It was a fun weekend for Oilers fans, basking in the glow of an intense comeback win against the New York Rangers, a brilliant goal that will be remembered for years, and an aftermath that included the “hold on, it’s coming” story.
Sunday, the club held a practice and coach Dave Tippett tweaked the lines and pairings. Huzzah! Something to talk about! It really was a fun weekend for all concerned.
Cover photo by Trevor Wear. All rights reserved.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: How close to balanced are the 2021-22 Oilers?
- DNB: Connor McDavid’s otherworldly goal
- DNB: Kevin Lowe Q&A
- Lowetide: Is this Connor McDavid’s peak season, and how good could it be?
- Lowetide: Who is the Oilers’ top prospect now that Evan Bouchard has graduated?
- DNB: Oilers’ Tyson Barrie says what needs to be said as NHL faces reckoning
- Lowetide: Did Oilers general manager Ken Holland win the offseason?
- DNB: The Duncan Keith-Cody Ceci pair have helped to overcome a notable loss
- Jonathan Willis: Seven Oilers surprises so far in 2021-22
- Lowetide: What Evan Bouchard’s move up the depth chart means for the Oilers’ defensive pairings
- Lowetide: How hot streaks, shuffles and slumps will determine the fate of the Oilers’ second line in 2021-22
- Lowetide: Oilers prospect Philip Broberg showing his potential
- Lowetide: Should Jesse Puljujarvi drive his own line for the Oilers in 2021-22?
- New DNB: He’s a one-shot scorer’: Oilers prospect Carter Savoie thriving at DU
- Lowetide: Which Oilers AHL players are most likely to be called up in 2021-22?
THE NEW LINES AND PAIRINGS
- Leon Draisaitl—Connor McDavid—Jesse Puljujarvi
- Zach Hyman—Ryan Nugent-Hopkins—Zack Kassian
- Warren Foegele—Derek Ryan—Kailer Yamamoto
- Tyler Benson—Kyle Turris—Colton Sceviour
- Darnell Nurse—Tyson Barrie
- Duncan Keith—Cody Ceci
- Slater Koekkoek—Evan Bouchard
- Mikko Koskinen (Stuart Skinner)
- Extras: Mike Smith, Kris Russell, Brendan Perlini
I saw plenty of reaction to this shuffle yesterday, and would encourage you not to overreact. The coach wants to keep things fresh, and needs the third line to stop giving up something close to a goal-per-game. He’s also trying to keep 97 and 29 together, so the second line has a lot of pressure, too. Kassian moves up to hopefully provide a spark and maybe score a goal or two, and Yamamoto is a more certain player without the puck.
Most important: If it doesn’t work, Tippett can shuffle in a heartbeat.
The defensive tweaks less reasonable, but my guess is Tippett has a line in the sand for Bouchard and the young man eclipsed it, so it’s back to the third pairing until the coach is comfortable again. I think Barrie has enough chaos in his game that it’s a good bet both righties spend time with Nurse during the road trip.
In his rookie season, Paul Coffey spent time with Doug Hicks, Kevin Lowe and Gary Lariviere. It was a couple of years before Charlie Huddy arrived to complete a formidable pairing. Chances are Bouchard’s signature defensive partner isn’t on the roster yet. The one big advantage of having Bouchard on the third pair is more playing time for that trio.
ERIC RODGERS’ NEIGHBOURHOOD
Our friend Eric Rodgers started doing counts and estimates about the Oklahoma City Barons over a decade ago, and when the team moved to Bakersfield and became the Condors he kept doing his good work on our behalf. Eric’s attention to detail and work in estimating things like icetime and NHLE are a gift. Here are the numbers after nine games, with sincere thanks to Eric.
Early in the season, ice-time estimates can vary greatly, but there’s also been some unusual games where you don’t see a lot of one defender or another. Samorukov is just getting into the season, so his estimate (as an example) will rise. The on-ice even strength goal differentials are all similar, no one player stepping out. Niemelainen has been involved in 13 goals through nine games, that’s high event.
Broberg is already the offensive dynamo in the group, I don’t know that he’ll ever run an NHL power play but Klefbom did and he posted 1-9-10 in 48 AHL games at the same age. Broberg is 0-6-6 through nine contests with the Condors.
There are seven NHL prospects on that list, and from time to time I remind everyone that all will not arrive in the NHL. Ever. The year Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones turned pro, one of the strongest lines was posted by Ryan Mantha, who would lose his career to an eye injury. This is a damned risky position. Stuff happens.
The forward group is less than ideal this season, mostly because there are few prospects, and those who are legit prospects (McLeod, Lavoie, Safin) are mostly down the list in terms of icetime and points. That will be something to watch, as I mentioned on the weekend it looked to me as though Lavoie was moving his feet and had more touches than in previous games. McLeod should get recalled to the big club today.
For giggles, here is 2019-20:
Bouchard, Yamamoto and Benson are with the Oilers, Jones is in Chicago, several others have now played in the league. Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson are helping NHL prospects become NHL players.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
It’s a busy morning on the Lowdown, we get started at 10 with a mostly Oilers show on TSN 1260. We’ll review the big game against the Rangers, including the goal and Leon’s “hold on, it’s coming” plus the lines and pairings shuffle by coach Dave Tippett on Sunday. Jason Gregor will pop in at 11 to discuss the weekend, including Oilers, Elks and NFL. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!!
