News Article: End of Season Press Conference

[K1984]

How is that even possible?

I can't stand this guy. He has some good analysis pieces, but he's one of those analytics addicts that has an air of anger and "I'm the smartest one in the room" about him. Not surprising he would take a comment out of context and then grandstand on it as a means to say "Holland dumb, bcurlock smart."

Had to unfollow him last off season when he was one of the airheads that proclaimed the Flames defense as "best in the league" then had a pissy response when I respectfully engaged him on it.

 

[Soundwave]

The same stats also show the following:
McDavid ES points/60 = 1.894
Kostin ES points/60= 3.318
McDavid ES goals/60 = 0.541
Kostin ES goals/60 = 1.991

Now compare those stats with last year's playoffs and it's quite easy to say McDavid didn't do very much on ES this year. Another thing is Kostin's time (TOI 7:44). I don't know what it was, but I think fans were right when they demanded more usage for him and Woodcroft played that and the goalie situation wrong.

I love McDavid as a player, but think he shouldn't be excluded from criticism when there's IMO clear reason. I'll drop this from my part now.

I think the problem was this year Kane and Hyman didn't produce shit, McDavid needs his wingers to at least be threats to score for 5 on 5 play to open up because teams play with a stick up their ass in the playoffs against him and try to deny him every little inch of ice. If Kane or Hyman are scoring then other teams at least have to play honestly.

He can be better, but it would be nice if the wingers had bothered to show up at all, unfortunately yeah injuries were also part of it.

The other thing I will say though is for whatever reason it felt like McDavid defaulted to not shooting and looking to pass the puck into the net mode again, which was frustrating too. Maybe a wrist/arm injury was bothering him a bit earlier in the playoffs or something.

 

[K1984]

I think the problem was this year Kane and Hyman didn't produce shit, McDavid needs his wingers to at least be threats to score for 5 on 5 play to open up because teams play with a stick up their ass in the playoffs against him and try to deny him every little inch of ice. If Kane or Hyman are scoring then other teams at least have to play honestly.

He can be better, but it would be nice if the wingers had bothered to show up at all, unfortunately yeah injuries were also part of it.

The other thing I will say though is for whatever reason it felt like McDavid defaulted to not shooting and looking to pass the puck into the net mode again, which was frustrating too. Maybe a wrist/arm injury was bothering him a bit earlier in the playoffs or something.

I'm wondering the same thing. His puck decisions pretty much the entire playoffs were poor, highlighted by a refusal to shoot. On that note, he pretty much stopped shooting almost as soon as he got to 60 it seemed. The cut to the slot and fire move that was so devastatingly effective pretty much left his game completely.

Even when he was "on" later in the playoffs a lot of that got negated by bad puck decisions that were way out of character. I'm still stunned by his three straight throw away turnovers when we had the goalie pulled in Game 5.

 

[Soundwave]

I'm wondering the same thing. His puck decisions pretty much the entire playoffs were poor, highlighted by a refusal to shoot. On that note, he pretty much stopped shooting almost as soon as he got to 60 it seemed. The cut to the slot and fire move that was so devastatingly effective pretty much left his game completely.

Even when he was "on" later in the playoffs a lot of that got negated by bad puck decisions that were way out of character. I'm still stunned by his three straight throw away turnovers when we had the goalie pulled in Game 5.

I think someone mentioned he took a hard slash to the wrist area late in the regular season, shortly after scoring 60. Just need to get protective Batman armor for McDavid/Kane/Draisaitl's wrist/forearm area lol.

 

[Drivesaitl]

If we’re taking a serious look at leadership on the Oilers I don’t think you need to look further than the final minutes of game 4 against Vegas to see where the problems are.
Draisaitl took that two hander from Pietrangelo and when he went back to the bench yelled out to the players on the ice that he was fine and pleaded to them not to do anything stupid. Nurse chose to ignore him and did something selfish and stupid that got himself suspended in the playoffs (for the second straight year).
Performance on the ice aside (which is questionable for him at the best of times) Nurse had demonstrated he had poor leadership qualities. He should have his letter removed.

