My favourite team as a kid didn’t win the Stanley Cup, but they dominated regular season scoring. You can see this on an old timey edition of The Hockey News, the Boston Bruins romped through all 78 games. The Oilers don’t have Orr, Esposito, Bucyk, Hodge, Cashman, McKenzie and Stanfield in the top-10 overall scorers, but the club does have elite talent that dominates.
The Montreal Canadiens beat that ridiculous Bruins team in the 1971 playoffs, and one of the reasons was shift length. Phil Esposito was notorious for playing with his wingers, the next set and the next set again before finishing with his original wingers and then taking a seat. Fresh? Not much. It does have an impact.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New DNB: Oilers’ Zach Hyman is compelled to speak up about antisemitism when he sees it
- Lowetide: Revisiting Oilers’ choice to take Kailer Yamamoto in 2017 NHL Draft
- DNB: Evander Kane’s presence was felt in his Oilers debut
- Lowetide: Why prospects stall in the AHL
- DNB: Oilers leaders believe Evander Kane will buy in
- Lowetide: Have Oilers trade assets changed in light of the Evander Kane signing?
- Lowetide: Grading the first 3 years of Ken Holland’s Oilers trades
- DNB: Adam Cracknell is now a Canadian Olympian.
- Lowetide: Leon Draisaitl’s history of long Decembers and what came after
- Lowetide: Three first-shot scorers in Oilers system in a race to make NHL
- DNB: Dylan Holloway resumes road to Oilers after frustrating injury interruption
- New DNB: Oilers’ flaws can’t be ignored as losing skid goes from bad to worse
- Lowetide: Why can’t the Oilers win a trade in the Connor McDavid era?
- DNB: ‘We’re finding ways to lose’
- Lowetide: Midseason review of Oilers reasonable predictions for 2021-22
- DNB: The Oilers aren’t getting a dominant Leon Draisaitl right now
- Lowetide: What to expect from Dylan Holloway in Bakersfield and Edmonton this season
- Lowetide: Forget the Connor McDavid bump, Jesse Puljujarvi is the real deal after all
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2021
WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY
- On the road to: NYI, NYR, TOR (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-2-1)
- At home to: OTT, FLA, CGY (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 1-2-0)
- On the road to: VAN (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 1-0-0)
- At home to: NAS (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: MTL, OTT (Expected 2-0-0) (Actual 1-1-0)
- Overall expected result: 4-5-1, 9 points in 10 games
- Actual January results: 4-4-2, 10 points in 10 games
- Oilers in 2021-22: 22-16-3, 47 points in 41 games
There was never a time in this month I felt the team was going to play the next game, or next period, like the last one. Edmonton has all kinds of talent and can play long stretches effectively. But when the team breaks down, it’s because of mental errors and many of those mistakes are at the end of long shifts. It’s a thing.
Mikko Koskinen stopped 28 of 31 shots, .903 save percentage. First goal against came off a fast break and a shot on goal that Koskinen stopped but did not control. He either popped it into his net reacting or it was tipped in from the high slot. The second goal was deflected to Nick Paul and then backhanded in before the goalie identified the situation. The OT goal was a nice shot but Koskinenen didn’t set up well to stop the shot. Suspect he gets the Washington start, but Smith is on the trip and Skinner played well enough in his last game to get another start soon.
It worked for less than two games, but rolling four lines was a beautiful dream. The McDavid line scored but there are still some things to fix, mostly involving Kane who looked a day late and a dollar short. He’s strong though, that’s going to come in handy along the wall in puck battles. McDavid scored a nice goal and had several chances, most interrupted by damnable puck bounces at the worst possible time. Infuriating. I blame Gene Melnyk, he probably got his ice-making machine from 7-11. Yamamoto made nice passes, picked up an assist, could have had more than one. Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: McDavid 44-74-118; Kane 20 points (all goals apparently); Yamamoto 16-16-32. Note: I’m just doubling numbers, not taking account of games missed. It’s just a fun exercise.
Foegele got benched midway through the third period, I thought he played well enough (two HDSC’s) and he hit everything in sight. Draisaitl looked frustrated, but for me many of his passes were low percentage. He sent one to Puljujarvi at the blue line that wasn’t crisp and got intercepted. I think the new line isn’t working, I think Yamamoto should play with Leon and JP should play with McDavid. Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: Foegele 10-20-30; Draisiatl 62-60-122; Puljujarvi 20-30-50.