So, do we think Tip will go Benson/McLeod/Turris tonight?
So, we’ve had a fun evening but at this point I’m going to ask everyone to refrain from name calling and general attacks. timeouts would be a shame, but it’s getting late and there are things to do.
I don’t like name calling either.
But… I have been coming to this site for over 10 years, and I must say that HH, or DSF, regardless of the alter ego chosen, generally decreases satisfaction of other users on this site, myself included. I have generally learned not to retaliate, which often means glossing over large sections of the comments, which is unfortunate. However, this is a generally thoughtful and kind community, and it seems to me that granting latitude to someone who continually projects an attitude that “everyone else on this site is an asshole” has a net negative effect. Not a knock on you, as I know you have the tendency to see the best in others and their contributions, but I thought you might be interested in how others who engage with this site perceive an individual whose sole purpose on this website appears to be the instigation of conflict
Banning people doesn’t work. We’re a community, some people like HH and some don’t, some like another poster and others don’t and on it goes. I’ve been posting on this blog for over 15 years, and there are always going to be people who get upset at someone and threads that get derailed.
I’ve banned people, and then had emails asking why they were banned. So. This is us. I’m sincerely sorry that your experience is less than what it might be, but I’ve given in to a portion of the community before only to be called out by another portion of the community.
I won’t be doing that again.
Just to be clear, I believe that you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for on a free site that creates so much joy for others, myself included. I don’t believe people should be banned, unless there are hateful lines that are crossed. Just saying that it very often isn’t a “2 sides issue” with this individual, and we don’t need to pretend that it is.
I’ve always wondered whether that was the case … that maybe DSF/HH was some sort of split personality manifestation of LTs subconscious, created to test the faith of even the most diehard Oilers fan.
I think you’re overthinking it, but it’s an interesting idea.
I think that was Higgins and Robin Masters
Woody on ON today:
Lots of McLeod info but same old stuff we keep reading/hearing.
Samorukov – first game was a little fast as he’d been off for so long. Progressively gotten better. Asked him to play in a shut down role. He plays a hard game. Efficient with the puck. Good on the PK. Taken a step in every game so far.
Broberg – really like where he is. Mentally he knows he’s coming to the rink daily and he’s important. Big minutes. Plays in every situation. His legs are his gift. Can spin off forecheckers by himself. Offensive confidence coming, plays on PP and good at getting his shot through. Still had “learning moments” but that’s why he’s in the AHL. We help him work through those mistakes. Good relationship with Manson. Really like where he’s at right now.
Lavoie – More offence to be had there, there has to be and he knows that. Challenge with a player like him is when he does struggle, what else can he hand his hat on so that he’s still contributing to the team. Working on a full 200 foot game, taking pride in d-zone, his board work. Working on making plays on the PP and not just being a guy that can shoot. Putting extra time in on with him. He’s made two plays recently that have led to goals. We are working with him but long term we need him to brig more offence.
I can’t believe I almost missed the balance photo.
LAK win their 5th straight with a 5-1 victory over Toronto.
Of note, the much maligned (by OP) Philip Danault with 2G and 1A and now with 6 points in his last 5 games.
The Danault line was buoyed by the return from injury of Andreas Athanasiou who had 1G and 1A.
The Kings lost 2 top 4 D early but seem to have stabilized and may become a factor in the Pacific Division race.
Their win streak during the first 12 games is largely irrelevant.
Get back to me after 20.
5 straight wins to move 5 points back of the Oilers with two extra games played. Good for “elite 2C” Danault, he’s know only 6 points back of the Oilers 2nd line center with two more games played and said Oilers 2C has an unsustainably low shooting percentage.
Yeah what a difference a year make hunh? I mean having to take on everyone else last season, Kopitar got off to kind of a slow start with only 15 points in his first 12 games. Now with Danault shouldering the defensive load, Kopitar has zoomed to 15 points in just 12 games. Its remarkable the difference Danault has made to Kopitar’s game.
While he won’t go goalless on the season, and will even snipe some beauties and bang in some garbage I’m sure… I have full faith in RNH sustaining an unsustainable shooting percentage over a season.
He posted 3.5% 5×5 over his 40 games in the strike-shortened season. 6.85% in 16-17, and 8.1 the year before that. 8.24% in 20-21.
A consistent shot is not his strength. Never has been.
He’s consistently a 25G/82 scorer (give or take) so I’m fairly confident that he’s going to score 20 plus goals this season.
“Sure up the standings” to be a .500 team…….
I’m fairly certain the Condors were a much superior team last year – that is actually a fact given, you know, the championship they won.
Saying the Condors weren’t a superior team is an objective lie.
Danault at best would be 3rd and possible 4th line center on the Oilers
He would be a perfect #2C if Drai and McDavid were playing together.
So far this season, he has won 59.3% of his face-offs.
Nuge is 39.06%
I’m pretty sure that there is more to center than faceoffs.
Yeah…there is.
Shutting down the oppositions best on a regular basis is a pretty good place to start.
A line with Danault, Nuge and Hyman would be delicious.
Danault: 1.52 GA/60
Nuge: 0.87 GA/60
Danault is also likely to be the Kings long term elite #3C as he is serving as a bridge to Quintin Byfield.
Think Shawn Horcoff at a much more reasonable cap hit.