Something I've stated before is why is there not leadership from the coaching staff?

Game 1 of the playoffs and desharnais is losing his shit on the ice very angry, screaming at officials during a penalty call and again after the game. Nobody pulled him aside, nobody called him over.

All playoffs Nurse and Kane were jawing opponents constantly mocking them. No coach saying tone it down. They were getting a bit too jacked and both have suspension histories.

Numerous others but the overboil antics started in game 1 and they weren't addressed. So why by game 4 Vegas series is Drai the only one giving out a message to chill? Why is that not coming from the coaching staff? Thats the kind of thing I expect from coaches. I rarely see Woody referencing anything like that. Indeed Desharnais continued to get way too many minutes despite being rattled at times. Seems like Woody was approving of Desharnais disposition and overlooking his actual play.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think someone mentioned he took a hard slash to the wrist area late in the regular season, shortly after scoring 60. Just need to get protective Batman armor for McDavid/Kane/Draisaitl's wrist/forearm area lol.

McD slowed down after getting a two hand crosscheck from behind by McNabb in the regular season game with the Knights the end of March. it was so hard it put McD down to the ice and he had trouble getting up. This could only be seen as McNabb tendering the opponent prior to the expected playoff series.

 

[Soundwave]

Part of me watching the Panthers, a team with a weak blue line and the worst goals against going into the playoffs, being 3 games away from a Cup Final berth thanks to Bobrovsky in no small part thinks maybe we should just spend the farm to get Hellebuyck.

Does anyone really think this d-corps + Campbell/Skinner with a few tweaks can do it? I dunno.

If the Oilers were in a game like the Panthers were last night, I don't think we'd be able to win. Bob kept them in that game, they didn't even hit 30 shots until well into OT I think.

 

[K1984]

Part of me watching the Panthers, a team with a weak blue line and the worst goals against going into the playoffs, being 3 games away from a Cup Final berth thanks to Bobrovsky in no small part thinks maybe we should just spend the farm to get Hellebuyck.

Does anyone really think this d-corps + Campbell/Skinner with a few tweaks can do it? I dunno.

If the Oilers were in a game like the Panthers were last night, I don't think we'd be able to win. Bob kept them in that game, they didn't even hit 30 shots until well into OT I think.

They aren't an easy team to play against even if they don't have the best roster on paper, lots of energy on all 4 lines.

I still think that not moving off a patchwork 2nd line that featured RNH/Yamo/a rotation of Hyman/Kane/Bjugstad until Game 4 cost us at least one game in the series. Speaking to energy, the other three lines had it, but this line got so badly buried that it would swing momentum single handedly whenever they got put out there. RNH and Yamo pretty much stood there and did nothing other than hope it would all stop. A home run matchup opportunity for Cassidy and probably the biggest error Woodcroft made in the playoffs.

Thank god it's been reported that Yamo is pretty much a goner, because getting rid of him will save Woodcroft/Leon/Connor/whoever it is that wants him in the top 6 from themselves. He's a straight up liability on the ice in every way.

 

[Drivesaitl]

He either dodged or misunderstood Matheson's question about his own playoff coaching learnings instead deflecting to the 'win and lose as a team' mantra. That said, I have full belief Woodcroft will do a deep dive on all aspects of the playoff failings including his strategy, deployment, and in-game decision making.

He didn't misunderstand it he dodged the question about goaltending and other things he learned a couple times. He's being evasive instead of taking responsibility for some of the dumbest goalie usage I've ever seen in the playoffs in my life.

Its absolutely asinine. He'd already pulled Skinner in playoffs 3X, one of these times saved the LA series in the critical game 4 come from behind W. He refuses to start Campbell in any of the 12 games. Theres a lot of pressure to start Campbell and apparently talk about it, refuses to as he's listening from reports to advice from Dustin Schwartz to keep starting Skinner. Then in elimination game, which Campbell should surely have started he AGAIN pulls Skinner and puts Campbell in third period. The WTF at that point going off the rails.

