Pre-Game Talk: Pre game post series talk game 2

[CycloneSweep]

revisionist history at it's finest

if we had 2017 Talbot on this team right now, we would be mentioned as Cup favorites...Hyman and Kane are better than Eberle and Pouliot were in 2017

I mean you say that so it should be easy for the Oilers of this year to beat LA who is worse than San Jose was that year.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

revisionist history at it's finest

if we had 2017 Talbot on this team right now, we would be mentioned as Cup favorites...Hyman and Kane are better than Eberle and Pouliot were in 2017

Had Chiarelli actually tried to improve the team that offseason instead of doing... whatever the hell he tried to do we probably already have a few playoff runs under our belt instead of hoping we don't get bounced early for the third straight season.

 

[bone]

revisionist history at it's finest

if we had 2017 Talbot on this team right now, we would be mentioned as Cup favorites...Hyman and Kane are better than Eberle and Pouliot were in 2017

Yeah, I'm also curious who this tremendous shutdown line was. I don't remember any of Desharnais, Kassian, Slepyshev, Caggiula or Letestu ever being recognized as defensive juggernauts, and certainly he can't be talking about RNH and Ebs when RNH is part of this years team he's complaining about. Fancy stats fans viewed Pouliot as a quality defensive but by that point he was a shell of his best self.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So just did a quick check. Tickets for today available for as low as 176bucks which is half the price they were available for (resale) before series started. I mean even game 7, which might not be played, was selling for 300bucks minimum and selling out fast. Now tons of tickets (resales) are available today.

Seems like hockey tickets are just like the markets. Hot mania one day, bargains the next. Playoff tickets just devalued almost to being half of what they were just days ago. Pretty amazing actually. Time to sell was before series started. Probably changes again if Oilers but some wins together.

 

[bone]

I mean you say that so it should be easy for the Oilers of this year to beat LA who is worse than San Jose was that year.

Does Smith have the ability to be anywhere near Talbot 2017 which was the first part of his post.

I agree this team is way better for forwards, maybe a bit of a step back on defense, but not drastically so, but the Goaltending 2017 vs. 2022 is quite a disparity.

That said, this group of forwards being that much better need to show they can do it in the playoffs.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yeah, I'm also curious who this tremendous shutdown line was. I don't remember any of Desharnais, Kassian, Slepyshev, Caggiula or Letestu ever being recognized as defensive juggernauts. Fancy stats fans viewed Pouliot as a quality defensive but by that point he was a shell of his best self.

They were adequate but I understood the frustration with their lack of offense. In RNH/Eberle's case it was their first taste of playoff action after years of being mired with a shit club. My point was we got a lot of contributions from unexpected sources that year that we haven't seen since. Hindsight of course being what it is but Eberle still put up some very solid numbers in the playoffs with the Islanders in the following years. I said at the time that the trade was incredibly stupid, and we managed to turn a legit top six winger into absolutely nothing.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Does Smith have the ability to be anywhere near Talbot 2017 which was the first part of his post.

I agree this team is way better for forwards, maybe a bit of a step back on defense, but not drastically so, but the Goaltending 2017 vs. 2022 is quite a disparity.

That said, this group of forwards being that much better need to show they can do it in the playoffs.

The first part of the sentence saying Talbot would make us cup favorites right now. So my point is having a goalie who was slightly worse than Talbot was that year with a massively better lineup in front of them, should easily handle a team like LA. If not, then maybe the roster isn't as good, at least for the playoffs, as we think.

 

[bone]

So just did a quick check. Tickets for today available for as low as 176bucks which is half the price they were available for (resale) before series started. I mean even game 7, which might not be played, was selling for 300bucks minimum and selling out fast. Now tons of tickets (resales) are available today.

Seems like hockey tickets are just like the markets. Hot mania one day, bargains the next. Playoff tickets just devalued almost to being half of what they were just days ago. Pretty amazing actually. Time to sell was before series started. Probably changes again if Oilers but some wins together.

In 2017 by the time they got to the Anaheim series the resale market stalled quite a bit from what I heard from friends as everyone blew their load buying tickets for the first round. Perhaps people are being a bit smarter and saving their money for later games because if Edmonton goes out fast they won't be as mad about blowing money on the first round, with the added bonus that if they figure it out, they can afford to take in a BoA second round game having saved their money.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I mean you say that so it should be easy for the Oilers of this year to beat LA who is worse than San Jose was that year.

I mean we lost game 1 to the Sharks that year too...

 

[AgeIess]

They seemed to play better when Nurse and Pulju were out.

Pulju needs to be down on the 3rd line.

 

[bone]

The first part of the sentence saying Talbot would make us cup favorites right now. So my point is having a goalie who was slightly worse than Talbot was that year with a massively better lineup in front of them, should easily handle a team like LA. If not, then maybe the roster isn't as good, at least for the playoffs, as we think.

Fair enough, but right now I don't think we can say Smith has only been slightly worse than 2017 Talbot who put up 2 shutouts and a .924 save percentage in the playoffs despite have a game where he was pulled after 5 goals against. Smith as an Oiler in playoffs has a .892 save percentage.

