Post-Game Talk: Devastating loss

[bone]

Who replaces danault when they need him to replace Kopitar. This Kings team isn't going anywhere, even if they beat the Oilers. They are straight up not better than the Oilers, they are out working them. They've been crap against the west all year and if they make the second round, Dallas or Calgary will absolutely spank them. Beating the Oilers says more about Edmonton's work ethic than it does about a team that got lucky that Vegas shit the bed.

But I'm replying to a guy who would rather watch refrigerators with skates than real hockey.

The hope would be that Byfield develops into a strong player by that time. He was bad in this series, but he was a second overall and sometimes big centremen take a few years to develop.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Okay, I'll grant you the QoT, but not QoC. LA certainly wants its best players out vs. the McDavid line with how the series has gone so far.

LA's best forwards comprise two lines. Its interchangeable and hard to interpret which is which at present. The Kings without Arviddson are running a config where its anybody's guess who top line is. They're both really solid. Surprised you think different. Remember that Kempe has been subpar most of this series and not finding range whereas nearly everything good in the series scoring wise was coming off plays by the likes of Danault, Moore.

You also know that McLellan isn't always keen on strict matching and that both of the Oilers two top lines has seen the Kings top two lines interchangeably at times. ftr Danault has fared well against the Drai and McD lines. Or as much as can be asked of him with this kind of D and no Doughty. I mean its been an amazing body of work by Danault and Kopitar.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Idk how you can say the franchise is more than the players. The players maketh the team, they give it life. A sports franchise without the players is nothing but a lifeless corporate entity.

Plus there’s the financial side of that move. You make an inexplicable move like that, a lot of people will wash their hands of this franchise, present company included. It’s been no secret that the team lost money due to COVID. Making a move like that ensures 1/2 empty stadiums for the next 5+ years, plus plunging tv viewership and merch sales. Reduced ad revenue too. The reduced cap hit will help, but there would be far reaching consequences for the franchise.

We don’t know the financials for the team but either way, compounding losses with more losses isn’t a good business strategy.

Because 2 criminals exchanged the best player in the history of the game for money, the franchised survived that.

I don't think the Oilers will move these players, but this is poised the 3rd straight failure when it matters, that's not nothing.

 

[CupofOil]

When the Oilers actually tried and played hard, they beat the Kings 6-0 and 8-2. The Oilers problem is work ethic, not skill.

But work ethic is a big part of what makes a team good. in the playoffs particularly. Just look at Pittsburgh, they have the skill and the will, Tampa too, Colorado etc. In the playoffs, will usually beats skill. Also, the Kings are a lot better at executing their system, much better puck management and much more consistent effort level. They're a better TEAM.

Also, lets be honest, the Oilers skill pretty much begins and ends with McDavid and Draisaitl. The Oilers aren't a team that has skilled depth, they have two guys that do everything and drag whoever they are with them and a bunch of nothing outside of that. Nuge in particular, complete zero. $5M for a PK specialist, something Derek Ryan can do for 1/5 of the price.

 

[bone]

I agree completely. He wasn't the cause of the losses in game 4 and 5. The Oilers got their shit handed to them most of games . But he certainly the answer either.

He's cost us a game. But he's yet to win us one.

Quick has given up a couple so so goals but he does it when the score is out of hand.

Smith let's in a shitter when the game is close. That's the difference.

When the game is close Smith has been vastly outplayed.

Generally true, but this take ignores that in Games 2 and 3, LA started off the game much like the games they won, but Smith held the fort until the team got going and then they ran away with it making his job easier in the 2nd and 3rd periods.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

But work ethic is a big part of what makes a team good. Just look at Pittsburgh, they have the skill and the will. In the playoffs, will usually beats skill. Also, the Kings are a lot better at executing their system, much better puck management and much more consistent effort level. They're a better TEAM.

Also, lets be honest, the Oilers skill pretty much begins and ends with McDavid and Draisaitl. The Oilers aren't a team that has skilled depth, they have two guys that do everything and drag whoever they are with them and a bunch of nothing outside of that. Nuge in particular, complete zero. $5M for a PK specialist, something Derek Ryan can do.

Assuming they lose, this loss really feels no different than the last two. Defense, depth, and goaltending all playing their respective roles.