In the playoff elimination game not only was the grave mistake to start Skinner made its even in action acknowledged by again pulling Skinner but this time too late against a better defending club. One gets the impression that the playoffs could have lasted 20something games and that there would be outright refusal to start Skinner. Despite him being better everytime he got in the cage.

They aren't an easy team to play against even if they don't have the best roster on paper, lots of energy on all 4 lines.

I still think that not moving off a patchwork 2nd line that featured RNH/Yamo/a rotation of Hyman/Kane/Bjugstad until Game 4 cost us at least one game in the series. Speaking to energy, the other three lines had it, but this line got so badly buried that it would swing momentum single handedly whenever they got put out there. RNH and Yamo pretty much stood there and did nothing other than hope it would all stop. A home run matchup opportunity for Cassidy and probably the biggest error Woodcroft made in the playoffs.

Thank god it's been reported that Yamo is pretty much a goner, because getting rid of him will save Woodcroft/Leon/Connor/whoever it is that wants him in the top 6 from themselves. He's a straight up liability on the ice in every way.

Where is this report? I'm asking for a friend.

He was said to be gone at TDL. There were reports it was a done deal. Got my hopes up. ABsolutely moving yams for basically anything would have been ok with me. The cap is worth more than the player plus then we have more room to insert a prospect like Holloway.

Yamamoto is a bust in playoffs every time. Its so damned obvious. He has 3G in 34GP in playoffs and he's -16. He was -7 in this playoffs alone. In final series he was on ice for 2GF 7GA. He's being bent over bad. Get rid of him.

 

[Soundwave]

He didn't misunderstand it he dodged the question about goaltending and other things he learned a couple times. He's being evasive instead of taking responsibility for some of the dumbest goalie usage I've ever seen in the playoffs in my life.

Its absolutely asinine. He'd already pulled Skinner in playoffs 3X, one of these times saved the LA series in the critical game 4 come from behind W. He refuses to start Campbell in any of the 12 games. Theres a lot of pressure to start Campbell and apparently talk about it, refuses to as he's listening from reports to advice from Dustin Schwartz to keep starting Skinner. Then in elimination game, which Campbell should surely have started he AGAIN pulls Skinner and puts Campbell in third period. The WTF at that point going off the rails.

In the playoff elimination game not only was the grave mistake to start Skinner made its even in action acknowledged by again pulling Skinner but this time too late against a better defending club. One gets the impression that the playoffs could have lasted 20something games and that there would be outright refusal to start Skinner. Despite him being better everytime he got in the cage.

Not a good look for Woodcroft or Schwartz for sure.

I mean Campbell is no Bobrovsky probably, but I was surprised they went back to Skinner after Campbell basically saved the season in game 4 against LA. Like I just generally think you should ride the hotter hand.

 

[K1984]

Not a good look for Woodcroft or Schwartz for sure.

I mean Campbell is no Bobrovsky probably, but I was surprised they went back to Skinner after Campbell basically saved the season in game 4 against LA. Like I just generally think you should ride the hotter hand.

I thought it was premature to start Campbell in the LA series because I still had some confidence that Skinner would find a groove which would have paid dividends through the playoffs. By the end of the Vegas series it was painfully obvious Skinner wasn't going to be finding his game and it was time. Campbell would have been no worse, but had an outside shot of getting hot.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

He has to recognize first that he had failings or misgivings that need to be reflected on or changed in order to make improvements. If he doesn’t, there’s no reason for him to do that. His press conference didn’t leave me with the impression that he thinks he could have done anything differently. He suddenly looks a lot like the guy he mentored under for so long who has long proven he can’t or won’t adapt in a playoff series when his original plan is no longer working.

I think Woodcroft's a bright guy and pretty self-aware. He didn't want to go off script from his whole win as a team mantra (which was poured on a bit think) but I personally have no doubt he will dissect all aspects of the team, its players and his own coaching work. It's part of the process to get better for any person in whatever career or activity one engages in.