Hyman is reminding everyone why he was so sought after as a free agent last summer. Super smart, a pain in the ass to play against and a sublime passer. Great first pass to Ryan on the Nurse goal, four shots and a buzzsaw all night. Nuge had two takeaways and some nice defensive work, caught out of position on the Paul goal, made a poor pass from his knees that turned over possession late in OT and led to the 3-2 goal. Zack Kassian got benched midway through the third period, his inability to understand where he should be makes him a liability. He needs to bear down. Benson and Perlini were the scratches last night, maybe one of them draws in. Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: Hyman 26-24-50; Nuge 8-52-60; Kassian 10-18-28.
Derek Ryan replaced Kassian and delivered a gorgeous pass to Nurse for the tying goal, it was quite lovely. Ryan McLeod worked hard but didn’t get a lot done, but there’s plenty of try there. Devin Shore had a quiet night to my eye. Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: Ryan 6-6-12; McLeod 10-4-14; Shore 4-6-10.
Darnell Nurse scored a fabulous goal that secured the point for Edmonton, his offense is coming along in the last few weeks. His shift length (11 of one minute or more, culminating in an epic 2:42 to end the game) definitely had an impact on his ability to do his job. His 26-28 on ice goal differential at five-on-five needs to be better in the second half. Drew a penalty. Evan Bouchard sent a lovely pass to McDavid for the first goal, he’s still learning but honestly 26:44 is damned near half the game and he’s 33-33 five-on-five goals. He’s going to have a great career. Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: Nurse 8-30-38; Bouchard 18-30-48.
Duncan Keith had a takeaway, a blocked shot and played a steady game. Cody Ceci had a couple of shots, four hits, two blocked shots and a takeaway. Keith played the most minutes against young Tim Stutzle, who to my eye was the best Senators player on the ice. Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: Keith 2-22-24; Ceci: 2-18-20.
Kris Russell-William Lagesson had good numbers, although the first goal against came on their watch. Lagesson drew a penalty, got into a fight with Stutzle, who looked like the aggressor from my vantage point. Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: Russell 0-8-8; Lagesson 0-6-6.
THE OILERS
Last night was a tough game but the team grabbed a Bettman. The Sens are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get on any given night. Just now the Ottawa side is playing well despite being down some important names, and the young man Stutzle made a brilliant play to win it. I wouldn’t be too hard to the Oilers, the puck was a jumping rubber duck most of the night. Shiza happens. They salvaged January with a blazing finish. Let’s not bury the lead.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10, TSN1260, we review the Oilers-Sens and look forward to February. We’ll talk with Tyler Yaremchuk of DFO and Oilers Nation about the state of the team and how long Ken Holland can wait to find a goalie. We’ll also talk Super Bowl, Tom Brady and CFL free agency. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Talk soon!
Oilers are no longer the worst team against the basement dwellers!
Colorado needs OT to beat Montreal 10 days ago and now loses in a shootout to the lowly Coyotes.
They will be sobbing all the way to their second consecutive President’s Trophy.
That one team could tempt the fates like that
And potentially their fourth consecutive semi final playoff knock out. President’s trophy doesn’t equal post season success.
The last president’s trophy team to win the cup. Hmmm, 9 years ago (Chicago). And only 2 in the last 20 years (also the Red Wings).
Very on point with LTs theme.
Vanecek injured 6mins into tonight’s win over the Penguins, we’ll see who they play against the Oil tomorrow. And Markstrom on the bench to start the flames’ third period, Hrudey mentioned he may be dinged up. That’d suck for Cgy 🙂
unfortunately, they came back and won it in the 3rd
Was just looking at the Oilers team numbers for the last 20 games.
It’s a little bit shocking how good the underlying stuff has been, even though the goals are in the tank.
20 games corresponds to the beginning of their Long December (2-11-2), plus the recent 4-0-1 streak at the end. Overall the Oilers are 20 GP 6-11-3 15PTS in that span.
All Situations
CF% 54.4% (4th)
FF% 53.8% (4th)
SF% 53.0% (7th)
xGF% 54.6% (6th)
SCF% 52.3% (11th)
HDCF% 52.7% (9th)
——-
GF% 42.2% (25th)
——-
SH% 7.76% (28th)
SV% 88.1% (30th)
PDO .958 (30th)
5 on 5
CF% 54.4% (4th)
FF% 53.0% (6th)
SF% 52.3% (9th)
xGF% 53.0% (10th)
SCF% 51.8% (11th)
HDCF% 50.9% (16th)
——-
GF% 47.6% (19th)
——-
SH% 7.38% (23rd)
SV% 91.1% (21st)
PDO .985 (26th)
You might say it’s because they’ve been trailing so much but their numbers when leading or tied are quality too.
Also a bit surprising is it’s on both sides of the puck as well. Their all strengths xGF/60 ranks 8th while their xGA/60 ranks 7th. At 5v5 their xGF/60 is 9th and their xGA/60 8th.
