Post-Game Talk: Not good enough.

[Dynamic]

It going to lie, I thought as bad as the 2nd was I thought we were in a good spot. I expected the momentum to switch after Vancouver went all in and out big boys would take over in the 3rd.

Holy s**t was I wrong. They came out even worse. That alone is very concerning. And why don’t we have a shut down line after almost a decade of McDrai? So much defensively not good players just spread out among the lineup almost perfectly to make sure every line, pairing has you holding your breath. Teams have learned to just wait and take what the Oilers give you, it’s just a matter of time until some Bouchard coughs it up the middle or Foegle gifts a chance in the slot.

Kudos to Picard, that’s about it.

 

[The Moose]

I think Rodrigue should be brought in next year, given a chance (but perhaps also replace Schwartz).

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Unpopular opinion on these boards, but you need to play Mcdavid and Drai together.

Mcdavid on his own line was another 5v5 no show. This happened last year vs the Knights in the playoffs.

You ride or die with your big guns and you can cut the mins if needed.

Disagree on this. Hyman has been a ghost all series and RNH is Marner 2.0 when playoffs hit. Nobody on these board seem to notice because he's only earning half the salary.

McDavid is doing all he can with 2 wingers that haven't pissed a drop this series. RNH I expected, but the Nucks defense's top priority is keeping out all forwards from the exact part of the ice that Hyman finds success.

My only criticism of McDavid is that he's not shooting enough. Insane he can go from a 64 goal scorer to a passer-only from season to season.

I think Rodrigue should be brought in next year, given a chance (but perhaps also replace Schwartz).

May as well go all out while we have McDavid under contract. Would aim for Ullmark or Saros to start. A rookie goalie isn't going to do shit for us next year.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

You mean the same GM who can't figure out a roster is hiring good coaches?
McLellan was a good fit at the start, Tippett we dragged out of retirement and didn't have the passion for the game. Woodcroft had potential but like...he tied himself to an awful d coach. Knoblauch is raw and young and maybe good be god but is an awful fit for a team at this point.
He has been awful in the playoffs and maybe he could be better in a couple years but was an awful fit for where we are.

It’s always been bad timing with the Oilers and getting the coach they need. Hindsight thinking but the guy they needed is across the bench from them right now. No bullshit, he runs the team, not the stars. Holland not trading Ceci because “he’s a good dude and the guys didn’t want him traded” just shows who is really running the team and no balls letting the inmates run the asylum.

Yes, I know Tochett was available when Tippett was canned, and as Woodcroft had the Condors on a roll and took the Oilers to the WCF when he was brought up, was the quick hire replacement. If Woodcroft flopped as the interim, maybe they looked at other options instead but he didn’t.

I think Knoblauch will be a good coach as well but he’s got a lot to learn about playoff hockey at this level.

 

[CycloneSweep]

It’s always been bad timing with the Oilers and getting the coach they need. Hindsight thinking but the guy they needed is across the bench from them right now. No bullshit, he runs the team, not the stars. Holland not trading Ceci because “he’s a good dude and the guys didn’t want him traded” just shows who is really running the team and no balls letting the inmates run the asylum.

Yes, I know Tochett was available when Tippett was canned, and as Woodcroft had the Condors on a roll and took them to the WCF, he was the quick hire replacement. If Woodcroft flopped as the interim, maybe they looked at other options instead but he didn’t.

I think Knoblauch will be a good coach as well but he’s got a lot to learn about playoff hockey at this level.

Knoblauch would have been a good coach when McLellan was canned. A young coach with a young team learning in the playoffs together. Not a coach you bring a decade in on the second last year of your window who still needs to learn what a timeout is and learn the same damn lessons that overplaying McDrai loses you series.

I think Rodrigue should be brought in next year, given a chance (but perhaps also replace Schwartz).

They should bring in poppa Rodrigue to replace Schwartz. Skinner went from an ECHL guy to an NHL goalie under him. Campbell went from not knowing he could save a beachball to playing well for most of the year. Pickards game grew under him too. Sylvain Rodrigue should be the guy from the AHL we bring up.

 

[K1984]

I hate to say it but it ain’t working. Other teams don’t beat us, we beat us.


Most glaring for me tonight is KK for some unforeseen reason played 29 & 97 over 30 minutes a night in the first 3 games with the predictable result that they’d be out of gas in a long series. Tonight, they were out of gas. The PP had no spark and McDavid lets his man go with 30 seconds left in a 2-2 game.

Bottom line is we look old and we look slow and I doubt we advance.

Team needs a tear down in key areas.

