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

[Captain Fantastic]

Dear god, get a body bag



Who was the guy that asked this question...

That's the kind of response one should use anytime , in any situation and to any question. Lol

 

[Zerotonine]

What a terrible post. 12-2-4 in his last 18 games and this is what you have to say?

You act as if we won every game 1-0?? Smith probably stole a few no doubt but that guy isnt wrong but saying Smith is unpredictable. He is either horrible or rock solid, no in between.

I honestly dislike Smith as a goalie, but I think from what I seen he is s solid teammate and awesome locker room type

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Including Nuge.

Tippett asks Nuge to move to move to McD's line and he'll respond with" The f*** I am" " I've got a good thing going here"

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Tippett asks Nuge to move to move to McD's line and he'll respond with" The f*** I am" " I've got a good thing going here"

 

[Drivesaitl]

Guys according to Duul, Oiler players cannot laugh or talk on the bench to each other anymore. If they do, they are lazy, goofballs and total debacles

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.

 

[replacement]

You act as if we won every game 1-0?? Smith probably stole a few no doubt but that guy isnt wrong but saying Smith is unpredictable. He is either horrible or rock solid, no in between.

I honestly dislike Smith as a goalie, but I think from what I seen he is s solid teammate and awesome locker room type

Smith has been the model of consistency in 2020. Rebound control has been excellent, vacuums up pucks, makes good plays moving the puck. He rarely has let in anything that he can see.

 

[Zerotonine]

Smith has been the model of consistency in 2020. Rebound control has been excellent, vacuums up pucks, makes good plays moving the puck. He rarely has let in anything that he can see.

Definitely watching different games, smith I'd snything but a positional type goalie

 

[Drivesaitl]

Dave Tippett was a goof this game. Mike Smith should have been pulled immediately after the third goal. I am sick of Khaira. After the oilers got scored on he immediately throws Khairas line out there and it was almost 4-0. The line blenders made no sense. Kassian should have been put back with Mcdavid as soon as line 1 was dead in the water to start the second. AA did nothing to deserve being out there with Mcdavid in the third period. Also please get Neal off of Mcdavids line he kills so many plays and is too slow to keep up.

Smith doesn't always have his best efforts when the team is not even dialed in. But he'd be the first guy to say something about it in the room.

lets be honest here. The team played like crap in Dallas, were outhshot 2-1 all game, were rarely in that game, but somehow came away with 2pts. Take the money and run.

Team then goes into Chicago and entirely craps the bed against a bad team because it developed poor habits in the past game. This being a nature of thing that several coaches have had to deal with in this lineup.

This being a reason the team doesn't have 4 wins in a row in a season.

This team just can't stand a good roll. Its like they somewhere require constant gutchecks 18th lessons, etc.

We've had all kinds of fortune with our Conference and divisional competitors basically self destructing in the playoff "race" which in the WC is a turtle derby. Oilers are making the playoffs though, would be hard to miss at this point. But anyteam this year gets in at around 90pts. Quite often the required number would be 94-96pts.

 

[Messrules11]

Definitely watching different games, smith I'd snything but a positional type goalie

I don’t think you watched at all. If you’re complaining about save% maybe you should look at quality of chances. Defensively we were garbage in front of him.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Smith is 12-2-4 since Jan 1 how much more consistent do you want?

So he's completely responsible for that record? I'm going by the eye test. I said I like Smith and he can steal games. Relax.

When Smith is off he's really off and looks like ass. Koski not so much. Though I'd say Smith's top game is better than Koski's top game, but that's not a regular occurrence. Not that this game was Smith's fault. Anyway, it's complicated and you'll see what you want to see I'm sure.

 

[replacement]

Definitely watching different games, smith I'd snything but a positional type goalie

Well... If the definition of a positional type goalie is a goalie who is in position to make the save? Then... I suppose so.

When there's a narrative out there, I like to check on it. There's this narrative out there that Smith was just letting the puck hit him, and that was creating chaos. I checked. Doesn't happen. In 2020, Smith has done an excellent job of controlling initial shots, they hit him, or he gloves it, and it's a stoppage. Obviously, on tips and screens you're going to have some challenges, but even on those he appears to be doing very well. The Oilers also are doing a better job of tying up net front in 2020, so it's all part and parcel.

