Series Talk: WCF: Dallas Stars vs Edmonton Oilers (EDM Leads 3-2)

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

Who y'all got?!
​

Dallas Stars (1C) vs. Edmonton Oilers (2P)​

Western Conference Final

Game 1: Oilers at Stars -- May 23, 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 2: Oilers at Stars -- May 25, 8 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 3: Stars at Oilers -- May 27, 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 4: Stars at Oilers -- May 29, 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+ Game 5: Oilers at Stars -- May 31, TBD (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, TVAS)
+ Game 6: Stars at Oilers -- June 2, TBD (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, TVAS)
+ Game 7: Oilers at Stars -- June 4, TBD (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+ if necessary ​

Click to read more...

 

[Frank Drebin]

The regular season Knights are not the same as the playoff Knights.

Sounds subjective
Last year Vegas was #1 seed in the West. 4th in the league . This year 8 in the West. 14th overall.

But if you say they're the second best I believe you

 

[Avsfan1921]

Are you honestly suggesting with a straight face that Dallas was more defensively structured than Winnipeg as a team? That was Winnipeg's ENTIRE team identity throughout the year...structure...team defense.

No contest Dallas were more defensively structured. Avs toyed with the jets, walked into the offensive zone uncontested, set up in front of helly uncontested. Their defensive structure was horrid. Passed the puck around at will on the powerplay. None of that happened against Dallas. They had sticks/bodies in front of everything.

Or - just maybe Mackinnon and rantanen disappeared in round 2....and it didn't have much to do with Dallas.

Rantanen has disappeared since November, Mack did basically nothing 5v5 all playoffs. Very disappointing showing from both.

 

[Macheteops]

The Oilers are 2-12 the last 3 years when they have to play teams that are a contender in the playoffs. I don't see that changing here.

Damn. I was sure they beat Calgary a few years ago? I recall a lot of hype around them being a serious contender. Doesn't fit the narrative at hand though...

 

[Avsfan1921]

Damn. I was sure they beat Calgary a few years ago? I recall a lot of hype around them being a serious contender. Doesn't fit the narrative at hand though...

Outside of Calgary fans, I’m not too sure anyone has taken them seriously since the early 90’s lol

 

[HighLifeMan]

IMHO I think it's either Stars in 6 or Oilers in 7.

Depth matters a ton, but one can't underestimate star power. Flames in 2019 and 2022 bottom 6 and bottom 4 outplayed both the Avs and Oilers depth players respectively, but their top 6 and top pairing were completely exposed (Especially their top line playing horribly) while MacKinnon and McDavid/Draisaitl went supernova.

Those Calgary teams didn't have anywhere near the depth that Dallas currently does, and it's not even particularly close.

Dallas is a nightmare matchup for any team in the league.. let alone one with the depth issues that Edmonton has.

 

[Macheteops]

Stars in 2 then

Its honestly more surprising to see Oilers fans underestimate Dallas than the inverse.

Stars are a great team but I'll take that matchup over VGK and COL

Oilers got their punching bag Rd1. I would of preferred NSH but a Demko-less Vancouver did the trick Rd2 and DAL RD3 is as good as it's going to get for a finals path

 

[roryjones]

Yes, your post does appear to be a completely biased post. McKinnon is great, but McKinnon and Rantanen are not McDavid and Draisaitl. Nuke scored like Hyman until he couldn't play anymore - you seem to be forgetting that little fact, that Nuke was suspended for the last two Dallas wins. We still have Hyman.

I would also suggest that Bouchard has been the best defenseman in the playoffs this season so far, including Makar. If you want to say that Makar-Toews are a better pair than Bouchard-Ekholm, I won't argue a ton, but I wouldn't say the gap has been much over the last month, if it is there at all.

If's and but's don't mean anything. I don't think Colorado would have won last series - they were out of gas, and that's not only due to Dallas' play. I also think Edmonton would have beaten Vegas.

You would not have beaten Vegas or Colorado. Edmonton got the easy bracket and did not look amazing.

