Post-Game Talk: I guess 20 minutes is almost 60? Oilers lose 4-3.

CycloneSweep

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So you're mad because in the last bit we were the better 5 on 5 team, equal once, and bad once?....
Dallas we weren't bad, we were horrible. Winnipeg game we were bad, Chicago game we were bad.

So we were bad in 3/6 of our last games, good once, even twice. And that's while playing 2 playoff teams, 2 lotto teams and 2 teams struggling to find a playoff spot. That's not a good stretch
 

Dorian2

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@SwedishFire Wut? There's no way to tell by viewing how a teamates chemistry will be with another player. It doesn't work that way in the real world. Just saying.
 

McTonyBrar

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Apr 2, 2018
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Dallas we weren't bad, we were horrible. Winnipeg game we were bad, Chicago game we were bad.

So we were bad in 3/6 of our last games, good once, even twice. And that's while playing 2 playoff teams, 2 lotto teams and 2 teams struggling to find a playoff spot. That's not a good stretch
Good teams find ways to win games that they don't deserve. Not every team plays 100% good hockey every time they play. You of all people should know that
 

CycloneSweep

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Good teams find ways to win games that they don't deserve. Not every team plays 100% good hockey every time they play. You of all people should know that
Yes. My overall point is 5v5 our team has been very bad this year which is a bad sign going into playoffs.
26 for CF%
21 for SF%
25 for GF%
20 for xGF%
22 for SCF%
20 for HDCF%
24 for PDO

We have the 16th most goals 5v5 but have allowed the 4th most. Only teams worse defensively 5v5 is Toronto, Detroit and San Jose.

We really need to improve that going into next year.
 

Missing smitty

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Wow, you really showed in this post that you know f*** all about hockey. Duuurr, forechecking is only on the wingers. LOL, that's the dumbest thing ever. Are you talking about atom level hockey in the 80s or something lol! what a joke. In today's hockey, it's a full on five man unit up and down the ice. That or i don't think you even know what forechecking means. We've seen numerous times recently where drai has gotten in as part of the forechecking unit and stole the puck or hemmed the opposition in. It's a f***ing collective effort. Heck at times the dmen get in a bit deep to apply puck pressure and a fwd covers up high. You need it to be a coordinated five man effort for effective puck pressure and forecheck. wow, you really don't know s***.

Seriously dude, i know exactly what i'm talking about. I speak with high level coaches about these things. you obtain your knowledge from outdated s*** or Chel '18.

Connor doesn't have the best wingers no doubt but that's no reason not to put in a porper effort and be responsible defensively. Neal looked a lot better in his first game on a different line than connor. Connor is not all to blame but he definitely takes a part of it.

Lol, I literally said that the center will do the forechecking sometimes, but it is primarily the wingers responsibility. There is no system in the NHL where the center is the primary forechecker, the position is too important in the D zone.

I get it, you think you understand "work ethic" and "leadership". You think that all someone has to do is work hard (something Draisaitl has been criticised for continuously when he had garbage linemates). There were plenty of times in that second period that Connor was forced to either dump the puck or eat a hit because his linemates weren't where they should have been.

I said it before, he had a bad game. He hasn't looked like himself for a bit now.

You only come in here when they lose and blabber on about "culture" like you have some idea about what you are talking about, it's becoming sad.
 

nally

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Drai has been slowly learning that when you take care of your own end and work hard from the d zone out, it actually creates offence going out as a five man unit instead of flying the zone, cheating, and always looking for longer stretch passes. When you start playing for longer stretch passes your pace slows down. When you work as a five man tighter unit up and down the ice the pace quickens and you become more engaged and get your nose over the pucks instead of floating and reaching your stick weakly into battles hoping to win them. Connor has been losing soooo many battles the last while. Almost losing all of them actually.
Great quote
 

Captain Fantastic

Cpt. Fallustina
Feb 24, 2012
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Could it be that McDavid misses Draisatil and NUge more, than Nuge and Draisaitl need McDavid to be going? McDavid is one of the most complicated players Ive ever seen. So much talent, but OH boy so hard to build a team around. He needs just as good players around him, while other elite players makes other players around them better. See Driasaitl.