Most important is how Woodcroft is viewed by those directly effected by his coaching and leadership also in a better, complete situation from which to gage it. The best player in the game McDavid expressed his opinion that Woodcroft is a top 3-5 coach in the NHL. Holland who has hired and worked with NHL coaches for a quarter century endorses Woodcroft. This team has to get better to be among true, sustaining Cup chasing teams. Coaching can and needs to be better too.

 

[Soundwave]

I thought it was premature to start Campbell in the LA series because I still had some confidence that Skinner would find a groove which would have paid dividends through the playoffs. By the end of the Vegas series it was painfully obvious Skinner wasn't going to be finding his game and it was time. Campbell would have been no worse, but had an outside shot of getting hot.

In hindsight, they should have just gone with Campbell from game 2 of the Vegas series. It was clear by that point Skinner just wasn't having a good playoffs.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I thought it was premature to start Campbell in the LA series because I still had some confidence that Skinner would find a groove which would have paid dividends through the playoffs. By the end of the Vegas series it was painfully obvious Skinner wasn't going to be finding his game and it was time. Campbell would have been no worse, but had an outside shot of getting hot.

Vegas piled in 5 goals against skinner in game 1. If it wasn't obvious to start Campbell after game 4 LA than it had to be after game 1. But somehow that wasn't the plan. The plan was to ride Skinner exclusively and keep getting burned. The moment at which Woody pulls Skinner in elimination game after refusing to start Campbell is beyond bellwether moment. I was swearing. A lot of people felt it beyond the pale. Its an elimination game. By nature you change up for that game.

The coaching staff missed 3 obvious moments when you would throw Campbell the keys.

 

[rboomercat90]

Something I've stated before is why is there not leadership from the coaching staff?

Game 1 of the playoffs and desharnais is losing his shit on the ice very angry, screaming at officials during a penalty call and again after the game. Nobody pulled him aside, nobody called him over.

All playoffs Nurse and Kane were jawing opponents constantly mocking them. No coach saying tone it down. They were getting a bit too jacked and both have suspension histories.

Numerous others but the overboil antics started in game 1 and they weren't addressed. So why by game 4 Vegas series is Drai the only one giving out a message to chill? Why is that not coming from the coaching staff? Thats the kind of thing I expect from coaches. I rarely see Woody referencing anything like that. Indeed Desharnais continued to get way too many minutes despite being rattled at times. Seems like Woody was approving of Desharnais disposition and overlooking his actual play.

I’ve got no explanation for this but it’s clearly a problem. I’d even go so far to suggest it’s been a problem here since Tom Renney was coach where he actually went on record saying he was being told by higher ups how to handle the younger players on the roster. The inmates have been running the asylum here since with maybe Ken Hitchcock being the exception but that tenure was too short to really get a handle on it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

In hindsight, they should have just gone with Campbell from game 2 of the Vegas series. It was clear by that point Skinner just wasn't having a good playoffs.

It wasn't in hindsight. Several of us were stating it here in real time. Half the board were incredulous that Campbell didn't get the game 5 start in first round after saving our season in game 4.

This org finds ways to lose as Draisaitl stated. In this instance its the coachng staff not finding a way out of their stubborn insistence on giving Skinner every game. Skinner has never shown at any point either that he can run with it for long stints. He usually starts to decline after several starts in a row. The decline was quick.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

He didn't misunderstand it he dodged the question about goaltending and other things he learned a couple times. He's being evasive instead of taking responsibility for some of the dumbest goalie usage I've ever seen in the playoffs in my life.

Its absolutely asinine. He'd already pulled Skinner in playoffs 3X, one of these times saved the LA series in the critical game 4 come from behind W. He refuses to start Campbell in any of the 12 games. Theres a lot of pressure to start Campbell and apparently talk about it, refuses to as he's listening from reports to advice from Dustin Schwartz to keep starting Skinner. Then in elimination game, which Campbell should surely have started he AGAIN pulls Skinner and puts Campbell in third period. The WTF at that point going off the rails.

