OT: Around the NHL: Go Cats Go

[AuroraBorealis]

Sick of hearing every year how the Oilers don’t have depth. They have enough. There’s enough star power on that team too.

McDavid and Draisaitl have to make do with less. It’s really that simple. It’s not like Sid and Geno had all-stars as linemates every time they went on a deep run. You have to make guys like Kunitz , Talbot, Rust, Hornqvist, Dupuis, Sheary, and old-man Guerin work. You have to spread the wealth around the lineup a bit. That’s a part of being a generational player.

Having your two big dogs running around together, piling up points in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs is always going to be fun, but it’s not going to lead to a championship.

From an offensive standpoint, it doesn't matter if you lack offensive depth on paper if the few score enough goals to make up for it.
And the Oilers do that.
Historically they lose for other reasons. They lack defensive depth, among both blue liners and Forwards, and the goaltending's been downright awful at times. Coaching's been an issue too.

 

[canadianguy77]

From an offensive standpoint, it doesn't matter if you lack offensive depth on paper if the few score enough goals to make up for it.
And the Oilers do that.
Historically they lose for other reasons. They lack defensive depth, among both blue liners and Forwards, and the goaltending's been downright awful at times. Coaching's been an issue too.

Sid and Geno didn’t get nearly this many excuses when they went through their 6 year drought from 10-16. I would say they won with some pretty mediocre defensive corps too. It’s not like they ever had Keith/Seabrook quality dmen behind them.

The simple fact is McDavid and Draisaitl have to produce on their own lines if they ever want to make a serious run at it. They shouldn't be this codependent at this stage of their careers. I’m beginning to wonder if they even have it in them to elevate lesser players when the stakes are high. Maybe they need overwhelming skill to produce when the checking tightens up?

 

[MeinerEiner]

It seems like goaltending is sinking the Oilers again. McDavid and Draisaitl with 30min TOI. Do they finally trade for Jarry?

 

[Ignatius]

I’m not a fan of them but Go Vancouver!!

The order of teams that I'm good with is Florida, Dallas, Vancouver. I'm fine with Colorado and Carolina as well but I don't think either of those teams is going further.

I'm just so sick of everyone from the Rangers, Oilers, and Boston.

 

[eXile3]

McDavid getting the Crosby treatment with some cross checks to the face.

 

[Gold Diamond]

This is the 26th time in Bruins history that they have fallen behind 3-1 in a series.

They have NEVER came back to win any of those series.

 

[End of Line]

McDavid getting the Crosby treatment with some cross checks to the face.

The way McDavid chases the refs across the ice to bitch is pretty funny to me.

Also, damn near every clip online isn’t showing his two hander to Soucy that started that whole debacle.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

The way McDavid chases the refs across the ice to bitch is pretty funny to me.

Also, damn near every clip online isn’t showing his two hander to Soucy that started that whole debacle.

f*** Twinkletoes McFingerbang and the rest of the No Rings Mafia.

 

[Icarium]

I thought for sure that the controversial Florida goal was going to be overturned. Joke is on me, I forgot they literally flip a coin to determine if it's goalie interference or not.

I am happy for the Canucks, I wonder they would look if Pettersson weren't trying hard to live up to the soft Euro stereotype right now. Miller, Boeser and Hughes are shining, Cole is trying to sink the team all by himself and Pettersson is a ghost.

As for the Oilers, you can blame McDrai all you want but at some point your goalie needs to make a timely save and your non-superstar teammates need to score. Maybe they shouldn't be playing McDrai on the same line but all the same they aren't getting past DAL or COL if no one can do shit offensively unless one of the two is on the ice and Skinner is doing his MAF impersonation.

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

It’s rather amusing seeing Canadian media’s takes today about McDavid getting cross checked in the face. Lots of calls for Soucy to be suspended. When it was Sid getting cheap shotted for a decade plus, they reacted with “that’s playoff hockey, baby.”

Superstar in a Canadian market and of course now it’s different.

 

[End of Line]

It’s rather amusing seeing Canadian media’s takes today about McDavid getting cross checked in the face. Lots of calls for Soucy to be suspended. When it was Sid getting cheap shotted for a decade plus, they reacted with “that’s playoff hockey, baby.”

