Post-Game Talk: GM 2 | Oilers def. Canucks - 5-2 (Schmidt, Motte)

[MS]

Hoglander played 21:45, which was the 2nd most amongst forwards. My view is the opposite - had a couple of bad moments, but overall was one of the better players tonight.

He had a lot of time on the PP, so obviously the coaches like his offensive ability.

I wonder if Hog would be a better option on the left side on the 1st unit. Boeser has a good shot, but is very predictable because he just kind of stands there, and a lot of times he gives up the puck. Hoglander is super shifty and mobile and would probly find a lot more passing lanes open up, or opportunities to stickhandle right to the net for a scoring chance.

I'm not criticizing Hoglander at all. He wasn't 'bad' tonight per se and has done exceptionally well to get to this point. And was terrific yesterday.

But in the longer term and the bigger picture ... having a 20 y/o rookie on what should be a high-leverage matchup line is not going to work out well. And things like what happened in the 3rd period tonight are bound to happen. The kid was getting sheltered minutes in Sweden because he wasn't trusted defensively at that level and is now getting thrown out against the McDavids of the world.

The fact that we don't have a proper 3rd/defensive line means Horvat has to carry that mantle and it just really isn't the place to break in a one-dimensional skilled rookie winger.

McDavid had a field day tonight because there was no line nor any defensive pairing that could be competently expected to match up against him. Every line had a weak link, every defensive pairing had a weak link. If the team can't sort this out, it will be a long season.

 

[Josepho]

would like to add that the jake virtanen cycle might be the most amusing part of following these boards.

 

[Canucks LB]

This is how I would change this roster, Pretty much immediately.
(And No, I am not panicking, this is honestly what I think is our best roster would look like right now).

With Miller
Miller / EP40 / Boeser
Pearson / Horvat / Hoglander
Roussel / Sutter / Gaudette
Motte / Beagle / Virtanen

Without Miller
Gaudette / EP40 / Boeser
Pearson / Horvat / Hoglander
Roussel / Sutter / Virtanen
Motte / Beagle / Zack

Hughes- Schmidt
Edler - Hamonic
Myers - Rathbone
Juolevi

Holtby
Demko

Summary: Move Gaudette and turn him into a Winger, I feel he would fit decently with EP40 and Boeser.
Virtanen gets plugged in on the third/forth line where he should be.
Replace Juolevi with Rathbone who is a much better skater, and honestly, just a more talented player.

Put Sutter as our #3 Center where he plays his best.

 

[Blue and Green]

Watch that goal against again - Schmidt read the play and did everything humanly possible to stop McDavid. There was nothing more he could do.

Whoever lined up as winger on the hash marks (Beagle?) failed to do his job. That goal is on that guy, not Schmidt.

But kudos to Schmidt for stepping up.

Beagle went out to block Yamamoto's shot. The real problem was Horvat getting beaten cleanly on the faceoff. Beagle's the forward and he has to go to the shooter once the faceoff was lost; Schmidt is responsible for the guy heading to the net but he was in a bit of a tough spot because you're naturally going to look at the puck and all McDavid needs is that split-second hesitation.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Watching our defense makes me miss Tanev and Stecher.

to add, I love Schmidt, but both Edler and Myers look a year older and slower, and Hamonic looks even slower. Add the coach can’t even trust Joulevi to take a regular shift and we are f***ed.

Should’ve kept Stecher, was an excellent bottom pairing defenceman; had a good motor, high awareness and a great stick. Myers, Juolevi and Hamonic are getting turned inside out. Juolevi would play better if he wasn’t stapled with Myers.

 

[Ozone]

This is how I would change this roster, Pretty much immediately.
(And No, I am not panicking, this is honestly what I think is our best roster would look like right now).

With Miller
Miller / EP40 / Boeser
Pearson / Horvat / Hoglander
Roussel / Sutter / Gaudette
Motte / Beagle / Virtanen

Without Miller
Gaudette / EP40 / Boeser
Pearson / Horvat / Hoglander
Roussel / Sutter / Virtanen
Motte / Beagle / Zack

Hughes- Schmidt
Edler - Hamonic
Myers - Rathbone
Juolevi

Holtby
Demko

Summary: Move Gaudette and turn him into a Winger, I feel he would fit decently with EP40 and Boeser.
Virtanen gets plugged in on the third/forth line where he should be.
Replace Juolevi with Rathbone who is a much better skater, and honestly, just a more talented player.

