Pre-Game Talk: Oilers stars oct 26 7pm

[Mav3rick07]

Our lineup stinks. Needs more Yam.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So we've got our #2 C and our #4C as top 6 RWers going into the game tonight. Message from McLellan to Chiarelli that the player group he's given him isn't cutting it?

Theres an echo in here. I just stated that on the first page.

Too early for "philosophical differences"

Albeit McLellan is conflicting even himself. Nuge is his guy, his "shutdown guy" and "playing the best on the team" but he's slotting in Letestu, who he trusts, to shore up what he's pretending is a shutdown line. Maybe he had a reality attack in OT in the last game. I dunno. If Nuge is playing so well, as Mclellan say he is than why does he require the defensive help?

I guess since we don't actually have a true defensive Center on the club Mclellan figures 2X.5DC=1

I don't trust the math entirely.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Anyone expecting a goal explosion from us... Bishops career against us..

5-1-1 0.939 s% and a 1.82 GAA.

If we allow 2 goals the game is pretty much done, at least that's the way they should look at it.

I change my prediction

3-2 Dallas

 

[Jesus Take the Wheel]

TMac needs to stop being stupid with his lines.

Maroon-McDavid-Yam
Lucic-Drai-Caggs
Jokinen-RNH-Slep/Strome
Khaira-Letestu-Kassian

Drai looked fine centering his own line last game and Yam was still fine with McDavid, just cause we got robbed 3-4 times doesnt mean we need to throw our lines into a f***ing blender after 2 periods

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

I hope Bishop is still distracted from his drama with Coach Hitchcock.
Had enough of these hot goalies playing the games of their lives

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Anyone expecting a goal explosion from us... Bishops career against us..

5-1-1 0.939 s% and a 1.82 GAA.

If we allow 2 goals the game is pretty much done, at least that's the way they should look at it.

I change my prediction

3-2 Dallas

That's the spirit!

 

[tiger_80]

Losing Eberle and Pouliot probably hurts this team more than many are willing to recognize. Eberle, whatever his faults, is a legitimate second liner and Pouliot was a solid 3rd line pk specialist, who could chip in some offensive when on top of his game. Strome and Jokinen who were supposed to replace them have been duds.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Losing Eberle and Pouliot probably hurts this team more than many are willing to recognize. Eberle, whatever his faults, is a legitimate second liner and Pouliot was a solid 3rd line pk specialist, who could chip in some offensive when on top of his game. Strome and Jokinen who were supposed to replace them have been duds.

Pouliot was beyond terrible last season and took the dumbest penalties on the team, is not missed

 

[KCC]

What's the point in keeping McDavid and Drai together when in the long term there going to have to center their own line for this team to get any further. They can't afford to keep RNH so when he's gone next year they will have no choice.

 

[Digger12]

What's the point in keeping McDavid and Drai together when in the long term there going to have to center their own line for this team to get any further. They can't afford to keep RNH so when he's gone next year they will have no choice.

All true, but from McLellan's perspective he's just trying to win the next game and will worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. He doesn't wear a GM hat.

Rightly or wrongly, given the absolute dearth of offensive production from all of the natural RWs on this team so far this year, he's thinking that 97 & 29 on the same line gives this team the best chance of scoring more than 1 goal in a game.

 

[Mav3rick07]

Those lines


Is Bob Hartley available ?

 

[oXo Cube]

What's the point in keeping McDavid and Drai together when in the long term there going to have to center their own line for this team to get any further. They can't afford to keep RNH so when he's gone next year they will have no choice.

Not Todd's job to worry about that. He is just trying to win the game tonight.

 

[joestevens29]

All true, but from McLellan's perspective he's just trying to win the next game and will worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. He doesn't wear a GM hat.

Rightly or wrongly, given the absolute dearth of offensive production from all of the natural RWs on this team so far this year, he's thinking that 97 & 29 on the same line gives this team the best chance of scoring more than 1 goal in a game.

At the end of the day the hope is that line scores and the other lines play off of them like they did last year.

At some point he will need to split them, but for now he's trying to find that spark that will get the rest of the team going.

 

[bone]

I just want us to score first so we have a lead

I wonder what the record is for minutes without a lead. I remember Vancouver having a long stretch without a lead to start last year (more than 10 games) despite winning their first 4 games, but we're well into the 400 minute range now. That's crazy.

 

[BlackDogg]

Luc with the OT winner.

