Pre-Game Talk: Round 1: Oilers vs Kings - 2024 Playoffs

[bobbythebrain]

I like the depth a bit more, it’s not much deeper but I think the new guys are more suitable for the playoffs.

Skinner doesn’t look much better this season compared to last, I really hope he finds a new gear in the playoffs. The defense simply has to step it up from last playoffs, they weren’t good enough and Skinner shouldn’t have to face grade A chances left and right.

Pretty bad take. Skinner has looked amazing when he knows where the shots are coming from

If you break down his GA, you will see a massive % have come off players like Nurse who fails to step into shots and lanes

Skinner will only be as good as his defense allows. He has shown remarkable reads all season long when he is allowed to track a shot. The key this playoffs will be if Nurse/Ceci continue to screw him over on stepping up

 

[bobbythebrain]

This playoffs will depend on Nurse yet again. If he somehow finds a way to step into shots and lanes they will do ok. If he ends up just dropping to a knee and reacting late to cycles, they are cooked

Bouch/Ek will contribute and get burned. Such is life

It will be on the Nurse pair to not get owned 90% of the time

 

[ThePhoenixx]

 

[Mr Positive]

This playoffs will depend on Nurse yet again. If he somehow finds a way to step into shots and lanes they will do ok. If he ends up just dropping to a knee and reacting late to cycles, they are cooked

Bouch/Ek will contribute and get burned. Such is life

It will be on the Nurse pair to not get owned 90% of the time

My hope is that the season is by nature loosey goosey, and it affects players. They don't give 100% every night and they experiment with their game a lot. In playoffs, players who do that a lot usually clamp it down and play with more effort and more conservatively. Draisaitl is the perfect example of this.

When was Nurse at his best this season? Imo it was when all seemed lost, and we were kicking off our huge winning streak. He was arguably better than Ekholm in that stretch. So maybe it is something that can be coaxed out Nurse if the situation really needs it

 

[JordanGalhanth]

Going back to the tanking/backing in to the playoffs discussion, there's something else I'm wondering about that too.

Someone here a few months ago (forget who it was and when) made the observation that when the Oilers went on their post-TDL heater last year, they were going full throttle and utilizing nearly every offensive set play in their playbook. By the time the playoffs started, not only was there no energy left, but they had basically allowed their opponents to scout their entire gameplan.

Is it possible that Knob is concerned with not only conserving energy but also hiding his hand? Might explain why the team's style was so vanilla and chill.

 

[Pavel10]

This playoffs will depend on Nurse yet again. If he somehow finds a way to step into shots and lanes they will do ok. If he ends up just dropping to a knee and reacting late to cycles, they are cooked

Bouch/Ek will contribute and get burned. Such is life

It will be on the Nurse pair to not get owned 90% of the time

He'll do his usual starfish when he's caught out of position

 

[On The Prowl]

I think Nurse is fantastic in many ways, then he makes a silly judgement error where he doesn't seem to actually process what is happening and believes pinching when he is last man back is a good idea. Video coaches will have gone through these unnecessary errors countless times already and yet still Nurse does something like back completely into Skinner screening him and allowing a grade A shot. Clean up these egregious mistakes he would be an amazing player.

 

[tiger_80]

This playoffs will depend on Nurse yet again. If he somehow finds a way to step into shots and lanes they will do ok. If he ends up just dropping to a knee and reacting late to cycles, they are cooked

Bouch/Ek will contribute and get burned. Such is life

It will be on the Nurse pair to not get owned 90% of the time

If he somehow avoids making dumb selfish decisions...

 

[Gordy Elbows]

My hope is that the season is by nature loosey goosey, and it affects players. They don't give 100% every night and they experiment with their game a lot. In playoffs, players who do that a lot usually clamp it down and play with more effort and more conservatively. Draisaitl is the perfect example of this.

When was Nurse at his best this season? Imo it was when all seemed lost, and we were kicking off our huge winning streak. He was arguably better than Ekholm in that stretch. So maybe it is something that can be coaxed out Nurse if the situation really needs it

That was when we started to notice systems and structure coming into the Oilers game, including Dmen boxing off opponents, clean breakouts and better lane recognition.
Since that time, we’ve wandered off the path at times…need to bring that consistency back into our play.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

If we win game 1, it'll be a short series.

I actually use the 2nd game as a barometer. Regardless of what happens in the 1st game, the teams response in the 2nd game tells me how well they’re prepared.

 

[bobbythebrain]

My hope is that the season is by nature loosey goosey, and it affects players. They don't give 100% every night and they experiment with their game a lot. In playoffs, players who do that a lot usually clamp it down and play with more effort and more conservatively. Draisaitl is the perfect example of this.

