Post-Game Talk: No one can complain about the Ducks loss now

[Oilhawks]

They can use the excuse of "needing the 2 points" nearly every game, and in the meantime, their top players continue to get run every game after, with an inevitible injury on the way. At some point, a message needs to be sent to set the table for any future potential incidents.

We've seen this movie before. Plug nearly injures star player, refs turn a blind eye. Plug from aggrieved team retaliates, doesn't even hurt the other team's player, and aggrieved team gets the only penalty, gets scored on and their plug gets a hearing and suspended. Team that started the bullshit laughs and takes the two points. The same shit happens again because teams know they can play a rat game and get away with it

They're better off taking a fine and sounding off on the league about it. Nothing will change until the league starts actually caring about player safety and penalizing rat behavior like knee on knee, slewfoots etc very harshly.

 

[Drivesaitl]

They can use the excuse of "needing the 2 points" nearly every game, and in the meantime, their top players continue to get run every game after, with an inevitible injury on the way. At some point, a message needs to be sent to set the table for any future potential incidents. Whether they are intentional or simply being careless, they need to be dealt with.

In a 32 team league where you play divisional opponents as little as 3 times a season the message sent thing has died like dinosaurs. There just isn't a point to it because your opponent is constantly some other team. So that what message is sent? For next season? We don't play the Flames anymore. Not until say Fall of 2023.

The taking 2pts makes sense. The taking multiple penalties (which is exactly what the flames wanted and needed) doesn't do anything.

Ideally its up to the NHL to ever do something to protect the stars of their league that sell tickets, ratings, promotions etc. Maybe the NHL could sometimes remember where their bread is buttered. McD makes tons of money and exposure for them.

What kind of idiot league wouldn't defend or at least facilitate proper application of its rules for its Michael Jordan?


In the past when there were only 16 teams, half the number, and wherein you played the same divisional opponents so many times the send a message thing made more sense.

What I would like the Oilers to do is to fake McD being injured in a game that is out of reach, and park him and release details of injury. Then say nothing for several days and make the NHL sweat a little. Might wake them up. Nah, nothing will.

 

[Oilhawks]

I'll add. What you do in a situation like last night is push a physical (non dirty game). Keep hitting when opportune, and if you have a guy that's able to get away with it, do some of your own rat stuff. If anything, the Oilers are missing a rat. Benson was starting to develop that game but they need someone that can stick with the team and consistently do it. The league meta isn't changing with this DoPS, so you embrace it in the meantime.

 

[Stoneman89]

All hail Skinner. It's remarkable how he has taken the responsibility and pressure of a #1 tender role in a team expecting from ownership down to be an elite contender. And to deliver with the fire drill own zone play in front of him.

This Oilers own zone defending is atrocious. They give up so much high quality open ice with the gaps between defense corp and too often indifferent forward play. Easily outmuscled on the puck that leads to extended zone time for opposition exasperated further by poor decision making often not even under pressure.

Take away the positives from a massive win in the arch enemy barn. But no one should be turning a blind eye to the systemic issue of this team's goal suppression issues. Masked by an unflappable rookie goaltender and a power play functioning at a historic rate.

This was one game where our goalie was absolutely sensational in the about the last several, and he stole us one. Great for Skinner, but the rest of this team really needs to make a commitment to defense or this one game success will be short-lived. We've even been outed by such teams as Anaheim and a pooped out Canuck squad. I hope we get some toughness added and soon. Can't sit around and wait for Kane to come back and save the day. On the whole, the Oilers are a very soft team, and the league knows it. Play agressively against them, go after their stars and eventually, they will wilt.

 

[Stoneman89]

In a 32 team league where you play divisional opponents as little as 3 times a season the message sent thing has died like dinosaurs. There just isn't a point to it because your opponent is constantly some other team. So that what message is sent? For next season? We don't play the Flames anymore. Not until say Fall of 2023.

The taking 2pts makes sense. The taking multiple penalties (which is exactly what the flames wanted and needed) doesn't do anything.

Ideally its up to the NHL to ever do something to protect the stars of their league that sell tickets, ratings, promotions etc. Maybe the NHL could sometimes remember where their bread is buttered. McD makes tons of money and exposure for them.

