Post-Game Talk: Nashville 3 Oilers 0

[MessierII]

The piling on and scapegoating of Draisaitl in full effect I see.

See how well that turned out for you with Taylor Hall, Oiler fans. This fanbase needs to stop doing stupid crap like this.

He's not playing well because he has little to nothing to work with on his wings.

Puljujarvi is a train wreck, Lucic is on pace for 27 points, Reider is a 3rd/4th liner.

That's not Leon's fault. He setup at least 3 good chances tonight and no one can cash.

Missed you during the 3 game winning streak bud. Glad to have you back active.

 

[Soundwave]

Never saw you posting this garbage in the last couple PGT’s. I bet you’re glad they lost so you could post the same old tired crap again.

Out of respect, I still had concerns about the offence even through the last few games. They've only scored more than 2 goals 2/6 times, that's pretty bad when you have one player scoring at a Wayne Gretzky rate. It's almost unbelievable. I don't even know how you manage to pull that off.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

At the end of the day I’m not really concerned about this loss at all. Nashville is playing the best hockey in the league currently and we played them pretty close. We had our chances. They had their chances. They scored, we didn’t. Is what it is.

At the start of the season when I looked at the schedule I figured if we win one of the Boston games and one of the Nashville games we’re laughing. This is hands down the hardest stretch of games we have this year. If we can get out of October around .500 I’ll call that a win.

The Predators completely neutralized the Oilers attack (aka McDavid). As soon as Nashville scored the first goal the game was done. They were perfectly content to wait until the Oilers made a mistake.

And guess what? We get to play this same team next Saturday! Hooray!

 

[MessierII]

The Predators completely neutralized the Oilers attack (aka McDavid). As soon as Nashville scored the first goal the game was done. They were perfectly content to wait until the Oilers made a mistake.

And guess what? We get to play this same team next Saturday! Hooray!

I disagree. Scoring chances were pretty even. They didn’t dictate the play or greatly outchance us in any way, shape or form. They scored on their chances we didn’t. Props to them and to Saros.

 

[TheNumber4]

I really wish we'd stop gauging how good this team is based on Wins and Losses. Hear me out, it's not as crazy as you think just look what happens in the games we somehow win. When we win we fight tooth and nail to just barely EEK out a win. When we lose we look utterly outclassed and sometimes by supposedly shittier teams than ours.

If we were a good team (were not) some of our wins would be complete blow outs. If we were a good team if we lose it might be because of a bad bounce here or there. When 82 games are done as it was last season, I fully expect us to be exactly where this roster belongs, out of the playoffs.

 

[Soundwave]

I didn't think Nashville even played that well. They looked tired and looked like a team playing the 2nd half of a back to back.

They just made it tough for McDavid, and that's basically it for our offence. Game over. Take advantage of a chance here and there and that's the ball game.

 

[Metamind]

This team is 1 Mcdavid injury away from being the worst in the NHL

 

[ujju2]

I don't understand why people are knocking Draisaitl. He is the 2nd-best forward on the team, and has been good this season. If everyone on the 2nd/3rd played like him, the Oilers would be 5-1 now. But nobody else can score.

The only thing I would say about Draisaitl's game is that he is sometimes a tad predictable. When he gets the puck (I mean when he's not shooting a one-timer), he tends to slow down too much and drag the play out. Sometimes it works, but I think he needs to mix it up more. Defences learn quickly that they can wait for Drai to make the first move, 'cause he's never going to do a super-fast play.

Actually, Draisaitl looked amazing late last season in tandem with Ethan Bear on the PP. Naturally, then, McLellan thinks Benning is the one to play.

Everyone on the 2nd/3rd isn't an 8.5 million dollar centre being paid to drive a line. Time for him to step it up. Still no goals this season when he's on the ice without McDavid. Unfortunately, watching him, it looks like either a lack of effort or an injury, neither of which is a particularly good thing. Reminds me a bit of Klefbom's struggles last season. Let's hope Draisaitl can pull it together relatively quickly, the team needs him playing much better.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I disagree. Scoring chances were pretty even. They didn’t dictate the play or greatly outchance us in any way, shape or form. They scored on their chances we didn’t. Props to them and to Saros.

Nashville Predators @ Edmonton Oilers, 2018-10-20

The Preds controlled pretty much the entire game. And after they scored they went into shutdown mode. They had a game plan and that was to get in McDavid's grill because nobody else was going to be an offensive threat. Saros had an easy time of it. Nobody in front, nobody banging for rebounds, awful passing...

They knew their chance would come and it did. And the Oilers never threatened after they scored.

 

[guymez]

Never said it was a problem.

I am being called on the carpet by you and others who seem to have difficulty with my perspective.

Thats really why I asked.

 

[Soundwave]

Everyone on the 2nd/3rd isn't an 8.5 million dollar centre being paid to drive a line. Time for him to step it up. Still no goals this season when he's on the ice without McDavid. Unfortunately, watching him, it looks like either a lack of effort or an injury, neither of which is a particularly good thing. Reminds me a bit of Klefbom's struggles last season. Let's hope Draisaitl can pull it together relatively quickly, the team needs him playing much better.

You can't just magically say "step it up". Hockey doesn't work like that.

He needs at least one decent winger to play with, this team doesn't have it without moving him onto McDavid's line.

They don't have the horses to play with a throughbred like Leon.

 

[TheNumber4]

I disagree. Scoring chances were pretty even. They didn’t dictate the play or greatly outchance us in any way, shape or form. They scored on their chances we didn’t. Props to them and to Saros.

