The Rangers have always been a fascination for me, because they have some pretty weird facts in team history. When I was a kid, my Dad told me about New York City (he visited after the War before returning to Vancouver) and mentioned Madison Square Garden as an impressive place. So, when hockey announcers mentioned long road trips for the Rangers due to ‘the circus being at Madison Square Garden’ my imagination would combine Dad’s stories with my small-town idea of a circus. I didn’t exactly surround the truth (the truth is here) but was entertained all the same.
Since I arrived as an NHL fan, New York has had two things every season: Brilliant superstars and controversy. Winning just one Stanley in my lifetime (1994) courtesy the Oilers East players, the team has boasted Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, Rod Gilbert, Brad Park, Ed Giacomin, Gilles Villemure, Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, Marcel Dionne, Barry Beck, Ron Greschner, Anders Hedberg, Petr Nedved, Mark Messier, Adam Graves, Esa Tikkanen, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter, Jaromir Jagr, Wayne Gretzky, Rick Nash, Marian Gaborik, Eric Lindros, Luke Robitaille, Brendan Shanahan, Henrik Lundqvist, Sergei Zubov and dozens of others.
It’s possible one of Edmonton’s current stars will play some seasons in Manhattan. Many, many of the 1980’s Oilers played there over the years.
The controversy? Self-inflicted for the most part, they hired John Ferguson the elder and he made life uncomfortable for Rod Gilbert so he retired, then there was the Barry Beck thing (Herb Brooks), Mark Messier (well it’s a long story and the result was Mike Keenan) and on it goes. This edition of the Rangers looks very good, but of course its architect is down the road already. Oh, those Rangers.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: If Oilers plan a coaching change, why stop there?
- New DNB: Exploring how the Oilers can get back on track
- Lowetide: Long December has Oilers fans looking for reasons to believe
- Lowetide: Can the Oilers fix their defence with the current personnel?
- DNB: Why getting Mike Smith back now is important to the Oilers’ present and future plans
- Lowetide: The five most effective Oilers mid-season recalls since 1979-80
- Lowetide: A complete review of the Bakersfield Condors’ 2021-22 season to date
- DNB: For Oilers’ Kailer Yamamoto, the goal has always been to belong with the best
- Lowetide: Oilers prospects have a long history of world juniors excellence
- DNB: Jesse Puljujarvi’s next contract? Expectations for Dylan Holloway? Oilers mailbag
- Lowetide: If the Oilers add a big deadline asset, Philip Broberg will be the ask
- Lowetide: How Jesse Puljujarvi has earned role as Oilers’ top right winger next to Connor McDavid
- Lowetide: 7 AHL trade targets that could immediately improve Oilers’ NHL forward depth
- DNB: How Stuart Skinner became Oilers’ ‘young goalie on the rise’
- Lowetide: Oilers still haven’t replaced Adam Larsson’s nasty edge and goal suppression ability
- DNB: Oilers’ 5-game losing streak highlights 5 glaring issues that need to be fixed
- Lowetide: If the losing continues will the Oilers make a coaching change?
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2021
WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY
- On the road to: NYI, NYR, TOR (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-0-1)
- At home to: OTT, CHI, FLA, CGY (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: VAN (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: NAS (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: MTL, OTT (Expected 2-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 5-5-1, 11 points in 11 games
- Actual January results: 0-0-1, 1 point in 1 game
- Oilers in 2021-22: 18-12-2, 38 points in 32 games
These games kind of line up as two wins and four losses in the next six, but there’s a chance we see some signs of life in these next two games. There’s a week between Ottawa and Chicago, one imagines several practices designed to help the power play and penalty kill.
you make the call
I thought it might be an idea to run through the roster (as we understand it) and make our choices for lines and pairings tonight. Here’s mine, with some Natural Stat Trick five-on-five “with or without” information.
Line 1: Zach Hyman-Connor McDavid-Jesse Puljujarvi
This line is running well after taking a few games at the start of the year to get rolling. If the Oilers hit the playoffs with these kinds of five-on-five numbers from the No. 1 line, music!