What kind of idiot league wouldn't defend or at least facilitate proper application of its rules for its Michael Jordan?


In the past when there were only 16 teams, half the number, and wherein you played the same divisional opponents so many times the send a message thing made more sense.

What I would like the Oilers to do is to fake McD being injured in a game that is out of reach, and park him and release details of injury. Then say nothing for several days and make the NHL sweat a little. Might wake them up. Nah, nothing will.

And it's not for the individual team, per say, but more of a wakeup call to the rest of the league, who you will be playing. Teams looks at video, see social media, they talk, they know what's going on. Lol, if the NHL hasn't done anything to protect McDavid by now, they never will. Not saying you need to goon it up every time he gets manhandled, but once or twice would be nice, wouldn't it. And even better than that, how about some of our own guys going after the other teams top players right from the get go. This team usually is in a reaction type of mode, waiting for someone to do something bad to them and then, maybe responding. I wouldn't mind seeing it work the other way for once.

The old thing about "taking the 2 points" is fine, but it has a limited lifespan, and eventually will catch up to you. It's a temporary solution to a long standing problem, and you will pay for it down the road.

 

[Stoneman89]

I'll add. What you do in a situation like last night is push a physical (non dirty game). Keep hitting when opportune, and if you have a guy that's able to get away with it, do some of your own rat stuff. If anything, the Oilers are missing a rat. Benson was starting to develop that game but they need someone that can stick with the team and consistently do it. The league meta isn't changing with this DoPS, so you embrace it in the meantime.

Absolutely agree with this. Use your own guys to go after the other team, and maybe cross the line once in a while, and see how things shake out.

 

[CROTT]

Oilers are despised because we won the Draft Lotto with McDavid. Thats not our problem. The NHL made those draft rules and we happened to have the right numbers. I call it luck of the draw

Oilers PP's/PK's vs Flames PP's/PK's per game since McDavid Draft, got a little carried away with this... The first number is the ranking in the league overall on PP/PK per game, second in brackets is the PP/PK per game, and the last number is the Oilers/Flames PP/PK overall in the league. Exampe in 15-16 the Oilers were 26th overall in PPs per game with 2.98 PPs/game, and their PP was 18th overall that season, was done to see if the Oilers PP's/game dropped off as their PP became one of the best if not the best in the league. Then the 1st overall and last overall in PP/PK for comparison to show the spread from most PP/PK per game to the least PP/PK per game. Lets go Divealanche....

 

[Drivesaitl]

And it's not for the individual team, per say, but more of a wakeup call to the rest of the league, who you will be playing. Teams looks at video, see social media, they talk, they know what's going on. Lol, if the NHL hasn't done anything to protect McDavid by now, they never will. Not saying you need to goon it up every time he gets manhandled, but once or twice would be nice, wouldn't it. And even better than that, how about some of our own guys going after the other teams top players right from the get go. This team usually is in a reaction type of mode, waiting for someone to do something bad to them and then, maybe responding. I wouldn't mind seeing it work the other way for once.

The old thing about "taking the 2 points" is fine, but it has a limited lifespan, and eventually will catch up to you. It's a temporary solution to a long standing problem, and you will pay for it down the road.

Again due to the number of teams its fighting a losing battle trying to go out of way to take these things on. The last team to do that out West, that developed this fortress like mentality where they felt every team was against them were the Bertuzzi/Moore clownfaced "bounty" Canucks under Crawford. For all their efforts to try to police the league and other teams they deepsixed themselves and Bertuzzi ended up with criminal charges and a ban from the league.

Now thats an extreme, I understand, but theres risks of either look the other way or fight it head on. Teams take videos and also determine that if X team resorts to retributive tactics that they will take advantage of that in milking penalties out of it. So that you can also become a mark as a team by seeking revenge.

Its a complex situation with no easy solution because the NHL doesn't look after its players and doesn't enforce its rules.

In anycase fighting detent doesn't seem to work anymore. As we saw with Kassian/Tkachuk it doesn't result in anything except for rats like Tkachuk getting even dirtier because they know they can elicit more calls from stupid NHL officiating. In no way did it limit Tkachuks infractions. It might have increased them.

For my entire life watching this league the NHL loves to penalize the reaction, and not the instigation. Its a troll tactic by the league who have always liked the drama in some players being mayhem on ice.

