Pre-Game Talk: Opening Night Oilers v Canucks Wed WITH FANS!!!

[soothsayer]

When has that ever happened?

Not sure what you're asking.

 

[MessierII]

Stacking the top line yet again is stupid but that fourth line is going to give me nightmares.

I like the 4th line better than the 3rd line right now. That line absolutely knocked it out of the park all pre season.

 

[MessierII]

Not sure what you're asking.

When has Zach Hyman had success in the nhl being the best player on his line?

 

[yukoner88]

What's going to be the split between Koskinen and Smith? I'm wondering if Koskinen is worth keeping on the bench in fantasy.

If both stay healthy I think it'll be Smith with a slight edge starting 45-50 games.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I like the 4th line better than the 3rd line right now. That line absolutely knocked it out of the park all pre season.

I put zero stock into anything that happened in the preseason. Turris and Shore are still black holes.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I mean true, you don’t know for sure till you try them, but based on how all 3 play, it’s easy see and predict that the amount of offence they will generate will be at a third line level

I think they might surprise. I like the combo on paper myself. Let’s see what they do!

 

[McAsuno]

I've implied it but I will state it clearly: Hyman will drive that line.

No he won't. Why risk for Hyman to drive a line (since RNH can't) instead of putting an actual driver on his C like McDavid or Draisaitl.

 

[MessierII]

I put zero stock into anything that happened in the preseason. Turris and Shore are still black holes.

Maybe but with how they played you have to give it a go in the real season. Pre season doesn’t mean much but it doesn’t mean nothing. Crazy would be not playing them together after they lit it up the way they did.

 

[yukoner88]

A line doesn't need a triggerman to be successful. And I don't think RNH has ever centred a player like Hyman, though I could be wrong.

Closest he would've had is Taylor Hall, and for the most part produced well with that type of player on his wing.

Hyman may not be quite the player Hall was here, but he's very much has the north south game in his repertoire. So there's definitely potential for decent chemistry between the 2.

 

[CupofOil]

He's proven that he can produce as a centre in the NHL. I agree that he shouldn't be relied on to drive his own line, which is why I specifically mentioned Hyman's elite ability to grind for the puck and drive the net.

Hyman doesn't need to be a trigger man. And I don't think RNH needs a hired gun to produce points. Also, RNH himself has a deadly wrister and snap shot. If he can get the puck to the net, Hyman can clean it up. Time will tell.

Who is going to get RNH the puck in a position to get off his snap shot? His snap shot is mostly effective on the PP because he has time and space and elite playmakers to play off of. Playing him with two skilled grinders negates his shot and furthermore, neither Hyman or Yamamoto are high shot generators so that negates RNH's playmaking too.

I think it'll be a heavy possession line that generates a lot of offensive zone time but you can see already that they won't generate many high danger chances which, as I said before, is great for the 3rd line if they can wear down the opposition but not for a 2nd line that needs to be more than just a line that kills time until McDrai come back on the ice. I love Hyman as a high end complimentary winger but a line driver he is not and when RNH is relied upon as a line driver, we've seen how that works out time and time, and time again.

Puljujarvi on that line would make much more sense because he's developing confidence with the puck and can supplement RNH with distributing and puckhandling, plus he has the shot that Hyman and Yamamoto don't have.

 

[yukoner88]

No he won't. Why risk for Hyman to drive a line (since RNH can't) instead of putting an actual driver on his C like McDavid or Draisaitl.

Depending on the match ups from the other team, you can slide Draisaitl and Hyman up n down between the 2 lines as needed.

The opposition not knowing what combination coming off the bench can throw off their ability to match lines.

 

[soothsayer]

When Zach Hyman had success in the nhl being the best player on his line?

I don't think that's relevant. My saying that he can drive RNH's line is not the same as saying he'll be the best player on the line. But I do think people underestimate Hyman.

Maybe it doesn't work out. We'll see. But I honestly think people are conflating the Oilers' not having secondary scoring last year with the Oilers playing Draisaitl and McDavid together. I think Hyman and RNH and whomever can make a legitimate second scoring line. So I'm not as concerned about a McDrai line here and there.

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

I've implied it but I will state it clearly: Hyman will drive that line.

 

[yukoner88]

???

 

[McHelpus]

I'm giving Tippett a break on those lines for now. He sees our opening schedule and if they can get a good start then it'll be huge.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I think they might surprise. I like the combo on paper myself. Let’s see what they do!

View attachment 469593

What about it do you like on paper?