Brendan Perlini-Leon Draisaitl-Kailer Yamamoto
The numbers are Draisiatl-Yamamoto, not much without Nuge this season for the trio. Another chance for me to point out the whack that is the gap between expected and actual goals. That goal number took a dive in December but based on the last several years I’d expect the shot and expected goals numbers to stay the same and the goal numbers to increase. Draisaitl’s shooting percentage and his wingers lack of shooting contribute to the wonkiness. I chose Perlini because he has a great shot and maybe he can cash one of those cherry passes. Your mileage may vary.
Warren Foegele-Ryan McLeod-Tyler Benson
These numbers are Foegele-McLeod, I like this combination and hope we get to see them tonight. Benson is a choice, I like his aggressive play and he won over Kyle Turris. I think this could be listed as the fourth line and be just as correct.
Devin Shore-Derek Ryan-Colton Sceviour
I think this line could be something, but at some point Holland would be wise to upgrade. Derek Ryan winning the January goal share at five-on-five, along with Draisaitl’s recovery from December, are keys to success this month.
DARNELL NURSE-EVAN BOUCHARD
The goal percentage is poor, but the duo was at 53 percent at the end of November, I think they’ll recover from a 2-6 December. This duo would benefit from playing together all the time.
DUNCAN KEITH-TYSON BARRIE
I think the reasonable next step is to split Keith-Ceci. Keith-Bouchard is a solid pairing in limited minutes but I’m leaning to Bouchard on top pair. This duo will be high event but Keith has shown well in the last few games. If this pairing works, it could help in a big way.
PHILIP BROBERG-CODY CECI
I know he isn’t on the roster, but Koekkoek and Lagesson don’t bring the dynamic qualities of Broberg. I’d bring him up and play him now, with an eye to using him for the rest of the regular season. Broberg is too good for the AHL, and can move the puck.
That’s my roster, what about you?
Hopefully Holland is now doing his due diligence on coaches so he has options when Tipp’s contract expires, and doesn’t just take the lazy way and re-up.
If he does re-up he better get him the right players, that he can and will use, by whatever means necessary, other than Connor or Leon. I’d keep Bouch as well, to hard to replace.
Nurse would be also silly to move. Unless there is a huge payoff. Nobody else is above a move. Even Jesse, because he is likely going to get paid over his production by Holland, even if he is valuable and awesome.
Jesse deserves to be paid handsomely, and he should not be traded. Why would you trade someone who is essentially the perfect winger for McDavid?
I would think that the obvious tradeable assets are Tyson Barrie, Zack Kassian, and anyone else not named McDavid, Draisaitl, Puljujarvi, Macleod, Nurse, Broberg, Bouchard, Skinner, Bourgault, Holloway, Nugent-Hopkins, Foegele, and Hyman. One must remove players who make the same mistakes repeatedly or who lack consistency of effort.
That said, I do not think now is the time to gamble through trading. Make good trades, but avoid panicked moves. I still think, in terms of players, incremental development and change is still the best route. Trading from a position of weakness generally results in the loss of value over time (whether through draft picks or prospects who remain undeveloped).
Coaching-wise, I think a change of voice/perpective might be helpful. Tippett is beginning to lose the room. His over-playing of McDavid and Draisaitl is depreciating them as assets, and making the team extremely lopsided in its performances.
It’s obviously not a cup season
If they get a stable goalie or goaltending they will make the playoffs and recover as a group
That’s all I’d do this season, for adds. I doubt a really good player will be available and if so might be a gutting to get, I’m not sure even that is enough so save the bullets
If they aren’t close at the deadline, sell sell sell and clean that cap up, make room for properly assessed additions
To succeed a team needs the GM and coach on the same page
It seems like years since that’s been the case in Edmonton
It seems Holland and Tippet aren’t in sync now, or one of them is crapping the bed. Maybe both, but that is the least likely scenario IMO
They must have been in agreement to start because Holland hired the coach
Holland made big changes on D, basically flipped it from more defensive to puck moving, more mobile and less defensive, and had to deal with Larsson leaving
I think the forwards are definitely a better group than last season
But the team plays no better, possibly worse now 5v5
So either Tippet couldn’t / didn’t want to adapt his system to a significantly different group, or he can’t (doesn’t know how to) use the players provided. The latter seems unlikely given his experience
Or Holland gave him a roster with still too many similar, flawed and/or mismatched players to succeed
And no goalies
Tippett clearly chose Barrie over Bear. You cannot blame Holland for that. Tippett clearly chose Koekkoek over Jones and Lagesson. Tippett was here when they re-signed Kassian.