Maybe Edmonton should - even if McDavid talentwise is far better - value Draisaitl higher than McDavid...
I remember Crosby having a real tough time finding wingers to play with and it took a while.
Once again, I'd rather us play like we did when McD was injured. A strong forechecking , defensive minded unit where everyone bought in. When he came back, that went out the window. McD is magic but he has to improve his game defensively. AA is loosely goosey as one can get in the defensive zone. Buy in..
 
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McNuge

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When a coach is audibly instructing players to listen to a plan of action in a timeout, taken for the very reason to gamplan a potential tying goal the Asshole laughing and not even paying attention is guaranteed to not be a good look. Worse if you're player that has uncoachable stamped indelibly on his baggage. When that same player is worst in league -45 and widely critiqued its sure not a good look.

AA must be so ingratiating. This is his behavior on a new team, in front of a new coach.

I didn't notice that during the game, but my god has he been disappointing. He just looks like he doesn't give a flying f*** out there. Coming from one of the worst teams ever to a team with the 2 best in the league... Common, that give-a-shit meter needs to be much better than it's been. Laughing and not paying attention during a critical point in the game is completely unacceptable. He should be dominating on our 3rd line with Archie and Shea, those 2 have great chemistry already and should excel with a player who is that fast and can carry the puck. But no, he just doesn't look like he cares at all. Ennis has been much better.
 

SwedishFire

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I remember Crosby having a real tough time finding wingers to play with and it took a while.
Once again, I'd rather us play like we did when McD was injured. A strong forechecking , defensive minded unit where everyone bought in. When he came back, that went out the window. McD is magic but he has to improve his game defensively. AA is loosely goosey as one can get in the defensive zone. Buy in..

Yee, that was one of Hollands misses, all fans could see that AA and McD maybe wasn a great fit, McDavid needs another type of playerfit (IQ). And strange that two speedy players, that could use their weapon to be very good defensive players - being not so good defensive players?
I wonder though, why is Mcdavid having such a hard time playing defense?

I think we should break up the Yamomoto line, because McDavid needs a playmate to be happy.
Or is it that other players outside of
Archibald, Nuge, Draisail, Yamomoto drags down people? It could actually be that way.
 
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MaxR11

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Lol, I literally said that the center will do the forechecking sometimes, but it is primarily the wingers responsibility. There is no system in the NHL where the center is the primary forechecker, the position is too important in the D zone.

I get it, you think you understand "work ethic" and "leadership". You think that all someone has to do is work hard (something Draisaitl has been criticised for continuously when he had garbage linemates). There were plenty of times in that second period that Connor was forced to either dump the puck or eat a hit because his linemates weren't where they should have been.

I said it before, he had a bad game. He hasn't looked like himself for a bit now.

You only come in here when they lose and blabber on about "culture" like you have some idea about what you are talking about, it's becoming sad.

And where did i say connor had to be the PRIMARY forechecker. Nowhere. But he definitely has to get in there and do his part which is significant if the forechecking is to succeed. He's not getting in there and getting dirty. There are so many times where the puck winds up on his responsibility because the wingers are doing their job forechecking hard and Connor makes a weak gliding , floating attempt over and the puck is easily passed out with zero pressure from him. He's killing the forecheck with his lack of effort. That's why guys like Neal looked disinterested last night. Neal looked into it in his first game when he was on a different line. Yo can just feel the collective sag by connor's line because noone wants to put in the effort to retrieve pucks and cycle pucks hard and i think it starts with connor.

Because culture is ultimately the most important thing. It's sad you can't understand it is what's sad.
 
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MaxR11

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I remember Crosby having a real tough time finding wingers to play with and it took a while.
Once again, I'd rather us play like we did when McD was injured. A strong forechecking , defensive minded unit where everyone bought in. When he came back, that went out the window. McD is magic but he has to improve his game defensively. AA is loosely goosey as one can get in the defensive zone. Buy in..

