Speculation: Was the chase for 100 for McDavid a distraction?

[RandomGuy79]

Been thinking this for a while now and mentioned it in a few threads. Do you think the team was distracted by trying to help McDavid hit 100 and once he finally did the team lost sight and focus? It feels like him getting 100 was our Stanley Cup and all the meaningless games afterwards I am sure didn't help either.

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[Soundwave]

I don't think it affected that much though I hope honestly we can just not have something like that hanging over the team again next year.

The fact is earlier in the season Toronto and Montreal already had success against the Oilers playing a trap/double team McDavid style, remember the Oilers almost got shut out 3 full games against the Leafs in succession.

The book was already out there, Maurice just read it and employing that cost the Oilers games 1 & 2, and then they shot themselves in the foot in game 3, and they were never coming back from down 0-3.

The real issue is this team doesn't have a scoring line that is dangerous/scary to opponents when McDavid is not on the ice. When they do they will maybe get somewhere, but for now that's the actual issue.

Structural issues with the team that were hidden or downplayed because of a good number of wins due to McDavid/Draisaitl/Smith hid a lot of flaws, but you can't hide those in the playoffs. That had way more to do with it than a few meaningless games against Vancouver.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think it absolutely was. It became a pointless goal, and it shouldn't really have been encouraged. McD should have been parked along with Drai, and like I've said its up to the org to make that call, not ASK them. It was a long slog of a season and compressed schedule and they probably didn't think they needed rest but could have benefitted.

Were both able to play through, sure. Would they both have had an extra gear in the playoffs by getting rest and repair, sure.

In anycase the 100pt thing was a distraction, and that takes away from main goals. You have to focus on specific goals, visualize those. The goal should be playoff peaking and performance, nothing else.

 

[oobga]

I think it may have been a reason Tippett stuck with the loaded top line for the last half the year. That was a huge waste of time in the end, we never figured out a 2nd line that could give any balance to our lineup. Even if McDavid didn't care, the whole team treated getting him to 100 like a cup win.

I don't want to compare us to Tampa, but Tampa did do something similar 2 years ago. Their whole team was on a mission to jack up Kucherov's point totals to beat McDavid and get him some hardware. They ended up playing way below their level and got swept right after.

 

[CravenMH]

No, I don't believe it had any impact at all. None.

 

[Stoneman89]

I doubt it had any bearing on the playoff outcome. McDrai played on different combos all year long. The playoffs just showcased our inexperience in heated tight situations, and our lack of depth. In the end, we are what they said we are.

 

[Aerchon]

Been thinking this for a while now and mentioned it in a few threads. Do you think the team was distracted by trying to help McDavid hit 100 and once he finally did the team lost sight and focus? It feels like him getting 100 was our Stanley Cup and all the meaningless games afterwards I am sure didn't help either.

McDavid was unstoppable in the game he hit 100 points. If he played that way in game 1 and two we win those games no doubt about it.

It absolutely was a distraction and as mentioned overloaded the top line and impacted the balance and chemistry of the team.

DRY was not very successful this year but it's also safe to say it was a combination Tippett obviously hated.

I don't think it's hindsight or wrong to say that our team would likely have fared better if the regular season was less about McDavids 100 points and more about the team.

Ps: This was easily McDavid's best year and it was a special accomplishment but I think we are kidding ourselves that it didn't impact the playoffs.

 

[Spawn]

The oilers had a similar push for 100 in McDavids second year when we made the playoffs for the first time in a decade. He got there with a 2 point night in game 82 IIRC.

Wasn’t a distraction that year when we won a round and went to game 7 against the Ducks.

Wasn’t a distraction this year either when it was finished with 3 games to play. The oilers had 3 regular season games and a week and a half after McDavid hit 100 to prepare for the playoffs.

Our team was just better in 16-17.

As Soundwave pointed out earlier, the book was already out on how to beat Edmonton this year. Maurice implemented it. Tippett never appeared to adjust and our roster wasn’t good enough to overcome it.

Bunch of psychologists in here lmao

 

[Chet Manley]

Not sure what could have been done differently. Can't squish all of the fun out of life, especially with the COVID thing already trying to do that. They players obviously enjoyed those last few games more than meaningless games would have otherwise.

 

[FlameChampion]

Honestly who knows. At the time it appeared like it was bringing guys together to try and do it for McDavid.

One comment though. McDavid hit 100 points with several games to go. He could of hit 100 points and they could of gave him some rest (and others - Draisaitl, Nurse, Smith etc) at the end still. I dont think it was necessary for him to keep playing.

 

[Aerchon]

The oilers had a similar push for 100 in McDavids second year when we made the playoffs for the first time in a decade. He got there with a 2 point night in game 82 IIRC.

Wasn’t a distraction that year when we won a round and went to game 7 against the Ducks.