Oh man that’s gonna be tough for canucks fans – with Philip Bergeron in the Pacific, all 4 playoff spots are now locked up… screw the 20 game rule!!!!
Nothing is locked up after 10 games…especially 1st place.
At this point it’s so clear that Danault would be 1C on the Canucks.
Ovechkin with 741..ties Brett Hull.
Jagr next, then Howe, and then straight on till morning. I think Ovechkin is already the best ever, allowing for era, etc.
That said, the Gretzky record is a special one, not sure I want to see it go. Can Ovie get from 741 to 894? Tall order.
On pace for 80 this season…might not take as long as some think.
I’ll bet you he can’t keep that pace
Likely true but even 60 would get him over 800 with about 94 to go.
2 more seasons?
Ovechkin’s scoring during the first 11 games is largely irrelevant.
Get back to me after 20.
At 20 games, Ovechkin will remain an elite goal scorer and likely the best of all time.
You don’t even realize when I use your own terrible posts against you.
Sad.
I’ll take Mike Bossy’s shot over anyone before and after best pure scorer ever and I despised the Islanders. How many goals does Bossy end up with if he plays as long as his line mate Trottier.
This is true, but OV is a better all-round hockey player on top of his goal-scoring, and could score in more ways than Bossy could too.
Do you remember Bossy’s skating?
More physically gifted in terms of strength and skating sure, but Bossy became a pretty good player maker the last half of his short career, getting at least as many assists as goals for his last 6 seasons, with one season with 83 assists. And while the goalies were different then, a career 21.2 shooting % is pretty high. He could get away a shot on net, no matter where the puck was around him. Bossy was +380 in his career vs Ovechkin +80. Last, Bossy’s scoring rate per game stayed consistent in the playoffs as he racked up goals at the same rate per game post season as regular season, while Ovechkin scores goals in the playoffs at a 40 goal per season clip.
Never said he wasn’t a great hockey player. But he also played on a much better team as his plus-minus indicates. He’s not Ovi though. If you’ve ever seen him skate, you know what I’m talking about. Robitaille could hit a christmas light from anywhere on the ice too, but he also can’t do the things Ovi can do. And again that’s not to equate Luc and Mike.Ovechkin simply has things in his toolkit they don’t.
Ovechkin is unreal – greatest goal scorer of all time (in my opinion).
I’m torn, I always cheer for Ovie but, given where we are, I’m hoping for Leon or Connor to win the Richard so its tough.
Ok this is really lame!!!!!!!
The balance photo is hidden behind a paywall and under a 3rd party app??? Serious???
I’m assuming it will get posted here tomorrow.
$7.99 for a month’s subscription to the Athletic, some of which could wind up in our host’s pocket, which seems both reasonable and fair.
And also often offered for much less.
Sale on now, matter of fact. In this economy, it’s not possible for some, but if you click on the “Balance” link on the story, it’ll go to a very good offer. If you can, that would be a kind gesture.
I’ve been a subscriber since day one.
Based on your prolific link work, I never had any doubt. 🙂
Had a few interesting conversations with James Mirtle when he was assembling the hockey gang.
He did a fantastic job.
Agreed. I think the Canadian group is especially strong.
Didn’t get the gig, eh? And with all that publishing moxy LOL
Love the balance GIF, LT… a reminder to enjoy beauty while it graces us.
ive been a subscriber since day 1 that LT joined
but a lot of people came here far longer than athletic has existed that were promised the balance photo when the time occurred
Also it’s not like there’s a picture on the Athletic. It’s a link to a 3rd party gif app (Tenor) which you have to give permission to use on your phone to access it.
Fail
Boo fucking hoo.
Sorry hard to hear you under all your tears of Oilers in first place
Who’s is in 1st place after 10 games is largely irrelevant.
Get back to me after 20.
Does anyone really care about the opinion of a pathetic creature who spends his retirement trolling all things Edmonton?
Claiming to speak for everyone is a serious psychological problem.
Seek help.
Spending your entire retirement trying to destroy other people’s joy is a serious psychological problem
you need help
I’m not retired.
I own and operate a very successful publishing company.
If hearing dissenting voices (which are most often accurate) disturbs you then I suggest you should look in the mirror.
If your “joy” comes from breast thumping in the face of obvious counter facts you are part of a mob that seeks to silence any voice that does not hew to your version of the “truth”.
This phenomena is currently destroying the media, colleges and universities and human discourse.
The tribalism you exhibit is not only shameful but also dangerous in that it demeans public spaces like Lowetide where open discussion and consideration of alternate points of view were not only valued but encouraged.
Unfortunately, it has been replaced by endless chanting of “we’re number 1!!!!”
Once upon a time, there were many voices here who could take a dispassionate view of the Oilers and hockey but objectivity has for the most part been replaced by outrage at even the slightest hint of deviance from the hive mind.
You have repeatedly called for me to be silenced because I don’t agree with you but not once have I reciprocated.
That says way more about you than it does about me.
I’ve said this before. I’ll say it again. I love heterodox thinkers. You may think that’s what you are. It’s simply not reality.
Well that’s on me, leadfarmer. I used Tenor because it was convenient and meant no disrespect. My sincere apologies.
+ your post of November 7 “Host has no interest in controlling the trolling …...” Any other complaints about this free site?
Well maybe it’s just me but myth of the balance photo was very much a thing on this site for a very long time
Not on Twitter, not on Oilersnation and not the Athletic 🤷♂️
The subscription for The Athletic is 100% worth it, even if just for the Oilers’ content (of course, subject to each individual’s personal circumstances).
