Post-Game Talk: Playoff Push 2019: Oilers 3, Coyotes 1

[The Hound]

I caught the third period. How did Kass look on 97’s line all game? I was hoping when Hitch was hired he’d bring out the Kass that had top 6 potential on the canucks.

 

[Nostradumbass]

I caught the third period. How did Kass look on 97’s line all game? I was hoping when Hitch was hired he’d bring out the Kass that had top 6 potential on the canucks.

He looked decent. He seemed uncertain where to go in the offensive zone at times or how to play when the Oilers had the puck, but he laid the body, did some digging in the corners and wasn't atrocious defensively. He has good speed so if he can learn how to play with those 2, he could be an option to rotate in/out with Rattie depending on who has the hot hand.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I caught the third period. How did Kass look on 97’s line all game? I was hoping when Hitch was hired he’d bring out the Kass that had top 6 potential on the canucks.

He impressed me. Very underrated passer IMO. Kept up with mcdavid and Drai which was huge. Also would use his body to get the puck back which was refreshing to see on the top line. Made a wonderful assist on the GWG. He wasn’t just a passanger on McDavids line and that is saying a lot. He earned another game up there.

 

[Hippasus]

I feel asleep in 2nd. I read the player grades in Edmonton Journal and they are saying Puju is playing better every game. Sound right?

I don't know about every game, but he is improving. He seems like he could start getting some points with a bit more luck or improvement. He looks decent as part of the cycle with his speed and size.

 

[Jamin]

I thought Kass looked good on first line and said he would before the game. He adds the grunt work the line needs and we haven't had that since Maroon was here. Kass won't score many goals on that line like Chiasson but I feel he adds more, much more, in the corners and forecheck and is stronger on the puck. I liked that line soon as I saw it. Drai also benefits from playing with players that are strong on the puck.

Kass is a somewhat talented player and its easy to lose sight of that because he really is one of those players that sink below his capability. Play him with our bottomsix plugs and you very rarely see any offensive acumen. Put him in big situations and you see it. The guy thinks the game at a decent level, and its evident, when he's playing with talent. On the winning goal Kass actually read that Drai was saucering the puck to an open space. Most players wouldn't know what was on, on that play. Some would think it was just a dump in. Kass read the play and fed McD for the winner.

This not even mentioning that when Kass is engaged he is a solid 200ft player, when he checks out he isn't. Kass hasn't deserved this assignment on basis of play this season, but he should do well in it for awhile until we get numbers back from injury.

But what is most illustrative last night is how much more McDrai benefit from having a strong player to work with vs a Yamamoto who just doesn't sustain possession at this level. Our topline gets somebody to do grunt work last night and they score all 3 goals. A good night.

This is why I didnt like Chiasson on the top line. He was playing the floater not the grinder. I didnt like seeing Mcdavid and Drai battling in the corners while he is waiting in the slot to get his shot off.

 

[Jamin]

Not sure if it was mentioned but Snet last night sunk to a new level of inept. They go to commercial breaks when there isn't even a commercial timeout in the arena thus missing over a minute of play in the 2nd period. I haven't seen that done since ITV was doing the Oilers telecasts (the same broadcast outlet that had the foresight to tape over a catalog of legendary Oilers games in the 80's.)

Anyway they don't even mention it. They rotate two commercials before some dimbulb on the broadcast must have noticed the game was going on. So that they return right to ensuing live action.

In the previous game one of their cameras was faulty with choppy video. Would slow right down and then speed up.

I was out for new years eve and we were all jeering my buddies TV thinking it or his connection was a piece of crap. Tried looking at setting and such to no avail.

 

[McDrai]

For next game:

Kassian-McDavid-Draisaitl
Khaira-RNH-Chiasson
Rieder-Spooner-Puljujarvi
Lucic-Brodziak-Kassian

Jones-Larsson
Nurse-Russell
Manning-Gravel
Benning

Koskinen
Talbot

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

For next game:

Kassian-McDavid-Draisaitl
Khaira-RNH-Chiasson
Rieder-Spooner-Puljujarvi
Lucic-Brodziak-Kassian

Jones-Larsson
Nurse-Russell
Manning-Gravel
Benning

Koskinen
Talbot

Double Shift Kassian hey? haha

 

[Drivesaitl]

This is why I didnt like Chiasson on the top line. He was playing the floater not the grinder. I didnt like seeing Mcdavid and Drai battling in the corners while he is waiting in the slot to get his shot off.

