Pre-Game Talk: Middle 6 Rolls Snake Eyes for Scoring - Edm v NYI - Tues @ 5:30

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Middle 6 is a huge problem right now on top of suspect goaltending. Kane & Draisaitl have gone stone cold, Janmark is a 4th liner, McLoed and Foegele can’t hit the ocean from a pier and why Connor Brown isn’t on the 4th line yet befuddles even the great Sherlock Holmes.

Combined with middling inconsistent goaltending and without playing near perfect defense this team will be forced to rely on supernova performances by the PP and McDavid.

Not a good situation heading out for 6 on the road! To make things worse I am wearing my unlucky 0-5 Heritage Classic jersey until we win. I need to break the bad luck of this jersey!

Or maybe I should just burn it in a sacrifice to the hockey Gods?

PS Derek Ryan got banged up last game hence Erne is in.

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GD Music

Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner - Iron Maiden



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Fearless Prediction

Oilers 7 - Islanders 3

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Click to read more...

 

[Stoneman89]

Middle 6 is a huge problem right now on top of suspect goaltending. Kane & Draisaitl have gone stone cold, Janmark is a 4th liner, McLoed and Foegele can’t hit the ocean from a pier and why Connor Brown isn’t on the 4th line yet befuddles even the great Sherlock Holmes.

Combined with middling inconsistent goaltending and without playing near perfect defense this team will be forced to rely on supernova performances by the PP and McDavid.

Not a good situation heading out for 6 on the road! To make things worse I am wearing my unlucky 0-5 Heritage Classic jersey until we win. I need to break the bad luck of this jersey!

Or maybe I should just burn it in a sacrifice to the hockey Gods?

PS Derek Ryan got banged up last game hence Erne is in.

Did you heed my advice and take me to that Tampa game instead of your accursed friend? No. and the result was devastating.

Do NOT make the same mistake with the befuddling Heritage Classic jersey. Turn it over to me before the game to break this curse, and all will be well.

 

[yukoner88]

Hopefully the team comes out with a strong effort in response to Saturday.

 

[Oilhawks]

In before Skinjob gives up 4 goals on 6 high danger chances

Wake me up when they get another goalie

 

[Drivesaitl]

Middle 6 is a huge problem right now on top of suspect goaltending. Kane & Draisaitl have gone stone cold, Janmark is a 4th liner, McLoed and Foegele can’t hit the ocean from a pier and why Connor Brown isn’t on the 4th line yet befuddles even the great Sherlock Holmes.

Combined with middling inconsistent goaltending and without playing near perfect defense this team will be forced to rely on supernova performances by the PP and McDavid.

Not a good situation heading out for 6 on the road! To make things worse I am wearing my unlucky 0-5 Heritage Classic jersey until we win. I need to break the bad luck of this jersey!

Or maybe I should just burn it in a sacrifice to the hockey Gods?

PS Derek Ryan got banged up last game hence Erne is in.

Poor Ryan got repeatedly banged up. Some of those hits had to have him wondering about still playing hockey at his age. Man he got hammered last night. So tough though, kept getting up.

As for the lines about time. Something needed to be changed. Not sure why brown is on third line and Gagner 4th though. Its quite crystal clear who the better player is by miles.

 

[Stoneman89]

Poor Ryan got repeatedly banged up. Some of those hits had to have him wondering about still playing hockey at his age. Man he got hammered last night. So tough though, kept getting up.

As for the lines about time. Something needed to be changed. Not sure why brown is on third line and Gagner 4th though. Its quite crystal clear who the better player is by miles.

Have to give old man Ryan some credit. Has played a regular shift and penalties nearly the entire year so far, and now just needs a maintenance rest for some boo boos. Meanwhile, resident young stud Dylan Holloway is still on the IR. Again.

 

[29Beast97Mode]

Could have given Raanta a chance

 

[Mav3rick07]

Could have given Raanta a chance

We don't do things here in Edmonton. We just wait until everything magically works out.

 

[MoontoScott]

Hopefully we win 2 in a row so we can all jump back on the bandwagon.

 

[nexttothemoon]

So the first 3 games of this upcoming road trip the Oilers will face Sorokin (elite) or Varlamov (near elite)... then Schmid/Vanacek who are both very average this season and then likely Quick (who's playing out of his mind on a late career resurgence this year)... or Shesterkin (elite).

If the Oilers can get 1 win out of these first 3 road games that's likely the best we can realistically expect.


If the Coyotes decide to go on a bit of a winning streak... bad news for the Oilers because that wild card spot can easily start slipping away again.

Imagine if the Oilers would have been say 4-4 over that streak instead of 8-0... season would basically be over at this point in that case.

This team needs to basically play balls out for 60 minutes every game in order to win often enough to stay in the chase for a playoff spot now... that's the consequences of that awful start and the hole they dug for themselves.

 

[TKB21]

Could have given Raanta a chance

Naw, it’s more fun to watch other teams pick up goalies and watch them play out of their minds for the new team that grabbed them.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Foegele has 1 goal in his last 22 games... he can wake up any time now and start doing something again. He looked great to start the year and it looked like he could have a solid breakout year, Lately though... not so much.

