Oilers lose 3-2 in a close one. Get well soon, Nurse!

[Cawz]

^theyre trying to shape public opinion that this stuff happens to MCD and goes unanswered(all part of their propaganda: no teammates stick up for him(false) and by not showing a penalty call, the refs don't either) to get him more powerplays. Tsn has mcd's back and they want googly eye stats from him

Well, I was happy they made that call. They almost never call a chippy little shot like that a penalty. The legaue needs to realize which side their bread is buttered on and keep the stars in the game.

Like when Hall got a high-hit and interference ignored against him in the Columbus game. I'm sorry, but thats an all-star getting taken out by a cheap-shot, and you give the Oilers a penalty when they stand up for it? Thats why the NHL will always lag behind the other sports. They realize they need to protect their stars. Now you dont need to go as far as a 2-tiers rule book, but you shouldnt ignore cheap-shots against the players fans pay to see.

...but this is getting off topic.

 

[McBeastMode]

 

[Dorian2]

You should really have more recognition around here ConYak. You put up some good ones.

 

[ZJuice]

Just watch him, he's skating by guys without even touching them or putting a stick on them, not moving his feet, he waits for his teammates to go in to forecheck when he could have been first man in, short shifts, uninterested play, etc. I know he has troubles with some of these things buts it almost seems deliberate how much it has increased the last 2

I wouldn't read too much into it. Yakupov is smart enough to know that poor play won't get rewarded with prime minutes. I think in general he is lost on the ice, and not because he isn't getting McDavid time.

 

[McTrashBoat]

You inspired me:

 

[Elric]

That's ********. He started slow after coming back from injury but once he rounded into form he was back to putting up his career average ppg. The problem people have with Eberle is he's not the protoypical workhorse all around hockey player who hits and fights and battles for pucks, but he is a vary valuable hockey player precisely because he puts up points. In a lot of ways he's like Patrick Kane because Kane doesnt get involved in all those battles that people want a hockey player to be in but he puts up points, he's faster than Eberle so he's probably going to score more points but they have the same downside. Neither of them take a hit to make a play because they are small and will get laid out, they're better off letting the bigger player get the puck on the board and then trying to pick their pocket. If you've been around long enough you heard the same complaints about Gretzky, not big enough, not strong enough, not good enough defensively. Everyone wants Eric Lindros but it turned out he wasnt near the hockey player everyone thought, the modern day equivalent is Rick Nash and i'd take Patrick Kane over Nash any day.

It's understandable when we've been doing horrible that people look to make trades and I accept that trading Eberle is a possibility if it makes the team better but the endless slagging him for supposed poor play is hard to take around here. It was going around with Hall last year and guess what the complaints about him were just as true, he has holes in his game but what he does outweighs any downside. It's true with Eberle as well.

A little late to the game here but kudos for the post. Ebs is a sniper, and paid accordingly. We do need defense but top end RW is not exactly a position of strength with this team. Wingers also bring a lower return than centers or D. We also have a potentially generational center who has to play with someone. Finding the winger who can bring out all his potential is critical. Its not about "anybody can get points with Conner" (see the search for Crosby wingers). I love Nuge but IF a top end forward has to go this year I hope its him.