Yep.
And have access to Dom, Pronman, Wheeler and many others make it an an absolute bargain.
It’s totally worth it for the non Oilers content too. Unless you have the time to watch every team play you get a very good run down of what is happening in the league from a wide variety of viewpoints
And all the other content.
It’s a must for any sports fan IMO.
Pretty good spot for the Hyman/McDavid/Jesse line in the rankings.
Of note, they reference where the Drai/McDavid/Jesse line, “would be” – also interesting:
https://theathletic.com/2942220/2021/11/08/the-10-best-lines-in-hockey-where-does-vegass-new-trio-fit/
I have waited a long time for the balance photo, and it was worth the wait.
Glad you liked it.
I read an article years ago about her face being perfectly symmetrical, like the ideal Hollywood face. It always stuck with me. I read the article waiting in a doctor’s office. Funny what you remember.
I was expecting a racier pic from days yore
But I have to agree, along the same lines that gif has balance in every way
Beauty allure and so much class
What we hope for from this group of hockey hope givers
In a hockey way
I thought of it, but the idea is that the face is perfect and balanced, so I wanted to make sure my point was made. I was going to post it here earlier, but no one seemed to notice, so I went about my work through the day. It is here:
https://tenor.com/view/grace-kelly-rear-window-gpk-to-catch-a-thief-gif-23545199
You have used that photo in the past. Lots of times. Not that I will ever complain about seeing Grace Kelly, Princess of our Dreams, but I thought the photo was something you had never posted before?
I have used Kelly photos and gifs but not that specific one. It’s the ‘balance’ photo because of her face, so really any will do, but that specific one I don’t recall ever using.
With her in the water? Was I looking at the right one, lol, maybe I wasn’t. Because you have definitely used that one, as a still photo though.
No, it’s a different swimsuit and a different photo shoot. I haven’t used that one before.
Yes, you’ve definitely used one from the Howard Conant shoot, but I had thought you had used the one from To Catch A Thief too. Sorry.
Yes. Yes, that’s exactly right. I couldn’t remember his name, but yes.
It’s really hard to stop saying “yes”, when looking at that. Thank Gord she wasn’t in sales. She’s selling seashells by the seashore. They’re free on the beach… I’d still leave broke.
There’s a scene in Rear Window where she’s turning lamps on, TURNING LAMPS ON, and it’s the best damn thing in the world.
They say its a really good movie. One of Hitch’s two best. I always miss half the damn thing. The half she’s on screen.
My favourites are Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, The Rope, North by Northwest and Family Plot. Love Hitchock movies.
Rope is not on my list. The screenplay of Rope was eviscerated to cover the gay dynamics at play in the original story. Even Hitch was disappointed with the end result. All the power–the pulls–had been taken out.
Vertigo IMO is his other masterpiece. He has many good movies, but two masterpieces: Rear Window and Vertigo. Both due to the ambiguity, the plasticity of what’s being shown. Must’ve had hella influence on Kubrick b/c he devoted his career to this notion of plastic narrative (after he got Spartacus and the studios out of his system).
Nabokov’s influence on story-telling was so huge.
I have always said that you are a very graceful writer.
You are very kind.
Wait, after all the teasing… it’s not even getting shown on this site?
DID I MISS THE BALANCE PHOTO
What is going on??!!
Where is it??!!
all I see is a picture of Draisatl’s ass!!🤪
is THAT the balance photo I have been coming here for everyday for the past 6 years?? 😡
She is much easier on the eyes than Draisaitl’s ass!
This is truly funny
Oilers in a pretty interesting spot in the updated Power Rankings:
https://theathletic.com/2941423/2021/11/08/dgb-weekend-rankings-a-top-spot-showdown-a-blockbuster-trade-a-firing-and-the-goal-of-the-year/
The best 10 lines in hockey:
https://theathletic.com/2942220/2021/11/08/the-10-best-lines-in-hockey-where-does-vegass-new-trio-fit/
Total bull shit and only posted to start trouble. What a loser.
How many Hart Trophies do their top two lines have in the past 8 years and Eichel being included? Dude has not played in almost as long as Klefbom.
What is the issue with this article?
The Hyman/McDavid/Puljujarvi line ranked 3rd is pretty high, in my opinion, and its noted that the Drai/McDavid/Jesse line would be tied for first.
Is that the issue, tied for first?
I love Jesse, and he’s coming and he’s going to be spectacular, however, his aggregate body of works has him 9th out the 9 players in the three-way tie for first.
With that said, prime Leon/Connor – well that duo could push them in to sole possession of first but I don’t see this post a normal troll post.
2/10 for this attempt. Better to wield a sniper’s rifle than a blunderbuss, young man.
For me I hope they all think they are the answer
And get proven wrong by our good guys
Players win games, teams win championships
Of course the Oilers don’t have the best chance….
Thanks for all the encouraging words yesterday, this is one hell of community!
Surgery went well, laying in my bed at the hospital with a drain sticking out of the side of my neck feeling pretty good, haven’t needed much in terms of painkillers, even turned down the last few, the anasthesia is finally starting to wear off, felt like I was drunk from the worst moonshine of my life for a few hours after waking up. I’m hungry as hell, surgery was pushed up a bunch of hours so the pre-op fasting was longer than expected and I’m a big eater, but the hospital food is surprisingly good, I even got myself some nice apple pie for dessert.