A GM does not re-sign UFA players the coach does not like. Holland would not have traded for Keith without Tippett’s input.
Mike Smith is and has always been Tippett’s man. After a bad game, Tippett has never given him the criticism he give Koskinen in pressers.
I have no issue firing the coach. I have no idea if he’s good or bad. But you can’t expect even a dead cat bounce with a new coach and the same goalies. Sure, Vancouver and Calgary benefited big time from coaching changes, but both teams had good goalies.
The Oilers have to move on from Koskinnen right now. The thing is you don’t have to get a good goalie right now – you just have to make a change. The biggest mistake Holland can make is blowing big assets in a panic move. At this point, it might be better to trade for someone like Thomas Greiss, who’s on the last year of a $3.6 contract. Crappy numbers, but the change of scenery might help him. And a new face will certainly help the Oilers. Doing something like this will at least allow time to make a change in a more measured manner.
Or just call up Skinner and let Konovolov back him up until (if) Smith gets healthy. At this time the team is in complete free fall down the standings … might as well run with the young goalies, cause there is literally nothing to lose now.
This would not be fair to the young goalies or the team.
The goalies is a great point. They are also greatly helped by better team play which allows them to better and closer to norm
We’ve seen way too many goalie performances like tonight. It had nothing to do with team play.
This is and has been us for the last 3 seasons. If anyone is surprised, outraged or finished as a fan, they simply have not been paying attention. Unless 2 or 3 changes are made and pronto, this pop gun offensive team will not win a game. The team has drawn far less PP’s than they have given up, for whatever reason and they simply cannot overcome it.
Right now they are sinking like a stone. If they end up drafting #1 Overall this season, who would be upset?
Not trying to pile on ,as a infrequent poster,but all stats,bs aside a team that gets scored on first 20 out of 24 games,I believe,has major ,coaching, motivation,goalie and general team cohesion issues.Coaching is obvious but the make up of the team may be more the problem.Hope they finally sort it out.
I’d get a goalie and either a 3C or skilled winger before firing the coach.
The team played well at parts tonight mixed in with jawdropping mistakes. They look panicked. Koskinen but also Draisailt and Barrie and Koekkoek and others. Not sure the panic is coaching or expectations or what.
I agree with them playing tight
Toward the end when I was able to join Nurse was throwing the puck away, terrible puck management
He’s far better than that. I do think it’s up to the coaches to settle them down
Managing the team psyche to me is the biggest part of the job
The Dys turnaround is largely between the ears. The better system helps but they need the mojo to play it with passion
Yeah, Nurse too. There were several times I remember laughing out loud because of giant unforced errors out of nowhere – two examples were a Draisailt pass to no one behind the play in the O zone that was an odd man rush or worse waiting to happen, and Barrie as he’s about to exit the D zone slams on the brakes to deke a guy and gets shoved off the puck to lead to a partial breakaway.
I’m sure they all like Tippett but they’re playing not to lose no way you win that way when your Goalies leak at the wrong time. Tippett knows his days are numbered Holland needs to get it over with and save this man some grieve.
@byterryjones
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1h
OK, Ken Holland. Enough already. The Edmonton Oilers simply can’t trust Mikko Koskinen in goal. Shoots puck over glass early. Gives up ghastly 1-0 goal yet again. Leaks three other smelly ones. He is not a starting NHL goaltender. Period. Gotta go. And gotta go NOW,
Everyone wants a new goalie right now and Holland is to blame for this but for someone to take Koskinen’s salary and give us a starter it would cost a 1st and Broberg. Maybe more. Are you prepared to do that this year with an average team? Or is the play to run Skinner and Smyth ( if he isn’t injured) for the rest of the season.
