Pre-Game Talk: There's probably a game tonight

[BlackDogg]

If Smith makes saves like this, we'll be good.

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"Smashed stick holder"

 

[gordonhught]

That right side just seems a bit too raw for me. Would rather have Benning on the third pairing.

Persson does nothing for me and I don't think Jones is quite ready yet.

Forgot about Benning.

 

[ElysiumAB]

If Smith makes saves like this, we'll be good.

View attachment 290363

Can we get Marty?

Don't even have Enterprise pick him up, I'll do it myself.

Nice beards boys!

 

[ElysiumAB]

Both Nuge AND Draisatl need help.

To me, Nuge should BE the help.

Every time he gets possession he crosses the blue line, dumps in the puck, or circles back and dishes. Zero initiative to be a star, zero initiative to drive the net.

Many games I have to look for his number in the second period to make sure he's playing, once I realize I haven't heard his name yet.

The guy disappoints me because he seems to have all the tools to be so much more, just seems to lack belief.

 

[CupofOil]

I certainly would complain about splitting up our two most dangerous players, yes. And let's not act like the team wasn't dead in the water for most of last game.

You said yourself that RNH and Drai need each other yet you want to stick RNH with the saps, does that make sense?

Wouldn't it make more sense to stick the best player with the saps and play the 2nd and 3rd best players with each other so there's more potential for 2 scoring lines? Tippett is trying to achieve balance with this current look and I agree with the experiment. If it doesn't work so be it but I've been waiting for the RNH and Draisaitl line to get a longer look for 3 years so maybe I'm a bit biased.
What I don't get is sticking Chiasson on the 2nd line. I don't get the love affair this coach has with this player.

 

[Mav3rick07]

Eric Staal is now a game time decision which means he will play and score four goals.

 

[SwedishFire]

I really wanna see a line of

Khaira-Haas-Gagner

I think that line has 2 players that make up for the others weaknesses at every major skill.

But the problem is that Haas is the ingredient that makes it work, by being the strength that the other wing has as a weakness.
But , yes maybe. But how is that line supposed to have offensive pressure with deep cycling?

Nygård McDavid Kassian is really wild, and I think Kassian only works with two superstars with his side. To bad..
I dont know what kind of information Chiasson sits on, at Tippet. or his family. Thats some special treatment right there.
But maybe he starts to produce now.
I like the 4th line.

Aaand. Yes. Even if Neal cancelled Calgary for being placed at the 3rd line, I think this balance the lines out. If Nuge and Neal doesnt work together, why force it further? I still think Neal should play with one of the superstars. ANd i thikk Tippet doing it right, giving up his thesis of a speedline and a checkingline. Neal + Gagner isnt a speed line.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

You said yourself that RNH and Drai need each other yet you want to stick RNH with the saps, does that make sense?

Wouldn't it make more sense to stick the best player with the saps and play the 2nd and 3rd best players with each other so there's more potential for 2 scoring lines? Tippett is trying to achieve balance with this current look and I agree with the experiment. If it doesn't work so be it but I've been waiting for the RNH and Draisaitl line to get a longer look for 3 years so maybe I'm a bit biased.
What I don't get is sticking Chiasson on the 2nd line. I don't get the love affair this coach has with this player.

I said they need help. Not each other. I'd prefer to go with what works during a tumultuous part of the season than try to get two struggling players going with each other. There was nothing I saw last game that made me think RNH/Drai were a fit for each other.

 

[tardigrade81]

Eric Staal is now a game time decision which means he will play and score four goals.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

No Staal and no Koivu I'm pretty sure there is literally no reason this team shouldn't win this game. Hopefully Draisaitl's drunk play has subsided we need him to be a lot better going forward. I'll never understand why Tippett doesn't like Persson but will happily throw out Larsson when he makes more blunders with the puck per shift than Persson had in an entire game. Part of me thinks they are trying hard to showcase Jones at this point but we are icing a worse line up to do that.

Which is why they are going to lose anyway.

 

[gordonhught]

Russell can be replaced, his best game this year was with Larsson vs LAK facing tough starts and playing big minutes. If you think what that pair did that night was 3rd pair quality I don't know what to tell you. The rest of the time Russell mostly faces 3rd/4th line comp.