So that its arguably a matter of beating the team on the scoreboard or literally on the ice with fists.

 

[GOilers88]

The blood is flowing to the wrong head in poor Mr. Diggler.

That's gotta be an Oiler fan trolling.

That’s how this board sounds with like every announcer in the league imo. The whining is perpetual from some. Always gotta be mad at something it seems. A guy doesn’t agree with a call, or does agree with a call, or talks about the other team and peoples panties get so f***ing twisted that it’s amusing. Everyone and everything is out to get the Oilers and troll the fans!

Strictly observations.

 

[CROTT]

That’s how this board sounds with like every announcer in the league imo. The whining is perpetual from some. Always gotta be mad at something it seems. A guy doesn’t agree with a call, or does agree with a call, or talks about the other team and peoples panties get so f***ing twisted that it’s amusing. Everyone and everything is out to get the Oilers and troll the fans!

Strictly observations.

Hrudey is one of the more homerish ones though, Debrusk by comparison is anti Oilers. Just he tries to be neutral, Michaels though homerish does call a spade a spade if the Oilers are playing poorly he admits it, most flames broadcasters try and play things up to make the Flames seam better.

 

[GOilers88]

Hrudey is one of the more homerish ones though, Debrusk by comparison is anti Oilers. Just he tries to be neutral, Michaels though homerish does call a spade a spade if the Oilers are playing poorly he admits it, most flames broadcasters try and play things up to make the Flames seam better.

See I don’t get the anti oilers stuff. I just don’t see it or hear it. I hear guys calling games and calling what they see or what they perceive and I see people here disagree with it so hard that they think it’s some vendetta against the Oilers because they think the NHL and everyone in it hates the team and is out to screw them. It’s absurd. Every color commentator is going to be somewhat of a homer because they work for the team. The minute a guy talks about the other team on a broadcast, even if he was just pumping up the Oil, is suddenly a whack job homer for the other team and needs to be taken off broadcast.It’s funny because most posters do the exact same thing when posting in GDT’s. Every little thing is a missed call against their team because the refs are out to get them! Any contact that results in a slow to get up player is an egregious attack with intent to injure! But they never say anything when it goes the other way. It’s so blatantly hypocritical that it boggles the mind that one could then turn around and bitch about announcers.

The only guy I find to be absurdly over the top with homer glasses is dickhead in Boston. Agree to disagree I guess.

 

[Soundwave]

Oilers are typically terrible in the first game back from Christmas break.

Think that was the first one they've won since 16-17 and that was kind of an outlier because they were off from 23-28th that year (so plenty of time for that turkey to digest).

1-4 I think in their last 5 post Christmas games including last night.

 

[Mr Positive]

Hrudey is one of the more homerish ones though, Debrusk by comparison is anti Oilers. Just he tries to be neutral, Michaels though homerish does call a spade a spade if the Oilers are playing poorly he admits it, most flames broadcasters try and play things up to make the Flames seam better.

I find Hrudey tries hard to be objective and impartial. He points out a lot of good and bad on both sides.

However, that's his logical brain as a national pundit. He is a total homer in that his instant, emotional reactions definitely favor the Flames. It does come through very obviously to me, and it only makes his attempts at impartiality seem forced.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

This was one game where our goalie was absolutely sensational in the about the last several, and he stole us one. Great for Skinner, but the rest of this team really needs to make a commitment to defense or this one game success will be short-lived. We've even been outed by such teams as Anaheim and a pooped out Canuck squad. I hope we get some toughness added and soon. Can't sit around and wait for Kane to come back and save the day. On the whole, the Oilers are a very soft team, and the league knows it. Play agressively against them, go after their stars and eventually, they will wilt.

I agree this is a soft constructed team. But with Kane in the modern no hit NHL I think they can get by okay. If you can add a hard checking veteran bottom sixer who will engage physically ... maybe you add. But this mash up of pretty meh bottom roster players can't afford a single face-puncher only type.

The big issue is hard, aggressive forecheck teams expose poor thinking habits in Oilers defense corp who dither or turnover pucks for extended zone time. Worse is a tendency for unforced turnovers with bad passes on their poor zone exit work. This corp is not heavy enough to win cycle battles and too giving in the blue paint and high scoring areas of the ice. Add inconsistent forward support and it makes this team easy to play against - just add forecheck pressure.