Huh.
SCF% 51.8% (11th)
HDCF% 50.9% (16th)
That was written above ^^
I was responding to huh?
He answered his own question.
HDCF% that is 16th in the league pretty much reflects the Oilers record and that was mainly against average competition.
Right, the lowest ‘underlying number’ I listed (51% HDCF%, at 5v5, over the last 20 games), reflects poorly on the team. Got it.
HH picks so many cherries, he could start his own fruit company.
Just as a thought experiment, I would like to see you try a steel man approach to one of these discussions. Straw man arguments are getting old.
How do the special teams look separated out over the same stretch?
Obviously PDO is the story. That doesn’t give us causation, but we all know the team has been awfully fragile. Timing of bad events, and the lack of good ones, has led to some self-reinforcing feedback loops.
The feedback loops overlap too. Early goals against ratchets up the pressure on scorers, and lack of run support stresses the netminding.
(Don’t type it all out on my account though, I’d be happy with a link or your description)
So the special teams have both been significantly outperforming their underlying numbers over Tippett/Holland’s tenures. For PP I guess it’s due to ‘skill’, and I’d credit ‘system’ for the PK.
I think the Oilers cheating the percentages here is real since they were able to do it pretty consistently for about 150 games.
Pre Dec 1st (148 games)
PP:
SF/60 58.1 3rd
xGF/60 8.08 1st
———-
GF/60 11.2 1st
PK
SA/60 55.8 23rd
xGA/60 7.06 23rd
(scoring chances and HD chances also poor)
———-
GA/60 5.37 3rd
PP was at or near the top of the pack in underlying numbers, but leading goals be a wide margin. The PK looked below average by underlying, but near the top in GA rates.
Post Dec 1st (20 games)
PP:
SF/60 67.2 4th
xGF/60 10.01 3rd
———-
GF/60 6.43 22nd
PK
SA/60 59.0 22nd
xGA/60 8.30 25th
———-
GA/60 14.20 32nd
So by underlying numbers in the last 20 the PP has been better, the PK worse than before. But both have also gone from beating the percentages to badly underperforming them.
Definitely fair i think to include ‘fragile’ on the list with ‘injury’, ‘slump’ and ‘luck’ as affecting the results. Also as factor contributing to the low PDO, though I don’t think we can attribute all (or even most) of the PDO drop to the group being fragile.
Thank you, JP.
Agreed w.r.t. causation. I’m a big believer in there’s always more than one cause.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen PDO skewer a PP so badly. Wow.
Chris Kreider…32 and 33.
I see your boy Hoglander was a healthy scratch tonight, ouch. Yet another mark you shot terribly wide on. Told you he’d be back in Europe in a few years.
and podkolzin the last game
Hard to get ice time when your team has guys like, Alex Chaisson.
Dallas Stars with their 1st of the night…. and 2nd…….. and 3rd…..
Dallas is an excellent team when they’re on but have been very inconsistent.
With a win tonight they get closer to the second wild card spot…not a good outcome for the Oilers.
Yea absolutely terrible outcome for 41 games left in the season
Looks like you jinxed, them HH!
Not too surprised..Flames outshot them 40-28.
Dallas looks good until they don’t, man that was some panic at the disco in their end during the late third.
With tonight’s 40 SOG, the Flames should be 1st in SOG/GP along with the Panthers around the 37 mark.
They’re outshooting teams by an average of almost 16 per game which is just ridiculous.
Sure is a good thing Sutter is a defensive coach 🙂
It’s what he does.
Do you have fun having 31 favourite teams out of 32. Does it improve your manly image when you look in the mirror? Is it a compulsion to shit on everything Oiler or does it give you some sort of feeling of superiority? Enquiring minds want to know?
Haha you’re 100% correct, Hoglander has played more games and has more points…. and now he can’t even crack the line up!
It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It’s clear Broberg will have a longer and more successful career in the NHL. Or are you as daft as you are annoying?
What absolute nonsense.
Having a player who turned 21 a month ago is part of the process…not a death sentence.
And your conclusion is far from clear and may be daft…it certainly is annoying as Broberg can’t crack a below average defensive group.
Ya, that didn’t age well – I knew I shouldn’t have posted it…
You seem to get over it easily enough.
It’s because I don’t care who wins unless I have a bet on the game…which I didn’t.
Of course you care – you cheer for any and every result that could be construed as negative towards the OiIers – in every aspect.
To deny this would even pettier than doing it.
Jake Chiasson on the ice for the first time this season…. getting closer:
https://twitter.com/PerryBergson/status/1488558394323701766
Woody’s weekly spot on Oilers Now:
1) played 14 of last 17 on the road and have points in 14 of last 15 games.
