Speculation: Are the Oilers tough enough?

[OfCorsiDid]

Adam Larsson was physical and mean.

Maybe someone like Lagesson can take that role.

Lagesson currently struggles with skating and handling the puck. Let’s not pile on to him.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

I get it I’m not suggesting a meat head on the team. But when the Marshessaults of the world start popping McDavid we need a guy that isn’t even…makes that players that aren’t even going to think twice about destroying him immediately. The douche bags will catch on pretty quick and shit like that will stop or at least be minimized.

That’s not how it works. This isn’t the 80s.

If Marchessault pops McDavid and someone responds by challenging him to a fight he’ll pull a Tkachuk and either turtle to draw a call or just flat up refuse to fight.

 

[longtimeoilfan]

That’s not how it works. This isn’t the 80s.

If Marchessault pops McDavid and someone responds by challenging him to a fight he’ll pull a Tkachuk and either turtle to draw a call or just flat up refuse to fight.

That's why we get someone like Tom Wilson, doubt he cares if the guy turtles.

 

[McDNicks17]

I get it I’m not suggesting a meat head on the team. But when the Marshessaults of the world start popping McDavid we need a guy that isn’t even…makes that players that aren’t even going to think twice about destroying him immediately. The douche bags will catch on pretty quick and shit like that will stop or at least be minimized.

I don't think a guy like Marchessault is really a good reason for a fighter. He's a 5'9'' skill player. Anyone on the team could feed him his lunch. Someone just needs to step up and do it.

What they need, IMO, is everyone playing with a bit more bite. The teams that go far in the playoffs are the ones where everyone including the softer skill guys buy in and battle.

 

[JarvisFunk]

Why is it enforcer? Why can't we just have more players that are good and tough?

We need more of those, yes. We're soft.

 

[Musashi]

Very recently I saw McDavid's head smashed into a post after the play was dead. His linemate that game was Kassian. When he got Jet Skiied into the endboards by the prick .. we had Lucic and Kassian in the lineup.

Zack's last 2 fights both left him on IR. He's not a fighter anymore. I feel for him as he does try and is doing those things but it's not successful anymore.

And yes, if I'm at a game and 2 guys fight.. i stand up and cheer like a young teen at a New Kids on the Block concert. But we don't need more tougheness.. we need better 5 on 5 away from McDrai and a few D that can prevent shots against and a goalie.

Just my 2 cents

So the two fights you're referencing are where Kassian fell and hit his head on the ice and where he broke his hand trying to punch a hole through Gudbranson's face.

That's the evidence you're using to conclude he can't fight anymore?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Perfect, thanks. Nurse, Kassian, Khaira, Maroon type players.

Enforcers. Skilled but willing to fight.

Edit: after I re-read your post you described Reaves as an enforcer. The rest of them were functionally tough.

Once again, I'm wrong. I give up. At least it's game day.

That's my interpretation/opinion. It doesn't make you (or I) right or wrong IMO. The guys that "enforce" in this day and age aren't the typical McGrattan's, Boogard's, Scott's, etc. that are there just to fight and intimidate. Reaves and maybe Ross Johnston are as close to that as possible in the current NHL. Now it's about having guys that can step up and fight or go eye for an eye with other tougher players "you hit my guy, then I hit yours and then I will answer the bell". I'd much rather have tough guys that can play 15+ minutes a night because they likely aren't putting your team at a disadvantage when they are on the ice.

 

[Aerrol]

Bit of a roundabout take, but I'd say that enforcers aren't important to winning games. What they are important for is keeping your stars healthy. My example is the Pittsburgh Penguins in their back to back Cup wins. They dominated with basically no enforcers...but their injuries kept piling up across those two years. Far more so (IIRC) than their "demi-dynasty" contemporary Blackhawks and Kings. And when it fell apart, it fell apart HARD with even more injuries and Rutherford going nuts after Wilson abused them en route to Ovi's first cup. And then that wild obsession for toughness over retaining talent led to the Pens underperforming hard the following years.

So, to answer the actual question: "keep it the way it is" only in the sense that I feel we have approximately the right amount of toughness on the team currently. What we don't have enough of is hockey talent. My ideal would be to upgrade the overall talent while keeping this amount of toughness. Next best would be an upgrade on talent with a bit of loss in grit (e.g. losing Kassian). And then the worst case scenario is downgrading on talent just to get more grit.

Talent wins hockey games, but grit limits the liberties other teams are taking with your team.

 

[Czechboy]

So the two fights you're referencing are where Kassian fell and hit his head on the ice and where he broke his hand trying to punch a hole through Gudbranson's face.

That's the evidence you're using to conclude he can't fight anymore?

I didn't know I needed evicence to show he really doesn't fight much. He clearly doesn't. How many fights has he been in during the last 2 regular seasons?

 

[Broilers]

Kassian is an enforcer? News to me.

We do need grit that Kassian, Foegele, Hyman and even Yama bring up front and need more of it.

Yes! Niemeläinen has brought that factor to the back end.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

They're tough yes.

Tough to watch.

 

[ujju2]

We need rats not enforcers. The league over the last decade has 100% gone out of its way to let the rats do what they want and the hammer the hell out of any enforcer that takes them to task. More rats.

Depends how you define that. Marchand is a rat, Tkachuk is a rat. But what about Tom Wilson? I'd say he's somewhere in between. Granted, the league does find itself punishing him quite often, but he's still pretty damn effective. What we need is 2017 Kassian. Not a rat per se but a punishing power forward. Much like Wilson (though Wilson is also very talented as a top-6 player, and we probably can't add someone nearly as good). Unfortunately, we don't have 2017 Kassian.

 

[ujju2]

I've said this before (a lot) and I'll say it again. The Capitals are the blueprint for a physical and skilled team. In the top-6 (assuming a healthy Backstrom) you have on the wings: Ovi, Wilson, Oshie, and Mantha. All 4 of those guys are big, physical, punishing players. But they're also very offensively skilled.

Hyman has been a great addition and has brought some of that. Jesse too, but I'd still like to see him bring that more consistently. Foegele and Kassian should theoretically bring 3rd line grit. I have a lot of patience for Foegele to get more comfortable here, but at this point we need to replace Kassian in that role. 2017 Kassian would be the perfect player for us but he's not coming back. I'd also like to see a more purpose-built 4th line rather than the "best of the rest" think we have going right now. But for now I'd like to see Benson back in the lineup. He's been the most physical (if dumb at times) of the guys we've had on the 4th line this year. We're also really missing Archibald. A 4th line like Benson-Sceviour-Archibald would be close to perfect imo. With Archibald likely done we should look into upgrades there.

 

[LMFAO]

No we’re not everybody and their moms knows it execpt mister Holland

 

[Yak]

I fear another early round bounce in the playoffs. You need balance of skill and grit for the playoffs. Jets seem built better for the playoffs this year then the Oil or the Laffs.

Skill only helps in playoffs if you are willing to fight for every inch of space. Tight checking and players who are.not soft are ones who help teams win!

TB, Blues, Jets look built to win in the postseason.