Post-Game Talk: Farewell Bruce

[Drivesaitl]

Obviously thats Holloway taking Kilm to meat Duncan Keith at Arbys

Thanks. Holloway has that kind of face thats hard to recognize. Kind of featureless. The hat threw me off I guess.

 

[brentashton]

Whos. the other guy?


Demko numbers were bad too. No goalie could hold up this stink show in Vancouver. Was amazing that Demko was doing it for long as he did. Nucks are AWFUL defensively. They're getting miles better goaltending than say LA gets.

Holloway methinks. I just hate seeing people without seatbelts on. Talk to anyone who attends to accident scenes and they will recount the numbers of stupid people who could have increased their chance of survival if they had been secured.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Holloway methinks. I just hate seeing people without seatbelts on. Talk to anyone who attends to accident scenes and they will recount the numbers of stupid people who could have increased their chance of survival if they had been secured.

I've been on Victims services informing next of kin. Theres nothing worse. Tell me about it.

 

[brentashton]

I've been on Victims services informing next of kin. Theres nothing worse. Tell me about it.

I forgot you had experience in that field. You would sadly know this too.

 

[Spawn]

Holloway methinks. I just hate seeing people without seatbelts on. Talk to anyone who attends to accident scenes and they will recount the numbers of stupid people who could have increased their chance of survival if they had been secured.

It is on. You can see the red strap right at the start of the video.

 

[brentashton]

It is on. You can see the red strap right at the start of the video.

Thank you. You are right. I missed it and then was focussed on the belt in the back seat. Duh me.

It would be worse if he had that belt on in the back seat and was still driving, heh, heh!

 

[WhyYouHaveToBeMad]

I know I don’t want to over react but anyone else worried about Kane? Or just rust?

Rust. He also came back from his injury way earlier than expected. It will take him a few dozen games to get going. Im not worried about him at all

 

[WhyYouHaveToBeMad]

Glad we won. Not our best game. Pretty sloppy puck management. Kind of felt like we weren’t trying tonight and it could of came back to bite us. Hope we start displaying a killer instinct more in the second half.

Hyman was a beast. Great games by RNH and McDavid. Wish McDavid would shoot more though. I thought Holloway had some good moments.

Kane really struggling. Hopefully it doesn’t take him too long to get back in the swing of things. We should be patient though. Was a terrible injury.

I would worry about Kane as of right now. Its not like he hasn't been getting chances. He got her 13 games in to start a season and for most players it takes times to get going to begin the season to start with. Than he got hurt. Now hes coming back where everyone is half way through the year while can is essentially starting from scratch. He will be fine, he just needs some time.

 

[Faelko]

Rust. He also came back from his injury way earlier than expected. It will take him a few dozen games to get going. Im not worried about him at all

A few dozen seems like a lot…lol

 

[FlameChampion]

I would worry about Kane as of right now. Its not like he hasn't been getting chances. He got her 13 games in to start a season and for most players it takes times to get going to begin the season to start with. Than he got hurt. Now hes coming back where everyone is half way through the year while can is essentially starting from scratch. He will be fine, he just needs some time.

Yeah not overly worried.

Even when he came in last year. He was here for a bit and I kept thinking, he doesn’t look like a 7 million dollars player. But then he got going and was great.

I actually thought he looked good in first game. Better than I expected. Wasn’t great last game. But lots of games to get going. We should be patient with him though.

 

[syder]

.

 

[WhyYouHaveToBeMad]

A few dozen seems like a lot…lol

Yah but he did sustain a pretty serious injury. We don't know how/if his wrist is affecting his shooting and puck handling. There is a difference between being ready and being game ready

 

[tardigrade81]

Rust. He also came back from his injury way earlier than expected. It will take him a few dozen games to get going. Im not worried about him at all

Good point. He will be fine. I’m not too concerned

 

[McSuper]

I've asked several times. What are the Canucks doing that is so wrong? They've got Tochet who isn't available right away. its who they want. They were uprfront enough with Boudreau to let him know the plan all along rather than just pull carpet out at last moment. Can't that be conveyed as OK? It could be I'm missing some other background but like I say I've been asking all along and not one poster filled in details.

