Post-Game Talk: Pain - CHI 6 EDM 4 - CHI leads series 1-0

[Snipes45]

Man That STL game and this TO game are pretty tight checking. Makes our game look like it was a scrimmage lol

 

[iCanada]

Man That STL game and this TO game are pretty tight checking. Makes our game look like it was a scrimmage lol

We played like it was a scrimmage.

 

[Mav3rick07]

Man That STL game and this TO game are pretty tight checking. Makes our game look like it was a scrimmage lol

I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed yesterday, it seemed very practice like there was so much open ice.

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

The Oilers lost because McDavid is too bland according to the Avs' beat writer haha.

Or maybe he gives vanilla answers to the media because he's a league ambassador and doesn't want to tell them off for the dumb as shit questions they ask 2/3 of the time because it would look poorly on the league. McDavid is supremely skilled and fast and brings fans to the game with the way he plays, then when he's off the ice he has to sit and patiently listen to guys like Dater ask questions and then write dumb opinions like this one. Not surprising that he loses patience with the media and then gives them f*** you 3 word answers.

Not everybody is a choir boy with the media like Crosby or entertaining like Ovechkin. Doesn't mean he has no fun and personality with his teammates behind closed doors. In fact, if Dater were to maybe do the job a journalist is supposed to do and look at the bench during an Oiler game he would see that McDavid jokes around with his teammates and is talking with them all the time. Of course, I'd imagine he's heard through the grapevine that Draisaitl is going to win the Hart trophy instead of Mackinnon so he's just lashing out at the Oilers any way he can. Too juvenile of a thing for a journalist to do you might ask? Almost as juvenile as suggesting McDavid can't inspire others because he doesn't like being colourful when being interviewed.

 

[Aerchon]

I know most people/fans say McDavid is the best player in the world . Watch Crosby player and he a force all over the ice . McDavid May have a slight edge offensively but Crosby is better everywhere else . Love McDavid but he needs to evolve his game like Crosby did .

While agree with this it also needs to point out Crosby has not always been this way and still has streaks of poor defensive play as well. There is a reason he rarely if ever gets mentioned as a great two way forward come awards and pundit discussions. Crosby gets a bit over valued/hyped this way. Currently better than McDavid but that isnt exactly difficult with the way he has played for well over a year now. Very one dimensional.

 

[29Beast97Mode]

Leafs lost hahaha

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

To the bolded, neither do I but if I'm paying two 2nds for somebody he better move the needle and he hasn't. What's worse? Players who cost league minimum not moving the needle or a player who cost two high draft picks not moving the needle?

My overall point is that team chemistry seemed stronger before the trade deadline. Once Ennis and AA were inserted into the lineup, team play dipped and in fact fell off a cliff prior to the pause. It's quite possible that the team would have struggled even if they stood pat at the deadline but the fact of the matter is that Holland paid a premium for a player who has, and lets be honest, been a big dud thus far. AA gives me Spooner flashbacks, a guy who looked pretty good by the raw offensive numbers at his previous stop but in reality is a poor to at best nothing player if they aren't scoring. Both supposedly had skill but here, just sort of... existed without doing much of anything.

I'm excluding Ennis and Green as @Zaddy pointed out because it only cost a 4th and a 5th for those guys so no harm no foul if they don't pan out.
The AA trade, as of today and I hope to god proves me wrong, looks like a fleecing in favor of the Red Wings. I say this after every game but I keep waiting for AA to show me something, any semblance of a spark to offer hope that this could be a guy who can jump into the top 6 and produce and I continue to come away completely underwhelmed every time. The only time I noticed him yesterday was when he was in the penalty box.

I'm not sure team chemistry was better before the trade deadline. Mainly because I don't know how to quantify it. Scoreboard wise the Oil were in most games post-deadline except the February 26 road game in Vegas where they hit a rising team and hot goalie. Game 6 and 5 before pause they rolled Nashville & won in Dallas on a back-t0-back, both traditionally tough road destinations for this team. They were in all the remaining games though did not necessarily gain points but hardly falling off a cliff.

This team's results buoyed by its great start and January resurgence placed Holland in the position to deliver on a commitment to help this team at the trade deadline. I think most of us expected a or a couple of small tweaks given the salary cap situation but Holland found a way to take a bigger risk/reward move with AA. This was a qualified gamble on a player he knows exceptionally well available at least partially due to a horrible backsliding year. Tantalizing skating ability which could help a team by accounts needing to get faster. A thirty goal season NHL pedigree who could wing it with McDavid or Draisaitl. And age wise just entering prime NHL years. I (and I think others) viewed this as a reasonable risk with potentially to address an immediate need for a quality top six winger(s) this team has been lacking and one with team control as well.

Now, with benefit of hindsight, I agree that AA has not ignited with the change of scenery and has seemed to faded into mediocrity instead of rising on a new, playoff team and opportunity to play with elite centremen. Holland's risk reward deal looks to be a dud. Unfortunate if it turns out to be the case. But I agree with Holland stepping up to do something bold for this team as he had promised.

I just don't see any correlation to this player or the deadline acquisitions diminishing team chemistry or a drop in team performance or results.

 

[space321]

Lol look who liked your post. You 3 are hilariously predictable.

Predictably right, as we will see in a year or two.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I know most people/fans say McDavid is the best player in the world . Watch Crosby player and he a force all over the ice . McDavid May have a slight edge offensively but Crosby is better everywhere else . Love McDavid but he needs to evolve his game like Crosby did .

Peak Crosby is the best all round player I have seen in decades. He doesn't get nearly enough credit for it. Conversely OV spent most of his career being a dimensional one zone player.

The latter only won a cup because of Trotz and a well selected supporting lineup.

I dunno, its been a bit disconcerting lately with McD. Which way is he headed. Simply for the pts stats or for building a winner here? Says one thing in words, but play on ice speaks to another.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Peak Crosby is the best all round player I have seen in decades. He doesn't get nearly enough credit for it. Conversely OV spent most of his career being a dimensional one zone player.

The latter only won a cup because of Trotz and a well selected supporting lineup.

I dunno, its been a bit disconcerting lately with McD. Which way is he headed. Simply for the pts stats or for building a winner here? Says one thing in words, but play on ice speaks to another.

Crosby had Mario as a mentor. McDavid has Kevin Lowe.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

That excuses like 3 of our players

Precisely - your star forwards shouldn’t be playing dump and chase. Your bottom six guys should. And we have some turtles playing that game.

 

[bucks_oil]

Crosby had Mario as a mentor. McDavid has Kevin Lowe.

Oh c'mon... that's a low blow (no pun intended).

Kevin Lowe was widely seen as a great leader on the ice. Let's not disparage that memory simply because of his failings at GM, Hockey Ops, etc.

Also... Crosby got to play with Mario. McD got to play with... Hendricks? Hall?... this team has been devoid of vet leaders for ages. Still is. (I suppose Lowe/MacT could share some of the blame for that though)

 

[McSuper]

Crosby had Mario as a mentor. McDavid has Kevin Lowe.

Well he should be better defensively then !

 

[McRpro]

Crosby had Mario as a mentor. McDavid has Kevin Lowe.

Pfft let's count rings, shall we? 6 > 2 case closed.