Post-Game Talk: Not good enough.

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Expected for sure, but be sure not to underestimate them. Them going off could be enough for a W despite the other issues we have. Other issues are somewhat concerning but Picks has been solid. Bouchs mistake was uncharacteristic of how he’s played in these playoffs and this series, a completely avoidable mistake too. He could easily normalize and start Bouch bombing for Ws again. Line 4 has been good and earned the production they finally got. PP1 will rebound. Kulak and Vinny still getting the job done. Nurse and Ceci unfortunately will be an ever- constant worry, we’ve survived them so far though, so here’s hoping.

Reasonable posts. Appreciate the glass half full.

Hard to imagine McDavid and Draisaitl getting 6:06 and 6:08 minutes of PP time and getting skunked. Bouchard with 6:34 PP minutes with nada. And one assist between the three of them. Kane and Holloway are looking good to support L2 and Line 4 was probably the best line of the night. Pickard was very good and kept them in it. Too bad to waste his work. With the heavy ice tilt for period 2 and 3, I'm a bit surprised Knoblauch didn't order up the Stack Line to try to drive some zone time and momentum. Another firm test of this team's resiliency.

Rack them for game 6. If this team's elites get skunked again they are going golfing and don't deserve the series. Reset to their normal production and goaltending holds, they could claw out a game 6 home W.

 

[Drivesaitl]

This is true. Gretzky had elite wingers like kurri Anderson Simpson for years. In the entirety of their careers in Edmonton we have 2 years of Zach Hyman for both mcdavid and drai.

Rest of the wingers are pretty much d grade khaira Yamamoto Foegele tier.

Simpson played mostly with Anderson and Messier in what was a very good 2nd line. Gretz often had a support winger on his line. Kurri the great shooter on the wing, and just a third supporting.

Our own @The Panther has compiled all this for us to look at. Thanks btw, never knew this was there till searching.

Wayne Gretzky's NHL regular line-mates (1979-1999)

Can anyone help, especially with the L.A. / NYR seasons where it's a bit blurry?: 1979-80 Callighen & MacDonald 1980-81 Callighen & MacDonald (?) Callighen & Kurri 1981-82 Semenko & Lumley ___ (?) & Kurri 1982-83 Anderson & Kurri 1983-84 Pouzar & Kurri 1984-85 Krushelnyski & Kurri 1985-86...

forums.hfboards.com

Gretz rarely was playing with two stars. It was Kurri and a third, invariably. It was that every season.

So any talk of McD's linemates not being good enough, or as good is inaccurate.

 

[belair]

Its playoffs. Skinner has never been the best guy, not either postseason, and not even close and the vast majority of starts he gets goalied by the other guy.

Really I'd despise the team starting Skinner and especially after seeing how well Pickard has played.

Pickard has played well. But he also doesn't have the track record of tying these games together at this level. He's also given up goals in the dying minutes in two straight.

The Oilers that have three guys that they can dress that both give them the chance to win and have a chance of failing spectacularly. Choices, choices.

 

[Oilhawks]

Simpson played mostly with Anderson and Messier in what was a very good 2nd line. Gretz often had a support winger on his line. Kurri the great shooter on the wing, and just a third supporting.

Our own @The Panther has compiled all this for us to look at. Thanks btw, never knew this was there till searching.

Wayne Gretzky's NHL regular line-mates (1979-1999)

Can anyone help, especially with the L.A. / NYR seasons where it's a bit blurry?: 1979-80 Callighen & MacDonald 1980-81 Callighen & MacDonald (?) Callighen & Kurri 1981-82 Semenko & Lumley ___ (?) & Kurri 1982-83 Anderson & Kurri 1983-84 Pouzar & Kurri 1984-85 Krushelnyski & Kurri 1985-86...

forums.hfboards.com

Gretz rarely was playing with two stars. It was Kurri and a third, invariably. It was that every season.

So any talk of McD's linemates not being good enough, or as good is absolute BS.

Many of the same fans that will endlessly carry water for him will also be the first to criticize Leon for a lazy game in the middle of December. McDavid's great playoff offensive numbers hide that his game has been pedestrian by his standards since that LA 2022 series. If he could channel some of that they win this in 7. I'm doubtful

 

[McShogun99]

our bottom 6 scored last night

the top line was atrocious

That’s just one game. How many times during the year has our bottom six been a factor.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Pickard has played well. But he also doesn't have the track record of tying these games together at this level. He's also given up goals in the dying minutes in two straight.

The Oilers that have three guys that they can dress that both give them the chance to win and have a chance of failing spectacularly. Choices, choices.