We need to stop pretending that the players on this team that never deliver will all of a sudden deliver. Cut bait with the players that damage us every single post season.

Foegele - thankfully a UFA, see you later

McLeod - can't play in the playoffs, get rid of him. Don't care about skating, don't care about defensive metrics, I care about the playoffs. He doesn't bring it, he can go.

Nurse - probably impossible to trade him, but another guy that can't play in the playoffs. Make every effort to move him if at all possible.

Ceci - don't care if we have to use a buyout to get rid of him. Get rid of him.

RNH - I'll even go as far as to explore what his value looks like on the market. Another p***y that folds when the pace picks up.

Skinner - can't play in the playoffs, get rid of him

The third line has been a complete afterthought in all versions of this team since 2006 and that is simply unacceptable for a team that is purportedly trying to win a cup. Get rid of all three of the third liners and start again this off season, hopefully with a GM that isn't a complete f***ing idiot. Even moving McLeod, singing Henrique for 3C, then getting some wingers that can actually play hockey will be fine.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Knoblauch would have been a good coach when McLellan was canned. A young coach with a young team learning in the playoffs together. Not a coach you bring a decade in on the second last year of your window who still needs to learn what a timeout is and learn the same damn lessons that overplaying McDrai loses you series.

The thing that really caught me off guard was no interim tag, just here you go…three year contract.

But Knoblauch to his credit, I think has a great mind for the game from a coaching perspective. He’ll learn from this and we’ll see what kind of camp he runs in the fall. It’s not over yet, we’ll see what adjustments he makes but his reluctance to pull guys that are struggling and inject fresh legs into the lineup is questionable.

 

[CycloneSweep]

The thing that really caught me off guard was no interim tag, just here you go…three year contract.

But Knoblauch to his credit, I think has a great mind for the game from a coaching perspective. He’ll learn from this and we’ll see what kind of camp he runs in the fall. It’s not over yet, we’ll see what adjustments he makes but his reluctance to pull guys that are struggling and inject fresh legs into the lineup is questionable.

That is what I didn't like either. He has a great mind but he doesn't have the energy for a cup winning coach. Doesn't seem to have the passion. This team needs a coach that they would run thru a wall for but Knoblauch is another walk around till you find a door and try and open it but ooops, to late, store is closed.

Like look at Tocchet all series. Animated on the bench, getting his guys motivated, yelling at the refs, not pointing out players but calling out his team in the pressers.
You need a guy who looks and acts like he wants to win a cup. I just don't see him as that kind of guy.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

We need to stop pretending that the players on this team that never deliver will all of a sudden deliver. Cut bait with the players that damage us every single off season.

Foegele - thankfully a UFA, see you later

McLeod - can't play in the playoffs, get rid of him. Don't care about skating, don't care about defensive metrics, I care about the playoffs. He doesn't bring it, he can go.

Nurse - probably impossible to trade him, but another guy that can't play in the playoffs. Make every effort to move him if at all possible.

Ceci - don't care if we have to use a buyout to get rid of him. Get rid of him.

RNH - I'll even go as far as to explore what his value looks like on the market. Another p***y that folds when the pace picks up.

Skinner - can't play in the playoffs, get rid of him

The third line has been a complete afterthought in all versions of this team since 2006 and that is simply unacceptable for a team that is purportedly trying to win a cup. Get rid of all three of the third liners and start again this off season, hopefully with a GM that isn't a complete f***ing idiot. Even moving McLeod, singing Henrique for 3C, then getting some wingers that can actually play hockey will be fine.

Since his one good playoffs in Carolina, the guy has the following boxcars:

53GP, 4-4-8, for a staggering 0.15 points per game.

For comparison, Vincent Desharnais playoff points per game is 0.14

 

[Ritchie Valens]

That is what I didn't like either. He has a great mind but he doesn't have the energy for a cup winning coach. Doesn't seem to have the passion. This team needs a coach that they would run thru a wall for but Knoblauch is another walk around till you find a door and try and open it but ooops, to late, store is closed.

Like look at Tocchet all series. Animated on the bench, getting his guys motivated, yelling at the refs, not pointing out players but calling out his team in the pressers.
You need a guy who looks and acts like he wants to win a cup. I just don't see him as that kind of guy.

Tochett won three with the Pens, one as a player and two as an assistant. He was the grinder that had to work his balls off game in and game out to wear down the other team. He knows what it takes to win.