If I’m lucky I might be able to leave the hospital as soon as tomorrow, depends on if they can pull the drain or not. All in all not too shabby.
Take care everyone!
Especially Melvis, I really hope you can get your bypass very soon and I look forward to hearing about the quality of the post-op apple pie after your smooth and successful surgery.
Great to hear your recovery is going well. All the best.
You sir are a class act! I thank you for all that you have done for us! Get well and know that you are the type of individual that makes us all better for knowing you!
Good to hear Swedish
You’ll be back on the penalty kill in no time, Swedish Poster. Recover fast.
Great that you’re doing well! I love your posts – astute and knowledgeable, no bullshit with an added dash of humour. As for the food at RUH in Saskatoon? Worst crap I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s not even close. Worse yet, it’s nutrionally unsound.
Typical breakfast – a round saucer sized disk of dried out fried egg, the liquid stuff that pours out of a tetra pack. Add two burnt pork sausages. Can I get some oat meal? Maybe tomorrow. Lunch and dinner were no better. I lost five pounds that week. Next time, I’ve a got a friend bringing the pho, stir fry, sushi, fruit, salad and what not.
I’m pretty deep into cooking. Baking not so much, with two exceptions. A mean apple pie and Bittman’s no knead bread. Great loaf and idiot proof. Details in the NY times cooking section.
Thanks very much for your comment.
And you are in the hospital as well as Swedish Poster?
What the hell is going on around here the last little while?
Best of luck to you Melvis. You are one of my favourie posters here. Hope nothing too serious.
Thanks. That means a lot to me.
Get well, brother.
Good to hear it went well.
Although what kind of hospital did you go to that has good food?
I’ve been busy so not around much the last little while. Didn’t know you were in the hospital until I saw this post. Sounds like things went well so just chiming in to wish you all the best in the recovery phase.
And just for the record you are big part of what makes this “one hell of a community”.
Best of luck & be good to yourself while you are getting healthy.
Good to hear, Swedish. Hope the convalescence goes as … sweetly.
Shore’s injury sets up all kinds of interesting possibilities. IIRC there were question about Driasaitl and Nurse’s short stays in the AHL when they were finally call back after less than 10 games.
Hyman- McDavid-Puljarjavi – Don’t touch this is working
Nuge-Driasaitl-Kassian – Ride Kassian until he demotes himself to 3RW
Foegele-McLeod- Yamamoto – Forecheck the other team, speed everywhere
Benson-Ryan-Turris – This line will score a bit and everyone is slotted right
Nurse-Barrie
Keith-Bourchard
Samurokov-Ceci
Kosk
Smith
Looks fine except for the 4th line. However, what team does not have questions about their 4th line?
It will be nice so see what Sammy can do to improve the 3rd pairing. He does need to get up to speed – so maybe not for a while.
i like the experiment at forward.
Yammo and Foegelle could gel well, and Kass could create some space for the Nuge.
As for D, maybe it’s less about Bouchard and more about Barrie. he’s been a bit better last few games. Or maybe it’s about balancing the icetime better.
Either way. It’s practice, it’s a long season, we’ve been lucky to be healthy enough to experiment different combos b/f needing to do so by necessity.
Just went for a walk and was listening to QR770 Calgary station. I realize everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You start to realize who knows and understands hockey. Listening to the host shane ganam you know he doesn’t. He stated turtle’s goal was more impressive than Connors’s. shane says Connor just beat one player. What he doesn’t realize is the level of difficulty and the time left when Connor’s scores. Connor stick handles between 6 stick swipes and 5 players. The puck went past 5 players so that is beating 5 players, not 1. Very few players can do that. Many players have scored a goal between the legs. Even Connor has done this which was more impressive since it was top shelf and closer in.chuckycheese has done this so many times that it really is showing off when he does it when the score is 5-0.
Shaye Ganam
@ShayeGanam
·
Nov 5
When Kevin Lowe found out I coached minor hockey he told me to bring the kids over to his backyard rink for a skate. His heart is huge and he loves this community. Congrats, Kevin! #KevinLowe
So what you are actually saying is that Shayne Ganam acknowledged that Kevin Lowe understood that shayne needed help and that Kevin Lowe made a generous offer to help. His lack of understanding would speak to his error reference Connors play and that of Turtlechuk. Sutter is who he is and by your defending him fully discloses your complete lack of class! Go back under your bridge!
Shane doesn’t seem to realize that Tkachuk has practiced the ‘between the legs shot infront of the net’ many times before. Even Markstrom confirmed this. It has just become another tool in Tkachuk’s toolkit.
Noone can really practice going through 4 Rangers and beating Georgiev except for other Rangers. That’s just pure spontaneous skill and athleticism on display.
Agreed, it seems like the between the legs shot is his go-to move. Not sure it’s worth beaking off about with a <1% success rate.
Showboating asshat stuff for me. At least if you’re doing it more than once a year, or less.
I haven’t seen too many who have scored keep after it, you got your extra token, go buy the stick with the bazooka on it and move to the next level or whatever.
Me thinks that Shaye is just paraphrasing the non-sensical comments from Sutter who said that it was really only a 1-on-1 as McDavid only had to stick handle around one player.