First he doesn't have the track record of being a legit NHl goalie option. Then when he disproves that wrong he doesn't have the track record to play many games. When he proves tthat wrong its onto he doesn't have the track record to be a starter. Then in playoffs it goes from "he's not even an option in playoffs" to "he can't start games in playoffs"

Oh and all season there was the horshshwaggle bs that he can only play against the worst teams.

yet here he is and predictably his every stat line in playoffs is miles better than Skinner and has made several saves that would be likely goals against Skinner.

Man oh man the Pickard is just lousy stuff can just stop. Skinner is NOT the best option in playoffs and arguably never was.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Pickard has played well. But he also doesn't have the track record of tying these games together at this level. He's also given up goals in the dying minutes in two straight.

The Oilers that have three guys that they can dress that both give them the chance to win and have a chance of failing spectacularly. Choices, choices.

Pickard has been very good. The goals he's given up were a result of three consecutive clean face-off losses in game 4 (Draisaitl x2 and Ryan on the pinball bounce-in empty netter. Last night the Oilers again had a clean-face off loss and ultimately a perfect bounce off a post and tap-in on a blown coverage by McDavid. The critical tying goal was on a home plate turnover blunder by Bouchard.

This is a critical decision that's challenging to see Skinner elevating to give them better goaltending than they've received in the last two.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Many of the same fans that will endlessly carry water for him will also be the first to criticize Leon for a lazy game in the middle of December. McDavid's great playoff offensive numbers hide that his game has been pedestrian by his standards since that LA 2022 series. If he could channel some of that they win this in 7. I'm doubtful

Lets trade the lazy german posts while we can were always among my best of dimbulbs favorites. With several of those posts occurring.

Like other posters have mentioned its like goldfish in here with 15sec memories. Every post season is gold, and everytime posters saying "sorry about all the things I said about Drai" most of them do it again, and again. Maybe theres some that are sincere converts.

Pay the man. Imagine how bad this team would be in playoffs without him.

 

[Drivesaitl]

That’s just one game. How many times during the year has our bottom six been a factor.

Foegele+McLeod combined just this season had as many goals as the best player in the world. Considering neither get much PP toi, or topsix toi, and play considerably less minutes, that should be a shocking state of affairs.

McD scoring wise has had a very suspect season and playoffs. Will go down in footnotes as WTF happened to McD that whole season and playoffs?

Lets be clear here too. JT Miller is blowing McD out of the water. One could look at the whole series being evidence of McD being shutdown, outworked, outhit but theres last night with McD losing his check on Miller who goes on to score the winning goal late in a critical game because McD left him alone and just again got outworked on the play.

people will blame the coach, blame the D, blame anything but Connor losing his guy, ironically the guy checking him, and leaving him wide open in slot to score. That is so bad I can't underline it more.

JT Miller, if he does nothing else in his career can say I was owning the greatest player on EArth for 5 games and not be a liar.

 

[Oilhawks]

Pickard has been very good. The goals he's given up were a result of three consecutive clean face-off losses in game 4 (Draisaitl x2 and Ryan on the pinball bounce-in empty netter. Last night the Oilers again had a clean-face off loss and ultimately a perfect bounce off a post and tap-in on a blown coverage by McDavid. The critical tying goal was on a home plate turnover blunder by Bouchard.

This is a critical decision that's challenging to see Skinner elevating to give them better goaltending than they've received in the last two.

Yes, starting Skinner would send the wrong message to the group and to Pickard, who, while not under contract next year (and unlikely to return IMO), has earned the next start keeping the team in during a flaccid 2nd and 3rd period

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Hyman just came off a 54 goal season and has 9 in playoffs. Of the two Drai has worse linemates and still produces. Its an excuse. Drai even makes Holloway happen, He makes even McLeod happen, currently he's the only one making Kane happen. Fact of the matter is Drai can get more out of ordinary players than McD can. Nor are Nuge or Hyman ordinary.

Season and playoffs HYman now has twice as many goals as McD while you're expressing concern that his wingers are holding McD back..

Gretz often played with Kurri, yes, he also often had a third that was not a star. Guys like Krushylnyski.

lets remember as well Gretz even got fire hydrants like Blair Macdonald over 40 goals.

Hyman's goal scoring is almost completely a function of McDavid. Hyman would be hard-pressed to score 20 on the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hyman isn't strong in carrying the puck and his passing is substandard, imo. His 54 goal season was a gift from McDavid. His goal chart suggests that his average goal distance is less than 5 feet. I'll give him a smidgeon of credit for "being where they ain't". But they ain't there because of McDavid.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hymangoalchart.png

Holloway had 2 goals in one game vs LA. Goose eggs across the board other than that. I'd hardly consider that "making Holloway happen". At least this post season.