 

[Draw Me a McElephant]

Tonight the Oilers will fix their shooting and save percentage numbers in a single game. They get outshot 51 - 16 but win 15 - 0. McDavid with 14 goals, Drai 14 assists, and Talbot scores an empty netter when Dallas pulls their goalie down 14 - 0.

 

[McNuge]

Expecting a loss... so lets go with 13-0 for the good guys. GO OIL!

 

[joestevens29]

Tonight the Oilers will fix their shooting and save percentage numbers in a single game. They get outshot 51 - 16 but win 15 - 0. McDavid with 14 goals, Drai 14 assists, and Talbot scores an empty netter when Dallas pulls their goalie down 14 - 0.

You missed the whole "I'm not sure why I was pulled" Ben Bishop in the post game.

 

[StevenF1919]

The lineup is brutal but I'm expecting Connor McJesus to have a multi-point night and Talbot to continue his strong play for a win.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

That's how brutal this season is...a brutal forward lineup yet everyone is healthy.

 

[KarmaPolice]

We’re in desperate need of a top 6 rw. I’d also like to see

Maroon McDavid rnh
Lucic drai yamo/jp/some forward we traded for

Mentioned this a couple times before, but I'd love to pick up Josh Leivo from the Leafs. I think he can be a 50-55 point right-winger, replacing Eberle's lost production, only quite a bit better defensively and winning board battles (Leivo is 6-foot 2-inches (4 inches taller than Eberle) and has more than 20 pounds on Eberle as well, so that helps). But I doubt the Leafs would trade him for cheap.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Mentioned this a couple times before, but I'd love to pick up Josh Leivo from the Leafs. I think he can be a 50-55 point right-winger, replacing Eberle's lost production, only quite a bit better defensively and winning board battles (Leivo is 6-foot 2-inches (4 inches taller than Eberle) and has more than 20 pounds on Eberle as well, so that helps). But I doubt the Leafs would trade him for cheap.

Incoming RNH for Leivo and then Todd runs McDavid, Strome, Letestu, Khaira as our centers

 

[Tyrolean]

Pitlick for the Hattrick!

 

[KarmaPolice]

Incoming RNH for Leivo and then Todd runs McDavid, Strome, Letestu, Khaira as our centers

Ugh...Todd. I'm sure Todd would eventually move McDavid to LW, then have our centers as Letestu as the 1st line C, then Strome, then Caggiula, then Khaira. Honestly, anything Todd does doesn't surprise me anymore. I've never called him a ****ing idiot, but I'm getting very close to that POV. I've been on the fence with Todd up to this point, giving him the benefit of the doubt. I didn't see his "coaching" help us win too many games last season; in fact it was the other way around, where we regularly got out-coached, but won inspite of it most of the time.

My faith in Chia is starting to lower a bit, too. Should've made a trade for Mike Green from Detroit, as they are rebuilding. Who cares if it would've even cost 2 first picks (which it wouldn't)? We need a guy like Mike Green on D 100 times more than anything else, including a RW. To people who can't see that, let's just agree to disagree. But we lack D that are composed with the puck and can make great tape to tape break-out passes to create great opportunities off the fly. That's not in Russell's play book; he's all about chipping it out (except for the 1 in a million break-away pass he serves up, but not nearly often enough). Put Mike Green on this D from the start of training season, and we're averaging at least a half-goal per game more than we are, and I think close to 1 more goal a game than what we're scoring. That's the game now: you need D who can make fast, head-up passes for a fast counter-attack. We really only have Klefbom and Sekera (out) who can do that. I think 3 of your top 4 should be able to make those passes, and have 1 defensive stalwart (Larsson). Neither Green or Leivo is going to happen, so just have to hope some players find something to raise their game (like, oh I don't know, pride?). Green has 11 points in 10 games so far, by the way (must be too old...give me a break, to anyone who thinks that). Any of our D have production even close to that? I don't even think if you add up all our D production it would get to 11 points total. ****!!! It was so so so obvious to me. Damn you, Chia. All last season I was calling to trade for him.

So frustrating when you know what your team needs but your GM doesn't have a clue. If he thought Russell was an answer with Sekera out on the 2nd pairing, then I have no choice but to lose a bit of faith. But it can be regained by both Todd and Chia. We'll see, but not looking too good so far (but still early).

Also, I REALLY wish Klefbom would take his head out of his ass and play like he can. He must be hurt. I can't see any other reason for his lack-luster play. Makes no sense.

 

[McBeastMode]

As Gretzky once said.."You miss 100% of the shots you do not take..".

Oilers miss over 96% of the shots they do take....