Well to Ganam and Sutter. If their 4 players on inside a 10′ x 10′ box and you skate right past them through the center of the box because you are faster than they can process – you are still ‘beating’ them.
The turtles goal was very nice, but better than 97’s – bah ha ha.
I’d say it’s got more to do with pandering to the local audience than anything else.
I’ve seen it fail at least 3 times in close games…and I don’t watch a lot of flames games. I’ll wager that’s 1/20 or so? I’m glad he got one in meaningless time. It will encourage him to keep doing it.
The between your legs and Lacrosse style goals are hot dog moves players joke around and do these in practice. The goal by McDavid was him skating through a team to tie the game late in the third. The reason why Hrudey and other Flame’s host downplay Connor’s goal is jealously at its finest. If you showed the replays of both goals to someone say in a jungle in Brazil that has never witnessed Hockey they would say Holy hell on Connors goal and not even blink a eye a Tkachuk goal.
I like the idea of Zack playing on the line with Leon and Nuge. Zack makes the opposition become aware of him on the ice and potentially buys Leon and Nuge a bit of time.
The opposition is aware of him because they want know which point will be open when they have control in the Oiler’s end.
There is that downside too. Why having the Nuge and Leon beside him can help.
On the road having 2 smaller and softer wingers with Leon doesn’t work. Zack at least brings some physical balance to the bigger teams that have the last change.
Been wanting Tippett to drop Yamo down all-year to the 3rd line for this very reason. I think Yamo can relax and surprise people playing on the 3rd line and between him and Foegele digging pucks all over the place will create chances offensively.
i can buy into this
Anton LanderRyan McLeod of the Clan McLeod recalled.Haha Lander is currently playing LW. McLeod can actually skate😉
I wonder how good of a comparable Lander is for Mr. Benson.
Lander may be better defensively and Benson may be better when he has the puck, time, and space. But there is some overlap with these two.
Of course Lander had the advantage of trying to earn a spot on a lottery team instead of a flawed contender.
Lander was a chippy player who likes to engage physically. He just didn’t have the wheels to keep up with the play at the NHL level.
Lander + McLeod = ideal third line centre
McLeod coming
Release the Kurgen.
As much as I dislike moving Kassian up the lineup, I really think playing with Ryan on a line with a different, well defined, role will be great for Yamamoto.
Similar to moving Yakupov off Leon’s line and putting him with Derek Roy.
Of course, that’s also where I see us getting the most out of Kassian as well. I do like him on a line that forces him to play the role of hockey player instead of bodyguard/enforcer/energy guy, and that’s exactly what he was expected to do with Ryan/Foegle.
That 4th line is hot effing garbage. Yikes.
Assuming they’re basically not going to play.
Wonder why the Coach likes Turris on the power play…he can’t hack that anymore compared to the rest of the squad.
Is it possible to just run 3 lines?
Tipp basically does
As the schedule gets “tougher” and there is more travel and fewer breaks, including extended breaks, in my opinion, the need to be able to play that 4th line becomes a bit more important.
I wonder if they even bother to call up MacLeod . Colton Sceviour can play center along with Kyle Turris and they are both RHC’s . I’m sure between the two of them they’ll figure it out .
I would assume McLeod doesn’t get called up right away. He didn’t look that close to being an NHL contributor in his latest stint and I think he’ll be given a long stretch in Bakersfield to hopefully sort out what needs sorting.
He needs to play in the NHL. He has already proven to have the AHL game!
As I posted earlier, I think I tend to agree with this from watching him. He is “too good for the AHL” in the sense that he doesn’t need to work on the areas that need working on in order to succeed offensively and impact the game.
It might be one of the situations where he will only develop in these areas by playing in the NHL and learning what he needs to do to succeed and take his game to that next level.
Struddy or somebody used to playfight Baby Nuge and toss him around at practice. TO get him comfortable with it, that he wouldn’t die if somebody went after him.
Nuge has never shied away from physical play, he just isn’t big enough to play that style, oh, and also has 14 times the hockey sense as most of the rest so he plays with his brains.
Kassian Nurse and any of the other bigger guys should horse around with McLeod and help him get more comfortable with the rough stuff. Also so he can get a sense of his strength against them – he’s a pretty big guy for his age. He’s bigger than a lot of opponents already.
Bison King took boxing lessons for the same reason. He’ll likely not fight much, but he can’t be intimidated. I pity the fool that finally gets him riled up, especially if he gets a few more years of man strength on him. I can see a rampage the likes of we haven’t seen in a while.
Welp, that didn’t take long to be proven wrong!
Turris was a tire fire at centre last year, and he’s not bleeding goals at the same rate this year, but he’s not helping much either.
Of course, by the time I post this response, we all will know that he was indeed officially called up.
Yes, Sceviour “can” play center but the player even acknowledged himself that he’s “better” or more comfortable on the wing.
I also think that Turris as a center is not really an option for Tip anymore except for an emergency.
Lack of engagement not only hurt McLeod in the offensive zone. For a bottom 6 player the bigger problem is in the D zone where a lack of fight is a glaring weakness opponents exploit and lost trust from the coach.
At a minimum he need to learn to hold his ground. That one play in the Jets series, where both of his D went after pucks in the corner and instead covering the goal mouth he drifted into the slot, probably did him in for the series and caused the bench shortening.
The best AHL development plan would probably be deployimg him exclusively with chaos D and had him learn to clean up after them. Unfortunately there is no Brad Hunt or Joey LaLeggia this year.