Anyway, I'm an outsider who's a fan of the Oilers and enjoy your posts and many of the other posters here and I won't intrude any further. I hope the Oilers can somehow regroup and get past the Canucks. Watching McD and Drai in their primes and not getting a Cup is not a pleasant thing. I hope your next GM can get the support those two need. But, more importantly, I hope Holland doesn't end up with my "home team" Columbus

Go Oilers!

 

[Pavel10]

Simpson played mostly with Anderson and Messier in what was a very good 2nd line. Gretz often had a support winger on his line. Kurri the great shooter on the wing, and just a third supporting.

Our own @The Panther has compiled all this for us to look at. Thanks btw, never knew this was there till searching.

Wayne Gretzky's NHL regular line-mates (1979-1999)

Can anyone help, especially with the L.A. / NYR seasons where it's a bit blurry?: 1979-80 Callighen & MacDonald 1980-81 Callighen & MacDonald (?) Callighen & Kurri 1981-82 Semenko & Lumley ___ (?) & Kurri 1982-83 Anderson & Kurri 1983-84 Pouzar & Kurri 1984-85 Krushelnyski & Kurri 1985-86...

forums.hfboards.com

Gretz rarely was playing with two stars. It was Kurri and a third, invariably. It was that every season.

So any talk of McD's linemates not being good enough, or as good is inaccurate.

Honeslty it was always unfair to compare mcdavid to Gretzky. He would win the art Ross just with assists alone. Gretzky and co beat the Canucks 18 straight times back when ties were results.

This should put it to rest.

Anyways Tim Peel who's tight with evander and leaks confirmed mcdavid is injured.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Yes, starting Skinner would send the wrong message to the group and to Pickard, who, while not under contract next year (and unlikely to return IMO), has earned the next start keeping the team in during a flaccid 2nd and 3rd period

It's high risk, low reward to hope you can get the equal of Pickard's .914 SV% last night or .905 SV% win. The veteran's risen to the big moment pressure while the young guy has not. I don't think there's any question involved.

 

[Yablo21]

Not even close to good enough, from pretty much top to bottom. McDavid has been pretty bad lately. I'm guessing must be an injury. Nucks showed tons of heart and determination tonight. We lacked both.

He is moving fine, I don't think its an injury, he has just stopped shooting which makes him far to easy to defend against. So many passes being picked off.

 

[Pavel10]

Yes, starting Skinner would send the wrong message to the group and to Pickard, who, while not under contract next year (and unlikely to return IMO), has earned the next start keeping the team in during a flaccid 2nd and 3rd period

Oh you never know tho... The leadership group may have given their vote of confidence for Skinner

 

[Salvaged Ship]

It's high risk, low reward to hope you can get the equal of Pickard's .914 SV% last night or .905 SV% win. The veteran's risen to the big moment pressure while the young guy has not. I don't think there's any question involved

This speculation keeps coming up by some in here that Skinner might start next game, where is this coming from? I haven’t seen anything out there, has anyone? It would make zero sense and I can’t believe it would even be considered. Pickard was the best player on the team last night. It’s a dead issue, Skinner is done.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Hyman's goal scoring is almost completely a function of McDavid. Hyman would be hard-pressed to score 20 on the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hyman isn't strong in carrying the puck and his passing is substandard, imo. His 54 goal season was a gift from McDavid. His goal chart suggests that his average goal distance is less than 5 feet. I'll give him a smidgeon of credit for "being where they ain't". But they ain't there because of McDavid.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hymangoalchart.png

Holloway had 2 goals in one game vs LA. Goose eggs across the board other than that. I'd hardly consider that "making Holloway happen". At least this post season.

Anyway, I'm an outsider who's a fan of the Oilers and enjoy your posts and many of the other posters here and I won't intrude any further. I hope the Oilers can somehow regroup and get past the Canucks. Watching McD and Drai in their primes and not getting a Cup is not a pleasant thing. I hope your next GM can get the support those two need. But, more importantly, I hope Holland doesn't end up with my "home team" Columbus

Go Oilers!

This sort of thing is always an interesting discussion. But again Gretz got more than 40 goals out of Blair Macdonald. He elevated Macdonald to a near 100pt season. Macdonald was somebody that wasn;t even NHL caliber if he didn't happen to be property of the expansion Edmonton OIlers who needed players.
Gretz once got a hat trick out of Dave Semenko. he got hat tricks for several players you would least expect it from. Gretz was truly great like that truth said could play with anybody and prevail with anybody.

Conversely Mcd isn't even the best at using linemates on this club. Drai is.