 

[Arpeggio]

The thing is, that they aren't the better team. Maybe we just accept that the Kings are, quite simply, a better team than the Oilers or at least a team that's better suited for playoff hockey which is really all that matters. If you look at the entirety of the series, the Kings have outplayed the Oilers for longer stretches. They're just better, especially at 5 on 5 which is where most of the game is played.

I would say that the Oilers are playing under the level that they were at for the last two months of the season. So in that sense, I think the Oilers are the better team. The Oilers roster from top to bottom is "better" than the Kings, I don't think you'll find any hockey fan arguing that. That makes what has happened all the more disappointing.

Edit: It doesn't really matter though. I mean, you're right in the sense that if the Oilers lose this series, that kind of proves that the Kings are better. So I understand what you're saying. I suppose my point would be that the Oilers should be better.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Honestly if we get ANOTHER new gm, a rebuild is the only thing that makes sense.

I don’t even think that’s necessary, it’s not like our cabinets are bare.

We have decent prospects on forward and defence. We haven’t traded our 1st round pick and will have all but one of our picks for the year after.

If you weaponize what exists, you can retool the roster quite a bit.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I would say that the Oilers are playing under the level that they were at for the last two months of the season. So in that sense, I think the Oilers are the better team. The Oilers roster from top to bottom is "better" than the Kings, I don't think you'll find any hockey fan arguing that. That makes what has happened all the more disappointing.

Edit: It doesn't really matter though. I mean, you're right in the sense that if the Oilers lose this series, that kind of proves that the Kings are better. So I understand what you're saying. I suppose my point would be that the Oilers should be better.

Both teams playing at their best Edmonton wins 8/10 times.
Edmonton playing cocky like they know they are better win 2/10 times.

I don’t even think that’s necessary, it’s not like our cabinets are bare.

We have decent prospects on forward and defence. We haven’t traded our 1st round pick and will have all but one of our picks for the year after.

If you weaponize what exists, you can retool the roster quite a bit.

Keith is unmovable, Nurse is unmovable, so there is at least a year of Keith left before we can really help there and Nurse is worth no where close to his extension and is hurting the team. We don't have a ton of cap and its mostly all tied up in players that are on the decline.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I don’t even think that’s necessary, it’s not like our cabinets are bare.

We have decent prospects on forward and defence. We haven’t traded our 1st round pick and will have all but one of our picks for the year after.

If you weaponize what exists, you can retool the roster quite a bit.

At least two of the top 4 D need to be replaced. Good luck finding anyone to take on Keith/Barrie. Maybe someone takes Ceci.

 

[bone]

bro look at their division compared to ours

answer honestly, do you think we would have even made the playoffs in that division in the last 3 years

Considering 62 of the 82 games in the schedule would be exactly the same, yeah, and they had a very similar record vs. the Metro division as they did the Central, I think there is a decent chance they could have been in contention, but they wouldn't have the results Toronto does in the regular season.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Idk how you can say the franchise is more than the players. The players maketh the team, they give it life. A sports franchise without the players is nothing but a lifeless corporate entity.

Plus there’s the financial side of that move. You make an inexplicable move like that, a lot of people will wash their hands of this franchise, present company included. It’s been no secret that the team lost money due to COVID. Making a move like that ensures 1/2 empty stadiums for the next 5+ years, plus plunging tv viewership and merch sales. Reduced ad revenue too. The reduced cap hit will help, but there would be far reaching consequences for the franchise.

We don’t know the financials for the team but either way, compounding losses with more losses isn’t a good business strategy.

Its kind of funny that you live in Bandwagon Toronto saying all this. This market isn't what the Toronto market is really like. We follow losers and winners here.

With the New arena and the plans the NHL has for it and the ways they have already used it Edmonton Oilers are not going on the block, and the league at present would not approve of it. I mean they save Arizona ffs.

Theres some down takes after a hard game but speculation on the Oilers being history here is a bit reactive.

 

[bellagiobob]

Smith looks like he is tired. Kings have been very active in the blue paint, much more than we have been in theirs, and it’s been a pretty physical series for him. It would be the normal time to play the backup if this were the regular season, and I’d at least entertain the thought of playing Koski. Never know what you’ll get with him, but he’s well rested, and has the potential to steal a game. Blues switched to a fresh Binnington and it’s worked wonders for them. Im a fan of Smith, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

[CycloneSweep]

At least two of the top 4 D need to be replaced. Good luck finding anyone to take on Keith/Barrie. Maybe someone takes Ceci.

