News Article: Dave Tippett appreciation thread.

[GMofOilers]

I like Tippett he’s from my hometown, but dam is he stubborn with the Bear experiment.

Maybe it’s because Bear grew up 30 mins away from Tippett home town?

 

[alphahelix]

I highly doubt Taylor Hall puts this team into the Stanley Cup Finals this season.

Yeah but you’re one of those people who has been completely wrong about Taylor Hall for his entire career so we should probably take that with a grain of salt.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Agreed completely. I would love to see Carter here. Would have made all the difference. I used to like Turris but that is me likely being a homer because he played for OttAwa. He has been absolutely horrible with Edmonton and I would be glad to see him go

I agree, I don’t think we would have made the Cup but there is absolutely no way we should have lost to Winnipeg. If you own a team all year in regular season and can’t even get one win come playoffs……. There is issues with the team

It’s going to be a very long off season. It’s such a shame, Smith had his best season ever and we finally had a great year from a goalie. The one key ingredient to make a cup and it was wasted.

I was in favor of the Smith signing because Holland was unable to get anybody else. Smith was a solid placeholder and did very well all season. He was so good in this series as well not just making stops but being so good with the puck. Really helped our breakout because our D are still struggling with that aspect.

Winnipeg played possum. A vet club pulled a number on us. I should have seen that coming, and didn't. My passion for the Oilers team blinded me to it. I mean for sure Schiefele is night and day different than the player that played us all season. Wheeler too. Thought he was done. This was also the best performance seen by Morissey in years. even Jets fans had wondered what happened to the player.

The Jets had a unique circumstance of falling off the rails in April. Strangely it was the best thing that happened to him as it led to coach player confrontation, coach confrontation, player confrontation, and animosity and the team gelling through it. Could've gone both ways but Maurice is a master and one of the best coaches in the Biz. Winnipeg good to keep him all these years. In anycase the Jets team came together at the right time, and that can be hard to call. I don't know that even Jets fans were betting on them winning before the post season.

Kudos to a team that did elevate just at the right time. Good veteran presence on that club. Something we need a lot more off to guide the way.

 

[CupofOil]

This!!! We lost to the 10 seed Blackhawks last year and now swept by a team we owned all through the regular season. That is just as bad. My opinion Tip should be canned immediately. Not making playoffs and being swept by a team you should have beat are the same thing….. I’m convinced we wouldn’t have beat anyone in the first round.

This is a tad harsh. First of all, Winnipeg is a good team, a team that was finally healthy and a very worthy playoff team that is far better than the play in Hawks so no, I don't think the Oilers "should" have beaten them. This was a very even, coin flip matchup like I and some others said before the series when some posters were dismissing the Jets because of the meaningless regular season head to head.

Second of all, three of the games went to OT and the first game which didn't get to OT was territorially owned by the Oilers. It was a sweep but it could have easily been a sweep the other way. Of course that's not what happened but it's not like the Oilers weren't right there with them. In fact, I'd say that outside of the 1st period in Game 2 and the final 8 minutes of Game 3 that the Oilers carried a lot of the play, they just lacked the finishers that the Jets have.

Finally, this is a flawed roster. Just look at who the Jets are rolling out as secondary forwards compared to the Oilers. I think this team had limited potential so I never expected much of a long playoff run from these guys. It was THIS close to being a completely different outcome. It's disappointing, it sucks and there are some things they, including Tippett, could have done better but to keep this in perspective relative to roster quality, it was a pretty successful season. Now Holland needs to do his job and add some real quality to this roster so next season and beyond can be really successful seasons. Next season should mark the beginning of Cup contention or at least a big step in the right direction.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

1-7 in playoff games. Several blown leads and meltdowns in the third period.

He's become the expert of losing close games. Hit the bricks, Dave.

 

[Lacaar]

I was in favor of the Smith signing because Holland was unable to get anybody else. Smith was a solid placeholder and did very well all season. He was so good in this series as well not just making stops but being so good with the puck. Really helped our breakout because our D are still struggling with that aspect.

