually afford a decent ticket.

To be clear any tour groups as such setup were by opportunist firms that obviously had no inside information, or substantiation, on which to make a claim that McDavid was going to be playing big minutes in this tournament.

Should the Oilers be responsible in anyway for ensuring that McDavid play entirely meaningless games in a tournament where injury occurences are historically through the roof?

The Oilers have more responsibility ensuring that a home game, vs the Golden Bears, in what is a tradition and classic, and that well be attended by a near sellout Edmonton crowd at Rexall, is the foremost priority. Again this is exactly how I was framing it two weeks ago. The Oilers, Chiarelli, entirely agree and have stated this.

Its not the Oilers responsibility if some operators want to make some money on uncertain and false claims.

I would say let the buyer beware pertains to this.