Larsson came back from a 2 months on injury reserve having broken a leg. Last games he has been at the very least average, I'd argue very good (LAK), good (BUF) and average (CAR). If you don't like the guy just because, then that's a different story. But you cannot with a straight face say that the only thing he's added these last games is goals against when he's played the toughest minutes out of all our Ds and still come out pretty ok, 1 GA vs Aho's line, shutting down Kopitar's and Skinner's lines.

I have been a pretty big Larsson fan over the years. He is not very good anymore. You say he is good at "playing tough minutes". Sure, but he is no better playing tough minutes than any of the other D at this point AND Larsson has zero puck moving ability and offense.

Clearly better than Larsson

Bear, Nurse, Klefbom

Just as good as Larsson now

Benning, Russell

Probably just as good as or better than Larsson by year end

Jones

Larsson is probably better than

Persson



Not even including Bouchard, Broberg, Lagesson, Samorukov

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

tonight's game should cure my slight insomnia I've been having

 

[KCC]

Give me mcDavid points to continue to hold a lead. That is all.

 

[CupofOil]

I said they need help. Not each other. I'd prefer to go with what works during a tumultuous part of the season than try to get two struggling players going with each other. There was nothing I saw last game that made me think RNH/Drai were a fit for each other.

So based on 1 game it's a bad pairing? Do you remember the 1st game of the year when Draisaitl dominated the Canucks? That was with the split lines. In other words, give it time to gel. McDavid and Draisaitl were getting complacent and lazy playing alongside each other with really ugly habits kicking in, it needed to be broken up for a while to refresh their game.

The team didn't lose last game because of the split lines, they lost because they lost the Special Teams battle and they generally win because they win the Special Teams battle. They need to get more going 5 on 5 so they don't have to depend on Special Teams every night to make or break them. It needed to be changed up and it's smart of Tippett to realize this before it snowballed too much.

 

[dssource]

Glad they are starting Smith. Not sure why Tippett broke the 2-2 last game. I want Koskinen in net against the leafs.

Team needs to focus on D tonight. Resilience and defense. We can win this one. It's also on the road so that's good.

Edit: Splitting McDrai could also be bc Tippett has seen them play some pretty bad D over the last while. They've been lazy in their own end. Wake up call for them.

 

[McDrai]

No Staal and no Koivu I'm pretty sure there is literally no reason this team shouldn't win this game. Hopefully Draisaitl's drunk play has subsided we need him to be a lot better going forward. I'll never understand why Tippett doesn't like Persson but will happily throw out Larsson when he makes more blunders with the puck per shift than Persson had in an entire game. Part of me thinks they are trying hard to showcase Jones at this point but we are icing a worse line up to do that.

And this is exactly why they will lose this game

 

[Mez]

I hate this.

Yes you hate it, because you watch it expecting some awesome and it never happens....yet it keeps sucking you back in like a drug. Much like the Oilers

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yes you hate it, because you watch it expecting some awesome and it never happens....yet it keeps sucking you back in like a drug. Much like the Oilers

It's like one of those gifs of a girl taking her top off but it never actually comes off.

 

[frag2]

Is Larsson about to get the 'frag2 18/19 Klefbom treatment'?

Larsson has been brutal. I know you like to stick up for your Swedish players but come on. He's been horrible for 2 years.
Klef, for what he contributes on PP [and I'm being extremely generous with that remark], is ok for 4M

 

[Porkleaker]

It's like one of those gifs of a girl taking her top off but it never actually comes off.

I really hope they bounce back

 

[frag2]

Here here!
This is looking at the bigger picture, long term. Not being obsessed with the standings in mid-November. Splitting up McD and Drai reminds me of splitting up Zetterberg and Dats in Detroit. Didn't work the first or the second time, but once they managed to fill the wings the sum of those two lines was much better than when they were together.

This is the Oilers we're talking about. They gotta worry about standings year round

 

[McBeastMode]

Mushroom cloud pizza tonight..

 

[nexttothemoon]

I'm expecting a strong bounceback game from the Oilers.

Wild have only lost 1 of their last 10 in regulation... so they are playing decent as well... and have only lost 1 in regulation on home ice.

It will be a tough game no doubt... but I think the Oilers put up a strong effort after their last 2 losses.

Not going to guarantee a win because obviously the Wild are looking for 2 pts and are battling for a wild card spot themselves but I think the Oil will show that same resilience they've had all season long to come into the game and not let the team fall into an extended slump.

 

[Cypress]

Mushroom cloud pizza tonight..

How does that even happen?

 

[gordonhught]

I really hope they bounce back

What's this doing back here?!?

MODS!!