Good post – i would throw out Michael Kesselring for the “chaos D” – quite the Joey Legs or Brad Hunt level but he’s pretty chaotic early in his pro career.
I am not sure whether Bouchard going down is a demotion so much as a way to balance out the pairs, and like Nurse with RHD, he can play with any of the LHD.
Re the Yamo/Kassian switch, I get trying to get the 3rd line going, but Yamamoto was stymied for so long and just seemed like he was getting into a groove, and that line was doing very well.
Love the line by Leon, the NHL desperately needs more of that.
Thanks LT and Eric!
I’m not a Twit? so didn’t see the push back on the line pairings online… a couple months ago I posted a very similar line combination but I had Draisaitl and Nuge swapped. I can’t imagine what 630lbs would do to opposing teams. Third line is a match and I think KY will do a good job on that line.
Looking at the Condors numbers above is it too early for the sail on
OesterleLagesson post?The player I’m watching this year is Kaapo Kakko. He reminds me a lot of Puljujarvi’s first 3 years without getting jacked back to the AHL every time he sneezed… just underwhelming offensively. In year 2 he improved defensively by a lot but still didn’t post much offense, and this year he’s just flat, posting zeros across the board.
He could be a fantastic buy-low candidate for the summer – even as he’d likely cost a late 1st.
I agree. If he has an underwhelming season I would be comfortable offering our late 1st round pick for him. JP would be a good mentor
I would agree that he could be a nice buy low candidate but I would shirk from dealing a 1st rounder for him. Where would you propose fitting him in on the right side?
That’s up to the coach! 😉
Seriously though, he’s big, fast and great defensively, he could fit in anywhere in the lineup.
I liked his game against the phlegms. His game was similar to JP. I like the idea of a bigger body and I would trade Yamo.
Kakkko has zero points this season. I wonder if there is a Yamo for Kakko deal that would make sense for both teams
With the Oilers PP1, the less the D does at the top the better. Klefbom and Nurse learned this. To his credit, Barrie has learned it. If one can keeps the puck in at the blue line and feeds it to one of the three wizards, and takes only high quality point shots, that defensemen will likely be successful on this PP1.
That’s true up to a point. I think Bouchard’s ability to get shots through traffic will add yet another element that will drive opposing PKers crazy. Plus his passing, vision and creativity are top notch too.
Yes, Barrie certainly has and good job giving credit where its due.
Its interesting to me that every time Barrie shoots on the PP, twitter is ablast with criticism of him for doing so. Of course he’s going to shoot, for one, he has a good point shot on the PP and its dangerous and, more importantly, he has to shoot on occasion so that the PKs have to be aware of it and can’t cheat down low too much. Its important.
His accuracy for being an offensive specialist is average at best! He scores more with his wrist shot! I’m not sure I would want to be the net from presence when he loads it up because only God knows where it is going! It also has a tendency to be high!
Man. Are there ever a lot of “small” 2nd round (or later) picks who are achieving/overachieving in the NHL right now.
From now on, no 2nd rounders over 5’10” until the rest of the league catches up with this fact.
#KiddingNotKidding
What is a 2nd round draft pick? -)
I don’t think the Oilers have had any of those. Where does one find them?
In trade
from Ken Holland 🤪
Remember when we were all worried about protecting Benson in the expansion draft?
Eh…..not so much.
Benson is just experiencing a difficult transition from first line AHL star to a 4th line NHL energy player. Give him 40 games before you give up on him.
This 4th line might actually be the best permutation of the bottom five forwards.
i think Benson has improved from his first game 1.
He also doesn’t get a lot of ice time,
40 games for Benson = 160 minutes of icetime on this team.
It really should be 16 games if he playes 10 mins/game.
Compare that to Connor or Lean who will play about 800 mins in that timeframe
Thinking big. What if Ken Holland could engineer two moves at or before the deadline.
3C and 3LD.
Not likely; But not impossible either.
Lot’s of tradable assets.
3 LD is an internal fix! Short term cost is a waste of resources. If the window was closing it might be different. Wood guy has already proposed A fix for limited assets out that would be a great fit!
I don’t believe you’re thinking big! 😉
I wouldn’t like to see the 1st go for a rental, but…
Something like this could make sense:
Lindholm and Getzlaf (both 50% retained)
for
Turris and the 1st
The money works, I think, if there’s no one on IR at that point (and LTIR instead could remedy that is injuries do crop up).
I was lucky enough to go to the Oilers and Flames games against the NYR. Calgary has it going on, building was fun and they handled a tired Ranger team quite easy. Is Alberta the Valley of Death for those eastern teams?
The Rangers are a borderline playoff contender and they looked brutal. Their defense, outside of Fox, is not good. Trouba is a huge liability and they are messing up their top prospects, Laf and Kakko. Not a good hockey team at all.
It was a great weekend because the Oilers roared back in a way no one has seen since 2006 and really 15+ years before that. Lose and everyone is worried about the 5 game road trip.
Hyperbole perhaps, but the team is starting to mark its own territory. Write its own story. Bye bye boys on the bus in other words.
Tippett might not be Scotty Bowman, but this is the kind of team that needs to be able to play its own way, and being micro managed might not work. The 1970s Bruins had head coach Tom Johnson opening the gate and that was about all he ever did apparently. Tippett is doing fine.