Winnipeg played possum. A vet club pulled a number on us. I should have seen that coming, and didn't. My passion for the Oilers team blinded me to it. I mean for sure Schiefele is night and day different than the player that played us all season. Wheeler too. Thought he was done. This was also the best performance seen by Morissey in years. even Jets fans had wondered what happened to the player.

The Jets had a unique circumstance of falling off the rails in April. Strangely it was the best thing that happened to him as it led to coach player confrontation, coach confrontation, player confrontation, and animosity and the team gelling through it. Could've gone both ways but Maurice is a master and one of the best coaches in the Biz. Winnipeg good to keep him all these years. In anycase the Jets team came together at the right time, and that can be hard to call. I don't know that even Jets fans were betting on them winning before the post season.

Kudos to a team that did elevate just at the right time. Good veteran presence on that club. Something we need a lot more off to guide the way.

I think you've hit the nail on the peg for the most part

 

[CupofOil]

I was in favor of the Smith signing because Holland was unable to get anybody else. Smith was a solid placeholder and did very well all season. He was so good in this series as well not just making stops but being so good with the puck. Really helped our breakout because our D are still struggling with that aspect.

Winnipeg played possum. A vet club pulled a number on us. I should have seen that coming, and didn't. My passion for the Oilers team blinded me to it. I mean for sure Schiefele is night and day different than the player that played us all season. Wheeler too. Thought he was done. This was also the best performance seen by Morissey in years. even Jets fans had wondered what happened to the player.

The Jets had a unique circumstance of falling off the rails in April. Strangely it was the best thing that happened to him as it led to coach player confrontation, coach confrontation, player confrontation, and animosity and the team gelling through it. Could've gone both ways but Maurice is a master and one of the best coaches in the Biz. Winnipeg good to keep him all these years. In anycase the Jets team came together at the right time, and that can be hard to call. I don't know that even Jets fans were betting on them winning before the post season.

Kudos to a team that did elevate just at the right time. Good veteran presence on that club. Something we need a lot more off to guide the way.

I tried to tell you my friend. I fully expected a strong, experienced and healthy Jets team to elevate in the postseason. I thought this series would go the distance as a result and it could have with a few breaks. Oh well, eye towards the offseason now. This wasn't the oilers year anyway. Build a better roster, get fans back in the building next season and let's roll.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I tried to tell you my friend. I fully expected a strong, experience and healthy Jets team to elevate in the postseason. I thought this series would go the distance as a result and it could have with a few breaks. Oh well, eye towards the offseason now. This wasn't the oilers year anyway. Build a better roster, get fans back in the building next season and let's roll.

Sure you did. Accepted. I still think with some meaningful add things could have gone differently. But I'll maintain, as I have, I just needed something positive to happen with this team one season. Man, so much bs in 2021. Was hoping for some joy.

But what would happen if the Oilers played game 1 like they played games 3 and 4. Don't you think they would have won? The Oilers felt their way into the series, which had more to do with them, than the Jets. Its hard to beat a good team twice, except a club that barely showed up in the first 2 games at home. I wasn't predicting that.

I called the Oilers in 6 games in that prediction thread. But it all fell apart, and part of that is just giving the Jets game one. The Oilers were not dialed in on that game at all, and frankly were awful in most of that game. This was a Jets club without Ehlers or Dubois. You have to win that. It made a lot of difference. I don't know the game 3 fall apart happens either without the game 1 loss.

But hockey is cruel. Like I said in another thread who would really call the 97, and 98 Oilers first round results. Or 2006. Hockey is like this, and notoriously hard to bet on playoff results. This is a league where Tampa gets swept by Columbus which means anything can happen.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I would appreciate him coaching the Rangers next year.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think you've hit the nail on the peg for the most part

I feel like I've pounded a nail in my skull. At least I felt like that after watching game 3...

Watching last night was drudgery. I watched most of it PVR delay but then caught up with the telecast by OT . I prefer its over. Winning game 4 was just going to extend misery of having to watch it

 

[McOvechking]

How anyone can defend Tippett is beyond me.

