Pre-Game Talk: Edm v Ott 3 Game Series Round 2

[TheNumber4]

McDrai playing together again? I like it. I look around the league and see all the stacked 1st lines so I see no reason why the Oilers can’t be successful with McDrai who will do it better than any other line in the league. Never bought the narrative that they are bad together defensively, the Oilers overall had a bad stretch the last stint they were together and this narrative was born.

One thing I would like to see though is Yamo with Nuge. They’ve always shown chemistry together, they’ve never been tried as a pair without Drai.

 

[KlefDown]

GDT anyone?

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

GDT anyone?

@ConnorMcMullet is doing one. Until then this will have to suffice.

 

[tardigrade81]

Agreed! but Rnh must show up no matter what. He's the 3 best and 3rd highest player on the team. You want that big contract, show us your worth carrying your own line.

Agreed!!!

 

[Mr Positive]

By playoffs I'd want Drai and McDavid split but for now this seems like the right move. Drai and McDavid have been beat up by the media lately. So racking up points together might be just the thing.

Itd be good for RNH to see what he is. He had a bit of a bad rep when he centered his own line before but the team around him has improved now so we'll see how it goes this time

 

[AddyTheWrath]

 

[KlefDown]

big game for COCKsinen

 

[Nostradumbass]

big game for COCKsinen

Was that really necessary?

 

[ThinIce61]

It will be nice if the team actually plays in front of Koskinen for you guys tonight. Pulling for a win for you guys but IMO anyways it seems that when Koskinen is in net that is when the team decides to take a night off, setting him up to fail.

Koskinen has his faults of course but the effort in front of him most games recently simply hasn't been there.

 

[ujju2]

I'd offer RNH

8/7/7/6/6/5/4 = 6.1 million cap hit over 7 years

But if he's driving a hard line past that I'd very much consider looking at Taylor Hall on a 1 year Barrie style deal (come here play with Drai + McDavid on the PP pump your numbers up) instead.

If you dropped the last 2 years on that, you get 8/7/7/6/6 for a cap hit of 6.8 over 5 years. I think that could be a good balance for both sides.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

It will be nice if the team actually plays in front of Koskinen for you guys tonight. Pulling for a win for you guys but IMO anyways it seems that when Koskinen is in net that is when the team decides to take a night off, setting him up to fail.

Koskinen has his faults of course but the effort in front of him most games recently simply hasn't been there.

I have to respectfully disagree about the effort. The problem has been execution and honestly Kosko has been godawful. Most nights when he lets bushels of goals in, it is because he has been unable to make an NHL save or the rebound control has been brutal.

 

[Snipes45]

McDrai playing together again? I like it. I look around the league and see all the stacked 1st lines so I see no reason why the Oilers can’t be successful with McDrai who will do it better than any other line in the league. Never bought the narrative that they are bad together defensively, the Oilers overall had a bad stretch the last stint they were together and this narrative was born.

One thing I would like to see though is Yamo with Nuge. They’ve always shown chemistry together, they’ve never been tried as a pair without Drai.

It all just depends on Nuge and the bottom 6. Last year, the bottom 6 would get caved in and bled goals. This year, they are doing much better.

Ottawa is 7-5 since last playing the Oilers.

 

[jlockhart89]

It will be nice if the team actually plays in front of Koskinen for you guys tonight. Pulling for a win for you guys but IMO anyways it seems that when Koskinen is in net that is when the team decides to take a night off, setting him up to fail.

Koskinen has his faults of course but the effort in front of him most games recently simply hasn't been there.

Pretty hard to get up and play for the guy when he let's in the first 2 shots of the game... It's deflating.

 

[FlameChampion]

Hopefully he bounces back. We are going to need him to regain his form from last year if we want to do anything, regardless of how Smith is playing.

 

[Drivesaitl]

By playoffs I'd want Drai and McDavid split but for now this seems like the right move. Drai and McDavid have been beat up by the media lately. So racking up points together might be just the thing.

Itd be good for RNH to see what he is. He had a bit of a bad rep when he centered his own line before but the team around him has improved now so we'll see how it goes this time

One other aspect of the McDrai line that doesn't get noted is its easier for the two to play with each other. It ends up being a good mid season break.