2) when going through adversity of losing players all the time and not knowing who is going to be playing nightly, you need contributions from everyone. Its been interesting, we’ve had to leave players behind who couldn’t cross the border. We’ve had to bring players in on game day. We’ve got contributions up and down the lineup – shows our depth due to Holland and Gretz.
3) We want to help out players develop the skill of learning how to win and there is adversity in there. We’ve won in many different ways – came back two goal in the last minute and won in OT. Had our captain out for a while and one of our veteran voices gone to the Olympics. Its been one player after another stepping up.
4) Holloway – He’s going to be a heck of a player. The build up of having missed so much hockey and the work he had put in – that first game was like he was shot out of a cannon and he played very well. Now he’s getting in to the rhythm of our season where you have to keep getting better every day. NHL body frame. NHL skating ability. Great instincts about him in all three zones. For me, he’s learning how good you have to be daily and how you have to bring it each shift, each game, each practice. He’s growing that game.
5) He’s a 20 minute a night player for us. Plays lots on the PP and we’re introducing him on the PK. He’s around the 20 minute mark each night depending on penalties. He’s in the right spot to work at the nuances of the game and the little things that you need to learn at the pro level. Very coachable. Great attitude. Plays the game hard. Lots to be excited about if your are an Oilers fan.
6) Broberg – entered protocol last week so missed all three games. He’s in good shape. I skated with him personally this morning to get him ready for our practice schedule this week. Looked good. Feels good. Excited to be back and he makes us a better team.
7) Leaned on Niemelainen with Broberg gone – he and Deharnais were a good shutdown pair. Also thought Samorukov, especially in last two games, played very well – lots of ice in three competitive games. Our d-core was a big part of 5 points out of 6.
8) Lavoie – On the “lucky goals” – well, maybe his instincts took him to the right spot to get the bounce and he was rewarded??? His game turned a corner mid-Dec (when team took off) – started to find himself in more scoring chances. He’s playing the game the right way. There is more detail to his game. He’s being rewarded by converting on some of those chances. He’s put alot of work in to “reversing moments on the ice” that occur for him.
9) Team tough – have an “attitude about us”. Pack mentality if someone takes advantage of a player – everyone will step up. Kesselring stepped up and asserted himself physically in a big fight.
10) Stalock – He’s getting better every day. Its quite the ask since he hasn’t played games since Aug 2020. He’s a real competitor.
11) Griffith – 38 points in 28 games. Griff has skill. He comes alive on the PP. Very intelligent player. Someone I can find ways to get him on the ice to try and improve our offence. For example, he scored a SH goal last game. Today named AHL player of the month. Should there be a need for his skillset at the highest level, he won’t disappoint
12) Marody is also in that light and has a good skillset – he’s added PK to his repertoire this season. Those two are our most skilled regulars in our lineup every night and they don’t get enough credit for how hard they play.
13) Day off today. Two practices Wed/Thurs then we play another hot team in Colorado. Will be a big test for us.
—————–
On point 12, he said this with Benson last year and it isn’t really true to my eye. I watched all 5 games over the last bit and, honestly, I say maybe 2 PK shifts…….. he’s a depth, depth, depth PK guy “lower intensity” situations.
Evergreen Oilers comment…
Aw shucks, not much we could do – insert opposition goalie here- played lights out.
“Our guys didn’t take their opportunities, but their goalie was awesome.”
Evergreen Oilers comment…
I am never watching another game!
Lack of players with a plus shot is on display nightly.
Also all those players without plus shots decided in early December to start shooting 8% instead of 11% like they did for 150 games before that.
Not sharing the TOI is a big Tippet fail and will lead to another early playoff exit for the Oilers!
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
NHL/NHLPA officially announce new COVID protocols, including “removal of the requirement” to test asymptomatic fully-vaccinated individuals (all but one player) on a daily basis. Takes effect following each team’s final game before All-Star.
Seth Griffith named AHL played of the month with 6G/12A for 18 points in 9 games.
Sounds like someone that should get a legitimate shot on the 4th line
While he looked good in his 5:30 second earlier this season (all with McDavid or Drai as his center), I’m not sure a skilled player that is “meh defensively” and that primarily gets his points on the PP is a great fit for a fourth line.
“I blame Gene Melnyk, he probably got his ice-making machine from 7-11.”
For a while there, I wondered in Eugene Melnyk was the grandson of Anita McCambridge
I’m sure Ned Braden would know the answer to your inquiry.
Best line I’ve seen today.
That wasn’t a bad game, nor was it a great game either. Goodness, that sounds so Dickensian.