Thanks for spotting this. I got some flac for suggesting I didn't prefer Chiasson on top line because McDrai were having to do most of the work while Alex setup in the slot sitting pretty. Didn't make a lot of sense to me. Injury wise it also exposes McDrai to greater risk if they are doing all the get down and dirty corner and board work.

 

[McDrai]

Double Shift Kassian hey? haha

He's a beast

 

[Yablo21]

I said Kassian should be tried up there 2 months ago and got laughed out of here. I hope Hitch sticks with it a bit as well. Kassian has played with top end talent in the past, I would expect him only to get better when he gets more comfortable with McD and Drai.

 

[ElysiumAB]

Boys.

I think we might be the best team in the league.

Realistically, without Connor, is this one of the worst teams in the past 30 years or so of the NHL?

 

[slaman]

I agree. For whatever reason, Hitch doesn't seem to like Rattie but he's been better than Spooner and Lucic, and possibly Reider too as you stated.

Rattie couldn't crack Hitch's lineup in St. Louis, and I think Hitch is unable or unwilling to change his mind on the player.

 

[Oilhawks]

Realistically, without Connor, is this one of the worst teams in the past 30 years or so of the NHL?

Draisaitl, Nuge, Klefbom, Larsson and Kosko might have a thing or two to say against that. Especially the first three.

Edit: I think you could argue it with Draisaitl out as well. The others on the list would be really the only NHL players outside of a bottom 6 player or two and bottom pairing D or two.

 

[joestevens29]

Heard this on 1260

1 shot from last night came from the bottom 6. That's just outright embarrassing

 

[Soundwave]

Heard this on 1260

1 shot from last night came from the bottom 6. That's just outright embarrassing

I believe that's correct, yeah. It was Spooner with the one shot.

 

[joestevens29]

I believe that's correct, yeah. It was Spooner with the one shot.

How does that even happen? I know PC is at fault for the depth of this club, but how do they only muster up one shot?

I mean overall I think you can give Jujhar a pass for being very aggressive physically, but that old saying if you're not scoring do something is really coming through here.

Lots of complaints why guys aren't getting shots and others aren't, but guys aren't doing anything at all to justify getting a shot. I really think Hitch could just be pulling names from a hat. Last night's pull of Kassian actually half ass worked.

 

[Stoneman89]

Heard this on 1260

1 shot from last night came from the bottom 6. That's just outright embarrassing

Nice to get excited about ending a 6 game losing streak against the lowest scoring team in the league, but having 3 guys continue to do all the scoring is simply unsustainable for any long term success. And even if we get Russell back next game (he'll have some catching up to do, no doubt), we are still without 2 of our top dmen longterm.

 

[McGoMcD]

Not to be a downer but this was still a poor game. We could have just as easily lost, thats against a bad team. The top teams are still going to kill us down the stretch.

McD, Drai, and Nuge can single handily win games against bad teams but not good ones.

 

[joestevens29]

Nice to get excited about ending a 6 game losing streak against the lowest scoring team in the league, but having 3 guys continue to do all the scoring is simply unsustainable for any long term success. And even if we get Russell back next game (he'll have some catching up to do, no doubt), we are still without 2 of our top dmen longterm.

Here we are hoping they'd score more, but they are so far behind it's not even funny.

I'm at the point where I just want to see them get some shots. Like not even good scoring chance shots, just shots. Baby steps.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Heard this on 1260

1 shot from last night came from the bottom 6. That's just outright embarrassing

That’s next levels of pathetic. How did Chiarelli assemble such a team?

 

[joestevens29]

That’s next levels of pathetic. How did Chiarelli assemble such a team?

At some point some of this has to be on the players. Yes they are bad, but they are literally doing nothing.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

At some point some of this has to be on the players. Yes they are bad, but they are literally doing nothing.

Well the hardass attitude clearly didn’t work. I’m wondering if some of them have already tuned out the coach.

There’s clearly something very wrong in that room.

 

[joestevens29]

Well the hardass attitude clearly didn’t work. I’m wondering if some of them have already tuned out the coach.

There’s clearly something very wrong in that room.

Waive one of them and send them to the AHL see how that goes for the rest. Only Lucic can't be waived.

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

I was out for new years eve and we were all jeering my buddies TV thinking it or his connection was a piece of crap. Tried looking at setting and such to no avail.

It's funny how SNET never apologizes or acknowledges their technical difficulties like the much better stations (TSN/NBC/Fox) do.