 

[PumpkinBomb]

Based on the practice lines they indeed intend to load up the top line with McD/Drai/Pulju... horrible idea in my opinion, what made Tippett do this?

ok so the intent isn’t to play them the whole season together.

Tippet will never say it publicly but McDavid and Drai will be paired together against teams that have no depth. So Van and Calgary and a few others. McDavid and Drai are pretty much guaranteed 3 points each and as long as the goaltending is even average it’s an easy two points.
Against teams that can actually defend they will spread the wealth around

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

What about it do you like on paper?

All 3 are good as forecheckers esp the 2 wingers as F1s and when RNH does play C he generally plays a great F2 cutting off the outlet or backing up the D on a pinch. If that works well it wears down the D over a game and builds sustained ozone pressure the following line can take advantage of. They may not score at a top end 2nd line pace but their effectiveness may mean a lower GA with more o zone time and creating offence for follow on lines - like McDrai.

And if it turns out not to be effective we can switch around anytime.

 

[CycloneSweep]

All 3 are good as forecheckers esp the 2 wingers as F1s and when RNH does play C he generally plays a great F2 cutting off the outlet or backing up the D on a pinch. If that works well it wears down the D over a game and builds sustained ozone pressure the following line can take advantage of. They may not score at a top end 2nd line pace but their effectiveness may mean a lower GA with more o zone time and creating offence for follow on lines - like McDrai.

And if it turns out not to be effective we can switch around anytime.

So pretty much a repeat of our 3rd line. Which isn’t bad, but again it solely relies on our top line for all the offense

 

[nexttothemoon]

Just out of curiosity:

Past 3 seasons... individual pts/60 at 5 on 5 for all Oilers:

1 McDavid 3.04
2 Draisaitl 2.69
3 Hyman 1.97
4 Ryan 1.81
5 RNH 1.75
6 Yamamoto 1.72
7 Kassian 1.62
8 Foegele 1.54
9 Sceviour 1.36
10 Turris 1.32
11 Shore 1.30
12 Puljujarvi 1.23
13 Perlini 1.10
14 Benson 0.88
15 McLeod 0.56

*Archibald 1.14

1 Barrie 1.30
2 Nurse 1.12
3 Bouchard 0.92
4 Keith 0.88
5 Ceci 0.87
6 Koekkoek 0.80
7 Russell 0.70
8 Lagesson 0.37

 

[yukoner88]

So pretty much a repeat of our 3rd line. Which isn’t bad, but again it solely relies on our top line for all the offense

Having Foegele, Ryan, and Perlini among the bottom 6 really improves the abilities of the lower half of the line up compared to the prior 2 seasons. We aren't nearly as top heavy as before, so loading up the top line at times is much less of a worry as it was before...in my opinion anyway

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

So pretty much a repeat of our 3rd line. Which isn’t bad, but again it solely relies on our top line for all the offense

The ability to repeatedly hem a team in the ozone cannot be understated and when the forechecking line has the goalscoring capabilities as this line should have it makes for a force multiplier.

We’ve not had 3 lines that can forecheck with goal scoring capabilities like what we’ve had now since probably 06. Add the rush line of McDrai w PJ, the puck being in the ozone end for longer stretches of time which also brings the GA down and these lines could be very effective esp against teams that aren’t very deep.

 

[CycloneSweep]

The ability to repeatedly hem a team in the ozone cannot be understated and when the forechecking line has the goalscoring capabilities as this line should have it makes for a force multiplier.

We’ve not had 3 lines that can forecheck with goal scoring capabilities like what we’ve had now since probably 06. Add the rush line of McDrai w PJ and the puck being in the ozone end for longer stretches of time it brings the GA down and it could be very effective esp against teams that aren’t very deep.

In theory yes. The issue this team has always had is we will have stretches where we hem them in, can’t score and then a rush chances against goes in. So having only 1 line with strong goal scorers and most of our defense struggles with rush chances makes it quite difficult. Maybe Yamamoto or Hyman will become a good shooters but who knows

 

[McBeastMode]

I had no idea Willy Nelson was an Oiler fan!

That's hippie bandanna guy..

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

In theory yes. The issue this team has always had is we will have stretches where we hem them in, can’t score and then a rush chances against goes in. So having only 1 line with strong goal scorers and most of our defense struggles with rush chances makes it quite difficult. Maybe Yamamoto or Hyman will become a good shooters but who knows

I think our 3-4 lines will contribute far more than what we’ve had recently. If Hyman and Yamo can get things going on line 2 we’ve really got a great combo. Willing to see what happens and yes it might not work.

I think McDrai get separated for stronger teams however.