Watch how the Florida Panthers held their 3-1 lead over Tampa last night and compare that to the Oilers, and that will tell you everything that you need to know about why the Oilers lose leads, lose hockey games, and flounder in the playoffs.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

How anyone can defend Tippett is beyond me.

Watch how the Florida Panthers held their 3-1 lead over Tampa last night and compare that to the Oilers, and that will tell you everything that you need to know about why the Oilers lose leads, lose hockey games, and flounder in the playoffs.

A recurring theme in his playoff tenure so far is blown leads. The only game we've lost of the 7 that we didn't have a lead in was the 1-0 game. Every single other game we had a lead and lost it and often those games were lost in the third period/overtime.

 

[Lacaar]

I feel like I've pounded a nail in my skull. At least I felt like that after watching game 3...

Watching last night was drudgery. I watched most of it PVR delay but then caught up with the telecast by OT . I prefer its over. Winning game 4 was just going to extend misery of having to watch it

It does feel like the perfect storm just hit Edmonton. Everything for Winnipeg was winding up like you described. One of those let's all come together and prove we're not bad underdog shit storms just washed over us. Where the whole team makes some secret pact to block slapshots in the nude for each other haha.

They played us to a game of coin flip hockey in the first two games and won both coin tosses. Once up 2-0 they weren't going to be denied. A team of destiny was planted that night and then born with a bit of help from Josh Archibald.
I'm curious if it's one of those we proved it and done or if they carry it to the next round and further. My feeling is it will win you a series (it did for us twice in the late 90's... we did similar things to Dallas and Colorado) but that's about it.
Sooner or later you lose that coin toss and the destiny shine wears off.

Really all I can hope is the Oilers learned something this year. This years hockey was much different than last years. Unfortunately they may have been a bit guilty of expecting the kind of hockey played against Chicago which was not nearly as intense.

That being said.. There's a million ways to lose a hockey game. Do the Oilers have to learn them all via experience?

 

[GOilers88]

Yeah but you’re one of those people who has been completely wrong about Taylor Hall for his entire career so we should probably take that with a grain of salt.

His entire career? What are you even talking about? I didn't join the forum until the year he was traded.

And just because I think the Oilers should move on doesn't change the fact that you're delusional if you think Taylor Hall is the piece to carry this team to the cup finals this year lmao. Seems like you're hoarding the shaker.

Can't wait til he signs an extension with Boston so this place can get off his junk.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Not a fan of not calling a timeout in Game 3 or sitting back in the third. Those were crucial mistakes and the turning point of the series IMO.

That being said, I'm fine with keeping him on and seeing what the Oilers do next playoffs (which Holland will likely do anyway since he values stability). It's obvious the roster is flawed and you can't really properly evaluate him until he has more to work with, which he will next year.

If we crumble again next year, it's time for him to go. You only get so many cracks with prime McDrai.

 

[Lacaar]

Not a fan of not calling a timeout in Game 3 or sitting back in the third. Those were crucial mistakes and the turning point of the series IMO.

That being said, I'm fine with keeping him on and seeing what the Oilers do next playoffs (which Holland will likely do anyway since he values stability). It's obvious the roster is flawed and you can't really properly evaluate him until he has more to work with, which he will next year.

If we crumble again next year, it's time for him to go. You only get so many cracks with prime McDrai.

I feel the timeout was a complete burn. I understand Tippets thinking. Next whistle is a T.V timeout and I've got fresh Draisitl and McDavid going out.

I don't like to knock on McDavid and Leon but if there's one time you need to step up and take control of a game.. that was it. Not score a goal. But take control and settle things down type of hockey.
The coach made a gamble with his best players and unfortunately lost.

That's why I think it was a team loss. Not coaching.

Just my feeling but if you ask McDavid or Leon what shift they'd like back in that series it would be that one.
This is the lesson I hope they bring out of this. Don't play scared.. once you play scared you're done.
Archibald is an idiot and opened the flood gates. Unfortunately even our best players couldn't close it.
Next time will hopefully be different.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I feel the timeout was a complete burn. I understand Tippets thinking. Next whistle is a T.V timeout and I've got fresh Draisitl and McDavid going out.

