Post-Game Talk: Ducks 4 Oilers 3 OT

[Soundwave]

why does he need to be "skilled"? Conor Sheary and Chris Kunitz clicked with Crosby and no one is mistaking them for ultra-skilled players

heck, Pat Maroon scored 27 goals playing with McDavid

its about finding the right fit for Connor..right now Rattie is doing a good job of keeping it simple and getting to the right areas

as for Chia, I've liked his past 2 drafts...particularly drafting skilled players like Yamamoto, Bear, Maksimov, Safin, Puljujarvi

And where's Pat Maroon today? Oh yeah, we can't sign him because the GM blew massive amounts of cap on Lucic. So it's a net nothing for the team today.

Crosby has two other deadly lines run by Malkin and Kessel that support him, he's crusing to the playoffs and maybe a third straight Cup because of that, don't kid yourself into thinking the crap Connor has to work with is even close.

And lets wait and see if Yamamoto and Puljujarvi (let alone those others) actually DO something big at the NHL level. Right now Puljujarvi is getting outplayed by several players drafted below him and is a ghost every second game.

Connor's line is not the issue. Connor will do just fine because he's that good. The GM has failed with the other 3 lines and d-corps past that and even the goalie right now is a pretty big question mark.

All told he's addressed no need in three years here. Scoring depth? Nope. No.1 Goalie? Question mark. Defence? Still bad. Offence from D? Nope. PPQB? Nope. Winger depth? Now a problem.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

And where's Pat Maroon today? Oh yeah, we can't sign him because the GM blew massive amounts of cap on Lucic. So it's a net nothing for the team today.

not my point
my point is they need to find the right type of player to play on Connor's wing...inexpensive players like Sheary, Kunitz and Maroon...that compliment Connor...not necessarily ultra-skilled wingers

Crosby has two other deadly lines run by Malkin and Kessel that support him, he's crusing to the playoffs and maybe a third straight Cup because of that, don't kid yourself into thinking the crap Connor has to work with is even close.

well of course not, the Oilers traded away players at the deadline
obviously Chia is going to need to find some scoring in the offseason
but no doubt Rattie is doing a good job on the top line playing with McDavid

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And lets wait and see if Yamamoto and Puljujarvi (let alone those others) actually DO something big at the NHL level. Right now Puljujarvi is getting outplayed by several players drafted below him and is a ghost every second game.

yup, but I've liked at they're moving towards a more skilled group of prospects...not big, heavy and slow

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Having the worst crop of wingers in the league isn't very conducive to success. McDavid drives this bus and if he takes his eyes off the road it careens off a cliff.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Having the worst crop of wingers in the league isn't very conducive to success. McDavid drives this bus and if he takes his eyes off the road it careens off a cliff.

neither is having the worst combined special teams and save %

I mean, the Isles have a great compliment of wingers there...

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

neither is having the worst combined special teams and save %

I mean, the Isles have a great compliment of wingers there...

Those are problems too. And with better wingers we'll have better special teams, don't you think? Many of the wingers on this team have scored goals you could count on a single hand since Christmas.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Those are problems too. And with better wingers we'll have better special teams, don't you think? Many of the wingers on this team have scored goals you could count on a single hand since Christmas.

sure...but if your PP can't score with Connor freaking McDavid and Draisaitl on it, then the problems go deeper than "moar wingerz!" (ie. it's coaching)
I mean, their PP was deadly last year with Letestu on it and Eberle off it...
what happened this year?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

sure...but if your PP can't score with Connor freaking McDavid and Draisaitl on it, then the problems go deeper than "moar wingerz!" (ie. it's coaching)
I mean, their PP was deadly last year with Letestu on it and Eberle off it...
what happened this year?

You're not wrong but these wingers don't scare anyone. Lucic is a complete shell of a player right now and it's not likely to get much better.

 

[Dashh]

oops

 

[OfCorsiDid]

No one blows a 3 goal lead quite like the Edmonton Oilers.

Most teams take a full game to lose it, we only need 4 minutes.