The Islanders are specifically looking for offence from the backend so good chance he could land there. Barrie that is.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Smith looks like he is tired. Kings have been very active in the blue paint, much more than we have been in theirs, and it’s been a pretty physical series for him. It would be the normal time to play the backup if this were the regular season, and I’d at least entertain the thought of playing Koski. Never know what you’ll get with him, but he’s well rested, and has the potential to steal a game. Blues switched to a fresh Binnington and it’s worked wonders for them. Im a fan of Smith, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.

45shot average by the Kings last 3GP. That isn't a workload, thats a bombing blitz. In games where the Oilers have mustered anything close to this kind of shots Quick has folded his tent. Kings play a greasy down low game and buzz the net constantly. How they play. To beat them you have to force Kings to play their own end and keep them out of your end as much as possible. Once the Kings are in your yard and infestation has taken hold its hard to fumigate.

Not sure about the Koski angle. Hasn't looked good lately and in contrast to Smith his rebound control not as solid and his puck management next to non existent. On Koski all kings have to do is dump in and retrieve, and with how hot they are converging on pucks they can do that. The D are having trouble with pressure even WITH Smith as a puck playing pressure valve.

 

[CupofOil]

I would say that the Oilers are playing under the level that they were at for the last two months of the season. So in that sense, I think the Oilers are the better team. The Oilers roster from top to bottom is "better" than the Kings, I don't think you'll find any hockey fan arguing that. That makes what has happened all the more disappointing.

Edit: It doesn't really matter though. I mean, you're right in the sense that if the Oilers lose this series, that kind of proves that the Kings are better. So I understand what you're saying. I suppose my point would be that the Oilers should be better.

If you look, on paper, the Oilers SHOULD beat the Kings so in that sense I agree with you but I'm basing it on how this group traditionally handles playoff hockey. The Kings are better built for playoff hockey IMO.

I saw this in the regular season when some folks were celebrating the Kings matchup and looking past them. The Kings play a style of game that gives the Oilers fits and I saw the Danault/Kopitar duo as a matchup that they'd struggle with, Danault is an absolute ace in playoff hockey and I shuddered at the thought of the Oilers going up against his line. I was hoping that this supposed improved Oilers depth would take advantage of the weaker matchups but they've been M.I.A. so when Drai's line for instance is losing the Danault matchup, it makes it all that more tougher on them to win anything at even strength.

I don't know, I'm not proclaiming to be a know it all who saw this coming but I just knew that this would be a tough matchup for them. L.A., Calgary and Minny. Hard forechecking teams that dominate even strength play and are stingy defensively, those were the killer matchups for this team in the playoffs. Even if they somehow squeak by L.A., the Flames would likely stomp them in the next round anyway.

 

[bone]

Yzerman cleaned up most of Holland's mess in about a year. It's not unthinkable...

You do realize almost all of Holland's cap issues with Detroit expired the year Yzerman took over which gave Yzerman a lot more flexibility to do things.

I'm not saying that to excuse Holland for what's happening in Edmonton, but Yzerman has had a lot more cap space to work with than Holland ever has and still hasn't got his team anywhere close to the playoffs. Not even out of the bottom 10 after 3 years and allowing goals against at an alarming rate.

 

[Dashh]

Lost a bunch of money on these scrubs last night. Whenever your instincts tell you the oil will win, they almost certainly disappoint.

Woodcroft needs to get his head checked for giving McDrai minimal minutes. 2nd last game of the season and he thinks it’s a good idea to rest up his two best players. Not sure what the thought process is there.

I told myself I would stop caring entirely after the Chicago series, but was pumped on potentially seeing Calgary V Edmonton next round.

Perpetual losers. One team wants it, the other doesn’t, and it shows. We are a better team on paper for sure, save for goaltending( which hasn’t been the difference this series).