Someone compared this to the Orr led Bruins and thats seemingly fitting. McDavid is Orr playing centre. And that’s simply nuts.
Er….Orr, in those days, was getting plus/minuses like +120.
Orr was playing against 5 NHL teams and 6 or 8 expansion teams
5 real teams and 6 Seattle Krakens.
One thing with all those minuses for the Condors, the goaltending, on the hole, has been below average. Each of Konovalov and Rodrigue have had a good game but they have each had multiple poor games.
The Condors are also making hey on the PP – they’ve scored a PP goal in 9 straight games.
Broberg’s 6 assists are: 4PP, 1SH, 1ES. He isn’t dynamic on the PP but reminds me of Nurse on the PP – he’s up there and he gets the puck to the forwards quickly and accurately. I don’t anticipate he’ll play much PP in the NHL.
Lavoie’s ice time should increase now that he’s started to impact that game a bit. Of course, consistency has been his issue for his entire career and we are seeing that now.
McLeod is a zone exit and entry savant at the AHL level and a very good AHL player. He is the same player, to my eye, that we saw last year in the AHL. I don’t see him getting in to “the guts of the game” (as the coach’s say) or battling hard or engaging (not any more than previous). I think that he may be “too good” to develop this at the AHL level. Here is hoping it comes when he’s getting NHL reps.
Excellent analysis. Thank You.
I find the narrative around McLeod to be puzzling. I am guessing he has had the same message from his coach’s for many years about physically engaging. Now he is at the moment of reaching his NHL aspirations and both Woodcroft and Tippett are giving him the same message which doesn’t appear to be getting through. He has a tantalizing skill set. Is there still time for him to take the required step or is he destined for Europe. A speedy 3 rd line centre who plays the right way would be manna from heaven for the Oilers. The door is wide open. Hope McLeod can barge through!
I agree. The road is wide open with a green light. Only thing is if he doesn’t already have the will to engage, by now, will he ever find it? That is a mindset that may be difficult to install.
I’m not sure about destined for Europe as I think, right now, today, he is a serviceable 4C that can develop in to a plus PK guy. His speed (and ability to transport the puck out of the zone, through he neutral zone and into the offensive zone) with good 2-way responsibility should allow him to play in the NHL.
At the same time, he’d got decent skill and he’s a big boy, I think he has the ability to be a really really good 3C but he’s got to develop in that one area (in my opinion). I think his offence will come when he does show some more willingness to engage and battle and head to the hard areas – these are generally in the offensive zone and development in this area will help cycle, puck retrieval and getting the puck to the net – offence will come from that (I would think).
He knows what he has to do – the coaches keep mentioning it and the player himself has mentioned it. At the same time, I haven’t seen more than an iota of development in the area.
The issue with the AHL and McLeod is he doesn’t have to do those things to have offensive success which is why I think that maybe he needs to develop them via playing NHL games. He wasn’t doing it to start and in exhibition, here is hoping he starts doing it with this new opportunity.
I’ve seen a great deal of progress from McLeod, and his awareness defensively is especially compelling. He has work to do, but most young players have things to work on and his are known.
I always laugh when sweeping statements are made, because there’s just no way for anyone outside the organization to know where he’s slotted and the value placed on McLeod.
There’s a role he can fill, his speed is a positive, the AHL is a league he can play a major role in. Players with McLeod’s resume receive a second contract, make rosters and work their way to NHL regular status. He’s a good player. It’s a matter of time before he’s one of the 14 keepers up front, my guess is that comes this year, but maybe it’s next fall.
“the goaltending, on the hole, has been below average”
I very much like that I can’t tell if this is an intentional pun or a malapropism.
I had to google that last word….. i confess, it was a mistake – early morning pre-gym posts… rushing.
What a line by Leon – swagger. Arrogant and cocky as well but, given they did end up “coming”, just a beauty.
Team is 9-1, going on a road trip and game 1 is against a middling team that will be playing 3 in 4. I guess its a good time to tweak the lines if the coach wants to try a few things. Personally, to start, I don’t really love the Kassian/Yamamoto switch. I understand that the 3rd line has been under water for a bit but that 2nd line was dominant last game and I don’t understand hurting the 2nd line to help the 3rd.
With that said, Tippett’s deployment changes through the year have been working most of the time so, who am i?
I think the Bouchard/Barrie switch was partially because Barrie seemed to be coming on and, frankly, Barrie was very good on Friday to me eye. Bouchard was also very good down the lineup.
Lets not forget, Koekkoek wasn’t really his regular partner when he was good in most of that game – the coaches went with 5D for much of it. I was some very good Keith/Bouchard shifts.
Leon was like that in the pre season. He had arrogance the way he distributed the puck.
He’s like a Team Germany national Soccer team striker. Deadly. Money in the bank. Nerves of steel.
Insane to think what happens when Germany starts taking hockey seriously if this is what they can produce.
Leon’s swagger is approaching Messier levels.
#LeonIsAMess
#Dominace
#Leadership
It’s called balancing things out . It will be fun to see how the Kassian / Yamamoto switcheroo works out . Nuge & Hyman both have defensive consciences , that Kass can certainly pick up on . Not only that but if Kass can pick up on Hymans work ethic , that would be bonus too and at the same time he adds some physicality to the second line . As for Yamamoto , with his defensive prowess , it solves a problem with a third line that’s leaking goals . Does that not make sense ?.