Smith is even more unreliable.
Running two rookie goaltenders is a recipe for disaster.
The real problem is that there is no one goalie out there that checks all the boxes who is worth selling the farm for.
MAF is playing well and one season removed from a Vezina … but he’s 37 and a UFA. Trade for him and the Oilers will be pressured to justify the assets out by resigning him to term and cap hit.
Beyond MAF, there’s not much else available right now.
First step is to put Koskinen out to pasture. Send him packing now. He has all the tools but no toolbox. His ghastly mistakes are his own making and are absolutely deflating. The team has zero confidence in front of him. They know he’s gone next year.
Run Skinner and Konavolov for the rest of the year … find out if one of these two has the goods. Let the team find solidarity in protecting their young keepers. If not, then go hard after Kuemper or Campbell in the off season.
Also … be sellers at the deadline. Vets always look shinier then … sell off Kassian, Smith, Ryan and Barrie for whatever is offered in picks and cap space. Talk to Keith about moving him to a contender.
This team as constructed is not going to win anything.
Unless a miracle happens I agree. The thing worse than mistakes is sticking with them
Any chance to clear the deck easily is good
But then Holland would pick the new deck chairs so what are the chances he does better? He showed his hand
The Oilers need a Zito
I agree that there are no goalies out there. No playoff team is going to give up their starter. Too much risk giving up huge futures for a goalie that might end up being a sideways move from Skinner and Smith. Keep that 1st till draft and next year Holloway and Bourgault might be pushing for a spot. Could use 2023 pick for cap space like Toronto did.
Talk to Keith about retiring. Much better situation for us.
I would like to see Konavalov get a run of games. Why not see what you have before pressing any panic buttons?
That looks like the play, Smith and Skinner
You do not trade Broberg or even the 2022 first, in my view. The pipeline needs to keep flowing. A good team keeps drafting and developing its own players.
We all know Mikko shits the bed when the pressure is on. Edmonton market is way to intense for him. The Hawks needed a Goalie why didn’t Holland have Mikko involved in the trade for Keith. Holland gives Detroit 2 seconds and a 3rd to his adopted son then gets Bowman out of real pickle he was in with Keith. Keith needed to go out west in Canada or possibly retirement I’m sure was brought up. This is just my opinion but even a bean counting Lawyer could connect the dots on this one.
As has been the case ALOT lately, the Oilers did alot of good things 5 on 5:
https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1478207153106132992
Score effects.
Natural Stat Trick has 5v5 scoring chances at 12-3 Oilers in the first period. Score effect?
What was the score in the first period?
I don’t usually agree with you…. but when I do, I get down votes.
As much as I rail on Holland and Tip, the Oilers cannot catch a break.
6th worst 5v5 pdo (0.987) in the league. Oilers are now 12th in 5v5 CF% (51.52) and 13th in xGF% (50.92).
PDO assumes you have average goaltending and shooters. The Oilers are likely on the wrong side of both of those averages across the whole team compared to other teams. The only dangerous shooters on this team are McD, Leon, Bouchard, and Poolparty. The rest of the team aren’t exactly first-shot scorers. That PDO may be close to reflective of the team’s natural resting point.
Also, CF% can be inflated by score effects. I just can’t steer too much respect to that stat when the Oilers trail most of the time and also rode an amazing wave in the first 2 months.
They need to run with Skinner for awhile. There’s no other easy answer. The players and coaching staff have lost trust in Koskinen; they might as well waive him when Smith is “healthy” again.
And this shows that stat sucks. Searching for moral victories while the real search is for tar and feathers.
What would everyone think if this team has won fewer than 4 playoff series by the end of McD’s contract?
Is it just me or is there an incredible lack of creativity and team-play on the offensive side of the puck? McDrai look kind of basic at 5on5. This team’s talent should be skating circles around middling teams and they’re being successfully kept to the outside on the regular. Possession is irrelevant without penetration. And I don’t see a lot of offensive adjustment from this team aside from offensive-panicked-do-it-yourself play.
