Post-Game Talk: 7-0 Sharks; Series Tired 2-2

[guymez]

I think we've got plenty physicality. Not that I think we should tone it down--we shouldn't. It's just that I think we're still going to get called a lot if we continue to bring that game. Our special teams are going to win or lose us this series IMO.

I agree. I am just suggesting that some additional big man speed in the lineup would be an improvement over DD.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I agree. I am just suggesting that some additional big man speed in the lineup would be an improvement over DD.

Nearly every scratched player would be an improvement on DD. Kinda surprised there's opposition to this view.

 

[oilers4life5]

Nearly every scratched player would be an improvement on DD. Kinda surprised there's opposition to this view.

I feel the same way. I would try anyone over him.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Everyone's looking at the forwards, but I wouldn't mind a shuffle of the pairings. I like both Nurse and Benning when they're on, but that pairing is far too hit and miss. They're young, it happens. The fact that they're both fairly aggressive in their play/style doesn't help either. They need that guy can cover for them, and/or plays a no-thrills style.

I not not going to say take one of them out for Fayne, Reinhart, or Oesterle; but I would be in favour of swapping Benning and Russell on the 2nd and 3rd pairings.

We've seen Sekera-Benning work before effectively together, and Russell going with Nurse gives Darnell a quality stable vet, something he's never really had in his young career.

Klefbom-Larsson
Sekera-Benning
Nurse-Russell

 

[LTIR]

Everyone's looking at the forwards, but I wouldn't mind a shuffle of the pairings. I like both Nurse and Benning when they're on, but that pairing is far too hit and miss. They're young, it happens. The fact that they're both fairly aggressive in their play/style doesn't help either. They need that guy can cover for them, and/or plays a no-thrills style.

I not not going to say take one of them out for Fayne, Reinhart, or Oesterle; but I would be in favour of swapping Benning and Russell on the 2nd and 3rd pairings.

We've seen Sekera-Benning work before effectively together, and Russell going with Nurse gives Darnell a quality stable vet, something he's never really had in his young career.

Klefbom-Larsson
Sekera-Benning
Nurse-Russell

This experiment should have been done in the regular season. . Same with trying Drai down the middle... TMac missed the boat on this big time..

Caggiula-McDavid duo has been together for less than 2 minutes this series and has created more opportunities than Maroon-McDavid-Drai trio. Good luck with throwing Slepy on the top line when you had atleast 2 games (vs VAN) to experiment

 

[FlameChampion]

Nearly every scratched player would be an improvement on DD. Kinda surprised there's opposition to this view.

Surprised how ineffective he has been. When he first joined the Oilers, that third line (Pou, Kass, DD) looked the best as it has all year. DD had all kinds of vision and made some nice passes, was driving the net.

After his 5 initial games, he hasnt done anything. Wonder if he just hasnt clicked off the ice with the team (would be hard you would think).

I dont know what the solution is for 3C. At this point I think we are best with keeping Drai with McD. Drai these playoffs hasnt looked like he can run a line. I think we just have to hope that Drai can pull it together.

I just dont like Cagguila at center so I dunno about him. Maybe try Khaira or Lander? /shrug

Could try

Cagguila - McDavid - Drai
Lucic - RNH - Eberle
Maroon - 3C - Kassian
Pouillot - Letestu - Slepshev

Where 3C is DD, Khaira or Lander. I think Maroon needs to be moved off of the top line. DD might function a bit better with 2 big wingers.

 

[FlameChampion]

Everyone's looking at the forwards, but I wouldn't mind a shuffle of the pairings. I like both Nurse and Benning when they're on, but that pairing is far too hit and miss. They're young, it happens. The fact that they're both fairly aggressive in their play/style doesn't help either. They need that guy can cover for them, and/or plays a no-thrills style.

I not not going to say take one of them out for Fayne, Reinhart, or Oesterle; but I would be in favour of swapping Benning and Russell on the 2nd and 3rd pairings.

We've seen Sekera-Benning work before effectively together, and Russell going with Nurse gives Darnell a quality stable vet, something he's never really had in his young career.

Klefbom-Larsson
Sekera-Benning
Nurse-Russell

I personally think the defense is fine. I dont think we can base much off of the fourth game. Its a write off. The defense was great in game 2 and 3.

 

[FlameChampion]

This series definitely exposes some of the dead weight we have on our roster, most of which can be addressed in the offseason. At this rate it might take a 1st round add-on for LV to take Pouliot lol.

Well TM has mentioned several times that this will give the staff a good opportunity to analyze the roster. PC seems like he knows he has some holes in the roster but I think he also wants to see what he has on this team.

Will be interesting to see how it goes. Hopefully the Oilers win game 5 and this series and make it harder/easier on management to analyze.