I don't like to knock on McDavid and Leon but if there's one time you need to step up and take control of a game.. that was it. Not score a goal. But take control and settle things down type of hockey.
The coach made a gamble with his best players and unfortunately lost.

That's why I think it was a team loss. Not coaching.

Just my feeling but if you ask McDavid or Leon what shift they'd like back in that series it would be that one.
This is the lesson I hope they bring out of this. Don't play scared.. once you play scared you're done.
Archibald is an idiot and opened the flood gates. Unfortunately even our best players couldn't close it.
Next time will hopefully be different.

I think the main respective issue is that the Jets have through the years had a solid core of depth veterans that helped raise a a veteran club, and that Schiefele, and Wheeler etc are older, and that Leon and Connor have played for a club largely bereft of acutal vet leadership and instead had guys like Lucic, Neal, Chiasson, Turris etc brought in. Not exactly the best or most lucid veterans.

My sense is that Connor and Leon and Darnell have had to very much figure it out on their own.

We so much needed even a Corey Perry here. A guy that would play the right by and steady up the bench a little. We had several vets that were deemed not good enough to even avoid being scratched. we had another, Kassian, that showed up in earnest in game 3 and 4.

 

[tardigrade81]

I was in favor of the Smith signing because Holland was unable to get anybody else. Smith was a solid placeholder and did very well all season. He was so good in this series as well not just making stops but being so good with the puck. Really helped our breakout because our D are still struggling with that aspect.

Winnipeg played possum. A vet club pulled a number on us. I should have seen that coming, and didn't. My passion for the Oilers team blinded me to it. I mean for sure Schiefele is night and day different than the player that played us all season. Wheeler too. Thought he was done. This was also the best performance seen by Morissey in years. even Jets fans had wondered what happened to the player.

The Jets had a unique circumstance of falling off the rails in April. Strangely it was the best thing that happened to him as it led to coach player confrontation, coach confrontation, player confrontation, and animosity and the team gelling through it. Could've gone both ways but Maurice is a master and one of the best coaches in the Biz. Winnipeg good to keep him all these years. In anycase the Jets team came together at the right time, and that can be hard to call. I don't know that even Jets fans were betting on them winning before the post season.

Kudos to a team that did elevate just at the right time. Good veteran presence on that club. Something we need a lot more off to guide the way.

Well said!

I have zero hate toward Winnipeg. Hell I’ll root for them the rest of the way. I will take them waaaaaay before Montreal, Toronto or an American team. Hats off to them.

 

[tardigrade81]

This is a tad harsh. First of all, Winnipeg is a good team, a team that was finally healthy and a very worthy playoff team that is far better than the play in Hawks so no, I don't think the Oilers "should" have beaten them. This was a very even, coin flip matchup like I and some others said before the series when some posters were dismissing the Jets because of the meaningless regular season head to head.

Second of all, three of the games went to OT and the first game which didn't get to OT was territorially owned by the Oilers. It was a sweep but it could have easily been a sweep the other way. Of course that's not what happened but it's not like the Oilers weren't right there with them. In fact, I'd say that outside of the 1st period in Game 2 and the final 8 minutes of Game 3 that the Oilers carried a lot of the play, they just lacked the finishers that the Jets have.

Finally, this is a flawed roster. Just look at who the Jets are rolling out as secondary forwards compared to the Oilers. I think this team had limited potential so I never expected much of a long playoff run from these guys. It was THIS close to being a completely different outcome. It's disappointing, it sucks and there are some things they, including Tippett, could have done better but to keep this in perspective relative to roster quality, it was a pretty successful season. Now Holland needs to do his job and add some real quality to this roster so next season and beyond can be really successful seasons. Next season should mark the beginning of Cup contention or at least a big step in the right direction.

