Post-Game Talk: Hitchiking to a playoff spot

[doulos]

I mean that some people underestimated how much winning it took just to scrape back into the playoffs, and that they have to maintain a good winning percentage for the remainder of the year.

Yes, I sure hope Oiler fans are hoping the team wins games as well.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

yeah, but why only play him 4+ minutes (and Rattie 5+)? Really liked what I saw in him his first 2 games. You'd think with us being up 5-1, Hitch would've played these guys more. At the very least to give McDavid a rest. No real reason to play him over 22 minutes tonight.

Or Drai over 24

 

[Arpeggio]

Last night was a weird game because of the amount of chances the Avs were getting, plus the PPs. I don't blame Hitch for treating it like a close game, and since it ended up being a two goal game I think he was justified in doing so.

 

[ElysiumAB]

I never expected to like Hitch so much. The winning helps of course, but I had assumed his demeanor was completely different than it is.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I mean that some people underestimated how much winning it took just to scrape back into the playoffs, and that they have to maintain a good winning percentage for the remainder of the year.

Not really, I think you're over estimating what a lot of teams above the Oilers did during their struggles.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Zykov played 4:42 mins last night. That entire line disappeared from play after the first.

Because of the special teams and what not, imo.

 

[Zaddy]

I rather leave him in the minors. If we were calling up him because Gravel or Benning were hurt then so be it. But with Klef out the whole d needs to step up and I don't know it's a place for a rookie.

As I said in my post, I'd have Jones take over the minutes Gravel is currently playing, 10-11 minutes a night at most with Benning, while Gravel himself gets bumped up and plays with Larsson. Those two plus Russell and Nurse are the ones who will have to step up and play the brunt of the minutes now with Klef out, not Jones.

 

[LaGu]

I mean that some people underestimated how much winning it took just to scrape back into the playoffs, and that they have to maintain a good winning percentage for the remainder of the year.

I don't think so many were underestimating it really. After that rough stretch it was always going to take a while, now it was quicker than necessary, but I am not complaining. The point was always to be in a playoff spot come game 82, not game 31.

45 wins will have them in the playoffs, that's 28 wins in the next 51 GP. Basically means you need to win 5 games for every 4 games you lose (getting a handful of loser pts of course).

Obviously they need to win more than they lose, but let's not prentend that they need to keep winning like crazy just to make the playoffs. I think that was the point of many posters, even though as I said, no one is obviously complaining about the winning lately and wouldn't complain if the team were "comfortable" in a playoff spot instead of battling for one.

 

[SourOil]

Because of the special teams and what not, imo.

Yeah - that is definitely a reasonable assumption.

 

[Stoneman89]

Benning was the player of the game. Should be first, second and third star.

Took a couple dumb penalties and got an assist. Played well, but so did a lot of others on the night.

 

[SourOil]

I know. Way too much playing of the topsix and too little of other players. Pulju, Zykov, Rattie, Spooner got very little. Pulju limited minutes is a particular mystery because he is a solid 200ft player. With a 6-2 lead this was a perfect time to shorten the bench and Hitch didn't do that. He rested Nuge at 18mins but Drai, McD, and some of the D were run ragged although with the D we had little choice.

Hitch needs to be able to pace out the success. In games that are done do not keep going with the top line all the time. The topline is overplayed right now. Any time you can back off their minutes you should imo.

I was surprised that he didn't roll them out in the later stages of the game. But special teams may have hindered his comfort in using them.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Not sure if posted, but SN has a video up of footage from across the ice when the fan broke the glass when Benning was in the box. He had to have been wearing a ring or something, all he was doing was slapping his hand on it and in a not very aggressive manner. Just hit it in the right spot I guess.

 

[TB12]

I hope people appreciate the stretch it took to get the Oilers back in the playoffs and I hope they keep up this pace.

Absolutely ZERO chance they keep an 8-2-1 pace up. That’d have them challenging for the best regular season of all time.

If people are hoping they’ll keep that pace up they’re only setting themselves up for disappointment.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Absolutely ZERO chance they keep an 8-2-1 pace up. That’d have them challenging for the best regular season of all time.

If people are hoping they’ll keep that pace up they’re only setting themselves up for disappointment.