 

[Captain Hindsight]

I understand McLellan's reluctancy to shake things up when they were busy winning 12 of their last 14 games of the season to secure home ice. I think you give that lineup one last chance to show they've still got it before desperation experiments.

 

[FlameChampion]

I understand McLellan's reluctancy to shake things up when they were busy winning 12 of their last 14 games of the season to secure home ice. I think you give that lineup one last chance to show they've still got it before desperation experiments.

Agreed. Series is still 2-2. Oilers could win tomorrow and be back in control. No reason to panic yet. We can adjust lines 3 and 4 all we want but we need lines 1 and 2 to put up some offense.

 

[KingKhron]

we can cry all we want about not having "depth" but the fact of the matter is that only Eberle and Lucic have ES points

thats 2 points in 4 games between our top 6

Maroon has been awful
Drai has been silenced
McDavid has been held in check
Lucic has been quiet
RNH can't score despite the shots on net
Eberle has been less than stellar

we're only going as far as our top 6 can carry us

Completely agree. I'm not worried about their defence at all. Last game was an anomaly after they had ton just fine the rest of the series. I don't love the confidence it gives the Sharks now but it is what it is. It's their lack of offence that concerns me the most by far.

 

[KingKhron]

I think they get back to smashing bodies tomorrow which will be huge. They completely stopped once they were on the road. I don't think they need to change it up tomorrow. Get back to the old lines and try to take advantage of last change. McLellan completely dropped the ball when he put McDavid out for the defensive draw right at the start of the game. He needs to take advantage at home.

 

[belair]

I understand McLellan's reluctancy to shake things up when they were busy winning 12 of their last 14 games of the season to secure home ice. I think you give that lineup one last chance to show they've still got it before desperation experiments.

Switching out Desharnais isn't desperation. He's been cold for 80% of the games he's played for us and hasn't had a point in a calendar month.

The playoffs are about adjusting to the challenges you are faced with. We need to win the special teams battle in the final two or three games.

 

[bone]

I think they get back to smashing bodies tomorrow which will be huge. They completely stopped once they were on the road. I don't think they need to change it up tomorrow. Get back to the old lines and try to take advantage of last change. McLellan completely dropped the ball when he put McDavid out for the defensive draw right at the start of the game. He needs to take advantage at home.

I think they need to forget about upping the physical game and just play the way they did in the season. Play physical, but no need to prove a point anymore. Our best players seemed obsessed with being physical and forgot their strengths. Play to your strengths, be physical when the opportunity is there and they will be fine.

 

[guymez]

I think they get back to smashing bodies tomorrow which will be huge. They completely stopped once they were on the road. I don't think they need to change it up tomorrow. Get back to the old lines and try to take advantage of last change. McLellan completely dropped the ball when he put McDavid out for the defensive draw right at the start of the game. He needs to take advantage at home.

Completely agree.
They need to get back to the style that helped create turnovers and offensive opportunities in games 2 and 3. Bang some bodies...clean up the PK and make smarter decisions.

That would be a major departure from the game they played in game 4.

Last change is huge for this team.

 

[Soundwave]

Desharnais is a decent player, I think ripping on him too much is a bit unfair. Dude is 5'7, he's not going to cycle Joe Thornton. He's actually stronger on the boards than Eberle or RNH in many cases.

That said, I think we should have flipped Davidson for someone with more playoff experience and a shooter like an Iginla and just used Lander in that spot.

 

[belair]

Desharnais is a decent player, I think ripping on him too much is a bit unfair. Dude is 5'7, he's not going to cycle Joe Thornton. He's actually stronger on the boards than Eberle or RNH in many cases.

That said, I think we should have flipped Davidson for someone with more playoff experience and a shooter like an Iginla and just used Lander in that spot.

Those cases haven't been in this series though. That fourth line is running his ****. We can be nice all we want but the guy just isn't bringing his A game.

 

[Soundwave]

Those cases haven't been in this series though. That fourth line is running his ****. We can be nice all we want but the guy just isn't bringing his A game.

Yeah, but we're not up in the series 3-1 right now because of Maroon, RNH, Eberle, and Draisaitl primarily IMO.

2/4 needs to get going at least. McDavid can create chances but he's not a pure sniper at this point of his development, someone else needs to finish the chances he's setting up.

It's actually in a way kinda hilarious it's 2-2 in the series and we were probably one shot away from making it 3-1.

We have not played well yet at all. Lets see if that changes in game 5.

 

[McAsuno]

Yeah, but we're not up in the series 3-1 right now because of Maroon, RNH, Eberle, and Draisaitl primarily IMO.

2/4 needs to get going at least. McDavid can create chances but he's not a pure sniper at this point of his development, someone else needs to finish the chances he's setting up.

It's actually in a way kinda hilarious it's 2-2 in the series and we were probably one shot away from making it 3-1.

