Post-Game Talk: Classic Oilers

rboomercat90

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Mar 24, 2013
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Just gonna keep bouncing around .500 until we hit an actual bad stretch. Such familiar territory.
Groundhog Day.

Feels just like it did from the 2012-2014 era. We’re complaining about the very same things, despite being lucky enough to draft McDavid. I don’t have the energy for it anymore. I’m still watching the games because it’s habit for me but I’ve got very little interest in offering opinions on what the team can do to get better now. I don’t see any hope on the horizon. I don’t remember ever feeling that way before.
 

rboomercat90

Registered User
Mar 24, 2013
14,590
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Edmonton
His jersey was splattered but the bleeding had stopped.
I remember a game years ago where Theo Fluery was in the penalty box after a fight and had blood on his jersey. The Flames, for whatever reason, couldn’t find him a new one and a fan offered him his jersey so he could keep playing. I wondered myself last night why they let Garland keep playing.
 

bone

5-14-6-1
Jun 24, 2003
8,344
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Edmonton
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The roster that McLellan started the year with is better than what Hitch has right now
And the roster he took to the playoffs was significantly better as well, particularly for offensive depth.

That said, Hitch’s guidance is sapping out what little offensive ability existing in any of the guys outside the top 3 so. Hitch isn’t the problem, but doesn’t appear to be the solution either.

This roster needs an enema in the right spots not where Chia goes. Here’s his strategy the last few years.

2015 top scorer Hall, traded
2016 top scorer not named McDavid or Draisaitl, traded (Eberle)
2017 top scorers not named McDavid or Draisaitl or RNH or Lucic, traded or let go (Maroon, Strome, Camalerri)
2018 mid-season forward trades include Strome and Caggiula. Strome was the 4th highest producer last year, and Caggiula is still 5th on the team for goals for, three up on the next closest forwards.

Chia truly believes the way to win in today’s NHL is to eek out 1-0 or 2-1 victories (despite having less than average goaltending).
 
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Drivesaitl

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Oct 8, 2017
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Groundhog Day.

Feels just like it did from the 2012-2014 era. We’re complaining about the very same things, despite being lucky enough to draft McDavid. I don’t have the energy for it anymore. I’m still watching the games because it’s habit for me but I’ve got very little interest in offering opinions on what the team can do to get better now. I don’t see any hope on the horizon. I don’t remember ever feeling that way before.

Because of what I detected from Klowe and this org way back in 2002 during the Mike Comrie saga I knew that we were in for a lot of shit from this org. Any org that was going to treat pro players that way and that had management so inclined was going to have a lot of enduring difficulty. I knew Klowe would be a lifer here as well, and knew MacT would be when they made their famous pact. You never know what the events will be but with OBC in tow, and an owner that really doesn't care about the product end these were going to be bleak times. Almost any other org is run better than this. Hiring Chia was just another "we hate these players" concerted decision. MacBlowe take a poor view of many present day players and Chia was their perfect candidate because he matches their general contempt even for star players. This was scorched earth as soon as Chia got here which I was saying all along.

I don't tire of it because this org deserves to be outed as long as anybody has energy enough left to do it.
 

oobga

Tier 2 Fan
Aug 1, 2003
22,936
17,813
Groundhog Day.

Feels just like it did from the 2012-2014 era. We’re complaining about the very same things, despite being lucky enough to draft McDavid. I don’t have the energy for it anymore. I’m still watching the games because it’s habit for me but I’ve got very little interest in offering opinions on what the team can do to get better now. I don’t see any hope on the horizon. I don’t remember ever feeling that way before.

It sucks how totally expected the loss was last night. I know there was some bad luck too, but, we still only scored 2 on a depleted team that was bad even before their injuries, with their #1 goalie gone. It was still totally expected though. Probably were outplayed in the majority of the game. Naturalstattrick says we lost the high danger scoring chance battle 12-4 at 5v5. That does line up with what I saw, very very little dangerous chances for us, but we were still opening the flood gates to the front of our own net all night.

Back to the usual, waiting for management people to be fired. Groundhog day indeed.
 

Missing smitty

Registered User
Oct 1, 2018
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Because of what I detected from Klowe and this org way back in 2002 during the Mike Comrie saga I knew that we were in for a lot of **** from this org. Any org that was going to treat pro players that way and that had management so inclined was going to have a lot of enduring difficulty. I knew Klowe would be a lifer here as well, and knew MacT would be when they made their famous pact. You never know what the events will be but with OBC in tow, and an owner that really doesn't care about the product end these were going to be bleak times. Almost any other org is run better than this. Hiring Chia was just another "we hate these players" concerted decision. MacBlowe take a poor view of many present day players and Chia was their perfect candidate because he matches their general contempt even for star players. This was scorched earth as soon as Chia got here which I was saying all along.