Keeping him coaching when they have already hired a new coach. The normal way is to fire your coach and promote someone from with in and attach interim tag.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Keeping him coaching when they have already hired a new coach. The normal way is to fire your coach and promote someone from with in and attach interim tag.

Yep, but all the from within guys were fired also. They fired the complete coaching crew and are bringing in all new. So that complicates that kind of plan. Often times at least somebody will survive the cull. not sure its the case in this instance.

 

[Mr Sakich]

Demko's poor start and subsequent injury were at the top of the food chain as far as reasons for this disaster of a season.

another coincidence where poor goaltending is proof of poor coaching, FIRE THE BUM

high shooting percentages can get you a Jack Adams because you are a great teacher

 

[Cloned]

Yep, but all the from within guys were fired also. They fired the complete coaching crew and are bringing in all new. So that complicates that kind of plan. Often times at least somebody will survive the cull. not sure its the case in this instance.

They kept King and Yeo. Which is hilarious in itself, lol.

 

[The Panther]

Singh sounded devastated when RNH potted the empty net.

I thought Singh called a really good game, and I am increasingly liking his style. Jack Michaels has his strong points, but I do tire of his 'carnival-barker' trying to sell excitement approach sometimes, and it's nice to have the alternative.

Also, isn't Singh an Oilers' fan? A few weeks ago, they showed him in the stands, watching the Oilers with his kids.

 

[The Panther]

Maybe they can sing "Tocchet Man" to the tune of "Rocket Man"

"Vancouver ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact, it's rainy as hell"

 

[The Panther]

I know I don’t want to over react but anyone else worried about Kane? Or just rust?

Not worried yet, no.

He had the typical big first game back from long injury (adrenaline rush, energy pent-up), and then after that there is usually a period of a couple of weeks or more of trying to get back into game-shape and get one's timing back. You think you have it, but you don't.

It'll probably come. Maybe mid-February we can start to evaluate.

 

[The Panther]

At the risk of sounding like one of those idiots who thinks McDavid and Draisaitl are the team's biggest problems (some of you are out there), I will say that I'm a little concerned about Drai. Yes, the guy has 10 points in five games, is second in NHL scoring, and is pacing to have a huge season. He's awesome and I love him, of course.

But let me explain...

This season, I have only rarely seen the consistent excellence---esp. at 5 on 5---from Drai that was his hallmark, say, in 2019-20, and at times since then (I still think the first 20 games of last season is the best hockey he's ever played). I mean, he's still tied for 9th NHL in ES points, so I'll take it, but there's not really been any time this season where I've felt like his line---the one without McDavid---has worked with any consistency at all. Part of this is because he always has a revolving door of wingers, so he never gets to settle in with any permanent line-mates.

But more concerning to me is his play with the puck in his own zone. It's been a consistent thing I've noticed this season.

Now, let me explain this further: Unlike some of you, I have no issue at all with Drai making low-percentage passes in the offensive zone, trying to score. Once in a while he tosses out a grade-A danger pass that gets picked off and goes the other way for a scoring chance. But that's fine with me. Paul Coffey did that. Gretzky did that. As far as I'm concerned, elite offensive players (guess which two on the Oilers this applies to?) get free reign to be as creative as they want on offense. If it backfires once in a while, then fine.

But it's in the defensive zone where I'm concerned about Drai's mental game. There have just been too many games---the Vancouver game was yet another---where Drai has the puck in full control in the D-zone, takes his sweet time looking for the perfect pass recipient... and then loses control, gets pressured off the puck, or gives it away. He seems to do this about twice per game, usually leading to high-danger chances against. This is one point that McDavid has clearly over Drai---McDavid is very, very smart with the puck on his stick in the D-zone. He basically never tosses one up the middle, gets picked off, or (like Drai) waits too long to make a play.