Look at the quality of chances though. That's usually the difference in every Oilers game win or loss. The other team has 3 seconds in our zone and gets a cross crease pass leading to a high quality top corner aimed shot at Talbot uncontested. We enter their zone, do nothing most of the time and when we get our "chance" its our player who's covered 3 times over shooting a muffin shot into the goalie's crest while he's off balance because he's being checked hard. In the game logs, both will be regarded as chances. But the eye test will tell a completely different story.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I am being called on the carpet by you and others who seem to have difficulty with my perspective.

Thats why I asked.

I was just discussing it with you. Not calling you out at all.

I get why you want to wait to really call things, I was just pointing out that it appear stop be a continuation of last year. Just sharing a different opinion.

 

[MessierII]

Nashville Predators @ Edmonton Oilers, 2018-10-20

The Preds controlled pretty much the entire game. And after they scored they went into shutdown mode. They had a game plan and that was to get in McDavid's grill because nobody else was going to be an offensive threat. Saros had an easy time of it. Nobody in front, nobody banging for rebounds, awful passing...

They knew their chance would come and it did. And the Oilers never threatened after they scored.

Are you reading the stats backwards or something? The link you provided essentially confirms every word of my post.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Nashville Predators @ Edmonton Oilers, 2018-10-20

The Preds controlled pretty much the entire game. And after they scored they went into shutdown mode. They had a game plan and that was to get in McDavid's grill because nobody else was going to be an offensive threat. Saros had an easy time of it. Nobody in front, nobody banging for rebounds, awful passing...

They knew their chance would come and it did. And the Oilers never threatened after they scored.

If that's what control the entire game looks like then I can ignore anything you ever say about fancy stats.

 

[LJellySlam]

We have a proven elite LW in Drai and good 2C in Nuge.

The way it's set up right now we have a decent LW in Nuge and extemely average 2C in Drai. Go back to what works for now... At least until drai gets his legs back and can generate something on that second line.

 

[ujju2]

You can't just magically say "step it up". Hockey doesn't work like that.

He needs at least one decent winger to play with, this team doesn't have it without moving him onto McDavid's line.

Then he needs to at least play like Nuge did last season. Not trying to compare the two, but if Nuge was able to manage a 30-goal pace (before injury) playing 2C and on the 2nd PP without McDavid, there's no reason Drai can't do the same (or better, considering he's supposed to be a better player). Our wingers have improved since last season, and yet Drai at 2C doesn't look like an upgrade on Nuge yet. I'm willing to give him some time, but he does have to step it up.

 

[CycloneSweep]

We have a proven elite LW in Drai and good 2C in Nuge.

The way it's set up right now we have a decent LW in Nuge and extemely average 2C in Drai. Go back to what works for now... At least until drai gets his legs back and can generate something on that second line.

You might have a short memory. We changed it to this because the other way wasn't working at all.

Also Drai doesn't play left wing...he plays right

 

[ujju2]

We have a proven elite LW in Drai and good 2C in Nuge.

The way it's set up right now we have a decent LW in Nuge and extemely average 2C in Drai. Go back to what works for now... At least until drai gets his legs back and can generate something on that second line.

This is fair, but I think Nuge has played really well with McDavid and am hesitant to break that up, even for McDrai.

 

[guymez]

I was just discussing it with you. Not calling you out at all.

I get why you want to wait to really call things, I was just pointing out that it appear stop be a continuation of last year. Just sharing a different opinion.

Its all good.

I dont think that last season was the measure of what this team really is. Thats why I want to see more this season.
That aside they are 3-3 after 6 games of the toughest schedule in the NHL (that I am aware of).
A record that is actually pretty damn good all things considered.

Its too early for any serious concern IMO.

 

[Soundwave]

We have a proven elite LW in Drai and good 2C in Nuge.

The way it's set up right now we have a decent LW in Nuge and extemely average 2C in Drai. Go back to what works for now... At least until drai gets his legs back and can generate something on that second line.

The problem is I don't really see it solving the fundamental issue. Yes, Leon will start scoring in that situation, but then RNH's offence probably dries up.

 

[TheNumber4]

Out of respect, I still had concerns about the offence even through the last few games. They've only scored more than 2 goals 2/6 times, that's pretty bad when you have one player scoring at a Wayne Gretzky rate. It's almost unbelievable. I don't even know how you manage to pull that off.

Yeh same. I don't like to pile on the Oilers after WINS and everyone hates it. But even if the Oilers somehow won a game, its not like their very obvious problems weren't still there in that win.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Its all good.

I dont think that last season was the measure of what this team really is. Thats why I want to see more this season.
That aside they are 3-3 after 6 games of the toughest schedule in the NHL (that I am aware of).
A record that is actually pretty damn good all things considered.

Its too early for any serious concern IMO.

Fair. I think it's all but certain we miss playoffs by a decent amount but won't be as bad as last year. How much better is the big question.

 

[ujju2]

Yeh same. I don't like to pile on the Oilers after WINS and everyone hates it. But even if the Oilers somehow won a game, its not like their very obvious problems weren't still there in that win.

The good thing is though that I think the defence problem has mostly sorted itself out. Between Klefbom, Larsson, Nurse, and Bouchard, I think the defence is no longer nearly as concerning as it was last year, which is a big relief. Time to focus on the wings now.

 

[space321]

back to the drawing board oof