I agree as well... Gagner needs more time in the middle six... or even top 6 for lack of better options there and someone like Brown needs minimal ice time at evens and just play him hard out on the PK where he's decent.

For comparison:

Gagner 2.23 pts/60 at evens (5th best number on the team)

Desharnais .77 pts/60 at evens
Kulak .47 pts/60 at evens
Brown .22 pts/60 at evens

Brown is basically the rotted corpse of Belanger at evens.

 

[elmeroil]

If the Oilers can get back to playing that great D they played during the streak they should be fine. If Skinner has a bad game I don't even know what to think anymore

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

Could have given Raanta a chance

The worst goalie in league this year? Yeah, that's definitely the solution.

 

[nexttothemoon]

The worst goalie in league this year? Yeah, that's definitely the solution.

14 game sample is a small sample... he's been a 91.5% goalie over the course of his 10 year career.

What's your solution?

Rolling with Campbell/Skinner/Pickard until they start golfing in early April?

Those of us who wanted to take a swing at Raanta aren't saying it would work for certain... but we also know what isn't likely working for certain... Campbell/Skinner/Pickard... who all have nowhere close to those numbers over their NHL careers.

 

[BlackDogg]

We don't do things here in Edmonton. We just wait until everything magically works out.

Answer is in a room.

 

[yukoner88]

I have 2 radio shows tomorrow night (Monday night)

first one, is a road trip themed radio show, pumped with lots of christmas music

the 2nd show, is a metal show, and I turned around n put together one of the heaviest and darkest playlists I've ever put together (top 3 for me atleast)

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I have 2 radio shows tomorrow night (Monday night)

first one, is a road trip themed radio show, pumped with lots of christmas music

the 2nd show, is a metal show, and I turned around n put together one of the heaviest and darkest playlists I've ever put together (top 3 for me atleast)

Had no idea that you're into radio. I thought you were a truck driver? Do you do both?

 

[Jumptheshark]

Could have given Raanta a chance

Where did we get the money from? To add him we would have had to send 2 players down

 

[Leonardlizard]

Imagine you're wearing a brand new Mcdavid jersey...finally wearing it to a game at Rogers. Popcorn? Hell yeah you're living it up and the Oilers are back, baby .

You drop your credit card right as your popcorn is handed to you...when retrieving you glance up and are met with a judgmental glare of none other than Connor Brown.

He has a sharpie in hand and points to the crest of your new jersey.. ...."fine " he says .. and before you can react he's finishing up the 28 next to his signature.

"First one is practically free!" Brown states while helping himself to a grip of your 40 dollar popcorn. "Enjoy the game, bud."

He laughs and jumps into the concession. .. disappearing behind staff doors.

 

[brentashton]

Imagine you're wearing a brand new Mcdavid jersey...finally wearing it to a game at Rogers. Popcorn? Hell yeah you're living it up and the Oilers are back, baby .

You drop your credit card right as your popcorn is handed to you...when retrieving you glance up and are met with a judgmental glare of none other than Connor Brown.

He has a sharpie in hand and points to the crest of your new jersey.. ...."fine " he says .. and before you can react he's finishing up the 28 next to his signature.

"First one is practically free!" Brown states while helping himself to a grip of your 40 dollar popcorn. "Enjoy the game, bud."

He laughs and jumps into the concession. .. disappearing behind staff doors.

And in the meantime while this was happening, a kind and friendly chap named Jack Campbell wandered by and smiled and then palmed your goddamned credit card. It left you with no money or ability to buy anything else at the present time.

You heard the he took it and then scampered off to California (Bakersfield specifically). You hoped he would return with it, and you’d let bygones be, but it looks increasingly more likely that he’s keeping the card and not returning from his trip with your card.

Now you have to call your bank’s security group and hope they will lock your card and issue you a new one so that you can finish Xmas shopping. If they don’t, you’re stuck with buying your family gifts from 7-11 this year.

Shit happens.

 

[Fishy McScales]

Could have given Raanta a chance

What's better than three shitty goalies? FOUR shitty goalies!

 

[MoontoScott]

And in the meantime while this was happening, a kind and friendly chap named Jack Campbell wandered by and smiled and then palmed your goddamned credit card. It left you with no money or ability to buy anything else at the present time.

You heard the he took it and then scampered off to California (Bakersfield specifically). You hoped he would return with it, and you’d let bygones be, but it looks increasingly more likely that he’s keeping the card and not returning from his trip with your card.

Now you have to call your bank’s security group and hope they will lock your card and issue you a new one so that you can finish Xmas shopping. If they don’t, you’re stuck with buying your family gifts from 7-11 this year.

Shit happens.

Scouting and cap management are all important.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Where did we get the money from? To add him we would have had to send 2 players down

Pickard+Gleason would have done it with cap room to spare.

 

[MoontoScott]

I'm going to predict that the day after the game, "Cult of Hockey" will give Connor Brown a rating of "5" with a comment about "increasing hustle but no real results."