 

[Stoneman89]

I agree this is a soft constructed team. But with Kane in the modern no hit NHL I think they can get by okay. If you can add a hard checking veteran bottom sixer who will engage physically ... maybe you add. But this mash up of pretty meh bottom roster players can't afford a single face-puncher only type.

The big issue is hard, aggressive forecheck teams expose poor thinking habits in Oilers defense corp who dither or turnover pucks for extended zone time. Worse is a tendency for unforced turnovers with bad passes on their poor zone exit work. This corp is not heavy enough to win cycle battles and too giving in the blue paint and high scoring areas of the ice. Add inconsistent forward support and it makes this team easy to play against - just add forecheck pressure.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want them to add a goon,in the historical sense. Matter of fact, Lootch and Ryan Reaves are about the closest things this league has to goons these days. Everyone has to have some level of skating skills and other skills to play now. I would be looking for a guy(s) that are inherently tough and fearless forecheckers. Kane will be great when he gets back but I think we still have to add, and for sure one on the back line, unless people think Nurse scares the shit out of other players.

 

[Stoneman89]

Again due to the number of teams its fighting a losing battle trying to go out of way to take these things on. The last team to do that out West, that developed this fortress like mentality where they felt every team was against them were the Bertuzzi/Moore clownfaced "bounty" Canucks under Crawford. For all their efforts to try to police the league and other teams they deepsixed themselves and Bertuzzi ended up with criminal charges and a ban from the league.

Now thats an extreme, I understand, but theres risks of either look the other way or fight it head on. Teams take videos and also determine that if X team resorts to retributive tactics that they will take advantage of that in milking penalties out of it. So that you can also become a mark as a team by seeking revenge.

Its a complex situation with no easy solution because the NHL doesn't look after its players and doesn't enforce its rules.

In anycase fighting detent doesn't seem to work anymore. As we saw with Kassian/Tkachuk it doesn't result in anything except for rats like Tkachuk getting even dirtier because they know they can elicit more calls from stupid NHL officiating. In no way did it limit Tkachuks infractions. It might have increased them.

For my entire life watching this league the NHL loves to penalize the reaction, and not the instigation. Its a troll tactic by the league who have always liked the drama in some players being mayhem on ice.

So that its arguably a matter of beating the team on the scoreboard or literally on the ice with fists.

So you need to adapt to the league, rather than just complaining about it ever time something happens. And I'm not necessarily talking about fists only but toughness, and toughness throughout the team, which is something we have precious little of, and teams definitely take advantage of that. And a well positioned rat would be nice too.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Don't get me wrong, I don't want them to add a goon,in the historical sense. Matter of fact, Lootch and Ryan Reaves are about the closest things this league has to goons these days. Everyone has to have some level of skating skills and other skills to play now. I would be looking for a guy(s) that are inherently tough and fearless forecheckers. Kane will be great when he gets back but I think we still have to add, and for sure one on the back line, unless people think Nurse scares the shit out of other players.

Got it! Yep, that's what I would imagine in terms of player type. Frankly, a Hyman motor in a guy that will play high rev, contact hockey and help drag this team (and its bottom six specifically) into the fight like Kane and Hyman do. Watching Marchment on Dallas was like seeing a Hyman clone at work.

 

[Harry Curry]

Rishaug and Strudwick had an 'argument' over the Oilers reaction. They are both pretty decent guys so it wasn't any Stephen A. Smith/Max Kellerman theatrics.

They were essential agreeing, but it was funny how they were not trying to be dbags in disagreeing with each other. Strudwick made the point that trying to start a fight then and there would have been stupid. Weegar probably backs down and the Oilers take a minor. Then with our PK? Can't see how that would have worked out well for the Oilers. The also agree that players should have gone out of their way to hit Weegar as hard as they could after that play.

As much as we all liked Kassian forcing Tkachuk to turtle, I am much happier with the two points in the standings.

I never liked Strudwick when I heard him on Gregor's show. But I spoke to Rishaug a couple times for a non-hockey thing. He was a really good guy to deal with so I gave their podcast a try. It's pretty good. I believe Strudwick was just overwhelmed by Gregor's general suckage.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So you need to adapt to the league, rather than just complaining about it ever time something happens. And I'm not necessarily talking about fists only but toughness, and toughness throughout the team, which is something we have precious little of, and teams definitely take advantage of that. And a well positioned rat would be nice too.