How anyone sees this game as a moral victory, I don’t get it. Playing well enough to lose by three, even though it should have been 1 or 2, against a middling Rangers team without their best player… sooner or later it’s just blind optimism that’s detached from reality.
This team is not a Binnington away from a cup. They need a Binnington, a Pietrangelo, a Schwartz, and a Perron….. I think optimism on this season is wasted energy, at this point.
Can’t expect Draisaitl to carry the team all season but he looks absolutely awful right now. He is playing 5×5 hockey like he is on the power play. Just standing in the corner waiting for a pass , never going to the front of the net, total perimeter player. I noticed New York had everyone crashing the net and when the Oilers had possession in the Rangers end everyone was standing in different corners trying to pass it around.
Saw it the same- it was infuriating to watch. The oilers just have zero response against that defence.
But coaching does not matter!
Omg Twitter is a total cesspool right now. Is it any better here lol?
Definitely looked like a team that would lose by 3 out there, no identity, no faith.
And the Rangers really don’t look like world-beaters….
Can tomorrow’s headline be ‘How soon is Now?’
While the systems aren’t good and good players are not playing well
Holland once again wiffed on Goalie and bottom 6 upgrades while blowing the entire cap
If you are handing out blame for the Oilers situation right now, Holland should get 80%+ of it.
And hey, no cap room, but Keith playing out the last games of his career.
Missed the game. Saw the Highlights.
I always rip Benson; that was a hell of a Pass!!
Told you all McLeod is playing well. 13:30 TOI.
Tipp should play him 12 – 15 mins / night.
No other positives, so not gonna say anything else
McLeod was the team’s best forward tonight – that’s is great…. and terrible.
Allowing McLeod to develop into what he can be should be one of this season’s primary goals. He is improving over time, with added ice time. He is going to the net more often.
Since the team is losing, one might as well give ice time to McLeod and Benson. Let them develop and fill some of the obvious holes in the bottom six. At the same time, allow McDavid and Draisaitl to consume less ice time.
I agree that we are playing decent and on the right path. I hope Tipps keeps the minutes more like this game. It’s good to see guys more engaged especially McLeod and Benson.
Skinner should be in and Kooks should sit for Lags. He’s a weak link on D.
First comes the work, then comes the puck luck.
I’m not ready to advocate for firing Dave Tippett.
I don’t think he’s “lost the room” nor have the players “tuned him out”.
Might be time for a systems change or a few new ideas though.
Also,
when only 1-2 of your 6 Dmen are defense first type players, there’s a problem with the recipe.
Lastly,
It won’t be the first time shit goaltending cost a decent NHL coach his job.
I know. Tipp is definitely a “new ideas” kind of guy so we’re good there.
And first we didn’t have any D with offensive chops so we had trouble getting it out of our own end. Now we have too many and can’t keep the puck out of our net. Another half dozen D trades should be enough to stabilize things and get the recipe just right. Goldilocks, I mean Kenny, is probably on this right now.
And don’t forget Dubnik used to play like shit. So did Talbot. So did Brossoit. Until they didn’t once they left EDM. Maybe Kenny can convince some GM that Koski just needs a change of scenery. Hell, I almost believe it.
Lastly, give it a few more games. The way Tipp has been performing, I’m pretty convinced you’ll come around. Best regards, FFT.
Sarcasm is my goto move as well. Love this. Gave it a plus to get you back to flat!
Thinking about Strome and the idiot trade
I wouldn’t be impatient with the young struggling players with proper NHL skill sets because the team is playing like trash
It doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be put down the roster or demoted, but not traded just because for squat
Who knows what Sneaky Pete was told to do from the phone inside the house?
That also doesn’t mean you don’t make good hockey trades when available. Just don’t liquidate for impatience sake
I don’t think Holland would per se, but losing value maybe
I know it is just post game presser, but Tippet disagrees and thinks the team is playing good.
Tippett is not the Torts-type to rip his team in front of the press. He also knows that he’s done here, either this week or at the end of the season, so he’s not going to jeopardize future employment opportunities by letting his true feelings be known publicly.
I do like his composure in front of the press. The world would be a better place if everyone could filter themselves the way Tippett can.