Bang on. There's a CLEAR difference between how the team played in the first 5 games connor was out and ever since he came back. I was HOPING they can continue to play the same way when he brought his outstanding skills back but i had a feeling they'd sag in their effort and attention to details.
 

Captain Fantastic

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Feb 24, 2012
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Yee, that was one of Hollands misses, all fans could see that AA and McD maybe wasn a great fit, McDavid needs another type of playerfit (IQ). And strange that two speedy players, that could use their weapon to be very good defensive players - being not so good defensive players?
I wonder though, why is Mcdavid having such a hard time playing defense?

I think we should break up the Yamomoto line, because McDavid needs a playmate to be happy.
Or is it that other players outside of
Archibald, Nuge, Draisail, Yamomoto drags down people? It could actually be that way.
I agree that they're not a good fit. Let's not break up the other line though. We all need a playmate to be happy though.. Lol
 

SwedishFire

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Mar 3, 2011
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I would keep the Nuge-Drai-Yams together until they start to slow down (if they ever do) and run this:

Nuge - McDavid - Kassian
AA - Draisaitl - Yamamoto
Ennis - Haas - Neal
Nygard - Sheahan - Archibald
Khaira, Chiasson

We should bury all the worst on one line. And see what it gives.

Topping 3 other lines

Chiasson AA/Khaira Neal - putting in those players in PK or PP play specialst. Hiding in playing 5vs 5 just when everybody else is very tired. Or see if bad players thinks alike, and making a good line. But yo have to admit it would be intressting to see the combo of a very fast player and two of the slowest on one line. Could they do magic?, they sure like to score goals though.
 

Captain Fantastic

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Bang on. There's a CLEAR difference between how the team played in the first 5 games connor was out and ever since he came back. I was HOPING they can continue to play the same way when he brought his outstanding skills back but i had a feeling they'd sag in their effort and attention to details.
Right... It's more than that though. McD glides in the defensive zone like a sailboat. AA does that too. That infuriates me because they both have the speed to make a difference defensively especially when our D is playing like crap. Help them out...
 
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MaxR11

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Right... It's more than that though. McD glides in the defensive zone like a sail boat. AA does that too. That infuriates me because they both have the speed to make a difference defensively especially when our D is playing like crap. Help them out...

Part of why the d is playing worse though is because they're being left on an island at times by the forwards not applying the same hard backpressure they did before in connor's absence. It's so tough when you also have to watch and play and account for the opposition trailer because you see your own fwds slagging back even if it's only a couple steps or 90% back pressure instead of 100%. It makes the dmen's job SO much easier when the fwds buy in with unrelenting back pressure , effort and proper attention to details defensively. It's no coincidence this kind of waned when connor came back because this is definitely one of his flaws and has been for a couple years at least.

The thing is when guys like AA see connor do that they think it's ok for them to do that. It basically sets the culture. I think this happened with drai too when they were on the same line. This is why i say it's so important that connor lead by example and be a bit of a better leader.
 
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Captain Fantastic

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Part of why the d is playing worse though is because they're being left on an island at times by the forwards not applying the same hard backpressure they did before in connor's absence. It's so tough when you also have to watch and play and account for the opposition trailer because you see your own fwds slagging back even if it's only a couple steps or 90% back pressure instead of 100%. It makes the dmen's job SO much easier when the fwds buy in with unrelenting back pressure , effort and proper attention to details defensively. It's no coincidence this kind of waned when connor came back because this is definitely one of his flaws and has been for a couple years at least.

The thing is when guys like AA see connor do that they think it's ok for them to do that. It basically sets the culture. I think this happened with drai too when they were on the same line. This is why i say it's so important that connor lead by example and be a bit of a better leader.
Fantastic post. Agree 100 percent. The sooner he does it, the better. You have to be in playoff mode right now. That goes for each and every one of them.
 