Bouchard is having a good playoffs but has really not faced a good team. LA is not a good team. Vancouver was injury riddled and yet took you to 7 games. Edmonton is over hyped by Canadian media.

 

[Nikki Potnick]

Oilers' cons:
- depth
- defense
- goaltending

Stars' cons:
-

You can tear apart what's wrong with the construction of the Oiler's team. You can't with Dallas. It's ok for an Oilers' fan to have hope to win, but no one in their right mind actually believes, pre-series, that they will come out on top.

 

[The Great Weal]

Sounds subjective
Last year Vegas was #1 seed in the West. 4th in the league . This year 8 in the West. 14th overall.

But if you say they're the second best I believe you

Don't think it's all that subjective to acknowledge that they had all three of Stone/Hanifin/Hertl in the playoffs whereas Stone essentially missed half of the regular season, Hanifin came in at the deadline, and Hertl just came back to play a handful of regular season games.

So far they've been the Stars biggest challenge and was the most difficult series of the Western Conference so far.

 

[LT]

Oilers' cons:
- depth
- defense
- goaltending

Stars' cons:
-

You can tear apart what's wrong with the construction of the Oiler's team. You can't with Dallas. It's ok for an Oilers' fan to have hope to win, but no one in their right mind actually believes, pre-series, that they will come out on top.

People are always gonna say the Stars' issue is we don't have elite game-breaking talent.

Despite Robertson putting up 109 points last year. And Hintz, Heiskanen, and Johnston having fantastic playoff stats. And the fact that the team is so deep and balanced we haven't needed to rely on any one player at any time to take over.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

No contest Dallas were more defensively structured. Avs toyed with the jets, walked into the offensive zone uncontested, set up in front of helly uncontested. Their defensive structure was horrid. Passed the puck around at will on the powerplay. None of that happened against Dallas. They had sticks/bodies in front of everything.


Rantanen has disappeared since November, Mack did basically nothing 5v5 all playoffs. Very disappointing showing from both.

You see that sometimes when a player has to give their A+++ game for months on end like MacK did.

 

[Avsfan1921]

Oilers' cons:
- depth
- defense
- goaltending

Stars' cons:
-

You can tear apart what's wrong with the construction of the Oiler's team. You can't with Dallas. It's ok for an Oilers' fan to have hope to win, but no one in their right mind actually believes, pre-series, that they will come out on top.

Love the optimism lol.

Stars cons:
- running 5 d
- oettenger has let in softies all playoffs

Their depth isn’t what has been impressive, it’s been the team commitment. They need to continue to do whatever it takes to disrupt and block shots. After a couple long playoff series it gets harder to maintain that commitment. You’re being a little to dismissive of the threats Edmonton poses imo.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

I did not realize the Dallas Stars were the greatest team ever assembled. I honestly hope they let the Oilers at least take warmup before sending them home in 4.

Just like Bouchard is the greatest blueliner ever surpassing Orr...I hope with chosen children of the hockey God (Bouchard, McD and Drai) allow mere mortals like the Stars players near the ice rink and their presence.

 

[Nikki Potnick]

Love the optimism lol.

Stars cons:
- running 5 d
- oettenger has let in softies all playoffs

Their depth isn’t what has been impressive, it’s been the team commitment. They need to continue to do whatever it takes to disrupt and block shots. After a couple long playoff series it gets harder to maintain that commitment. You’re being a little to dismissive of the threats Edmonton poses imo.

I've never felt so optimistic about a playoff series.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Pete Deboer rolls 4 lines. Teams who roll 4 lines have a huge advantage especially the later rounds and the deeper a round goes. Vegas won last year, they rolled 4 lines. Colorado the year before and they rolled 4 lines.

Florida last year couldnt match up to Vegas depth and after the injury to Tkachuk it was curtains. The same can be said for Vancouver with Boeser.

Im expecting to see McDrai play 30+ minutes in at least a couple games this series.

 

[LT]

Love the optimism lol.