I agree on the Hyman comment. He is a nice player to have right now. Never takes a shift off.
Stutzle is the real deal and if the Sens can hang on to their young core, this could be a decent team, but knowing who owns the team and past transactions (transgressions?), I wouldn’t bet on it.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, but Patrick Roy and Beniot Allaire totally changed the position of goalie. Their style was a revolution and changed the position to one where it wasn’t the short slow kid playing, to the kid with arguably the most raw athletic skill on the team. However as history has shown us, revolutions create romantics, but eventually those romantics give way to cynics. Ideas and philosophies give way to simply results, and that’s I see with goaltending today. The style today is open to high shots as goalies seem to play averages and not actual shots. The creativity in the position is gone because coaches don’t want to adapt.
I do like watching this team though, and one thing rolling the lines showed was where the weak points are.
We’re not quite there yet, but headed in the right direction.
Apparently Bergevin was more of a Guide & Record Book type manager. Hmmmmm….
Koskinen, Koskinen, Koskinen. Fine. But we managed only 2 goals against a very average Sens team without several of their better players. Add to that that the PP and PK look like shit and our top players look exhausted at the end of the game.
I think we can all agree that a significant goalie upgrade is going to be very expensive if it is available at all. A coaching change costs nothing and is readily available in-house. Make the change.
Yep.
New goalie won’t help the lack of goal scoring
Ottawa Senators.
New goalie may not have been out-goalied though….
If I heard it correctly Bob with guest on 12:30? 1:00? to speak in more detail about the effort to expand/create the Oilers Analytics dept.
I missed that. He did mention Montreal.
I indeed heard it wrong.
It’s about the Montreal Canadiens commitment to expand/create an Analytics dept.
I appreciate your optimism😉
Twice now, Bob has referred to “the next calendar year” in terms of the Oilers attempting to join the 21st century in the Analytics race.
Just when the rest of the league is having a conversation about the value of Analytics becoming diluted because so many teams are now fully competitive in this area.
No more low hanging fruit.
Some guys at the BlackJack table have been counting cards for years now; Others just keep rubbing their lucky rabbits foot and hitting on 16 when the dealer has a 4.
Doesn’t take a lot of skills to criticize with the benefit of hindsight! You’re better than that! Love your humour!
Last night: A game they “should have won” although teams lose games they “should win” all the time.
The Oilers had their mistakes in the defensive structure game, that’s for sure, but they were also the better scoring chance creation team all night – Breakaways for Drai, McDavid, Hyman, etc. Point blank shots from Jesse and Kailer, etc. Countless “chances” where they player bobbled the puck/lost it for no apparent reason.
They didn’t seem to look great but they were all over the Sens net – Murray was either “there” for the stop or they bobbled made a mistake burying it. It was frustrating.
One can have a conversation about the 1st and 3rd goals and whether they were “stoppable” or “Mikko should have had it” or flat out “bad goals”. The bottom line is the Oilers got “out-goaltended”. While Mikko made some solid to plus saves through the game, Murray made more of them, many more, and only let in one goal that “could be discussed”, whereas Mikko let in two. Out-goaltended.
Yes we have seen that script more than once this season. Our goalie has simply been 2 nd best too often. Entering the season without acquiring another seasoned goalie was a risk and now it has proven to be a bad one.
I think we have to remember that Mikko is our back up, and the question we have to ask after each game is, did the goalie (whichever one starts the game) play above or below expectations and, did the team play above or below expectations
And then perhaps ask, the other team play above or below expectations and did the other teams goalie play above or below expectations.
Not being precise here, but last night if we expected our team to play at level 7 and our “backup goalie” to play at 7, I though our “backup” played at 6 and our team also played at 6.
While I thought (given injuries) the Senators team played at a level above expectation and their “Starter” played at least to expectation (given his recent level of play)
So in that respect both the Sens team and goalering outplayed us last night.
Last night the Oilers played against a goaltender that was awful last season and waived to the AHL for games this season after starting ff awful.
That goalie outperformed Mikko.
id say the Sens skaters outscored the Sens skaters; it’s not always because of the respective goaltenders no matter how much the angry mob wants it to be.
I am far from angry and have rarely ragged on the tending this year.
Murray out-goaltended Koskinen last night – it was fairly obvious to my eye and fairly obvious to be a major reason the Sens got more standings points than the Oilers – at least to me.
Oilers were not effective at finishing – a large part of that, of course, the goalie – he simply stopped more high danger chances and let in on less goal of the “potentially questionable” variety.
This was not on the goal tending! As the last line of defence an easy target but in my opinion not true last night! Last nights game was lacrosse on skates. The coaching staff has to be better at in game adjustment. The team has to be coached in how to beat the trap! Responsibility starts at the top of the food chain not at the playing level!