I have faith he can be good enough tonight to get them going, but he's running out of opportunities

 

[Drivesaitl]

In 2017 by the time they got to the Anaheim series the resale market stalled quite a bit from what I heard from friends as everyone blew their load buying tickets for the first round. Perhaps people are being a bit smarter and saving their money for later games because if Edmonton goes out fast they won't be as mad about blowing money on the first round, with the added bonus that if they figure it out, they can afford to take in a BoA second round game having saved their money.

Don't want to burst the more smart bubble but people were putting down 4-500 for seats to game 7, which might not be played, just days ago. While I was on viewing somebody scooped 4 seats (not even great seats) for 2k with surcharge. I kinda shook my head. Days ago there was a herd panic of buy in or people fearing they won't get any chance. People misinterpret just like I guess occurs in market conditions. Typically seats will be cheaper AFTER the buying frenzy stalls.

But anyway tickets on relative sale today, Not unexpected. Lots of them. Whole rows up for sale in the bleeds.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I mean we lost game 1 to the Sharks that year too...

Talbot also nearly won that game for us, unlike what Smith did in Game 1 this year...

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Talbot also nearly won that game for us, unlike what Smith did in Game 1 this year...

exactly, we had elite goaltending
if we had that this year, we don't lose Game 1 IMO

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

exactly, we had elite goaltending
if we had that this year, we don't lose Game 1 IMO

It's fine, the GM has deemed Smith good enough to win the Cup this year and next year. We have nothing to worry about.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So for the last year I was comparing Nuge to Danault, Knowing its a cakewalk that a team should rather have Danault. But somehow Kings also have Moore, which any team could have had multiple times, and he's a gem, and he plays winger or C just like Nuge, and plays pk, just like Nuge.

For 1.7M the Kings had Moore in the lineup this season being a better player than Nuge has ever been. Knocking it out of the park with 46EV or shorty pts which is incredible for a player that has been in topsix and bottomsix and again this is without PP pts.

ftr the most non PP pts Nuge has ever collected in a season was 42, and a quite a while ago.

Yet there is Moore getting a beauty goal and two assists in game 1 and being a star in the game for 1/3 the price we're paying Nuge to sleep walk through game 1.

You look at Moore caring about winning, scoring the teams first goal, assisting on the second. Then you look at Nuge doing nothing.

I can't unsee it.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

So for the last year I was comparing Nuge to Danault, Knowing its a cakewalk that a team should rather have Danault. But somehow Kings also have Moore, which any team could have had multiple times, and he's a gem, and he plays winger or C just like Nuge, and plays pk, just like Nuge.

For 1.7M the Kings had Moore in the lineup this season being a better player than Nuge has ever been. Knocking it out of the park with 46EV or shorty pts which is incredible for a player that has been in topsix and bottomsix and again this is without PP pts.

ftr the most non PP pts Nuge has ever collected in a season was 42, and a quite a while ago.

Yet there is Moore getting a beauty goal and two assists in game 1 and being a star in the game for 1/3 the price we're paying Nuge to sleep walk through game 1.

You look at Moore caring about winning, scoring the teams first goal, assisting on the second. Then you look at Nuge doing nothing.

I can't unsee it.

This is an org that doesn't care about winning. Other than McDavid and Yamamoto no Oiler was interested in winning game 1.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

Its hard for me as well to watch games where Drai is being pretty controlled and when you notice him most its doing punk moves like chopping Durzi in back of legs after scoring. It was another WTF moment. I don't subscribe to the between the whistles stuff and I don't think it does anything but put your name on the other clubs chalkboard. It makes you a target doing stuff like that and Drai is earning a lot of enemies this season. Just being honest, its been hard to watch. I liked Drai more a year ago then I like him today. He should cut out the cheap shots, that stuff belongs in Calgary. Its not endearing whether its a Draisaitl or a pest doing it. The worst part is Drai can't fight and won't so whats he doing out there. He's gonna get fed. Really its up to someone on the team or in the org to tell him to knock off the cheap shots. It isn't helping.

I mean thats just Drai going sideways. As we know we could speak volumes about where Nurse has gone and others. Seems like we add parts here in Hyman, Kane, etc, and then others fall off. I felt far better about Nurse a year ago as well.

Still expect to see big moments by Drai this spring but I'm not sure about Nurse and others right now. I don't trust the level they're playing at.

Draisaitl definitely needs to take the dirt out of his game. He needs to start turning players into pancakes with huge hits and stop doing gutless crap like that. I wouldn't mind seeing him drop the gloves too tbh. I love him as a player but it's little wonder why so many fans from other teams hate him.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Archibald in the lineup equals scheduled loss apparently…

 

[redgrant]

Draisaitl definitely needs to take the dirt out of his game. He needs to start turning players into pancakes with huge hits and stop doing gutless crap like that. I wouldn't mind seeing him drop the gloves too tbh. I love him as a player but it's little wonder why so many fans from other teams hate him.