There is very little chaos is Smiths game in the last 20 or so starts. Is he the greatest goalie ever? No. Has he been better than Koskinen? Lately, yes. He has been more controlled, and has let in fewer bad goals.

Is he the reason the Oilers lost? Not even a little.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

This being a reason the team doesn't have 4 wins in a row in a season.

We won 5 in a row to start off the season.

 

[Drivesaitl]

If AA is our worst player as you claim then we have a pretty damn good team.
There are a lot more and lot worse players out there on other teams.

By this logic Detroit had a good team and are not worst in league..

Just because this guy has talent does not negate his many deficits. The only reason we have him is That Detroit, and Stevie Y deemed this player to be a done project and quite clearly not worth any more time.

 

[ElysiumAB]

What a terrible post. 12-2-4 in his last 18 games and this is what you have to say?

I'm not disputing or ignoring his recent record.

Which of these do you disagree with?:

• He's horrific at stopping breakaways
• He occasionally makes huge gaffes while over playing the puck
• He's often out of position or laying on his stomach for no reason
• He doesn't track the puck well on soft shots from the point, throws his hands in the air and stares down his teammates.

I'm saying I personally don't have confidence in him during important games and would feel more at ease with Kosko in net for the playoffs.

 

[K1984]

The Oilers live and die by their passing game.

You can usually tell within the first few shifts how they are going to perform for the night.

Good game traits:
- Passes are quick and crisp out of the D zone
- Forwards aren't stretching too far in the neutral zone
- They play in north-south lanes breaking in
- Shots go on goal and don't miss the net

Bad game traits:
- D men aren't moving their feet and are trying to hit passes standing still
- Forwards are too quick leaving the zone leaving too much space between them and their own D
- Low % east-west plays crossing their blue line
- Missed shots or fanning on grade A chances
- Forcing O zone passes that have zero chance of working
- Constant mis-handling of pucks

The funny thing about the 'bad game' traits are that the whole team is part of it at once, top to bottom. Not just the a few guys fighting it, but the whole team all at once. Connor trying to force low % plays in the O zone and Leon standing still and trying to zip backhand passes east-west through the neutral zone are their traits on the off games.

 

[ElysiumAB]

The Oilers live and die by their passing game.

You can usually tell within the first few shifts how they are going to perform for the night.

Good game traits:
- Passes are quick and crisp out of the D zone
- Forwards aren't stretching too far in the neutral zone
- They play in north-south lanes breaking in
- Shots go on goal and don't miss the net

Bad game traits:
- D men aren't moving their feet and are trying to hit passes standing still
- Forwards are too quick leaving the zone leaving too much space between them and their own D
- Low % east-west plays crossing their blue line
- Missed shots or fanning on grade A chances
- Forcing O zone passes that have zero chance of working
- Constant mis-handling of pucks

The funny thing about the 'bad game' traits are that the whole team is part of it at once, top to bottom. Not just the a few guys fighting it, but the whole team all at once. Connor trying to force low % plays in the O zone and Leon standing still and trying to zip backhand passes east-west through the neutral zone are their traits on the off games.

I have zero stats to back this up, but my observation has been that when this team is physical (finishing checks, forechecking hard) EVERYTHING they do is better.

That's how they started the season and what they've exhibited when they've played their best.

Which, I guess just makes sense, if you're hitting hard you're skating hard and passing lanes open up, if you're forechecking hard you have the puck more.

When they don't play with that intensity it becomes a slow and sloppy team.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I don’t think you watched at all. If you’re complaining about save% maybe you should look at quality of chances. Defensively we were garbage in front of him.

Often when you team is shitting the bed you will stop a bunch of should be goals and then allow one you shouldn't. Being overworked in a game like that can wear a guy down

 

[McTonyBrar]

Y'know, Tippett made a comment about the Dallas game that we can all learn from. He said that when he reviewed the tape, even though the shots were lopsided, he was surprised to see the grade A chances were much closer.

If the coach of the team doesn't get the most accurate impression from first viewing, then most of us probably don't either.

Reviewing last nights game... Man we had a lot of chances. Especially early in the first, there were lots of opportunities to get the first one. Maybe that changes the game.

Agreed. I remember the first 5-10 minutes we cycled real well in the zone and got chances. We just couldn't put them away

 

[McTonyBrar]

That's our team though they get lots of "chances" they can't finish but also bleed goals against and give up a crap ton of pressure

You mean like in Nashville were we put away every chance we got and didn't bleed goals or give up a crap ton of pressure?