As to my original post – the goalie at the other end outperformed the Oilers’ goalie last night.
The Oilers outplayed, outchanced, out high danger chanced their opposition.
Whether they need to be coached better or not, they managed three clear cut breakaways by top players…..
Its Ottawa.
Injury depleted juggernaut Ottawa team no less.
Have to score more than 2 goals on them.
Excuses are getting paper thin now…at the half way mark.
They do and, in connection therewith, the Senators’ goalie outperformed the Oilers’ goalie.
January seems like it was kind of a “meh month” and the record was “meh”.
At the same time, there was some solid recovery – the 5 on 5 play recovered big time and that is massive. I believe it was 56% goal share which did outperform the expected numbers but not by much.
That 56% goal share includes a month where McDavid’s 5 on 5 scoring was likely his lowest month in years (right around 1.5 P/60). While I do think that McDavid is playing through something nagging, I don’t anticipate his production will continue at such rate.
Biggest issues remain goaltending (cratering save percentage) and the PK (and the poor performance on the PK likely relates somewhat to goaltending).
The bottom six players are winning their minutes these days.
The January schedule was relatively easy with only 5 games against teams currently in the playoffs (record against those teams was 2-3 which included a shootout victory over Nashville).
The February schedule is much tougher with 8 games against playoff teams including a brutal stretch at the end of the month against 4 elite teams including Minnesota, Tampa, Florida and Carolina on the road.
By way of contrast, Calgary only plays 4 games against playoff teams and all those are home games.
The month could very well define the season.
The reality is the Oilers fate is in their hands! Borrowing trouble or doing the what if is a fools errand!
That’s one way to look at it but it would appear the Oilers fate is actually in the hands of Minnesota, Florida, Tampa and Carolina.
Collectively, they have a record of 119-38-16
Throw in games against Washington and Vegas and you have a pretty big hill to climb.
At least they don’t have to play Colorado until 1 game in March and 2 games in April.
Koekkoek on waivers.
Given the 2nd year, I don’t imagine he gets claimed but would have no issue if he does (and kind of almost hope he does).
Willy Leggs leaves the dressing room, walks half way around the concourse…enters a men’s room, proceeds to DO THE DANCE OF JOY!
So basically he does the Willy Mayes-Hayes dance outside the ballpark in Major League? Works for me
Barrie must be ready
A few days ago Tip advised that it was highly unlikely he’d be ready for Wed – I think its “getting the roster ducks in a row” for the next little while (which would include Barrie being activated at some point, yet).
Oh no
The most obvious easy change is to switch Yamamoto and Puljujarvi and put the each of them back with centres they’ve had historical success with.
Tippett seems to struggle mightily with seeing the obvious. Ever since Yamamoto break out year he’s been separated from Draisaitl far to often. Now Pulijarvi is part of that consequence.
Is this all Tippet though? Sometimes I wonder if 97 is choosing what wingers he wants.
This is my belief until I see Puljujarvi back on his wing.
Jesse has looked lost for past few games. If he continues on that level of play no worries about him asking for $5 mil!
It could be a confidence thing, or maybe an injury. He hasn’t been the same since playing with McDavid.
Thank you HTP. When Tippett doesn’t “do the obvious” the smart question is why?
Just for fun and you were Tippett’s boss what would you do? If you can’t do the job the bottom line is you get removed! If a coach came into my office and I was GM and he said his problem was his team captain I would have some very pointed questions and to put it bluntly his tenure would be very short!
Given that Tippett is the coach and the person responsible for team success, the easy answer is yes. No one person is more important than the TEAM!
If 97 is truly asking to not play with the best RW on the team, I’m truly done with this shitshow. Jesse should use his BisonKing patent and print up a bunch of ‘FreetheBison’ shirts and sell them outside of Rogers, and then this summer hope for a rogue team to offer sheet him so he can finally roam free and flourish.
Shhhhhhhh😉
Careful what you wish for.
These (yours and others) are some very bold takes based on Puljujarvi playing 6 games without McDavid, after 80 of the previous 90 were spent stapled to his right hip.
Seriously, Puljujarvi has been a fixture on McDavid’s wing for a season and a half. Yet a few games for Puljujarvi on another line (during a winning streak) and folks are claiming McDavid doesn’t want to play with him? What the hell? Just awful stuff.
Caps have a big game against the Pens tonight. Hopefully, it goes into OT and they get home very late. Hopefully this throughs off their Circadian Rhythm. We need all the help we can get.
Nice call. Turns out they got a big OT win over the Pens. Beats them getting spanked and having a chip on their shoulder.