Its not entirely accurate that Hyman is a function of anyone specifically or that more of his contribution is coming from a determination to score and prevail. Ryan Smyth played the exact same game as Zach Hyman and he didn't need great feeds at net to do so, he just needed to be pretty damn good at finishing around net, what people call "garbage goals" but to others are the hardest working goals in hockey.

Put it this way. How many McD assists this season don't happen without Hyman, Drai, Booch finishing like studs? Cause and effect in hockey is hard if not impossible to determine.

Never a problem with a fan coming in here if they want just talk and not give us the gears. Have a good day.

It's high risk, low reward to hope you can get the equal of Pickard's .914 SV% last night or .905 SV% win. The veteran's risen to the big moment pressure while the young guy has not. I don't think there's any question involved.

The young guy isn't young either. Most elite goalies in history have already showcased being elite by Skinners age. He just is what he is. Fred Skinner. Any more seasons tacked onto this guy is starter are wasted seasons. He's a backup, he is that much.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Going for a job interview with another team while your current organization and the team you constructed is in an absolute dog fight in the playoffs is kind of a slap in the face imo.

25 million dollars and he’s out there door before the run is even over.

I get the frustration but he been out since a good year,
He show up but he not in charge anymore.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I get the frustration but he been out since a good year,
He show up but he not in charge anymore.

? He was running the ship at the TDL.

 

[Drivesaitl]

This speculation keeps coming up by some in here that Skinner might start next game, where is this coming from? I haven’t seen anything out there, has anyone? It would make zero sense and I can’t believe it would even be considered. Pickard was the best player on the team last night. It’s a dead issue, Skinner is done.

Paranoia. I have it.

It shouldn't happen. But from what I've seen from this org personnel decisions I almost expect the worst.

 

[ManofSteel55]

If Henrique is healthy you pull out Brown and Perry.

Perry for sure. Brown has been okay on the bottom line though. I'd consider pulling out Perry and Foegele. Last night was Foegele's only really decent game this series.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

? He was running the ship at the TDL.

I dont think he was still calling the shots by that point, I can be wrong.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

This sort of thing is always an interesting discussion. But again Gretz got more than 40 goals out of Blair Macdonald. Gretz once got a hat trick out of Dave Semenko. he got hat tricks for several players you would least expect it from. Gretz was truly great like that truth said could play with anybody and prevail with anybody.

Conversely Mcd isn't even the best at using linemates on this club. Drai is.

Its not entirely accurate that Hyman is a function of anyone specifically or that more of his contribution is coming from a determination to score and prevail. Ryan Smyth played the exact same game as Zach Hyman and he didn't need great feeds at net to do so, he just needed to be pretty damn good at finishing around net, what people call "garbage goals" but to others are the hardest working goals in hockey.

Put it this way. How many McD assists this season don't happen without Hyman, Drai, Booch finishing like studs? Cause and effect in hockey is hard if not impossible to determine.

Never a problem with a fan coming in here if they want just talk and give us the gears. Have a good day.


The young guy isn't young either. Most elite goalies in history have already showcased being elite by Skinners age. He just is what he is. Fred Skinner. Any more seasons tacked onto this guy is starter are wasted seasons. He's a backup, he is that much.

Inexperienced a better word. Skinner should have been onboarding as an NHL back-up. He was always a mid range prospect not elite who had to outkick his coverage.

Your posts about McDavid are kinda strange. He's always been a line driver who's elevated all of his line mates. He's also been the distributor for a big chunk of Draisaitl's production with their line time on Stack Line and PP. He breaks down the opposition coverage with his speed and processor which creates space for finishers like Hyman and Draisaitl.

Canucks have bottled him up. It's a game plan that's working with overplay on McDavid. He's uncharacteristically off. This is a team sport and hard to make a comparison to Gretzky with a stacked team voted the best in NHL history. And McDavid and Draisaitl are deeply connected in shared success with a ton of icetime together which often hollows out a shallow depth team even more. The power play last night which is driven by both players was 0 for 5. Pot one of those and it's a different game. Failing to convert early PP's was a definitive difference in that game. And that, as in all team sports, is a team issue.

 

[MoontoScott]

Paranoia. I have it.

It shouldn't happen. But from what I've seen from this org personnel decisions I almost expect the worst.

You know what Woody Allen said.

 

[LTIR]

He is moving fine, I don't think its an injury, he has just stopped shooting which makes him far to easy to defend against. So many passes being picked off.

Could be a wrist ,elbow, shoulder, hand injury. McDavid basically passed up a breakaway for a low percentage lame pass to no one last night. Maybe there is a reason to him not doing what he has been doing for a while.

McDavid , Bouchard, Drai and Hyman cost us the game last night..