I don't tire of it because this org deserves to be outed as long as anybody has energy enough left to do it.

This is my issue with them too. You never see Gretzky, or Messier, or Coffey or any of them talking down to people, or saying "I know a thing or two about winning". They are 2 guys who weren't particularly great hockey players, they just had the good fortune of playing on the greatest team ever assembled. It would take a lot for me to ever look at Gretzky as anything other than the best hockey player to ever live, but now, Kevin Lowe isn't a member of my childhood heroes, he's just some washed up has been to arrogant to admit to his mistakes.
 
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RegDunlop

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Nov 5, 2016
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Hitch has just lost me, from preferential treatment at practice, these treatises on hockey, the damn McLellan line blender, and using tired as an excuse.

All things from the desperation coaching handbook.

To me -
It seems obvious that Chiarelli finally hit a home run. TMac took the fall. We can debate deservedly or not, but the hiring of Hitch was his best work.

If Hitch can somehow instill a winning, workmanlike attitude where thus inferior team gels, then both are revered as geniuses.
If not, Hitch has the temperament, experience, and latitude to shoulder and deflect anything that comes the orgs way.

And it will come. Sooner or later.
 

RegDunlop

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Nov 5, 2016
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Edmonton
Question... why was Garland allowed to play in the third period? Jersey was spattered.

Rule 8 – Injured Players – 8.3 - Blood – A player who is bleeding or who has visible blood on his equipment or body shall be Ruled off the ice at the next stoppage of play until the bleeding has been stopped and the cut or abrasion covered (if necessary).

I thought of that all the rest of game. I think it actually was an Oiler some time ago that was ordered back to dressing room as he continued to leak on ice.
 

RegDunlop

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Nov 5, 2016
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They sent him off cause they thought he was still bleeding. There is nothing in the rules saying you need a clean jersey to play. You are grasping at straws.

Garland continued to leak on the ice and was constantly being resealed at the bench.
If rules were adhered to, he should have been sent off from his shifts more than once.
 

RegDunlop

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Nov 5, 2016
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It's different scenarios though. McLellan would line blend in wins, line blend in losses, line blend whenever. Hitch keeps lines together when playing well and blends when the game isn't going right.

That said, McLellans line blending didn't even bug me too much as most coaches have a form of it. McLellan had far bigger issues.

I'm not sure I agree with all of this.
We were constantly complaining TMac did nothing in game to change the outcome, rolling 4 lines consistantly. The only thing I thought he did was to keep putting Drai with McD, which obviously requires changes elsewhere.

Too stagnant for me. But I find what Hitch is doing is very opposite and quite erratic.
 

Drivesaitl

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Oct 8, 2017
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Garland continued to leak on the ice and was constantly being resealed at the bench.
If rules were adhered to, he should have been sent off from his shifts more than once.

The NHL is not consistent with rules. They are consistent with wanting there to be plot lines. The plot in this, the moments of the game was the NHL milking the "that's a hockey player" theme. Repeated showing of the 12 stitches, the bloody gash, the coming back from injury. They're milking the classic Rocket Richard storyline with a guy coming back from a bad injury to score the winner. Its as hockey as frozen pucks. There is no way the NHL, despite rules, was going to get in the way of this sub story plot on the game. Also no way in hell that 2nd goal was going to be called back. No way.

By the 3rd period this game was the Conor Garland story, not the Connor McDavid story, and you knew it watching it.

That said the kid was deserving of every bit of praise he got. He laid it out there more than any player on the ice.
 

ConnorMcMullet

#12 Colby Cave
Jun 10, 2017
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The NHL is not consistent with rules. They are consistent with wanting there to be plot lines. The plot in this, the moments of the game was the NHL milking the "that's a hockey player" theme. Repeated showing of the 12 stitches, the bloody gash, the coming back from injury. They're milking the classic Rocket Richard storyline with a guy coming back from a bad injury to score the winner. Its as hockey as frozen pucks. There is no way the NHL, despite rules, was going to get in the way of this sub story plot on the game. Also no way in hell that 2nd goal was going to be called back. No way.

By the 3rd period this game was the Conor Garland story, not the Connor McDavid story, and you knew it watching it.

That said the kid was deserving of every bit of praise he got. He laid it out there more than any player on the ice.
This. I knew that there was no chance the 2nd goal would be called back no matter how far offside it had been.
 

rboomercat90

Registered User
Mar 24, 2013
14,590
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Edmonton
Just like they were not serious when they invented 4 new positions for the worst management group in NHL history?

Not serious now that they allow this charade to continue.

Get serious by cleaning house and interviewing the best out there. Then keep Wayne and Kieth and Kevin in Studio 99 with an endless flow of red wine.
I keep asking this question because I never get an answer but who does the interviews? I don’t trust anybody in this organization from the owner down. We’re really screwed here.
 