Wasn’t a distraction this year either when it was finished with 3 games to play. The oilers had 3 regular season games and a week and a half after McDavid hit 100 to prepare for the playoffs.

Our team was just better in 16-17.

As Soundwave pointed out earlier, the book was already out on how to beat Edmonton this year. Maurice implemented it. Tippett never appeared to adjust and our roster wasn’t good enough to overcome it.

Bunch of psychologists in here lmao

As an aside to the McDavid 100 points thing I want to highlight your comment about the 2016/17 team being better.

I can't agree with this more. Revisionists like to downplay that year for whatever reason but IMO that team was significantly better than this year's team.

Only when Winnipeg lost Ehlers and went on a skid and we started playing the garbage teams did I feel we were a "good" team that might make a lil noise in the playoffs.

 

[Spawn]

As an aside to the McDavid 100 points thing I want to highlight your comment about the 2016/17 team being better.

I can't agree with this more. Revisionists like to downplay that year for whatever reason but IMO that team was significantly better than this year's team.

I think that team had comparable goaltending and backend. Mcdavid and Drai are better now than in 16-17.

But you can’t overlook that we are down what was at the time 3 top 6 wingers in Maroon, Eberle and Lucic and none of them have been adequately replaced.

 

[McJesusSaves97]

Nah, I don't think Connor's chase for 100 was a distraction. We have a couple great players, a few good players & the rest are replacement level plugs. It was never a recipe for playoff success. Plan to contain 97 & 29 u win easily

 

[nabob]

I don’t think it was a distraction at all. I don’t see how games played weeks earlier have any impact on the playoff games. It’s good to have goals and aspire to reach them, but you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think that the real goal was to win in the playoffs.

I think the only distraction this team has is too many passengers (Nuge, cough cough) who rely on two superstars to do everything night in and night out. It’s like half the players on the roster are just there to watch McDrai play hockey.

 

[Messrules11]

I don’t think it was a distraction at all. I don’t see how games played weeks earlier have any impact on the playoff games. It’s good to have goals and aspire to reach them, but you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think that the real goal was to win in the playoffs.

I think the only distraction this team has is too many passengers (Nuge, cough cough) who rely on two superstars to do everything night in and night out. It’s like half the players on the roster are just there to watch McDrai play hockey.

I absolutely agree, he played 56 games, no reason to believe he couldn’t continue to excel. Stupid excuse being floated here.

 

[frag2]

I don’t think it was a distraction at all. I don’t see how games played weeks earlier have any impact on the playoff games. It’s good to have goals and aspire to reach them, but you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think that the real goal was to win in the playoffs.

I think the only distraction this team has is too many passengers (Nuge, cough cough) who rely on two superstars to do everything night in and night out. It’s like half the players on the roster are just there to watch McDrai play hockey.

If anything was a distraction, IMO, it was the team coasting the last few games post McDavid 100 pts. Just bad habits all around. I mean, they weren't giving up per se but effort definitely lacking IMO.

 

[CravenMH]

I think that team had comparable goaltending and backend. Mcdavid and Drai are better now than in 16-17.

But you can’t overlook that we are down what was at the time 3 top 6 wingers in Maroon, Eberle and Lucic and none of them have been adequately replaced.

I agree also. We had more depth and guys really elevated their games. That Russian winger, can't recall his name atm but he was a force out there. That line with him and Lucic really brought it. Sekura was no slouch on the backend either.

 

[nabob]

If anything was a distraction, IMO, it was the team coasting the last few games post McDavid 100 pts. Just bad habits all around. I mean, they weren't giving up per se but effort definitely lacking IMO.

I’m wondering if that was just McDavid, Drai and Nurse taking it easy for a few games, which then in turn exposed how mediocre the rest of the team was.

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

Koskinen letting in 4 goals on 4 shots was more of a distraction.

The team was probably sweating hard knowing they might have to see Koskinen in net for the playoffs.

 

[LTIR]

Been thinking this for a while now and mentioned it in a few threads. Do you think the team was distracted by trying to help McDavid hit 100 and once he finally did the team lost sight and focus? It feels like him getting 100 was our Stanley Cup and all the meaningless games afterwards I am sure didn't help either.

Yes, we would have swept the Jets if McD finished with 97pts :/

In a more serious note, the chase for 100 gave Oilers something to play for.. They would have had a lot more meaningless games at the end if there was nothing to play for.

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

Nope. Close thread.

 

[BlackDogg]

I think it drained him a bit yes. Might even have incurred some sort of aggravation or injury after the 100 point mark.

 

[T-Funk]

I don't think the race to 100 really screwed McDavid up, but I was worried in the back of my mind that the team was throwing the entire game plan out the window to get him to 100. Like the Oilers generally tend to when trying to get someone a hatty. Usually blows up in their faces.

 

[space321]

So many dumb threads these days lol

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

lol no.