When was Nurse at his best this season? Imo it was when all seemed lost, and we were kicking off our huge winning streak. He was arguably better than Ekholm in that stretch. So maybe it is something that can be coaxed out Nurse if the situation really needs it

3 playoffs say otherwise. Get ready for another terrible performance by him. He'll be so hyper focused on making the right play you will see him not anticipate any cycles and retreat infront of his goalie and screen him constantly

He's absolutely abysmal in the playoffs. I don't forsee a sudden change. If he regresses back to icing it every second play, this team is toast

 

[FanOfSadTeam]

Someone make a bingo card on the stupid things that are gonna happen

 

[McDrai]

Someone make a bingo card on the stupid things that are gonna happen

I have a few:

Will Ferrell looking and acting like an idiot
Several goals called back
Kane and Perry being overly penalized for being physical
Mikey Anderson trying to kill one or both of McDrai

 

[brentashton]

3 playoffs say otherwise. Get ready for another terrible performance by him. He'll be so hyper focused on making the right play you will see him not anticipate any cycles and retreat infront of his goalie and screen him constantly

He's absolutely abysmal in the playoffs. I don't forsee a sudden change. If he regresses back to icing it every second play, this team is toast

Every play off is a new season and a time to establish a different trajectory. He’s not a young player anymore so I agree, less chance of it happening with Darnell. However, he was also very injured last user when turning in that performance .

I’m willing to see where it goes. There’s no other option at this point.

 

[Stealth1616]

Took a quick spin through the mains and had to laugh at ridiculously stupid Leaf/Flame/Nuck fans referring to a matchup against the Kings as "yet another first round bye for the Oilers."

The mental math that they take the time to piece together that allows them to tell themselves "NO! OILERS ARENT ACTUALLY GOOD!" is equal parts comical and pathetic. Exercise in getting ahead of the narrative so they can explain why the Oilers aren't actually good if we end up going places.

It’s pretty obvious those people want to prop us up as this huge favourite so in the event we lose, they can come back and point at us and laugh.

Certainly not going to be as easy as people are thinking, we almost lost both series to the Kings

 

[Mr Positive]

3 playoffs say otherwise. Get ready for another terrible performance by him. He'll be so hyper focused on making the right play you will see him not anticipate any cycles and retreat infront of his goalie and screen him constantly

He's absolutely abysmal in the playoffs. I don't forsee a sudden change. If he regresses back to icing it every second play, this team is toast

As the other poster was saying, we have a new D system this year. You can't call something a pattern with so many changing factors.

Also I disagree that Nurse has been terrible in the playoffs. Especially last year, everyone looked bad as LA and Vegas were picking apart our systems. The big dumb thing he did was get baited into a fight and got suspended, AFTER Drai told everyone to stay cool

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I have a few:

Will Ferrell looking and acting like an idiot
Several goals called back
Kane and Perry being overly penalized for being physical
Mikey Anderson trying to kill one or both of McDrai

Hating on a celebrity for supporting his team is lame.

 

[bobbythebrain]

As the other poster was saying, we have a new D system this year. You can't call something a pattern with so many changing factors.

Also I disagree that Nurse has been terrible in the playoffs. Especially last year, everyone looked bad as LA and Vegas were picking apart our systems. The big dumb thing he did was get baited into a fight and got suspended, AFTER Drai told everyone to stay cool

System has nothing to do with it. Banged up is also a terrible excuse. His pattern is completely predictable

For 3 years now you can clearly watch him "react" to cycles. He only responds to plays. At no point do you see him cheat into a play before it happens and come out a positive. He merely chases the puck around the rink. That is fact

The "everyone looked bad" is merely an excuse. "Everyone looked bad" to start the season also, but Nurse was at the forefront. Screening goalies and completely lost on where to go. The team had a massive turn around, and while Ek/Bouch became one of the most dominant pairs in the NHL, Nurse still racks up more mediocre games than dominant ones

I laugh out loud when I see ppl give him credit a few years back for playing a ton of minutes in the playoffs as if it's some barometer to good play. I also LOL at anyone who suggests he was instrumental in this years big turnaround. Playing impressive hockey 1 outta every 10 games is not reason for praise

Countless media personalities have blasted him for a poor season, so why do ppl keep giving him the benefit for the big win streak. He was nowhere near the reson the team turned it around. Infact, I would say Ceci not dumping it every second play was more impactful than Nurse out there

Don't get me wrong, I can think of a habdful of games where Nurse was exceptional this year, Those games are far and few between tho

 

[barry halls]

This all comes down to Skinner. Is he a legitimate starter? I'm still not convinced. And no, playing well for portions of 2 seasons does not mean he has established himself. He was horrible at the beginning of this season, poor in the playoffs last year, and some of his recent games haven't inspired confidence. When he's dialed in he's great, but that can be said of most goalies. If Skinner starts well and keeps his svp above .900 the Oilers will make it to the cup final.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Hating on a celebrity for supporting his team is lame.

 

[McBeastMode]

The owner of Barstool Sports..

 

[BlackDogg]

Messier you clown

 

[Da McBomb]

Hopefully we get better versions of Nuge, Skinner, and Desharnais compared to last year's playoffs. If so, we could make a long run here. Our depth is better this year with the additions of Perry, Henrique, and Carrick.

 

[bobbythebrain]

View attachment 855761

Messier you clown

I cringe just thinking of Leah Hextall pronouncing "Stars"

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

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Messier you clown

Oiler hater Wyshynski picked the Oilers. That must mean hell froze over.