 

[Ibanez]

Will Knobby make any adjustments to the lineup and bring in fresh blood? Or we continue to roll out the same old, slow, inept lineup (outside of 2 players) that continues to get shit on? Tocchet completely shit on Knobby last night with his lineup changes, his media approach. Got the best out of his star players AND his depth.

I dont think Knobby is the guy to do it in playoffs. Especially the other night when Rishaug asked him about his belief in needing to play physical, and he said he doesn't think it's a priority and that he'd rather have his team check with their "legs and sticks". He's not intense enough or has the right approach to get this team shot out of a cannon and playing balls to the walls. It's been the entire year of it pretty much.

Don't even get me started on management that did nothing to improve this roster from last year, but that's for another day.

Knob is so overrated. Our record really didn’t have anything to with him IMO. The team picked themselves up.

We’ve had two meek coaches in a row…bleh

We need to stop pretending that the players on this team that never deliver will all of a sudden deliver. Cut bait with the players that damage us every single off season.

Foegele - thankfully a UFA, see you later

McLeod - can't play in the playoffs, get rid of him. Don't care about skating, don't care about defensive metrics, I care about the playoffs. He doesn't bring it, he can go.

Nurse - probably impossible to trade him, but another guy that can't play in the playoffs. Make every effort to move him if at all possible.

Ceci - don't care if we have to use a buyout to get rid of him. Get rid of him.

RNH - I'll even go as far as to explore what his value looks like on the market. Another p***y that folds when the pace picks up.

Skinner - can't play in the playoffs, get rid of him

The third line has been a complete afterthought in all versions of this team since 2006 and that is simply unacceptable for a team that is purportedly trying to win a cup. Get rid of all three of the third liners and start again this off season, hopefully with a GM that isn't a complete f***ing idiot. Even moving McLeod, singing Henrique for 3C, then getting some wingers that can actually play hockey will be fine.

Can’t say I disagree with any of this…

 

[NegativeNelly]

They played like they were butthurt that Skinner got benched in a 2nd consecutive game.

 

[Messrules11]

That is what I didn't like either. He has a great mind but he doesn't have the energy for a cup winning coach. Doesn't seem to have the passion. This team needs a coach that they would run thru a wall for but Knoblauch is another walk around till you find a door and try and open it but ooops, to late, store is closed.

Like look at Tocchet all series. Animated on the bench, getting his guys motivated, yelling at the refs, not pointing out players but calling out his team in the pressers.
You need a guy who looks and acts like he wants to win a cup. I just don't see him as that kind of guy.

Agreed, looking back at our head coaches, Sather, Muckler, Green, Low these guys all lost their shit on the bench
Who have we had since? Burnett, Eakins, Mclellan (he had some fire) Tippett, Woody and now meek Knob.

 

[McDeepika]

The Canucks strategy of cross-checking and slashing McDavid and Draisatil over and over again is now likely paying dividends. We needed to do the same to their impact guys like Garland, Miller, Boeser. Guys like McLeod, Foegele, Perry just haven't done anything to make their top guys pay a price.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

They played like they were butthurt that Skinner got benched in a 2nd consecutive game.

If so, then they’ll never be more than a playoff team but not a contender.

I don’t think that’s it, it’s just Tochett has them playing a style of speed, tempo, and voracious forechecking. They had their chance to be up 3-0 in the series but shit goaltending (again) let them down.

 

[oil Leaks]

The Canucks strategy of cross-checking and slashing McDavid and Draisatil over and over again is now likely paying dividends. We needed to do the same to their impact guys like Garland, Miller, Boeser. Guys like McLeod, Foegele, Perry just haven't done anything to make their top guys pay a price.

McLeod will skate and talk to all of them

 

[Ibanez]

If so, then they’ll never be more than a playoff team but not a contender.

I don’t think that’s it, it’s just Tochett has them playing a style of speed, tempo, and voracious forechecking. They had their chance to be up 3-0 in the series but shit goaltending (again) let them down.

The modern day San Jose sharks. Always a bridesmaid. Never a bride

 

[K1984]

Tocchet acknowledged players like Karlsson or Lafferty were not getting it done so he switched those 2 out today. Us? Perry has been extremely ineffective. Foegele has been awful at both ends of the ice along with taking stupid penalties. McLeod's perimeter play isn't helping him or his linemates. Team lacked so much heart today. A guy like Gagner may not have the age or skating ability like he used to, but surely, Gagner would've played with much more heart and effort tonight. Way too many passengers on this team and its the same f***ing passengers from every other past year too.

Up until now I thought that the idea of putting Gagner in was kind of silly and born out of wishes of fanboys, but not really any kind of attempt at a solution that makes any sense.