Put Sutter as our #3 Center where he plays his best.

Boom

 

[Saturated Fats]

With the exception of Schmidt and Hughes, all of the guys who looked good last night, looked pretty off tonight. Boeser was a non-factor, as was Horvat. Petey was in the thick of it, but wasn't enough of a difference-maker.

The difference in the game tonight was McDavid, though. It's not like the Oilers looked that much better than last night. He is just... An insane hockey player.

 

[Hansen]

I'm not criticizing Hoglander at all. He wasn't 'bad' tonight per se and has done exceptionally well to get to this point. And was terrific yesterday.

But in the longer term and the bigger picture ... having a 20 y/o rookie on what should be a high-leverage matchup line is not going to work out well. And things like what happened in the 3rd period tonight are bound to happen. The kid was getting sheltered minutes in Sweden because he wasn't trusted defensively at that level and is now getting thrown out against the McDavids of the world.

The fact that we don't have a proper 3rd/defensive line means Horvat has to carry that mantle and it just really isn't the place to break in a one-dimensional skilled rookie winger.

McDavid had a field day tonight because there was no line nor any defensive pairing that could be competently expected to match up against him. Every line had a weak link, every defensive pairing had a weak link. If the team can't sort this out, it will be a long season.

The point about the third line is a key one, so much that I would even suggest using Miller as a defensive 3C if we cant figure out a better option. Gaudette isnt suited for that role and none of our other bottom 6 Cs have the ability to play more than 4th line minutes

 

[MS]

Beagle went out to block Yamamoto's shot. The real problem was Horvat getting beaten cleanly on the faceoff.

Faceoffs are a coin flip. Every player loses roughly half of them.

Honestly, that goal was the one play that should be the least of our concerns tonight. It wasn't really a major breakdown. It was a lost faceoff and a not-overly-difficult shot where the rebound just happened to land in the one spot on the ice where it would be right on the stick of the best player on earth. Shit happens. Sometimes nobody does anything that wrong but luck + good opposition play puts the puck in the net.

If that rebound lands a foot left or a foot right of where it did, it's a nothing play and nobody even notices it.

 

[604]

With the exception of Schmidt and Hughes, all of the guys who looked good last night, looked pretty off tonight. Boeser was a non-factor, as was Horvat. Petey was in the thick of it, but wasn't enough of a difference-maker.

The difference in the game tonight was McDavid, though. It's not like the Oilers looked that much better than last night. He is just... An insane hockey player.

Stop McDavid, beat the Oilers.

Can't say we game planned well enough for that on either night.

 

[Blue and Green]

Faceoffs are a coin flip. Every player loses roughly half of them.

Honestly, that goal was the one play that should be the least of our concerns tonight. It wasn't really a major breakdown. It was a lost faceoff and a not-overly-difficult shot where the rebound just happened to land in the one spot on the ice where it would be right on the stick of the best player on earth. Shit happens. Sometimes nobody does anything that wrong but luck + good opposition play puts the puck in the net.

If that rebound lands a foot left or a foot right of where it did, it's a nothing play and nobody even notices it.

Losing 50% of faceoffs that cleanly would be a huge problem. I expounded a little with an edit shortly after I had originally posted to point out that it wasn't really Schmidt's fault either, but no way that's on Beagle.

 

[MS]

The point about the third line is a key one, so much that I would even suggest using Miller as a defensive 3C if we cant figure out a better option. Gaudette isnt suited for that role and none of our other bottom 6 Cs have the ability to play more than 4th line minutes

It's a real problem.

We have this situation where our four lines are :

#1 - scoring line you'd prefer to give soft offensive minutes to to maximize production.
#2 - scoring line that is forced to be a defensive matchup line because we don't have a proper 3rd line.
#3 - bad 4th line that is overplayed and out of their depth as a checking line.
#4 - '3rd offensive line' that plays 8 minutes of garbage time and isn't trusted by the coach.

Not ideal.

Signing a proper #3 center should have been one of the highest priorities in the offseason but doesn't even seem to have been considered by the team. Result is that Horvat and his line have to do a bunch of the heavy defensive lifting that should be done by a quality #3 center and defensive 3rd line.