 

[Canovin]

I decided to skip the last 2 games and good thing I did. This was also after experiencing game 3 at the watch party and having the time of my life with 12 of my homies and the Oilers finishing the night with a 8-2 win. It really shows who wants it more. LA wants it more. Getting it done with less

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

You do realize almost all of Holland's cap issues with Detroit expired the year Yzerman took over which gave Yzerman a lot more flexibility to do things.

I'm not saying that to excuse Holland for what's happening in Edmonton, but Yzerman has had a lot more cap space to work with than Holland ever has and still hasn't got his team anywhere close to the playoffs. Not even out of the bottom 10 after 3 years and allowing goals against at an alarming rate.

Yzerman also cleared off some salary with savvy deals, the very kind that we could use around here. I mean hell, he conned Kenny for AA.

I've been reading the thread where Holland was hired... Lots of misplaced optimism.

 

[KlefDown]

better to lose to Kings in round 1 than get embarrassed by flames in round 2 I guess

another year of McDrai primes waaaaassssted, like I said

 

[CupofOil]

You do realize almost all of Holland's cap issues with Detroit expired the year Yzerman took over which gave Yzerman a lot more flexibility to do things.

I'm not saying that to excuse Holland for what's happening in Edmonton, but Yzerman has had a lot more cap space to work with than Holland ever has and still hasn't got his team anywhere close to the playoffs. Not even out of the bottom 10 after 3 years and allowing goals against at an alarming rate.

Yzerman doesn't have McDavid and Draisaitl and the reason why Yzerman has had to build that team from the ground up is because Holland destroyed them with his horrendous cap management and poor drafting.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yzerman doesn't have McDavid and Draisaitl and the reason why Yzerman has had to build that team from the ground up is because Holland destroyed them with his horrendous cap management and poor drafting.

Couldn't have said it any better. Holland was given a head start when he was hired here and he's done nothing but trip and hold this team back. There's simply no defense for him and this staff at this point.

I was actually surprised to see that @Drivesaitl was very pessimistic about the hiring.

 

[bone]

LA's best forwards comprise two lines. Its interchangeable and hard to interpret which is which at present. The Kings without Arviddson are running a config where its anybody's guess who top line is. They're both really solid. Surprised you think different. Remember that Kempe has been subpar most of this series and not finding range whereas nearly everything good in the series scoring wise was coming off plays by the likes of Danault, Moore.

You also know that McLellan isn't always keen on strict matching and that both of the Oilers two top lines has seen the Kings top two lines interchangeably at times. ftr Danault has fared well against the Drai and McD lines. Or as much as can be asked of him with this kind of D and no Doughty. I mean its been an amazing body of work by Danault and Kopitar.

I'll defer to you on this as you watch LA much more than me about interchangeability of their top 6, but logically I would think considering how Kempe and Kopitar were losing the battle vs. McDavid prior to Kempe's two goals last night that they may have tried changing things up, but good point McLellan isn't big on matchups.

 

[Drivesaitl]

This team hasn't won a 1 goal playoff game since 2017.
They don't have it in them, They're a scared group of highly skilled individuals. But a team they aren't.

You maybe saw me saying the same at start of series. That the Oilers had to win games by a 6-2 type scoreline because they seem unable to comprehend or manage tight games. We lost all 3 games in this series that were close.

With the Oilers its as if something is wrong with their internal calibration of where games are at. You can spot it all the time. The Oilers score the 1-1 goal in the game and act like they won the SC. All they did was tie a game against the grain of play in a game in which they were being vastly outplayed. The Oilers proceed to play two more strong shifts before Kings take the game back and score two more goals. Oilers get one back and feel good about themselves. Kings score another and OIlers get it back tied late in game, act like they've won the cup again.

Yet every fan of this team viewed the OT with trepidation. I mean who really thought we were going to win in OT? Our chance to W was late in game. With the 20min break I knew the Kings would be able to reset. They even said that on telecast. The Oilers thought something entirely different. Maybe they thought they would "Weather the storm" lol

Man, we're fans of the Oilers. The 80's club was legendary for putting teams out of their misery in OT especially guys like Anderson. They would deliver euthanasia quick in OT, most of the time, and generally understood that OT is a one goal crapshoot. You better score first. Kings got the memo, this Oilers team never does. I mean imagine coming out in OT like that in a playoff game. Kings almost won the game 3 times in 70secs.