Both have to work harder stirring any offense when they are own lines because nobody else is driving offense. When together the shared load aspect makes it so much easier on each player, this frees up their legs, they end up having more pace in those games, and they have the puck more on their shifts. I've seen Drai have to dial back and defend 3 times on the same shift instead of setting up in O zone. That expends a lot more energy.

When McDrai are together its like powering a rechargeable battery. It extends their life and power.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

big game for COCKsinen

Cock'sinnin'

 

[SwedishFire]

Shore should be on the 4th line, and Ennis should be back to his spot on the 3rd. Then, I think you'll see Khaira's game perk up again. He just works really well with Archie and Ennis.

Yes. Utilize the lines from the player, not reverse.

Thats why sandbags like Chiasson, Turris, Neal, Shore shouldnt be on the 3rf line.

These are players that is dragging down others on their line. To some amount you could invlude Khaira. Those shouldnt, except maybe Neal and Khaira, be on a 3rf line.

Top line ; Kahun McDavid Pulju
- Kahun is better than Ennis on diggibg out pucks.
Nuge Draisaitl Yam - proven line

Now it getting interresting. Collect the constructive - not drowning others down player for a third line. The best of the bottom 6ers I hold Archibald, the most offensive gifted - Ennis. Put a two way center who can playmake with them.
I think I chose Haas
Ennis Haas Archibald

The forth line should be a heavy line, but there isnt just enough quality in the deowned up NHL

I think I go with Neal Khaira Chiasson/Kassian when back.

Kassian can actually still skate and play, Neal is just a heavy hitter for 5$ nowadays. Really , what happend there??

I think they really should bring up McLeod to mix it up. He could join Nygård or Ennis and Archibald for a fast line. And if Benson isnt cutting it at 23, I just dont know when.
I woold like to have Benson on a 4th line.
Benson Haas Nygård could maybe do something as a 4th

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Yes. Utilize the lines from the player, not reverse.

Thats why sandbags like Chiasson, Turris, Neal, Shore shouldnt be on the 3rf line.

These are players that is dragging down others on their line. To some amount you could invlude Khaira. Those shouldnt, except maybe Neal and Khaira, be on a 3rf line.

Top line ; Kahun McDavid Pulju
- Kahun is better than Ennis on diggibg out pucks.
Nuge Draisaitl Yam - proven line

Now it getting interresting. Collect the constructive - not drowning others down player for a third line. The best of the bottom 6ers I hold Archibald, the most offensive gifted - Ennis. Put a two way center who can playmake with them.
I think I chose Haas
Ennis Haas Archibald

The forth line should be a heavy line, but there isnt just enough quality in the deowned up NHL

I think I go with Neal Khaira Chiasson/Kassian when back.

Kassian can actually still skate and play, Neal is just a heavy hitter for 5$ nowadays. Really , what happend there??

I think they really should bring up McLeod to mix it up. He could join Nygård or Ennis and Archibald for a fast line.

The last thing they should do to McLeod who is playing well in the AHL is pull him out and force him to quarantine for 14 days.

 

[Smartguy]

Not going to count my chickens before they hatch but it would feel great to keep burying Calgary till there’s nothing left.

The amount of abuse we’ve had to endure from that fanbase the last decade + is finally going to come back to haunt them

 

[Drivesaitl]

Flames pace would be a lot worse without 3 pt games and bagging 4 of their pts in losses.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins back in the middle for Edmonton Oilers against Senators

 

[Drivesaitl]

History has shown that when Mcd and Drai play on the same line, line 2,3,4 are blackholes. So if by some miracle ottawa shuts down Mcdrai we are losing the game

Shutting down McDrai tends to be a far harder task than shutting down McNuggets.

Lets see Ottawa try. The bears are hungry. Leon hasn't eaten a good kill in awhile.

 

[Stoneman89]

I think playing with Connor forces Leon to get his legs moving. He has no choice other than to keep up.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

 

[OilerTyler]

Not going to count my chickens before they hatch but it would feel great to keep burying Calgary till there’s nothing left.

The amount of abuse we’ve had to endure from that fanbase the last decade + is finally going to come back to haunt them

Montreal is on a better pace than us but I'd put my money on the team with 16 wins in 27 games to finish ahead of the team with 11 wins in 24 games every time. They can't rely on the loser point forever.