In the playoff elimination game not only was the grave mistake to start Skinner made its even in action acknowledged by again pulling Skinner but this time too late against a better defending club. One gets the impression that the playoffs could have lasted 20something games and that there would be outright refusal to start Skinner. Despite him being better everytime he got in the cage.

Clearly has work to do. Was outcoached by a good veteran coach in the Vegas series and didn't have any answers. Rolled with his guy in an elimination game and kept Skinner in too late after 2 of 3 suspect goals. Letting it get to 4-2 and series was over. Vegas players were better, more disciplined in their system play. Lots of improvement needed with Woodcroft and coaching staff. That's part of his year end meeting with the GM.

I personally don't think Woodcroft is absolving himself from accountability. More sticking to the script in his mind of team first that he seemed to want to push.

 

[rboomercat90]

Part of me watching the Panthers, a team with a weak blue line and the worst goals against going into the playoffs, being 3 games away from a Cup Final berth thanks to Bobrovsky in no small part thinks maybe we should just spend the farm to get Hellebuyck.

Does anyone really think this d-corps + Campbell/Skinner with a few tweaks can do it? I dunno.

If the Oilers were in a game like the Panthers were last night, I don't think we'd be able to win. Bob kept them in that game, they didn't even hit 30 shots until well into OT I think.

Watching that game last night made me think we wouldn’t have had a prayer against either team. Both goaltenders were outstanding giving their teams chance after chance to stay in the game. We’d have given up a goal long, long before the game got to the fourth overtime.

They aren't an easy team to play against even if they don't have the best roster on paper, lots of energy on all 4 lines.

I still think that not moving off a patchwork 2nd line that featured RNH/Yamo/a rotation of Hyman/Kane/Bjugstad until Game 4 cost us at least one game in the series. Speaking to energy, the other three lines had it, but this line got so badly buried that it would swing momentum single handedly whenever they got put out there. RNH and Yamo pretty much stood there and did nothing other than hope it would all stop. A home run matchup opportunity for Cassidy and probably the biggest error Woodcroft made in the playoffs.

Thank god it's been reported that Yamo is pretty much a goner, because getting rid of him will save Woodcroft/Leon/Connor/whoever it is that wants him in the top 6 from themselves. He's a straight up liability on the ice in every way.

What’s been said about Yamamoto? I haven’t seen anything yet.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Clearly has work to do. Was outreached by a good veteran coach in the Vegas series and didn't have any answers. Rolled with his guy in an elimination game and kept Skinner in too late after 2 of 3 suspect goals. Letting it get to 4-2 and series was over. Vegas players were better, more disciplined in their system play. Lots of improvement needed with Woodcroft and coaching staff. That's part of his year end meeting with the GM.

I personally don't think Woodcroft is absolving himself from accountability. More sticking to the script in his mind of team first that he seemed to want to push.

I go back to game film after the 2nd Vegas tying goal and the camera panned around to fans in the stands. Hangdog shocked expressions, a guy holding his hand in his hands, a girl crying. The mood was palpable whether at the rink or at home. At 2-2 this game was in trouble, and everybody was spotting it, even on this board.

The moment of jubilation at getting two quick goals to take a 2-1 lead was gone. This felt like something else. The crowd was shocked as even before the tying goal Vegas were coming. It was playing out in Vegas favor. The pull had to come quick, at 3-2 if anything. But As I've stated it needed to be Campbell in net from the start. It was weird that it wasn't.

Its odd as well that Woody's evaluation was that the team could still come back. He commented on still expecting they could. "we just didn't get it back this time." Well this wasn't rebuild LA with half their roster looking useless. This was a first place opponent with deep D and vet commitment to defensive play.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I’ve got no explanation for this but it’s clearly a problem. I’d even go so far to suggest it’s been a problem here since Tom Renney was coach where he actually went on record saying he was being told by higher ups how to handle the younger players on the roster. The inmates have been running the asylum here since with maybe Ken Hitchcock being the exception but that tenure was too short to really get a handle on it.

