Post-Game Talk: This was definitely a game

[fireantz]

I think Holloway's greatest value long term will be at #3C driving that line, not as a 3rd cog on a 2nd line so I hope they groom him for that position. Not to mention that they have lots of scoring winger depth in the system and zero notable centers.

Also, as much as I like Ryan, he's just not a full time #3C anymore, plays way too quiet of a game that is perfectly suited for a 4th line so bumping him down to the 4th line and knocking Shore out would be best for the team if they found a suitable 3rd line center.
This is probably pie in the sky stuff for this season but it's my hope.

Ultimately center is where he belongs but coming off a hand/wrist break I doubt he takes one faceoff this season.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

At 3:43 is the behind the net replay of Keith's goal. What a "pass" by Draisaitl-lol. Two Kraken players just watching the puck slowly go by as Keith taps it in.

 

[Cloned]

At 3:43 is the behind the net replay of Keith's goal. What a "pass" by Draisaitl-lol. Two Kraken players just watching the puck slowly go by as Keith taps it in.

One of them was Larsson.

 

[Snipes45]

 

[Cagey B]

We need more and more of these compilations. Lots of talk about how McDavid was 'off' but I watched him he can openered, tripped, slew footed, and held all night. Hard to be on your game when the rules don't apply to anyone attacking you (but God forbid you retaliate!)

its infuriating to watch. They won't call anything that McD draws. NHL the only league that doesn't protect its stars but instead tries to level the playing field for the 3 and 4 line scrubs.

In a perfect world they should call everything and force teams to find a way to stop McDavid. Sure he'll probably go nuclear same as the Oilers but eventually someone will find a way.


its friggin match fixing

 

[Snipes45]

 

[MoreDifferentS]

Wasn't able to watch the game live. I'd forgotten how nice it is to consume an entire hockey game in about 75 minutes, but you do miss the minute-to-minute histrionics of a rabidly passionate fanbase.

 

[MoreDifferentS]

I've heard of at least one of those other guys on that list.

 

[North]

Larsson is better than Ceci and Keith IMO. I like we are 7-1 but we played meh defensively in a few of those games.

The biggest improvement is our forwards to me. From Hyman, Poolparty, Foegele, Ryan, etc. Even Kassian and Turris have improved over their terrible last season.

Larsson is defensively better but we got hemmed in more because of his lack of mobility. Bear’s too.

 

[Snipes45]

Larsson is defensively better but we got hemmed in more because of his lack of mobility. Bear’s too.

We get hemmed in a lot because of our system I guess. If you just watch clips of our fire drills, our dmen are always slow and late to turn towards a puck coming from an opponent reversing the puck. We never anticipate and try to cut it off.

How many times do you see 1/2 Oilers chasing a forward in our zone headed towards our blueline. Everybody and their dog knows that puck is going to be reversed. Our players just don't anticipate it at all. They are almost always second to the puck. We play a very very passive defensive system.

Most teams will pin a a guy cycling while another teammate is a few feet away or there to dig the puck out.

I really haven't seen any changes to what we are doing back there.

That is what every opposition coach needs to tell their players. Forecheck like monsters. Their D will give up the puck as well under pressure.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

This seems promising.

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

Larsson is better than Ceci and Keith IMO. I like we are 7-1 but we played meh defensively in a few of those games.

The biggest improvement is our forwards to me. From Hyman, Poolparty, Foegele, Ryan, etc. Even Kassian and Turris have improved over their terrible last season.

Nah Larsson sucks at puck movement and is no better then ceci or Keith imo.

 

[North]

We get hemmed in a lot because of our system I guess. If you just watch clips of our fire drills, our dmen are always slow and late to turn towards a puck coming from an opponent reversing the puck. We never anticipate and try to cut it off.

How many times do you see 1/2 Oilers chasing a forward in our zone headed towards our blueline. Everybody and their dog knows that puck is going to be reversed. Our players just don't anticipate it at all. They are almost always second to the puck. We play a very very passive defensive system.

Most teams will pin a a guy cycling while another teammate is a few feet away or there to dig the puck out.

I really haven't seen any changes to what we are doing back there.

That is what every opposition coach needs to tell their players. Forecheck like monsters. Their D will give up the puck as well under pressure.

I think it was more noticeable yesterday because the team was a bit lazy in general but I do think the mobility of our backend has helped us to transition faster than before.

I think Larsson and Bear work in specific systems but since we need to get the puck up to the forwards as soon as possible defenders with foot speed issues don’t work for what we want to do.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Its interesting that Larsson looked OK against McD. But on the worst McD night of the season, and wherein for some reason McD's head space wasn't in showing up his former linemate. Drai, and has line had no such limitation and were hard on Larsson the entire game. It was an interesting juxtaposition, and moreso because it seems as if Larsson and Drai might have had more than a relationship, but that ends when the game is on.