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MaxR11

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What's the point of responding to you anymore. If James Neal needs McDavid to play well for him to be interested in the game as a 34 YEAR OLD, then there are other issues going on. These are professional ADULT athletes, a 34 year old with 10+ years in the league doesn't need a 23 year old to get him into the game.

You do you buddy, keep thinking you have any idea what you're talking about.

You have no ability to critically think do you? It's frustrating when the wingers put in the effort, do their part and connor continuously glides around not doing his part in the forecheck. there comes a point where they just lose their will to try as hard. i'm not saying it's right but it happens. you just keep getting b*** hurt when people go out and point out flaws in connor's game.
 

CycloneSweep

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You have no ability to critically think do you? It's frustrating when the wingers put in the effort, do their part and connor continuously glides around not doing his part in the forecheck. there comes a point where they just lose their will to try as hard. i'm not saying it's right but it happens. you just keep getting b*** hurt when people go out and point out flaws in connor's game.
It's no coincidence that our best LINE is the one that always has Draisaitl on it

I love Connor, he is a great player, best in the works. But he does need to evolve his game to help drive the play. He fixes his defensive issues guy could increase his point totals like Drai has
 
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Missing smitty

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It's no coincidence that our best LINE is the one that always has Draisaitl on it

I love Connor, he is a great player, best in the works. But he does need to evolve his game to help drive the play. He fixes his defensive issues guy could increase his point totals like Drai has

When did Draisaitl start playing much better defensively? Was it magically when he wasn't saddled with 4th liners anymore?

McDavid isn't playing well, but after rewatching the game yesterday, he wasn't the only one on his line playing poorly in the D zone. The kid needs real linemates, then we can actually judge his defensive game.
 

CycloneSweep

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When did Draisaitl start playing much better defensively? Was it magically when he wasn't saddled with 4th liners anymore?
McDavid is a 4th liner?

Draisaitl started playing better defensively when he started to put in the effort on both sides of the puck. He stopped looking for every opportunity to create offense and started looking for the right play. You can't tell me you haven't noticed his game looks much better overall, even better than when he was playing with McDavid?
 

Missing smitty

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McDavid is a 4th liner?

Draisaitl started playing better defensively when he started to put in the effort on both sides of the puck. He stopped looking for every opportunity to create offense and started looking for the right play. You can't tell me you haven't noticed his game looks much better overall, even better than when he was playing with McDavid?

Oh for sure, he's played a million times better, but he also has the 2 other best forwards playing with him. One of those is definitely no slouch in his own zone either.

I'll hold judgement on McDavid's defensive game when he isn't playing with a guy who played 12 minutes a night in Ottawa and a guy who most would say is a PP specialist these days.
 

CycloneSweep

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Oh for sure, he's played a million times better, but he also has the 2 other best forwards playing with him. One of those is definitely no slouch in his own zone either.

I'll hold judgement on McDavid's defensive game when he isn't playing with a guy who played 12 minutes a night in Ottawa and a guy who most would say is a PP specialist these days.
McDavids defensive game has always been below average. Even when he was playing with Maroon and Draisaitl, or when him and Draisaitl were clowning fools, they were very often on the wrong side of the puck still. I think even with all their goals scored together they still let a ton in. That said Connor can learn it.

And yes he does also need better wingers, both things can be true
 
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ElysiumAB

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You have to be joking. His numbers in the playoffs only improve, look at his history. Kos? Hasn’t even won 50 games in this league. Glad your not Tippett.

I hope someday you discover what an opinion is. Perhaps it will be the same day as the grammar lesson on you're!
 
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MaxR11

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I've said the whole time he's had a bad game, hell he's has a bad 2020 for his standards.

You just can't stand when people point out that your an obnoxious blowhard who thinks they know everything. Grow up.

uh, no you need to grow up. i simply stated my opinions on connor's play. i wasn't even addressing you to start with and you just go on being a petulant child and attacking me because i'm criticizing the great connor. hey i have no problem if you don't agree with me but your aggressive response initially was uncalled for. you can't seem to disagree with class so i'm not going to treat you with any class either.
 

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