Stars cons:
- running 5 d
- oettenger has let in softies all playoffs

Their depth isn’t what has been impressive, it’s been the team commitment. They need to continue to do whatever it takes to disrupt and block shots. After a couple long playoff series it gets harder to maintain that commitment. You’re being a little to dismissive of the threats Edmonton poses imo.

Oettinger's had 2, maybe 3 games that weren't great. If he was struggling like you're suggesting, Dallas wouldn't be in the WCF.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Don't think it's all that subjective to acknowledge that they had all three of Stone/Hanifin/Hertl in the playoffs whereas Stone essentially missed half of the regular season, Hanifin came in at the deadline, and Hertl just came back to play a handful of regular season games.

So far they've been the Stars biggest challenge and was the most difficult series of the Western Conference so far.

Are they not missing players from last season? Reilly Smith was shipped out for nothing.
Heck their starting goalie was a different guy

Sounds like a little bit of hockey math you got going on. You can't just place players on a roster and expect results. 82 games proves they were a much weaker team this year

 

[Avsfan1921]

I've never felt so optimistic about a playoff series.

That’s how I felt with Seattle last year. I hope for your sake it has a better result.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Oilers' cons:
- depth
- defense
- goaltending

Stars' cons:
-

You can tear apart what's wrong with the construction of the Oiler's team. You can't with Dallas. It's ok for an Oilers' fan to have hope to win, but no one in their right mind actually believes, pre-series, that they will come out on top.

Actually the Stars do have a con - their PK is not good.

Edmonton's powerplay is also better than theirs is.

Both teams were elite 5v5 during the regular season.

 

[Avsfan1921]

Oettinger's had 2, maybe 3 games that weren't great. If he was struggling like you're suggesting, Dallas wouldn't be in the WCF.

He’s been average most playoffs while allowing the occasional stinker from my viewings, and I’ve seen most every game this playoffs. That’s how I’ve viewed it.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Oilers' cons:
- depth
- defense
- goaltending

Stars' cons:
-

You can tear apart what's wrong with the construction of the Oiler's team. You can't with Dallas. It's ok for an Oilers' fan to have hope to win, but no one in their right mind actually believes, pre-series, that they will come out on top.

I'd add coaching too to the Oilers cons. As good as Knoblauch has been, he's still inexperienced on an NHL level. Deboer has been to the cup final before and he's also 8-0 in Game 7's.

 

[roryjones]

Love the optimism lol.

Stars cons:
- running 5 d
- oettenger has let in softies all playoffs

Their depth isn’t what has been impressive, it’s been the team commitment. They need to continue to do whatever it takes to disrupt and block shots. After a couple long playoff series it gets harder to maintain that commitment. You’re being a little to dismissive of the threats Edmonton poses imo.

I will take Oettinger’s occasional soft goals in a couple games while dominating the other games over skinner’s open door policy where everything gets past him.

 

[Nikki Potnick]

Actually the Stars do have a con - their PK is not good.

Edmonton's powerplay is also better than theirs is.

Both teams were elite 5v5 during the regular season.

Switching back and forth between playoffs and regular season to pad your argument. Dallas had a top 10 PP/PK in the regular season. So they're better.

Dallas has been less penalized than the Oilers too.

 

[LT]

He’s been average most playoffs while allowing the occasional stinker from my viewings, and I’ve seen most every game this playoffs. That’s how I’ve viewed it.

5 games with 1 GA, 4 with 2 GA, 1 with 3 GA, 2 with 4 GA, and 1 with 5 GA.

75% of the games he's allowed 2 goals or less.

Gonna win a lot of playoff hockey with that kind of goaltending.

 

[The Great Weal]

Are they not missing players from last season? Reilly Smith was shipped out for nothing.

On paper, their roster these playoffs is stronger than the one from last year.

Heck their starting goalie was a different guy

Because of injuries.

Sounds like a little bit of hockey math you got going on. You can't just place players on a roster and expect results.

Of course you can. If the Caps who barely made the playoffs somehow added McDavid, Crosby, Heiskanen, Makar to their game 1 roster they are a stronger team despite what the regular season record was.

82 games proves they were a much weaker team this year

A regular season roster can differ from a playoff roster.