We have not played well yet at all. Lets see if that changes in game 5.

If there's ever a great time for the top 6 to heat up offensively, its definitely game 5. I expect a much better game from them along with a win.

 

[belair]

Yeah, but we're not up in the series 3-1 right now because of Maroon, RNH, Eberle, and Draisaitl primarily IMO.

2/4 needs to get going at least. McDavid can create chances but he's not a pure sniper at this point of his development, someone else needs to finish the chances he's setting up.

It's actually in a way kinda hilarious it's 2-2 in the series and we were probably one shot away from making it 3-1.

We have not played well yet at all. Lets see if that changes in game 5.

I agree we're snake bitten offensively and agree we haven't been that impressive outside of Talbot and Kassian, but I disagree that those are the guys that have held us back per se. I would argue that second line is a big reason we're not down in this series. They've kept SJ's big guns off the score-sheet at evens all series. That alone is why I wouldn't tinker with line 2.

Desharnais isn't providing anything valuable right now. If you can plug Lander into that role you immediately improve your face-off results and have another option on you PK. I think that's a no-brainer at this point.

 

[Raab]

I fully expect the roster tomorrow to be this:

Cagguila-Mcdavid-Draisaitl
Lucic-RNH-Eberle
Maroon-Letestu-Kassian
Pouliot-Lander-Pakarainen

Klefbom-Larsson
Sekera-Russell
Nurse-Reinhart

And no these arent desperation moves. Changing out 4th liners and bottom pairing dmen is far from desperation. I feel that lineup gives us a good chance to win. I think the Lander line can take a bit of work off the RNH line and hopefully they can produce a bit as a result.

 

[Soundwave]

I agree we're snake bitten offensively and agree we haven't been that impressive outside of Talbot and Kassian, but I disagree that those are the guys that have held us back per se. I would argue that second line is a big reason we're not down in this series. They've kept SJ's big guns off the score-sheet at evens all series. That alone is why I wouldn't tinker with line 2.

Desharnais isn't providing anything valuable right now. If you can plug Lander into that role you immediately improve your face-off results and have another option on you PK. I think that's a no-brainer at this point.

They need to score goals though. Hate to say it but look at the Leafs. JVR, Kadri, Bozak, Nylander, Hyman ... all guys scoring in the playoffs.

This isn't the NBA, you can't win with one guy driving the entire offence. See also the 2006 Oilers had Horcoff, Stoll, Smyth, Pisani, Torres, Peca, Hemsky, Samsonov, hell even Brad Winchester contributing goals.

You can't just rely on McDavid to do everything and even when he does, Maroon and Draisaitl have been slow this series.

I'd give Maroon/McDavid/Draisaitl one more chance to start the next period, but if those two are still sluggish, I move Lucic up to line one with McDavid.

And while I like RNH and Eberle stepping up their intensity somewhat, this the Stanley Cup playoffs. There are no participation ribbons here. We need actual offensive production from them.

 

[TheRebuild]

I fully expect the roster tomorrow to be this:

Cagguila-Mcdavid-Draisaitl
Lucic-RNH-Eberle
Maroon-Letestu-Kassian
Pouliot-Lander-Pakarainen

Klefbom-Larsson
Sekera-Russell
Nurse-Reinhart

And no these arent desperation moves. Changing out 4th liners and bottom pairing dmen is far from desperation. I feel that lineup gives us a good chance to win. I think the Lander line can take a bit of work off the RNH line and hopefully they can produce a bit as a result.

LOL. Wow, if that's the lineup tomorrow, then we have totally ****ing given up.

 

[sepHF]

I fully expect the roster tomorrow to be this:

Cagguila-Mcdavid-Draisaitl
Lucic-RNH-Eberle
Maroon-Letestu-Kassian
Pouliot-Lander-Pakarainen

Klefbom-Larsson
Sekera-Russell
Nurse-Reinhart

And no these arent desperation moves. Changing out 4th liners and bottom pairing dmen is far from desperation. I feel that lineup gives us a good chance to win. I think the Lander line can take a bit of work off the RNH line and hopefully they can produce a bit as a result.

If they put in Reinhart when Benning is able to play I would not be happy. Benning is a much better player

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I fully expect the roster tomorrow to be this:

Cagguila-Mcdavid-Draisaitl
Lucic-RNH-Eberle
Maroon-Letestu-Kassian
Pouliot-Lander-Pakarainen

Klefbom-Larsson
Sekera-Russell
Nurse-Reinhart

And no these arent desperation moves. Changing out 4th liners and bottom pairing dmen is far from desperation. I feel that lineup gives us a good chance to win. I think the Lander line can take a bit of work off the RNH line and hopefully they can produce a bit as a result.

You have to be careful throwing in guys that haven't been around the playoff drive. They are not used to the pace and this is a tough spot to put them in.