Defence (other than goalie) is our biggest need.
We are missing a first pair guy to bump everyone down. We are also missing a big mean ogre guy. I would love a stanley on our team.
Ps I was never a benson guy, but I do quite like him now that hes been around a while, and we better keep him around.
Tippett going full petulant child. Special.
Goals 1, 3, and 4 were tough breaks.
Koskinen misplays the first goal, the third goal just barely goes through him, and the fourth goal goes in off of Barrie’s skate. Conversely, the Oilers had ample opportunities to score and just couldn’t bulge the twine.
Goaltending has to be better, yes, but that’s not a bad effort from the rest of the team.
The bad news is…the Rangers were missing Panarin.
The team is flawed now but making a panic move is wrong. Get Skinner in, come up with a real plan for Broberg because he’s close, and maybe Holloway is ready in a couple months. They need to find a third line, play them 12-15 minutes, and just live with it.
Not sure koski could do different on goal 1. Had to wait for the puck for too long. Bouchard should have been hard in there….
Bouchard wandered aimlessly behind the net.
Yes, he could have, in my opinion.
He should have stayed in the net. 100% its important for the goalies to stop dumps and help out the d-men. In that case, he should have stayed in his next as the puck wasn’t dumped hard enough to get to the trapezoid where he could play it.
His d-men released presuming the goalie had made the correct decision and were providing the outlet options….as they should.
If Mikko doesn’t go to play an unplayable puck, Bouch battles for the puck retrieval and Nurse heads to cover the slot.
Your right. He should have. It was a poor read.
Or how about just stay in the net as his puck handling skills are known to suck. He should never leave the net and from now on he should never see an Oiler net again. Hope he likes Bakersfield.
These ones hurt. we had our chances. I do t think the rangers were much better than we were except in net. Gifted a goal, a seeing eye double deflection that juuuuust trickles the right way and a fluke goal. That’s luck for ya. Turris missed by about an inch.
The only way to pull out of this is by working your butts off and creating your own luck. I’ve been cheering since the beginning and through the decade of darkness and I can’t believe this team still hasn’t accepted that concept. Work hard as a team and the results will come.
I did like the shifts better this game. Except for Drai. He was off. I would have played him less not more. He’s one of your big guns. Don’t burn him out trying to get him back.
Poor Mikko. His own worst enemy. He’s got the size and skills to be a starter but I don’t think his mental game is that of a starter. Chai gave him a great contract and a world of hurt. I think it’s time to move on. Skinner should be worked and and begin his grooming.
Tippet in preesser thinks the team is playing good.
He’s definitely reeling.
It’s puff puff pass. Not puff puff puff puff puff.
If you didn’t hear it, it’s must listen stuff..he said two times in a row that the team is playing good.
I’ll get him some stronger stuff
Team did alot of good at 5 on 5:
https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1478207153106132992
Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?
/thread
Quit with the propaganda. You have posted this twice now.
Oilers are going to do to Koskinnen what they do to the fat recruit in Full Metal Jacket…with the soap bars.
Holland just sent a contract offer via telegram to Hasek.
I think you meant carrier pigeon.
This is one of the most pathetic runs I can recall – even moreso because they are so talented at the top.
They could win 10 straight and will still be behind where they could and should be. Think about that.
0-12-2 now when down after 1. That is on the coach. Coaches adjust. Real ones anyway.
Those of you that prefer to wait it out – you need to figure out that this is about firing offences – not timing. The coach has committed WAY too many. Should have been gone already.
I watched for all of 5 minutes tonight. It was blatantly obvious they were toast. At least it was the MSG broadcast so it didn’t sound ridiculous.
One guy says he watched 5 minutes and knew the Oilers had no hope and the poster rights before watched all game and thought it was a real good effort from all 4 lines.
What’s your point?
And what do I care about numbers of people on either side of that conversation? We’re not voting here…
If anyone thinks the Oilers are playing well right now, they either don’t know what to look for or are not actually paying attention.
You watched 5 minutes.