So, yes, I'm being picky about our club's future Hall of Famer and second-best player, but I just don't understand why Drai can't manage the puck more safely in the defensive zone. Sometimes there seems to be a strange 'casualness' about him in all situations where he desperately tries to appear cool and calm in all situations. But, you know, sometimes you have to look stressed and pressured, because you ARE.

 

[NeverForget06]

Yeah not overly worried.

Even when he came in last year. He was here for a bit and I kept thinking, he doesn’t look like a 7 million dollars player. But then he got going and was great.

I actually thought he looked good in first game. Better than I expected. Wasn’t great last game. But lots of games to get going. We should be patient with him though.

Agree, he also said in an interview after the first game that he felt much better coming back from this injury than he did last year coming from not playing at all.

As long as he can slowly improve and be up to full speed by playoff time we should be fine

 

[Biltmore]

Yah but he did sustain a pretty serious injury. We don't know how/if his wrist is affecting his shooting and puck handling. There is a difference between being ready and being game ready

His shots have mainly been muffins with shpritzles on top. LOL

 

[dssource]

Refs and league tried as hard as they could but Hyman says no way!

Nucks management is an absolute embarrassment and that loss is deserving.

Still streaking!

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

At the risk of sounding like one of those idiots who thinks McDavid and Draisaitl are the team's biggest problems (some of you are out there), I will say that I'm a little concerned about Drai. Yes, the guy has 10 points in five games, is second in NHL scoring, and is pacing to have a huge season. He's awesome and I love him, of course.

But let me explain...

This season, I have only rarely seen the consistent excellence---esp. at 5 on 5---from Drai that was his hallmark, say, in 2019-20, and at times since then (I still think the first 20 games of last season is the best hockey he's ever played). I mean, he's still tied for 9th NHL in ES points, so I'll take it, but there's not really been any time this season where I've felt like his line---the one without McDavid---has worked with any consistency at all. Part of this is because he always has a revolving door of wingers, so he never gets to settle in with any permanent line-mates.

But more concerning to me is his play with the puck in his own zone. It's been a consistent thing I've noticed this season.

Now, let me explain this further: Unlike some of you, I have no issue at all with Drai making low-percentage passes in the offensive zone, trying to score. Once in a while he tosses out a grade-A danger pass that gets picked off and goes the other way for a scoring chance. But that's fine with me. Paul Coffey did that. Gretzky did that. As far as I'm concerned, elite offensive players (guess which two on the Oilers this applies to?) get free reign to be as creative as they want on offense. If it backfires once in a while, then fine.

But it's in the defensive zone where I'm concerned about Drai's mental game. There have just been too many games---the Vancouver game was yet another---where Drai has the puck in full control in the D-zone, takes his sweet time looking for the perfect pass recipient... and then loses control, gets pressured off the puck, or gives it away. He seems to do this about twice per game, usually leading to high-danger chances against. This is one point that McDavid has clearly over Drai---McDavid is very, very smart with the puck on his stick in the D-zone. He basically never tosses one up the middle, gets picked off, or (like Drai) waits too long to make a play.

So, yes, I'm being picky about our club's future Hall of Famer and second-best player, but I just don't understand why Drai can't manage the puck more safely in the defensive zone. Sometimes there seems to be a strange 'casualness' about him in all situations where he desperately tries to appear cool and calm in all situations. But, you know, sometimes you have to look stressed and pressured, because you ARE.

I've noticed this too. Drai has been sloppier this season and a bit less explosive skating-wise, probably owing to the injury at the end of last year which I assume he's not 100% recovered from.

Hopefully he'll find his form a bit more in the second half of the season and stop making these errors in judgement come playoff time when you can't afford to make them. He's still having a really solid season, but yeah when you've seen him play better/more responsibly it leaves you wanting a bit when he's making mistakes trying to be too cute.