My opinion has completely changed after that game. Putting Gagner in for Perry is a no brainer at this point because I think Gagner will actually do what Perry was brought here to do. Perry was supposed to be an emotional leader that drags his teammates into the fight, but he's been a complete zero so far and is a straight up liability.

After the pre-season level of intensity we showed in that game, unfortunately, insanely, we need Sam Gagner on the bench to drag this group of absolute f***ing p***yes into the game.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Up until now I thought that the idea of putting Gagner in was kind of silly and born out of wishes of fanboys, but not really any kind of attempt at a solution that makes any sense.

My opinion has completely changed after that game. Putting Gagner in for Perry is a no brainer at this point because I think Gagner will actually do what Perry was brought here to do. Perry was supposed to be an emotional leader that drags his teammates into the fight, but he's been a complete zero so far and is a straight up liability.

After the pre-season level of intensity we showed in that game, unfortunately, insanely, we need Sam Gagner on the bench to drag this group of absolute f***ing p***yes into the game.

I dont get this teams dislike for Gagner.
When he plays he doesn't give up much and has the best scoring rates on the team. This team is desperate for offense. Play him.
This team is desperate for a spark and Gagner is a highly animated guy.
But this team likes a few players personally and thats all that matters it seems.

 

[K1984]

Yep. the oilers beat themselves. Only time this hasn't been the case is against Colorado. its really the only time we've been beat by a team that should be beating us. This team either has mojo against fairlly weak teams in playoffs or loses their shit against teams that are either good or seeing good goaltending. Theres a point with this club where it seems a stiff wind will blow us over. That was the feeling with Winnipeg, Chicago, Even Vegas, and now this.

The feeling I get thinking back to those series and this one too - the Oilers don't want it as much as the other team.

Every time this team shows its stripes in a bad way the conversation always goes back to the mental acuity of this team. It's Groundhog Day every year here when the team fails in regular season or playoffs. Always discussion about personnel, which moves were/weren't made, who dropped the ball, etc. This is about the 6th iteration of the same conversation with vastly different personnel along the way - result is always the same and it's the same theme every time - got out worked, shit execution, and beat ourselves.

 

[ManofSteel55]

The frustrating part for me, but also a potential silver lining, is that we have been begging for depth support, and wr got it last night, but the top lines weren't getting it done like they usually do. Kane got one, the bottom line got one, but the Canucks finally figured out how to stop our powerplay for a game, and they stifled our top guys. If McDavid can figure out how to shake Miller (hate him, but he is a playoff beast for sure and is great matched up against superstars), the powerplay can click again, and we get the same effort from our bottom six, we should fare better next game.

 

[WaitingForUser]

I dont get this teams dislike for Gagner.
When he plays he doesn't give up much and has the best scoring rates on the team. This team is desperate for offense. Play him.
This team is desperate for a spark and Gagner is a highly animated guy.
But this team likes a few players personally and thats all that matters it seems.

You HVE to play Gags tommorow may be the one and only chance for him to play a playoff game in oilers silks and this team fn owes him that

 

[ChaoticOrange]

The Canucks strategy of cross-checking and slashing McDavid and Draisatil over and over again is now likely paying dividends. We needed to do the same to their impact guys like Garland, Miller, Boeser. Guys like McLeod, Foegele, Perry just haven't done anything to make their top guys pay a price.

Thing is the powerplays were actually there for us for once. The Canucks were getting called on their bullshit, we just didn't take advantage.

 

[K1984]

The frustrating part for me, but also a potential silver lining, is that we have been begging for depth support, and wr got it last night, but the top lines weren't getting it done like they usually do. Kane got one, the bottom line got one, but the Canucks finally figured out how to stop our powerplay for a game, and they stifled our top guys. If McDavid can figure out how to shake Miller (hate him, but he is a playoff beast for sure and is great matched up against superstars), the powerplay can click again, and we get the same effort from our bottom six, we should fare better next game.

This is always how it goes with this team. If the bottom 6 shows the top lines take the night off and vice versa.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I dont get this teams dislike for Gagner.
When he plays he doesn't give up much and has the best scoring rates on the team. This team is desperate for offense. Play him.
This team is desperate for a spark and Gagner is a highly animated guy.
But this team likes a few players personally and thats all that matters it seems.

Gagner isn't good enough. We don't want to screw with the pk, so we don't want to take out any of Ryan, Janmark or Brown, so where does Gagner fit? Maybe in place of Perry? Foegele maybe, but he actually looked good last night and has been good on the pk. McLeod? Who comes out?