Vanack left the game – I presume that means Samsanov came on in relief and will also play tomorrow……
As an aside, after clearing customs, etc., Oilers got to the hotel at just before 4 this morning (according to Staff).
I often read/hear that Kassian’s issue is consistency and I simply can’t agree.
Kassian has been fully ineffective except for a game here or there for years now.
He hasn’t had “good Kass stretches” for a long long long time – he has a game here or there where he has a nominally positive impact.
I’m expecting two good periods off the benching.
I’m expecting he remains benched.
Tom Wilson. I expect that Kassian puts on the invisibility cloak again.
Wouldn’t surprise anyone.
Tom Wilson scares a lot of people.
It takes a lot of effort to play that hard physical banging game. Kass got his retirement contract and likely just not interested in playing that type of game anymore. Dump him as soon as you can.
Kass is most effective when he’s physical, but doesn’t have to be physical to be a effective, what with his decent hands, plus size, and plus speed.
Kass just needs to finish his checks (like commit to his poke checks even), get to the net front and corners, and skate in two directions, instead of being a ‘North-North’ player who coasts the majority of most games.
Hear hear. Biggest case of post-contract disappearing act I’ve ever seen.
Dude, you are really stepping on godot10’s toes. Have a little respect. 😉
Tippett’s got this….
Laggeson scratched next game.
Book it
You nailed it . SHIFT LENGTH . It showed up in OT also . Don’t know if it’s on Tippett , or if a few of his players just don’t want to come off the ice . It’s up to the coach to address this and get control of his players for the teams sake ..
I watched JP quite a bit last night and I am not a hockey strategist but why does he seem to be on the left side most of the night. He does not do that when he plays with McDavid. He is either right side or down the middle. Last night always on the left?
If you want to talk about something coaching can affect, talk about special teams. Opposing coaches have evidently caught on. How long will it take our coaches to react and get new systems or plays in place? How long will it take players to learn the changes? Will they be effective? What about the new guy, where does he fit?
All Star break probably couldn’t come at a better time.
The Oilers don’t get much of a break.
After a travel day returning from Washington, they have 4 days off before a game against VGK.
Most of the other teams in the conference who have played more games get 10-12 days off.
good oilers need dont need anymore breaks
Guaranteed someone brings up how ‘fatigued’ the oilers are in a few weeks
because of the scheduling.
Lets revisit this in 27 days
I’d rather have 6 days off between games than 12.
Unless I was the Canucks, in which case I would just be begging for the season to be over.
#MercyRule
Objects in the rear view mirror may be closer than they appear.
Oilers play 8 games in February against teams currently in a playoff position.
Franco : And now my friend, the first-a rule of Italian driving….What’s-a behind me is not important.
#GumballRally1976
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjGXn249Fc0
Typical comment to create angst with Oiler fans! Your new hip bothering you? If so I hope things improve for you soonest!
Four days is a rest 10 to 12 days is a vacation!
by “most other teams” you mean the California teams.
The game within the game.
Oh, we’re not doin bloody Hamlet again are we?
😉
I laughed, Then wondered why. Now I’m going to have to look it up 🙂
Pythonesque throwaway comment. To save you some time Hamlet is the first “play within a play,” or the use of self-reflexive structure in literature. Not the first example of nested narratives though… Canterbury Tales and Don Quixote were earlier, but they’re not recursive. For an example of Quixotian nested narratives in film, probably your best bet would be The Saragossa Manuscript (an adaptation of that novel).
Thank You Bro.
Re-reading it it, I can hear the voice of John Cleese delivering the line. 🙂
Do you have a British heritage / lineage?
(Nice inside the park home run down below by the way.)
I follow you here, but want to comment on how long it should take for coaching.
Instantly. In game adjustments.
Powerplay is simply moving the puck around until one of about 3-4 plays open up. If they collapse and focus on cross seam pass then adjust. Fire from point to disrupt. Use the bumper. Go low man to high. Set plays for aggressive penalty killing so you know where to dump it, you know where it will be dumped.
Coach should be watching, providing feedback, change tactics. Players are in the moment, concentrating on their movement, not watching every nuance of the penalty kill.
I recognize the coaches are smarter than I, and they are likely doing these things. But from my seat the tactics do not seem to be effective.
Tippett did make in-game adjustments last night. Still need a stop, still need to finish. They had opportunities to do both, but didn’t get enough done.
The way I look at this is that the Oilers had incredible special teams for 2+ seasons. How could teams have possibly ‘caught on’ in the last 20 games?