Drivesaitl

Time to Drive
Oct 8, 2017
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This. I knew that there was no chance the 2nd goal would be called back no matter how far offside it had been.

heh, I was talking about the kicked in goal by Garland but both apply. Neither goal was being called back but I don't think for clarity either should have been. Inconclusive, both.

That said, it was a poor decision for the Oilers to challenge on the offside as that is now a penalty if you get it wrong. Yotes scored again on that PP.

Wasn't the offside challenge on the first goal by Oesterle?
 
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MessierII

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heh, I was talking about the kicked in goal by Garland but both apply. Neither goal was being called back but I don't think for clarity either should have been. Inconclusive, both.

That said, it was a poor decision for the Oilers to challenge on the offside as that is now a penalty if you get it wrong. Yotes scored again on that PP.

Wasn't the offside challenge on the first goal by Oesterle?
Yes it was the first goal
 

ConnorMcMullet

#12 Colby Cave
Jun 10, 2017
10,290
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heh, I was talking about the kicked in goal by Garland but both apply. Neither goal was being called back but I don't think for clarity either should have been. Inconclusive, both.

That said, it was a poor decision for the Oilers to challenge on the offside as that is now a penalty if you get it wrong. Yotes scored again on that PP.

Wasn't the offside challenge on the first goal by Oesterle?
Yes. On the PP following the failed challenge, the puck hit Garland’s face and went in.
 

RegDunlop

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Nov 5, 2016
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Edmonton
The NHL is not consistent with rules. They are consistent with wanting there to be plot lines. The plot in this, the moments of the game was the NHL milking the "that's a hockey player" theme. Repeated showing of the 12 stitches, the bloody gash, the coming back from injury. They're milking the classic Rocket Richard storyline with a guy coming back from a bad injury to score the winner. Its as hockey as frozen pucks. There is no way the NHL, despite rules, was going to get in the way of this sub story plot on the game. Also no way in hell that 2nd goal was going to be called back. No way.

By the 3rd period this game was the Conor Garland story, not the Connor McDavid story, and you knew it watching it.

That said the kid was deserving of every bit of praise he got. He laid it out there more than any player on the ice.

Agreed. He earned every bit of respect he garnered.

But I also agree with those that feel as we do. That this greatest sport of all time is being eroded by incompetence.

The kid was outstanding. Cannot or do not want to ever take that away from him. But the league us disingenuous by even allowing him to be on the ice for the second goal. I cant think of anyone on the face of this earth that could escape from a ~69mph piece of frozen vulcanized rubber hitting directly in the face/front lobal/temple area and not be suspected of any concussed or severe damage. As gritty the effort was - and I'm as old school as it gets, wanting the return of the warriors - the doctors, team, and specifically the league subjected this player to further dangerous implications.

Why bother having rules if you are constantly ignoring them.
 

Mowzie

Registered User
Sep 17, 2003
9,966
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Groundhog Day.

Feels just like it did from the 2012-2014 era. We’re complaining about the very same things, despite being lucky enough to draft McDavid. I don’t have the energy for it anymore. I’m still watching the games because it’s habit for me but I’ve got very little interest in offering opinions on what the team can do to get better now. I don’t see any hope on the horizon. I don’t remember ever feeling that way before.

Anything short of washing itself from the OBC and replacing Chiarelli is only a band-aid move at best. If it was up to me I'd remove all the banners too, and separate this franchise from its history.
 

Drivesaitl

Time to Drive
Oct 8, 2017
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Agreed. He earned every bit of respect he garnered.

But I also agree with those that feel as we do. That this greatest sport of all time is being eroded by incompetence.

The kid was outstanding. Cannot or do not want to ever take that away from him. But the league us disingenuous by even allowing him to be on the ice for the second goal. I cant think of anyone on the face of this earth that could escape from a ~69mph piece of frozen vulcanized rubber hitting directly in the face/front lobal/temple area and not be suspected of any concussed or severe damage. As gritty the effort was - and I'm as old school as it gets, wanting the return of the warriors - the doctors, team, and specifically the league subjected this player to further dangerous implications.

Why bother having rules if you are constantly ignoring them.

Agreed with everything, just that I know the NHL, they were not going to get in the way of a developing story line and man, did that kid ever come to play. A 4year AHL player telling an NHL club team to keep him up. Garland is prepared to do anything to stay in the lineup. he put a smile on my face actually, in pro sport its nice to occasionally see an effort like this.

The NHL ignores most of what isn't on their current hot list of infractions. I found it hilarious when they were cracking down on slashing wrist violations and ignoring concusionable head shots. Its like they have gold fish application. can only focus on a few things at once.
 
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