GDT: Game 2 // Oilers @ Bruins // Oct 11 @ 5 PM MST // TV: SNET

[PulYou]

It reeks of pushing the panic button to me.



Khaira-Strome-Puljujarvi was our 2nd best line together in the preseason. They get 1 game together before they're split up. Yeah.......



Trust me it was brought up here, you just didn't see it. I wonder if the blowback from the media actually made him put the two back together?

I am guessing the blowback from the media could have some impact on the line decisions for today.

I am also guessing that Todd was not happy to do this, because of the threats he made today: "There's a number of players that are on notice..."

 

[belair]

Is it the damn rodeo or circus this time?

Both--simultaneously.

 

[OnTheBrink]

Just hoping for the Oilers to look like a NHL team that gives a shit, some Mcpoints would be awesome so Mathews doesn’t get to big a head start on him. Also Talbot please stop the first shot...

 

[nabob]

Trust me it was brought up here, you just didn't see it. I wonder if the blowback from the media actually made him put the two back together?

That’s what I was going to say.

Did he switch up the top line? How about Drai’s line?

Even if it was just shuffling up the lines tonsend a message the only move that he really made was to demote Jesse for a practice. What kind of message does that send?

 

[McDNicks17]

Both--simultaneously.

Well, screw this game. I know what I'm watching now.

 

[BarDownBobo]

Jesus, two days?!

Wtf NHL!!!

I hope they scheduled a doubleheader Saturday to make up for that ridiculous break. 11am at MSG, 5pm on Long Island. Only fair thing to do.

 

[Little Fury]

Both--simultaneously.

That's an Oilers game.

 

[joestevens29]

I am guessing the blowback from the media could have some impact on the line decisions for today.

I am also guessing that Todd was not happy to do this, because of the threats he made today: "There's a number of players that are on notice..."

Struds pretty much said this yesterday. The team isn't happy with the bottom six and the coaching staff is trying to send a message. Not the first time a team has done this in practice. TM wants this team running on all cylinders and doesn't want guys half assing it.

 

[CupofOil]

Struds pretty much said this yesterday. The team isn't happy with the bottom six and the coaching staff is trying to send a message. Not the first time a team has done this in practice. TM wants this team running on all cylinders and doesn't want guys half assing it.

So why not shuffle the 2nd line that hasn't done anything in several games or the top PP unit that has a hard time even gaining the zone or the Nurse-Benning pairing that was a disaster?

It's fine that he wants to send a message. It's just that he only sends messages to certain players while others get a free pass.

 

[Little Fury]

Struds pretty much said this yesterday. The team isn't happy with the bottom six and the coaching staff is trying to send a message. Not the first time a team has done this in practice. TM wants this team running on all cylinders and doesn't want guys half assing it.

The second line sucked in Game One and for large swaths of the preseason, but sure, let's tinker with the bottom 6. Priorities!

 

[nexttothemoon]

Oil will slay the Bruins tonight... McD be sleeping on a bearskin rug by the end of the night.

Should be a good old fashioned ass whooping.

I'm already looking forward to the Rags as the next victim.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I suppose if you want to break down the season into fifteen blocks of five games and one block of seven games, they need at least six points out of each block of five games. This would give them 90 points and they would need 6-10 points out of the final block of seven games to make the playoffs, with 96-98 being a probable wildcard team and 100 plus a top 3 divisional team.

NJ- L
Bos-
NY R-
Wpg-
Bos-

Need to win three of the next four.

 

[joestevens29]

So why not shuffle the 2nd line that hasn't done anything in several games or the top PP unit that has a hard time even gaining the zone or the Nurse-Benning pairing that was a disaster?

It's fine that he wants to send a message. It's just that he only sends messages to certain players while others get a free pass.

Because skilled players always have been given a longer leash.

This isn't exactly new in the NHL

 

[King1s]

I am doing my best for the Oilers. I made a bet for the Bruins and that is almost a certain win for Oilers now.

No need to thank me.