Deny, deny, deny results matter not participation ribbons. Oilers are going through the motions. If Pat Maroon was still on the team he would of gotten into a scrap to wakey wakey the other cornflakeys
Remember when Maroon ate Lucic’s lunch and they reacted by…
Yeah…
Some things haven’t changed. They just get lifted to a higher plateau because you have the 2 best players in the world.
Tonight doesn’t seem like the night to blame the coach. It was 100% goaltending. When we scored to make it 2-1 the team played very strong. And then Mikko allowed the third one. Game over.
Ignoring everything that has led to both this game and the situation in this game that has a team built on scoring being down 2-0…
1 – So pull the goalie then.
2 – This team has more than enough scoring to win any game where an opponent scores 3. And their coach should have them believing they are never out of a game.
All of this is accurate
How about the coaches call to play KK instead of Lags. Is that on the goalie?
That is probably one of the better ways a team can lost 4-1. Pretty good effort from all 4 lines.
McLeod was excellent and Benson, in addition to the superlative assist, made several nice passes to the slot. Draisaitl seemed very off all game, nothing rhyming at all. A minor quibble with TOI: Yamo at 18 minutes and JP at 14. Those numbers ought to be flipped.
Fantastic moral victory.
Exactly, how many points do they get for moral victories.
If they can get Benson – McLeod – xxx going as a third line that is a big deal.
A big deal when? This year? Next?
Look, I know you are bleeding out all over the floor but the good news is your blood pressure problem is looking better…..
Benson got 13:38 tonight due to a localized rupture in the space-time continuum. Do you really expect a repeat of that next game?
We lost. Tipp needs to blend.
Perlini needs to draw in which I agree with. The team badly needs a sniper.
Turris, Shore and Ryan are vets so they switch deck chairs. So Benson is likely a HS next game.
Problem solved (in Tipp’s mind).
Marody???
This is utterly infuriating to fucking watch. They’re absolutely wasting the best player since Lemieux. McDavid has won 1 playoff series. Let that sink in. And he surely won’t win one this year. What an absolute travesty to do this to such an asset. Pi
Pat Maroon…that’s the key. 3 Stanley cups since leaving the Oilers…2 different teams. 🙂
How do you start Koskinnen next game? Panicked goalie trade coming our way very very soon. Boom it.
When Holland trades the 1st rounder for another old goalie I certainly hope it’s lotto protected.
1) There is no way Holland knows how lotto protection works/that’s a thing gms can do.
2) You cannot get washed-up has-beens for free. If you want lotto protection you are going to have to throw in more assets.
Tips last win Dec 1.
But sure let’s just keep going.
Good effort. Rangers are the better team.
All the good teams when Oilers collecting first round picks over the last decade…now are lapping the OIlers in rebuilds/retools.
Yes but other teams have management playing to win.
They’re all playing to win
Some are just shitty players and some don’t realize it’s time to hang up the skates
Most teams are the better team. That’s the problem.
Bring on the Leafers 😄
A goal and 2 assists and 3rd star for Strome
What a kick in the nards
And KK, what idiot decided to play him over Lags???
I guess everyone got the Rags feed tonight. My friend Dave Maloney spoke about Zac Jones. Rookie D. Made some big mistakes the last game. Coach kept him in there to work it out. Tip would have benched him.
Big coaching mistakes…..
Coach should treat the new guys like a good Dad
The established players like a good friend – call them on there BS
It feels like I have no more help to offer the Oilers.
Such an easy win for the Rangers. They weren’t pushed at all by the Oil and they scored four soft goals.
Well, shit.
Oilers continue to struggle with GF
Oilers continue to struggle with GA
Logged in to see the excuses for tip now…..
Expect they are laying low tonight. Licking their wounds. Log into tomorrow’s post.
I’m really curious who and what the two of you are referring to?
It’s not a coaching problem. We just need a tender. Tipp is great. Get a tender and plan the parade.
Said no one here ever
Really? Read LT’s article.
You can’t blame it on the coach if he has no goalie. Just trade for a goalie.
This is true, no team meets expectations without a competent goaler
Still it would only hide a bunch of sins as it stands
If that’s how you interpret what others are saying then fill yer boots.