Superstar in a Canadian market and of course now it’s different.

That’s what I was coming back to say as well. The amount of crap both Sid & Geno dealt with in the playoffs and during the regular season as well there’s no empathy here.

 

[Andy99]

It seems like goaltending is sinking the Oilers again. McDavid and Draisaitl with 30min TOI. Do they finally trade for Jarry?

Please lord let it happen…lol

 

[Gold Diamond]

It seems like goaltending is sinking the Oilers again. McDavid and Draisaitl with 30min TOI. Do they finally trade for Jarry?

They should trade Jarry to the Leafs - both of them wilt when Spring arrives.

 

[Pens1566]

As long as the Rags and Broons lose, I'm ok.

 

[Andy99]

As long as the Rags and Broons lose, I'm ok.

Not looking good for the former…Panthers need to take them out in the ECF

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

It’s rather amusing seeing Canadian media’s takes today about McDavid getting cross checked in the face. Lots of calls for Soucy to be suspended. When it was Sid getting cheap shotted for a decade plus, they reacted with “that’s playoff hockey, baby.”

Superstar in a Canadian market and of course now it’s different.

Doc, Edzo THAT OLD SCHOOL!, Good hard hockey, like my penis is watching it Doc and Edzo, mmm goddamn pal.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Sid and Geno didn’t get nearly this many excuses when they went through their 6 year drought from 10-16. I would say they won with some pretty mediocre defensive corps too. It’s not like they ever had Keith/Seabrook quality dmen behind them.

The simple fact is McDavid and Draisaitl have to produce on their own lines if they ever want to make a serious run at it. They shouldn't be this codependent at this stage of their careers. I’m beginning to wonder if they even have it in them to elevate lesser players when the stakes are high. Maybe they need overwhelming skill to produce when the checking tightens up?

They are both straight up better playoff players than Crosby and Malkin, even in their primes.
The hate-boner on these 2 is exhausting. Sid and Geno never had these averages over a large sample.
Crosby had 18 points in 24 games when they won the Cup in 2016. Do you know what happens when Connor and Drai do that rate? They lose in 4 or 5 games in a series.

And this whole can't elevate others" is legit an insane take.
Bouchard 13 points in 8 games. Hyman 9 goals in 8 games. RNH 10 points in 8 games.
Remember Kane's 13 goals in 15 games in '22? Or we burying that history too?

The Oilers are scoring enough goals. They are #2 in the playoffs in GF/G. 4.13.
3 last night. They allowed 4 on 18 shots.
Stuart Skinner is .877 this playoffs. .883 last playoffs. You want them to win a Cup with this?
You have to be able to win tight games in the playoffs, like the Pens did, not win 6-5 every night.

Draisaitl has 8 points in 3 games. McDavid has 5 points in 3 games this series. They are clearly being deployed correctly.
The team's scored 11 goals in 3 games. That's totally an acceptable rate for the playoffs. They just need to concede less.

You need to expand your horizons here. Not everything is about #97 and #29. A team ices 19 players per game.
They are Forwards who play 23 and 22 mins a night in these playoffs. Their influence is limited. They aren't like basketball players, out there for near the whole game, with the puck on their stick on every shift, controlling things. They need help.

 

[eXile3]

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They are both straight up better playoff players than Crosby and Malkin, even in their primes.
The hate-boner on these 2 is exhausting. Sid and Geno never had these averages over a large sample.
Crosby had 18 points in 24 games when they won the Cup in 2016. Do you know what happens when Connor and Drai do that rate? They lose in 4 or 5 games in a series.

And this whole can't elevate others" is legit an insane take.
Bouchard 13 points in 8 games. Hyman 9 goals in 8 games. RNH 10 points in 8 games.
Remember Kane's 13 goals in 15 games in '22? Or we burying that history too?

The Oilers are scoring enough goals. They are #2 in the playoffs in GF/G. 4.13.
3 last night. They allowed 4 on 18 shots.
Stuart Skinner is .877 this playoffs. .883 last playoffs. You want them to win a Cup with this?
You have to be able to win tight games in the playoffs, like the Pens did, not win 6-5 every night.