Outside of maybe the Blues, I don’t think we would have beat anyone in the first round. Montreal would have been tough, for sure not against the Leafs. Who else could have we beat?? Vegas, Avalanche?? Jets have a very solid team don’t get me wrong, but in my opinion it’s not harsh what I am saying. We had a very favourble match up against the Jets and not only did we lose, we got swept. We failed to score a single friggin goal in game 2. If we couldn’t beat the Jets, we couldn’t beat anyone outside of maybe the Blues. Even that, I wouldn’t like our chances. This team has some major holes otherwise we will just keep taking a quick first round exit

 

[CupofOil]

Sure you did. Accepted. I still think with some meaningful add things could have gone differently. But I'll maintain, as I have, I just needed something positive to happen with this team one season. Man, so much bs in 2021. Was hoping for some joy.

But what would happen if the Oilers played game 1 like they played games 3 and 4. Don't you think they would have won? The Oilers felt their way into the series, which had more to do with them, than the Jets. Its hard to beat a good team twice, except a club that barely showed up in the first 2 games at home. I wasn't predicting that.

I called the Oilers in 6 games in that prediction thread. But it all fell apart, and part of that is just giving the Jets game one. The Oilers were not dialed in on that game at all, and frankly were awful in most of that game. This was a Jets club without Ehlers or Dubois. You have to win that. It made a lot of difference. I don't know the game 3 fall apart happens either without the game 1 loss.

But hockey is cruel. Like I said in another thread who would really call the 97, and 98 Oilers first round results. Or 2006. Hockey is like this, and notoriously hard to bet on playoff results. This is a league where Tampa gets swept by Columbus which means anything can happen.

I think both teams were feeling their way in Game 1 as well as Game 2. I didn't feel like either team played with much playoff energy perhaps due to there being empty buildings, I don't know.

What I'm saying is that a lot of folks underestimated the Jets and set unrealistic expectations for what the Oilers are. I also picked the Oilers, in 7, with a lot of hesitation because I knew that the Jets would up their game in the playoffs and that the easy offense that came to the Oilers would be a lot harder to come by in the playoff grind. It's just not a team built to grind over a long playoff series, not enough depth, not enough skill throughout the lineup, not enough guys who push to the hard areas of the ice with relentless pressure.

With all that said, every single game could have easily swung the other way. As you said, hockey is cruel and there's usually a very fine line between winning and losing which was especially prevalent in this series where the margins were razor thin. Some people look at a sweep and assume the Oilers got trounced but this was a toss up series and the other team just had more guys who could finish and got a few bounces that the Oilers didn't. Now Holland needs to reshape this roster to put them in a better position to win these close games.

 

[CupofOil]

Outside of maybe the Blues, I don’t think we would have beat anyone in the first round. Montreal would have been tough, for sure not against the Leafs. Who else could have we beat?? Vegas, Avalanche?? Jets have a very solid team don’t get me wrong, but in my opinion it’s not harsh what I am saying. We had a very favourble match up against the Jets and not only did we lose, we got swept. We failed to score a single friggin goal in game 2. If we couldn’t beat the Jets, we couldn’t beat anyone outside of maybe the Blues. Even that, I wouldn’t like our chances. This team has some major holes otherwise we will just keep taking a quick first round exit

We already kind of knew that going in, no? This wasn't a team built to make a deep run in the playoffs. Hell, even Holland knew it which is why he didn't blow his wad at the deadline like the Leafs did for instance, a team that is built to go deeper into the playoffs and is further along in their competitive timeline.

To me, it comes down to expectations. I saw this roster at the beginning of the year and figured this was a bubble playoff team. They won some easy games in the regular season against beat up rosters and fattened up on the Sens before they hit their stride so they overachieved in the regular season.
I think it set some unrealistic expectations by some going into the playoffs. Yes this was a sweep which was unexpected and disappointing but can you honestly look at this series and think anything other than it was two very even teams?

 

[tardigrade81]

We already kind of knew that going in, no? This wasn't a team built to make a deep run in the playoffs. Hell, even Holland knew it which is why he didn't blow his wad at the deadline like the Leafs did for instance, a team that is built to go deeper into the playoffs and is further along in their competitive timeline.

To me, it comes down to expectations. I saw this roster at the beginning of the year and figured this was a bubble playoff team. They won some easy games in the regular season against beat up rosters and fattened up on the Sens before they hit their stride so they overachieved in the regular season.
I think it set some unrealistic expectations by some going into the playoffs. Yes this was a sweep which was unexpected and disappointing but can you honestly look at this series and think anything other than it was two very even teams?