See OP repeatedly for reference.
Oh, fuck off – I have criticized this coach countless times over the year and over this season. I have also defended various individual decisions when I think the decisions are unfairly criticized or I understand the rational/thought process.
You are the least objective Oiler fan I’ve run across in at least a decade.
I recall a few weeks ago that I told you to put it back in your pants because the Oilers early record was fuelled ENTIRELY by an ungodly PP% and the rest of their game was shit.
But you still carried on bleating about the best team in the league despite the team flaws being apparent to anyone with an objective eye.
Well, now the chickens have come home to roost and you’re trying to save face by assuming some semblance of a faux analyst.
Your “analysis” has been neither rational or thoughtful instead being tribal and feverish.
right, because you have always been so rational and / or thoughtful… wanna revisit some of your past predictions lol ?
Do you remember this one time at band camp.
LOL
How often do good coaches succeed with shitty goaltending?
When’s the last time Holland pulled a Goaltender? He doesn’t believe in the dead bounce cat that a team receives if the Goalie is pulled at the correct moment.
I always assumed that the head coach decided when to pull the goalie…
How often do shitty coaches make bad coaching decisions. This team’s situation is being blamed on goalie when coaching is as much to blame. And coach is a lot easier to fix.
I don’t think Kosk can play another game for the Oil. Seems like most games he lets in a soft goal. Call up Skinner, place Kosk on waivers. Holland couldn’t get a goalie last year so he took a high risk gamble on Smith that luckily paid off. This year he doubled down on an even riskier bet with Smith one year older after failing to land a less risky bet. Holland’s belief that the team could be a top 8 club with this goaltending tandem while spending so much cal space on Keith is Chia level bungling.
For a PP ace Barrie isn’t very creative
Bouch should be there
#WrightForAllTheWrongReasons
#TheWrightStuff
Not sure if I should laugh or cry.
This team is cooked. Honestly, how can anyone be confident that this team makes the playoffs?
Look at the bright side … at least we won’t have to witness another Tipp orchestrated 1st round playoff exit.
By then end of January, we might be looking at a 56 game schedule and a 24 team playoff again, so hang in there.
Folks that’s just poor technique all round
Kooks shot blocking a pass, you need your stick there, that can’t get through ever, goals come if you allow cross seam passes
Barrie no awareness didn’t even know the puck was coming, what bumped my foot?
Kostagain, well that’s too hard boss! I’m just a goalie not a magician
It’s almost like goals don’t go off other players skates.
They certainly do
Take in the whole picture though, Barrie struggles with picking up what’s being put down
It is true that Kooks cannot let that pass through
Barrie was looking around and not looking at the play while he was showering Kostagain with snow
Right, we get it, you don’t like Barrie so he’s to blame for a cross ice pass going off his skate while he is skating backwards.
Konovolov getting the start in Toronto?
Smith or Skinner. No way you start Koski.
Which probably means Koskinen starts.
Just assume Smith is toast for the season.
Exactly. Unless is coming back right away everyone needs to plan like he won’t be healthy for the entire season.
My preference would be to start six skaters.
Well done sir!
Koskinen starts until he dies or Smith becomes temporarily uninjured. Thankfully, we’re shielding our current #1 from this trainwreck with plenty of reps down in the AHL.
At this point, if Smith can’t play, you play Skinner. What do you have to lose? Koskinen leaks bad goals every game. At least you find out what you have w/Skinner for whoever is coaching the team next season.
This exactly.
How many more times are we going to have to watch Koskinen, 20? Pain.
I would not be surprised if this is Koski’s last game as an Oiler.
I agree and I’ve never felt this way before.
The curse of Chiarelli’s Trades strikes again – Strome with the dagger. Someone tell the plus sized singer they’re on in 5
Wish Oiler fans were this loud. Entertaining.
They just use more microphones in the arena or mix it at a different level. It is probably market tested, the level of crowd noise the audience wants on TV.
Maybe Rogers should deploy this. Edmontons rink is quieter than the saddledome.
I blame the fans. There is certainly nothing wrong with upper management.