 

[Drivesaitl]

5-3 Oilers win. Don't ask how. Its the Bruins.

 

[Digger12]

Trust me it was brought up here, you just didn't see it. I wonder if the blowback from the media actually made him put the two back together?

McLellan strikes me as someone who couldn't give two squirts about some overstated "media blowback" from a line combination he tried during a practice. As stubborn as he is, he'll do what he'll do and will care little about what some bloggers say about it.

 

[CupofOil]

Because skilled players always have been given a longer leash.

This isn't exactly new in the NHL

Puljujarvi isn't a skilled player? What has Yamamoto done to earn a longer leash?
Benning is a skilled player?

It's BS that Mclellan singles out the bottom 6 as the issue when the 2nd line has been consistently subpar throughout preseason and Game 1, the PP has been atrocious and the 2nd pairing even worse than atrocious.

 

[TheNumber4]

About damn time we had a game. That last one against Jersey Left me with ZERO optimism for this year. The team was outplayed in all aspects of the game and looked TOO SLOW to be a true playoff contender. The same way they looked last year, at this point I'm pretty sure the Oilers just are what they are, not that good. But I hope and pray that they show up tonight like a brand new team.... but odds are low.

 

[LemmyUlanov55]

I'd really like to NOT hear the "we weren't as hungry as they were" line after the game.
Probably going to watch the 1st period before I decide about going to bed, haha.

GO OILERS!

 

[CycloneSweep]

5-3 Oilers win. Don't ask how. Its the Bruins.

6-1 Boston. It's the Oilers

 

[North]

Hes calling out Drai. Stop skating for yourself and skate for the team!.

Usually he waits until Drai has a good game to call him out.

 

[harpoon]

McLellan strikes me as someone who couldn't give two squirts about some overstated "media blowback" from a line combination he tried during a practice. As stubborn as he is, he'll do what he'll do and will care little about what some bloggers say about it.

Exactly. ‘Blowback’ is a laughable way to characterize anything the timid Edmonton msm says anyway. Some posters are just working overtime on the theory that the coach is the biggest problem in town. Same guys who loved him when he was hired mind you. Kinda funny.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Exactly. ‘Blowback’ is a laughable way to characterize anything the timid Edmonton msm says anyway. Some posters are just working overtime on the theory that the coach is the biggest problem in town. Same guys who loved him when he was hired mind you. Kinda funny.

Cause you can't not like someone after you have liked him before?

Kind of funny how you think opinions can't change

 

[Aerrol]

Exactly. ‘Blowback’ is a laughable way to characterize anything the timid Edmonton msm says anyway. Some posters are just working overtime on the theory that the coach is the biggest problem in town. Same guys who loved him when he was hired mind you. Kinda funny.

I don't know if I fall into the camp you describe here since I definitely think Chiarelli is a bigger problem than McLellan and also don't think this decision was media driven, but I don't see why it's such a crime to adjust your opinion on the coach as time goes on. I was very happy with McLellan's hiring and would now prefer to have him turfed/wanted him gone after last season.

To zero in on some specific coaching issues I have - do you disagree with any of the below?

1. The lines, particularly lines 2-4 (especially stapling Lucic to Draisaitl) make no sense.
2. The powerplay continues to be run incomprehensibly stupidly. WHY ARE WE STILL RUNNING 5 RIGHT SHOTS FROM THE WRONG HALF WALL ON PP1?
3. Puljujarvi seems to be one of the only players being held to a very high standard of accountability (I suspect you disagree here but I figure I should mention it)
4. The team seems to be coached to push more dump and chase and ring the puck up the boards, particularly the defence.
5. The team seemed to completely lack any sort of jump or hustle in game 1. (Arguable if this is coaching or not, IMO it is if this continues to be a problem over say, 5-10 games).

 

[harpoon]

Kind of funny how you think opinions can't change

I don’t think that.
Can’t deny that this board loves selectively calling out posters that were wrong though. If coach is as bad as people say then a lot of posters were very wrong about that hire.