 

[VNCVR]

What does Jake need to get back to being the shit disturber he was as a rookie, even if this is all he is as a player skills wise when he was an agitator he was so much more valuable

Like I told people about Boeser, "it's not about conditioning, he didn't lose his shot, it's not confidence. he is injured"

I repeat, Virtanen has a bum shoulder. He has had to change his game based on his body.

It was temporary for Boeser and NOT temporary for Virtanen. He won't be that player again. That's why the coach doesn't say, he wants to see that in his game

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Stop McDavid, beat the Oilers.

Can't say we game planned well enough for that on either night.

He’s a heck of a player, but we made it way too easy for him tonight.

 

[David71]

3 shooters on PP # 1 yet everyone looks to pass?!?! SHOOT THE PUCK!!

same old story.. the team doesnt have the sedins anymore they are allowed to shoot...

 

[Mez]

Good game guys, go and absolutely destroy Calgary! Make Markstrom, and all the other sloppy seconds Cowtown slurped up, your bitches.

 

[MS]

Losing 50% of faceoffs that cleanly would be a huge problem. I expounded a little with an edit shortly after I had originally posted to point out that it wasn't really Schmidt's fault either, but no way that's on Beagle.

Every center is going to lose a bunch of faceoffs cleanly every night. It's not something you can control. They're basically a coin flip.

 

[canuckking1]

Newell is a damn fraud. Why would he think it’s a good idea to move Petey and Boeser

 

[XXIV97]

Hoggy looks like a good player for you guys!

 

[I am toxic]

Beagle went out to block Yamamoto's shot. The real problem was Horvat getting beaten cleanly on the faceoff. Beagle's the forward and he has to go to the shooter once the faceoff was lost; Schmidt is responsible for the guy heading to the net but he was in a bit of a tough spot because you're naturally going to look at the puck and all McDavid needs is that split-second hesitation.

Whoever lined up at the hash marks in front of Demko (Beagle) moved too slowly to the puck.

Faceoffs get lost, it is up to everyone lining up to do their job. Schmidt did his job. Expecting 100% faceoffs is not realistic, Bo clearly does his job. Whatever forward lined up at the hash marks (Beagle?) had the job of getting on the puck and failed.

 

[Pip]

Every center is going to lose a bunch of faceoffs cleanly every night. It's not something you can control. They're basically a coin flip.

The obsession with faceoffs in hockey is incredibly annoying.

 

[timw33]

Like I told people about Boeser, "it's not about conditioning, he didn't lose his shot, it's not confidence. he is injured"

I repeat, Virtanen has a bum shoulder. He has had to change his game based on his body.

It was temporary for Boeser and NOT temporary for Virtanen. He won't be that player again. That's why the coach doesn't say, he wants to see that in his game

The bigger problem is that this was known before he was even drafted.

 

[HockeyNightInAsia]

Even a huge Rathbone fan like me wonders......

If Green can't trust Juolevi for this, would he really trust Rathbone?

I am all for letting the young boys work it out. Just not sure Green is up for it.

Regarding Gaudette, yes I would like him on wing too, but I hope there is actually a plan.

 

[VNCVR]

The bigger problem is that this was known before he was even drafted.

Sure but I think the bigger problem is that we've had to endure their learning curve , first it was drafting by size and shot, then it was drafting by position and finally now, after learning on the job.. they are drafting by best player available. Had he actually had the hockey sense, he would be able to adjust his game to a point where he does not need to be too physical, as Edler did (back issue - he plays through it every year)

 

[VanJack]

The trouble with the current situation on the blueline, is that if Rafferty and Rathbone languish on the taxi squad all season long, it will be year of basically lost development. I suppose they could send them to Utica in a couple of weeks, but right now the Comets have twice as many players as they need. And then you'd basically be losing them for the entire season, what with border quarantines etc.

The time to experiment with lineup changes is early on in the schedule.....it's not like Hamonic and Juolevi are knocking your socks off with their play right now.

Then there's the issue of next season. The contracts for Edler, Hamonic and Benn all expire at the end of the season. I could see a scenario where none of them are back. So Green and the Canucks really have to find out about the guys who are coming up.