 

[Messrules11]

I'm not disputing or ignoring his recent record.

Which of these do you disagree with?:

• He's horrific at stopping breakaways
• He occasionally makes huge gaffes while over playing the puck
• He's often out of position or laying on his stomach for no reason
• He doesn't track the puck well on soft shots from the point, throws his hands in the air and stares down his teammates.

I'm saying I personally don't have confidence in him during important games and would feel more at ease with Kosko in net for the playoffs.

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.

 

[McTonyBrar]

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.

-45 on a team that had Larkin over -30?.....

 

[CycloneSweep]

You mean like in Nashville were we put away every chance we got and didn't bleed goals or give up a crap ton of pressure?

Oh wow 1 game!

Chicago
46.51CF%, 47.89 xGF%, 46 SF%, 45.24 SCF%

Dallas
34.62 CF%, 27.91 xGF%, 38.78 SF%, 28.13 SCF%

Nashville
47.71 CF%, 49.26 xGF%, 54.10 SF%, 46 SCF%

Winnipeg
43.88 CF, 52.36 XGF, 34.04 SF%, 44.90 SCF%

Vegas
50.00 CF, 51.93 XGF, 50.00 SF, 45.95 SCF

Anaheim
54.35 CF, 57.50 XGF, 55.82 SF, 55.81 SCF

So in the last bit we were the better team 5v5 once and equal once. The Dallas game was probably one of the worst games we have played in years.

 

[SwedishFire]

A lot of people want Haas with McDavid and I don’t know why. He is a 4C playing 8-9 minutes a game who is barely treading water and has not played wing but let’s throw him on the wing of the fastest and most dominant player in the league and expect him to excel both offensively and defensively against the leagues top forwards and defencemen. Doesn’t make a lick of sense.

The team had a shitty middle first and the entire 2nd period in their 4th game in 7 days while criss crossing central North America. Big deal.

A 3 game home stand is upon us where they can get a bit of practice time in and work the kinks out with McDavids linemates.

Because all other options hasnt work. And Tippet is not high on Haas. Therefore it would be so much fun if McDavid and Haas could play reasonable together. Because that could actually happens- Haas is used to European responsible Two-way hockey involving a lot to read in the game, and playing with McDavid takes a need to read the game very well.
McDavid and Haas is the only guys who hasnt been tried together.

I dont know why Nygård and McDavid didnt click, because they could.
ANd I don know why Haas and Draisaitl didnt click. Is Germany and Swiss not so close to each other as I were thinking...

They should be tried together. There is nothing at all to be lost. The AA aqustion - were fans could see, it will probably not work, even if it looks visually tempting to be a partner to McDavid -already looks like a dropped glove -so lets try something that could work instead.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Oh wow 1 game!

Chicago
46.51CF%, 47.89 xGF%, 46 SF%, 45.24 SCF%

Dallas
34.62 CF%, 27.91 xGF%, 38.78 SF%, 28.13 SCF%

Nashville
47.71 CF%, 49.26 xGF%, 54.10 SF%, 46 SCF%

Winnipeg
43.88 CF, 52.36 XGF, 34.04 SF%, 44.90 SCF%

Vegas
50.00 CF, 51.93 XGF, 50.00 SF, 45.95 SCF

Anaheim
54.35 CF, 57.50 XGF, 55.82 SF, 55.81 SCF

So in the last bit we were the better team 5v5 once and equal once. The Dallas game was probably one of the worst games we have played in years.

So you're mad because in the last bit we were the better 5 on 5 team, equal once, and bad once?....

 

[SwedishFire]

That might have been one McDavid's poorest outings offensively in quite some time.
So many low percentage passes. Including with the goalie pulled.
I don't know if he's 100%. Hopefully just a couple game lull here.

What still scares me, even though we've played so so well in 2020, is the schedule is set up like our December. Only four wins that month I believe.
Not a chance we can afford a month like that. Desperately need to keep our foot on the gas. These gaps are being closed way quicker than normal in the West because of how tight it is.
A five point cushion can evaporate in a couple games.

Mostly past trauma speaking, but I don't think I'll relax until we for sure for sure clinch.
I still fear about us throwing it all away.

Really hope the new additions can start contributing a little more tangibly, we need them.
McDavid still searching for even one permanent winger, it's just been a revolving door.

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...