Draisaitl has 8 points in 3 games. McDavid has 5 points in 3 games this series. They are clearly being deployed correctly.
The team's scored 11 goals in 3 games. That's totally an acceptable rate for the playoffs. They just need to concede less.

You need to expand your horizons here. Not everything is about #97 and #29. A team ices 19 players per game.
They are Forwards who play 23 and 22 mins a night in these playoffs. Their influence is limited. They aren't like basketball players, out there for near the whole game, with the puck on their stick on every shift, controlling things. They need help.

While I agree with the premise that those two are taking blame for the Oilers failure to surround them with talent, you cannot simply state they’re better than prime Sid/Geno based off of points.

It completely ignores the fact that this is a much higher scoring league than it was back then.

 

[Darren McCord]

They are Forwards who play 23 and 22 mins a night in these playoffs.

They actually play like 30 min a night if you split them on two lines they could play the whole game with one of them on the ice.

I would love to see if they can continue to produce at the rate they do without each other.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Yeah, it's absurd that the blame falls at McDavid and Draisaitl's feet tbh. Holland and Chia are near-Milbury caliber frauds when it comes to GMs. If the Oilers' stars tried to shift to a more all-around game, people would rake them over coals for not scoring enough to win their team games. This idea that the Oilers play them together to pad stats and forsake winning is such weirdo behavior.

That organization needs to keep being embarrassed until they demand trades out of town. For their sake, and the sake of the league itself, imo.

 

[Darren McCord]

This idea that the Oilers play them together to pad stats and forsake winning is such weirdo behavior.

Who is saying that? I think most people are just questioning why they dont break them up to spread the offense.

Even Boston took Pasta away from Bergeron and Marchand to get better match ups and production.

 

[Icarium]

Draisaitl has 8 points in 3 games. McDavid has 5 points in 3 games this series. They are clearly being deployed correctly.

Are they? They have 2 goals for and 1 goal against when playing together on a line with Hyman, as they have done for most of the series. This is nowhere near good enough when the rest of the team can't score in a brothel and they are playing against VAN's third goalie.

Yeah, they dominate the shot clock, hit posts, etc. but if they barely outscore the line matching against them, this is probably not going to end well for the Oilers, unless Ian Cole scores even more own goals.

They are both straight up better playoff players than Crosby and Malkin, even in their primes.
The hate-boner on these 2 is exhausting. Sid and Geno never had these averages over a large sample.

in their primes, they never had such large samples that didn't include trips to the Finals where it's generally a lot harder to score than against the LA Kings or Calgary Flames of the 2020s. I do think McDrai get too much criticism but as to whether they are better in the playoffs than Sid and Geno, we will only find out if the Oilers become regular contenders rather than the Washington Capitals of this decade.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I mean, it's McDavid and Draisaitl's job to score. That's what they're paid to do, it's what they do best, it's how they're gonna win games for their team(s). It's up to their organization(s) to surround them with the talent they need to win, because Cups are a team achievement. Hockey's not basketball where one or two guys can simply will teams to championships. /shrug

I think it's pretty clear that the Oilers have failed those two time and time again.



That's wild, man. Holland should be stripped of his HHOF inductee status for what he's done after the Wings crumpled in like 2013 (which he helped ensure would last a decade or more ).

Maybe McDavid and Draisaitl are better than Sid and Geno ever were speaking in a purely offensive way. Maybe not. I don't think it's a wide enough margin to say definitively, given the difference in scoring nowadays to a decade ago, the loss of Sid's best years, and the respective talent each of the four guys have had on their lines. But McDrai won't win anything close to the three Cups or four Cup Finals appearances Sid and Geno had. /shrug

 

[AuroraBorealis]

They actually play like 30 min a night

New rule for me. I'm not engage unless people verify their info. The laziness needs to stop.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Gotta feel bad for Mcdrai, somehow only had horrendous GMs in Chia and Holland. Mcdavid scoring at almost 2 points per game should be a cheat code but Holland decided to pay a second pair guy like Nurse 9M lol.