The good news is in order for the other teams to still be ahead of the Oilers in the wild card and division they pretty much all had similar runs. One of the Ducks, Flames, or Minny won't keep up the crazy winning pace either.

 

[the mcdavid era]

Absolutely ZERO chance they keep an 8-2-1 pace up. That’d have them challenging for the best regular season of all time.

If people are hoping they’ll keep that pace up they’re only setting themselves up for disappointment.

Yep Oilers are a bubble team IMO. They might make the playoffs but only as a wild card spot. In any case, they won't go further than the second round (and that's being very optimistic). This team just doesn't have enough talent. The only scenario which changes this is if Oilers get Vezina level goaltending the rest of the year, including the playoffs.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Absolutely ZERO chance they keep an 8-2-1 pace up. That’d have them challenging for the best regular season of all time.

If people are hoping they’ll keep that pace up they’re only setting themselves up for disappointment.

Of course not, but a .580+ win percentage or thereabouts should be good. That's where they are at right now.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Absolutely ZERO chance they keep an 8-2-1 pace up. That’d have them challenging for the best regular season of all time.

If people are hoping they’ll keep that pace up they’re only setting themselves up for disappointment.

Great observation...

 

[TB12]

Yep Oilers are a bubble team IMO. They might make the playoffs but only as a wild card spot. In any case, they won't go further than the second round (and that's being very optimistic). This team just doesn't have enough talent. The only scenario which changes this is if Oilers get Vezina level goaltending the rest of the year, including the playoffs.

I wasn’t being quite so negative as you but I see what you’re saying. I’m still not quite sure what this team is or can be. Some great pieces and some glaring holes. I just don’t think anyone should expect the team to go 8-2 over every 10 game stretch to end the year. Or they will for sure end up being negative towards the team by having unrealistic expectations.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Looking back at the past 5 seasons and the point totals of the Wildcard teams in the WC, the average works out to 95.2 points over those 10 teams.

The Oilers currently have 36 points...the math is simple, they need to go a projected minimum of 30-21-0 or whatever combination of obtaining 60 points over the next 51 games as both teams are on pace for that 95-96 point range. They need to have a .588 winning percentage...they currently have a .773 winning percentage since Hitch took over. I say .588 is easily doable and attainable with this group and coaching staff from this date forward.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Yep Oilers are a bubble team IMO. They might make the playoffs but only as a wild card spot. In any case, they won't go further than the second round (and that's being very optimistic). This team just doesn't have enough talent. The only scenario which changes this is if Oilers get Vezina level goaltending the rest of the year, including the playoffs.

I love the optimism. “In any case they won’t get past the 2nd round”... Oilers have already proved they can beat any time in the league this year. I get it’s not likely and that the heat gets dialed up in playoffs but give me break. What’s the point of cheering if you already 100% think they are going to fail?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Yeah - that is definitely a reasonable assumption.

I was thinking it could also be if they have those weird splits when lines 2 and 3 get longer shifts, Hitch seems to want to come back to McDavid/Draisaitl ever 3-ish minutes, I wonder if members of the 4th line start rotating on that wing, if you put those 2 out every 3rd-ish shift.

 

[smokersarejokers]

With Klefbom out, what is the D going to look like?

Nurse Larsson
Russell Wideman
Gravel Benning

Does that make sense?

Man, I hope Klefbom isn't out too long. Hopefully he's back for the first game after x-mas.

 

[Da McBomb]

No more Klefbom goal songs for awhile? I'm a sad puppy

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

With Klefbom out, what is the D going to look like?

Nurse Larsson
Russell Wideman
Gravel Benning

Does that make sense?

Man, I hope Klefbom isn't out too long. Hopefully he's back for the first game after x-mas.

Makes sense, maybe flip Benning and Wideman (though probably just based on their play).

I mean it will come down to this, if Klefbom is only out for a couple weeks, the team will try and make due, if he's out closer to a month, they will add a body.

Again, the Hawks are terrible and have some bodies who might help, Ruuta is a RHD.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Makes sense, maybe flip Benning and Wideman (though probably just based on their play).

I mean it will come down to this, if Klefbom is only out for a couple weeks, the team will try and make due, if he's out closer to a month, they will add a body.

Again, the Hawks are terrible and have some bodies who might help, Ruuta is a RHD.

I thought it was confirmed 4-6 weeks?