Brilliant idea have a top 5 player in the game sit in the box from fighting or risk injury. He gave that slash back after he took one. It wasnt a random slash.

You have any idea how happy McLellan is if drai sits for 5 minutes fighting byfield?

He did give some hits last game mcdavid did as well.

 

[BudBundy]

Draisaitl definitely needs to take the dirt out of his game. He needs to start turning players into pancakes with huge hits and stop doing gutless crap like that. I wouldn't mind seeing him drop the gloves too tbh. I love him as a player but it's little wonder why so many fans from other teams hate him.

You guys never saw Messier play apparently? Do unto others before they do unto you. Drai gets hacked and whacked and whatever else all the time and in this day and age of visors and instigator penalties, it’s stupid to drop the gloves. That sucks, but here we are. You don’t have to be a Sedin and just take it. Winners give guys something to think about, legal or not. If other fan bases hate him, that’s great. It’s not like he’s running around licking faces here.

 

[Duke74]

Its hard for me as well to watch games where Drai is being pretty controlled and when you notice him most its doing punk moves like chopping Durzi in back of legs after scoring. It was another WTF moment. I don't subscribe to the between the whistles stuff and I don't think it does anything but put your name on the other clubs chalkboard. It makes you a target doing stuff like that and Drai is earning a lot of enemies this season. Just being honest, its been hard to watch. I liked Drai more a year ago then I like him today. He should cut out the cheap shots, that stuff belongs in Calgary. Its not endearing whether its a Draisaitl or a pest doing it. The worst part is Drai can't fight and won't so whats he doing out there. He's gonna get fed. Really its up to someone on the team or in the org to tell him to knock off the cheap shots. It isn't helping.

I mean thats just Drai going sideways. As we know we could speak volumes about where Nurse has gone and others. Seems like we add parts here in Hyman, Kane, etc, and then others fall off. I felt far better about Nurse a year ago as well.

Still expect to see big moments by Drai this spring but I'm not sure about Nurse and others right now. I don't trust the level they're playing at.

Great post. I used to support Draisaitl but now I'm starting to lose some respect for him, partially because of the dirty, cheap plays. I have no idea what precipitated these antics, whether it's a sign of frustration or a new dimension to his game that he purposefully added to make himself more difficult to play against. I'd rather he commit his energies and efforts to strong defensive play and improving his 5-on-5 offence, which has greatly diminished recently. I think someone posted a stat that he only has 3 5-on-5 points in his last 12 games, which is completely unacceptable. I too would like to see him elevate his game for the playoffs but I'm not hopeful because something seems amiss with him. I suspect a nagging injury, but that begs the question as to why he didn't take more time to heal.

 

[Duke74]

I just don't think this is built to be a playoff team. Nobody seems to raise their game and they never get the saves the other team does. The Oilers treated game 1 like another regular season game while the Kings came out with a gameplan. McLellan got raked over the coals here but he took Woodcroft to school. I'll give Nurse a pass because he's coming back from an injury but he has not convinced me he's a true #1D. The forwards, the defense, and the goaltending do not inspire any confidence. You could've told me that was a game from 2020 or 2021 and I would've believed you. Exact same formula that cost us in those series.

You're bang-on here. At the end of the second period, I had the distinct feeling that LA would score late in the third period and here we are. It seems like the team has spooked themselves into a type of self-fulfilling prophecy every time they play a playoff game now. And they're losing the same ways: late third-period or OT losses, deflected shots from the point, and defensive coverage breakdowns while getting stoned at the other end. It seems like a whole-team attitude or mentality that hopefully Woodcroft can mitigate.

 

[BudBundy]

Great post. I used to support Draisaitl but now I'm starting to lose some respect for him, partially because of the dirty, cheap plays. I have no idea what precipitated these antics, whether it's a sign of frustration or a new dimension to his game that he purposefully added to make himself more difficult to play against. I'd rather he commit his energies and efforts to strong defensive play and improving his 5-on-5 offence, which has greatly diminished recently. I think someone posted a stat that he only has 3 5-on-5 points in his last 12 games, which is completely unacceptable. I too would like to see him elevate his game for the playoffs but I'm not hopeful because something seems amiss with him. I suspect a nagging injury, but that begs the question as to why he didn't take more time to heal.

Judging by the half a roll of tape he had around his thumb the other day, I’m sure he ain’t 100%. He is playing because even at 70% he’s better than most of the NHL and it’s probably an injury that is not likely to get aggravated.

 

[Duke74]

Judging by the half a roll of tape he had around his thumb the other day, I’m sure he ain’t 100%. He is playing because even at 70% he’s better than most of the NHL and it’s probably an injury that is not likely to get aggravated.

His thumb now too? I thought it was just his wrist that has been taped for about a month. In that case, I think he should have sat out since the Anaheim game, assuming that's when he got injured. Resting for the playoffs is much more important than chasing personal milestones and awards. At least Nurse did the right thing in his case.