But heed that this is one game. and this is early in the Seattle set. Non competitive teams can typically row hard for a little while, until the icebergs increasingly appear on horizon and they sink. Whats it boing to be like then as the Kraken navigate the ocean depths in their chosen domain..

The moment I saw yesterday and will remember is Keith, who wanted to come here, and that already has 3 cups, coming here and being part of the joy and scoring a goal and reveling in that moment of again playing alongside great players. Of him embracing Drai, and vice versa as if they had been playing together for years.

To wit this is not just a good team. This is a team with two generational players on it that comes along rarely. This is Keith, a part of a dynasty, now playing with some better players than he's ever played with before.

Personally I don't think McDavid took his foot off the accelerator against a old teammate. He's in seek and destroy mode every game (and every shift) as a generational talent there is no off switch. I actually liked that it humanized Connor with his competitive smile exchange with Larsson. We seldom see that private side of McDavid's terminator persona on-ice. Larsson was a respected teammate, leader and friend to many of the Oilers and Draisaitl spoke to that in his press avail including shrugging off Larsson moving on as 'just hockey.'

Agree, the Keith goal and celebration was special and, as he spoke afterwards with a lot of humility, that he's not one for milestone stuff but later in career this first goal assisted by McDavid and Draisaitl was special. His presser revealed a lot imo about this player and his character speaking about Truth and Reconciliation and raw, unguarded empathy for the situation of his former organizational teammate.

The Kraken played okay in a back to back scenario but nice to see the Oil win ugly with a subpar effort by the majority of their lineup. Being the new kids there will likely be a lot of nights like this.

 

[Llamamoto]

Wasn't able to watch the game live. I'd forgotten how nice it is to consume an entire hockey game in about 75 minutes, but you do miss the minute-to-minute histrionics of a rabidly passionate fanbase.

Very accurate.

 

[FanOfSadTeam]

It's no Matthews/Marner (that's a good thing)

 

[Aerrol]

its infuriating to watch. They won't call anything that McD draws. NHL the only league that doesn't protect its stars but instead tries to level the playing field for the 3 and 4 line scrubs.

In a perfect world they should call everything and force teams to find a way to stop McDavid. Sure he'll probably go nuclear same as the Oilers but eventually someone will find a way.


its friggin match fixing

It also creates a WORSE PRODUCT. That's what kills me the most about the NHL refusing to call infractions on stars. I can see the argument for not penalizing hits out of the game, but get the f*** out of here if you're trying to tell me that watching your stars get clutched and grabbed, tripped, slashed and slew footed is more fun to watch.

 

[McNuge]

Would love for us to "accidentally" take a few slap shots in the refs direction. Or lay a few heavy hits where the refs are a little to close. The league is even worse, it's f***in embarassing. McDavid IS the player they've been waiting for since Mario to grow the league. Way to f*** your own product idiots.

 

[bone]

View attachment 476142

If you think we're 7-1 with Kulikov and Russell playing every day, I got some harsh news for you

Last time we went 7-1, the Defense was Nurse, Klefbom, Russell, Benning, a rookie Bear, and a combination of Joel Persson and Brandon Manning (Larsson was injured in Game 1). So maybe.

 

[Stoneman89]

Thought Keith was excellent, and also got rewarded with a goal. He and Ceci look totally solid out there.

 

[McTonyBrar]

I know folks here like Ceci and Keith... but I've disliked (not hated though) their performance so far this season. They are barely any better than Kulikov to me. Too many giveaways, too many lost puck battles, etc.

The D is worse than last season. An improvement over a few years ago but Ceci/Keith/Barrie/4K/Russell are middle/bottom pair tweeners.

You dislike them? Are you sure you’ve watched them lol?

 

[McTonyBrar]

Larsson is better than Ceci and Keith IMO. I like we are 7-1 but we played meh defensively in a few of those games.

The biggest improvement is our forwards to me. From Hyman, Poolparty, Foegele, Ryan, etc. Even Kassian and Turris have improved over their terrible last season.

Larsson is in no way better than Keith. Keith has amazing hockey iq and passing ability. He’s also so much faster at making a decision then the rest of our defence. Usually, it is the right choice

 

[GOilers88]

Some of you guys get way too rattled by the refs.

 

[McBeastMode]

 

[McShogun99]

its infuriating to watch. They won't call anything that McD draws. NHL the only league that doesn't protect its stars but instead tries to level the playing field for the 3 and 4 line scrubs.

In a perfect world they should call everything and force teams to find a way to stop McDavid. Sure he'll probably go nuclear same as the Oilers but eventually someone will find a way.


its friggin match fixing

Bettman wants the NHL to be so much like the NBA but he forgot that the NBA protects and promotes their stars. It leads to super teams but that’s what the fans want. Players like Kobe, Lebrin and Jordan are famous all over the world, same with the Bulls, Lakers and whatever team is dominating the league. People want super teams and dynasties.