Although I agree with the fact that I wasn’t expecting a deep run either. However we have two of the top scorers, a Vezna caliber goalie, and one of the best defenseman in the league in Nurse. I understand that’s not enough for a run but hell at least make it out of the first round.

I thought the first two games we didn’t show up at all. We are lucky that Winnipeg didn’t either. Not scoring a single goal in game two was beyond embarrassing. We did keep 3 of the 4 games close but in the end we were swept by an opponent we owned all year. It’s frustrating….. but in the end, I agree. I was not expecting us to make it past the Leafs let alone the Avs or Knights.

 

[Stoneman89]

I was in favor of the Smith signing because Holland was unable to get anybody else. Smith was a solid placeholder and did very well all season. He was so good in this series as well not just making stops but being so good with the puck. Really helped our breakout because our D are still struggling with that aspect.

Winnipeg played possum. A vet club pulled a number on us. I should have seen that coming, and didn't. My passion for the Oilers team blinded me to it. I mean for sure Schiefele is night and day different than the player that played us all season. Wheeler too. Thought he was done. This was also the best performance seen by Morissey in years. even Jets fans had wondered what happened to the player.

The Jets had a unique circumstance of falling off the rails in April. Strangely it was the best thing that happened to him as it led to coach player confrontation, coach confrontation, player confrontation, and animosity and the team gelling through it. Could've gone both ways but Maurice is a master and one of the best coaches in the Biz. Winnipeg good to keep him all these years. In anycase the Jets team came together at the right time, and that can be hard to call. I don't know that even Jets fans were betting on them winning before the post season.

Kudos to a team that did elevate just at the right time. Good veteran presence on that club. Something we need a lot more off to guide the way.

Lol, you're never too old to learn a lesson, are you. NEVER, EVER dismiss and disrepect the opposition. That karma came back and bit us big time.

 

[Stoneman89]

I think the main respective issue is that the Jets have through the years had a solid core of depth veterans that helped raise a a veteran club, and that Schiefele, and Wheeler etc are older, and that Leon and Connor have played for a club largely bereft of acutal vet leadership and instead had guys like Lucic, Neal, Chiasson, Turris etc brought in. Not exactly the best or most lucid veterans.

My sense is that Connor and Leon and Darnell have had to very much figure it out on their own.

We so much needed even a Corey Perry here. A guy that would play the right by and steady up the bench a little. We had several vets that were deemed not good enough to even avoid being scratched. we had another, Kassian, that showed up in earnest in game 3 and 4.

What happened to your boy Kahun? Couldn't get a game in. Doesn't bode well for him being re-signed.

 

[CupofOil]

Although I agree with the fact that I wasn’t expecting a deep run either. However we have two of the top scorers, a Vezna caliber goalie, and one of the best defenseman in the league in Nurse. I understand that’s not enough for a run but hell at least make it out of the first round.

I thought the first two games we didn’t show up at all. We are lucky that Winnipeg didn’t either. Not scoring a single goal in game two was beyond embarrassing. We did keep 3 of the 4 games close but in the end we were swept by an opponent we owned all year. It’s frustrating….. but in the end, I agree. I was not expecting us to make it past the Leafs let alone the Avs or Knights.

I know man, I was hopeful too but you need more than a few high end players to win in this league.

I think both teams were lethargic in the first two games. I have a feeling that it was hard for them to translate that regular season into playoff energy without fans. Habs-Leafs was missing some of that juice too IMO especially compared to the U.S. series which have been wars. Not an excuse of course but it seemed like both teams had a hard time finding that next level until Game 3.

I agree though, it's frustrating especially considering that it's McDavid's 6th season and they're still getting bounced in the 1st round. Unfortunately, the previous regime screwed up that timeline so now, in Holland's 3rd season, he'll finally have some flexibility to undo the mess the previous regime created.
This offseason will arguably be the most important in Oilers history. It's going to be an extremely important and intriguing offseason starting pretty soon so lets see what Holland is made of because, man does he have his work cut out for him.