There was nothing right with the Decade of Darkness era organization. But that's like 3 management groups ago and I think light years from the stability that Holland has brought with his quarter century leadership of a sustaining, winning organization. 'The Oiler Way' of rebuild was an unmitigated disaster in all areas including poorly handling young talent without veteran support around them on-ice and playing them above their capabilities. So no I personally don't believe the inmates are running the asylum.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I go back to game film after the 2nd Vegas tying goal and the camera panned around to fans in the stands. Hangdog shocked expressions, a guy holding his hand in his hands, a girl crying. The mood was palpable whether at the rink or at home. At 2-2 this game was in trouble, and everybody was spotting it, even on this board.

The moment of jubilation at getting two quick goals to take a 2-1 lead was gone. This felt like something else. The crowd was shocked as even before the tying goal Vegas were coming. It was playing out in Vegas favor. The pull had to come quick, at 3-2 if anything. But As I've stated it needed to be Campbell in net from the start. It was weird that it wasn't.

Its odd as well that Woody's evaluation was that the team could still come back. He commented on still expecting they could. "we just didn't get it back this time." Well this wasn't rebuild LA with half their roster looking useless. This was a first place opponent with deep D and vet commitment to defensive play.

Fans, media and far too many people were strangely looking past Vegas and printing up the Stanley Cup final tickets way, way prematurely. Beating very good teams in one-off situations of regular season is one thing. Doing it over a seven game series is something else entirely. Vegas won the goaltending battle but their defense was light years better in depth and structure protecting him and their top skill, Eichel and Stone rolled the Oilers grossly outscoring the Oilers best players head to head. Chandler Stephenson, what a player too. Add poor discipline by the Oilers and they collectively got taught a lesson by a deep, good veteran team.

The Oilers got beat in pretty much all areas. Goaltending was a bigger piece but lots of problem areas were exposed.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Not a good look for Woodcroft or Schwartz for sure.

I mean Campbell is no Bobrovsky probably, but I was surprised they went back to Skinner after Campbell basically saved the season in game 4 against LA. Like I just generally think you should ride the hotter hand.

The Canes in '06 went to Ward when their starter struggled.

They went back to their starter for one game. They won that game, then back to Ward.

The rest is history.

 

[Broberg Speed]

McD slowed down after getting a two hand crosscheck from behind by McNabb in the regular season game with the Knights the end of March. it was so hard it put McD down to the ice and he had trouble getting up. This could only be seen as McNabb tendering the opponent prior to the expected playoff series.

Colorado got in a bunch of slashes on McDavid during game 81. Some of them I'm sure were only taps on the glove that went uncalled but the one by Lars Eller hurt him.

Byram and Rodrigues also slashed McDavid that game. I believe it was Byram that slashed him twice. I was in disbelief.

 

[Lacaar]

Something I've stated before is why is there not leadership from the coaching staff?

Game 1 of the playoffs and desharnais is losing his shit on the ice very angry, screaming at officials during a penalty call and again after the game. Nobody pulled him aside, nobody called him over.

All playoffs Nurse and Kane were jawing opponents constantly mocking them. No coach saying tone it down. They were getting a bit too jacked and both have suspension histories.

Numerous others but the overboil antics started in game 1 and they weren't addressed. So why by game 4 Vegas series is Drai the only one giving out a message to chill? Why is that not coming from the coaching staff? Thats the kind of thing I expect from coaches. I rarely see Woody referencing anything like that. Indeed Desharnais continued to get way too many minutes despite being rattled at times. Seems like Woody was approving of Desharnais disposition and overlooking his actual play.

The Oilers are an immature hockey team plain and simple. They won't win the cup until they grow up.

That's how i'd describe them in the simplest form.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The Oilers are an immature hockey team plain and simple. They won't win the cup until they grow up.

That's how i'd describe them in the simplest form.

McDavid and Draisatl told the team not to fight at the end of game 4.

Most of the team listened.

One goof did not.