I wasn't complaining about it and the Oil got the Win and that was the mission.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Got it! Yep, that's what I would imagine in terms of player type. Frankly, a Hyman motor in a guy that will play high rev, contact hockey and help drag this team (and its bottom six specifically) into the fight like Kane and Hyman do. Watching Marchment on Dallas was like seeing a Hyman clone at work.

Kostin may well end up being a cheap mans version of that player with more experience. With more games and minutes under his belt he might find some production too. We also have Holloway who is big for his age, great motor, and could easily turn into something that we say we need. He seems a bit of a pest as well.

That said theres a lot of former ballerinas with the Flames that are suddenly trying to play with an edge. Players can be instructed to do this more too, and adapt somewhat. Obviously Kane will make a difference in our lineup.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Kostin may well end up being a cheap mans version of that player with more experience. With more games and minutes under his belt he might find some production too. We also have Holloway who is big for his age, great motor, and could easily turn into something that we say we need. He seems a bit of a pest as well.

That said theres a lot of former ballerinas with the Flames that are suddenly trying to play with an edge. Players can be instructed to do this more too, and adapt somewhat. Obviously Kane will make a difference in our lineup.

I felt like Kostin brought a solid physical game last night and so did Holloway. We need more of that besides Kane coming back.

 

[McAsuno]

Flames fan here... been drinking hard all night as I hate losing to the Oilers.

Flames had 47 shots and 42 of them were floaters from the point with no screen in front, and right into the goalies crest.

We have no one who can score. What a bunch of talentless players on our top 2 lines. Lucic lmao. Mangiapane and Huberdeau can go tomorrow. Oh wait, Huberdeau the ghost is untradeable because he makes 8 million more than he's worth.

I miss Gaudreau and Tkachuk who carried the team last year.

Even if the Flames sneak into the playoffs, they can't beat any good teams anyways so what is the point. Oilers played awful and still beat us, just unreal. Gg.

Considering you're a pretty huge culprit with the oiler bashing in the mains.. well..

 

[Bryanbryoil]

What the Barrie boosters (not you) seem to forget is that he has a long history of getting devoured by top opposition. He has been playing well but I think that means he’s being deployed in the right spot. Would be afraid to change that.

The thing is that Nurse and Ceci have a hard time breaking the puck out. Barrie could help with that. Naturally the pairing could be changed especially in the postseason depending on the match-ups there.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Kostin may well end up being a cheap mans version of that player with more experience. With more games and minutes under his belt he might find some production too. We also have Holloway who is big for his age, great motor, and could easily turn into something that we say we need. He seems a bit of a pest as well.

That said theres a lot of former ballerinas with the Flames that are suddenly trying to play with an edge. Players can be instructed to do this more too, and adapt somewhat. Obviously Kane will make a difference in our lineup.

Ya, I like Kostin as well. If he can bring a consistent hard forecheck game it can really help this team. And I really like Holloway for the heavy puck hunting game he can bring to this team. Both have excellent size and need a bit more seasoning but can bring a more aggressive forecheck element to this team.

All said, I think this team could use an established veteran element that bring some of these attributes but also some willingness to drop the mitts to support his teammates.

 

[The Panther]

In a 32 team league where you play divisional opponents as little as 3 times a season the message sent thing has died like dinosaurs. There just isn't a point to it because your opponent is constantly some other team. So that what message is sent? For next season? We don't play the Flames anymore. Not until say Fall of 2023.

This is exactly it. If it was 1990 and the clubs played 2 pre-season games, 8 RS games, with the possibility of 4-7 playoff games (potentially 17 times in one season), the Oilers would probably have been looking for some revenge on Weegar. But in a third-period tied-game with both clubs hoping for the upper hand in the battle for the last Wild Card playoff spot and not meeting again until almost a year from now, what point would it serve for the Oilers to "send a message" that will easily be forgotten?

Only a League as consistently idiotic as the NHL could manage to kill such brilliant natural rivalries as Calgary-Edmonton by having the clubs barely play one another.