For Tippett’s tenure up until last Dec. 1st the Oilers had the best PP in the league by a large margin (11.18 GF/60 to 9.22 GF/60 for STL in 2nd place). They scored at almost 20% higher rates than any other team.
The Oilers also had the 3rd best GA rates in that span (5.37 GA/60, Carolina was tops at 5.19).
In the 20 games since then the Oilers PP has gone from 11.18 GF/60 to 6.43 GF/60.
Their PK has gone from 5.37 GA/60 to 14.2 GA/60.
I don’t think teams finally adjusted, or figured out the Oilers PP and PK. I think it’s far more likely that ‘injury’ and ‘slump’ are the answer.
“But when the team breaks down, it’s because of mental errors and many of those mistakes are at the end of long shifts. It’s a thing.”
I’ve said all along. TOI is the key factor at play here.
It’s like a “double whammy”
Not only do you tire out you elite talent over the course of the year (and sometimes in game), but you also lessen the effectiveness of your non-elite players who ALL need to be part of a consistent rotation in order to “be in the game”. In order to get and keep their legs and feet moving. In order to “create” in chip and chase fashion, which is how “they” do things.
I mean… look no further than Devon Shore. Holy Hell.
Once in a while I was selected to play for an all-star team. Those teams had all good players and a couple of stars. In certain games as my ice time diminished and I watched the same guys go over the boards, you know what I did?
I checked out the girls in the stands. I played with my stick. I patted guys on the shinpads. I told myself to focus. I blocked shots like a one legged flamingo. I tried to get in the game, then got cold again. Dam. Then I wondered if Wendy would be out tonight . Haha The minds of young men LOL
Truly Awesome! Drives home the point, makes one smile, and tells a story.
#GrandSlam
#LethalFireArm
#BuiltACathedral
Winchester gets all the pluses today…. imho
It really is frustrating that this team is coached like a pee wee travel team.
Who would we say is the last Oilers coach who got this? Nelson a bit? Mac T? My memory on this point is not clear.
Sorry my friend, on this point my memory is like Mushed Peas. 🙂
Seriously, when it comes to remembering sports history, I am the Anti-Bruce.
And he reminds me of it regularly 🙂
Nelson did very well in his short stop here and Mact always did more with less.
I thought the Oilers played average but good enough to win. They need to bury more Grade A chances. That said until they get a Goalie who makes the big saves when needed they will go nowhere. Koskinen made a few great saves but fell short of the opposite Goalie once again. You need great goaltending to be competitive in this league not just good.
Bingo
I’d be happy with just average goaltending. Making basic stops like last night’s OT winner, which was a weak prayer on the short side that the other team’s tender seems to always stop, but our 6’7″ goalie somehow lets over his shoulder, instead of letting it hit his mask. Koskinen simply doesn’t track pucks well and he’s too slow to be an effective NHL goalie. He either gets down too slow into his butterfly and gets beat five hole, or he’s down too soon and gets beat over his glove and blocker. He’s like a 7 footer in the NBA … there cause he’s tall but lacking in any of the fundamental skills needed to play the position effectively.
This team would be just fine with average goaltending, but instead we are treated to worst starting goaltender in the NHL night after night.
And mediocre (at best) coaching … I totally agree that the shift lengths for the cool kids are way too long.
Mikko is an above average back-up goaltender.
I’ve been saying it for 2 years watch Mikko eyes their quite often late to the party. Very rarely does a Goalie come in at the deadline and goes on to killing it in the playoffs. Maybe Stalock deserves a chance he’s always been steady to stop the easy ones. The team knows him well anyhow It’s time to wave goodbye to Mikko for his sake as well as the team sake.
Every time you lose your goalie falls short of the guy at the other end of the rink! We have had a few games that were lost because of weak goals. I don’t believe last night was one of those games.
Have you forgotten the McLeod short side goal. We also score some of those kind of goals as do all teams. It is the nature of the sport!
Every time you lose your goalie falls short of the guy at the other end of the rink!
Pretty obvious statement, right? 👍
Most times you lose because your goalie came up short of the other guy.
Brilliant play by Stutzle to win it? Can’t get behind that one. The D did it’s job forcing the very skilled Stutzle to shoot from a very low percentage area.
An NHL goalie – any goalie – is taught to cover that post. Not just cover it, but hug it closer than a lover.
The rebound? Goalies are gonna goalie, it’s amplified that Koskinen is struggling. I noticed the D weren’t very good at keeping the Sens out of the crease last night.
I have been a Nurse critic and a Kane critic, but Nurse’s shift length and Kane’s whatever doesn’t let these goals in.
I asked before the Kane signing does it offset bad goal tending. We are finding out that it doesn’t.
I see no reason why another team would trade us a Roloson for anything short of a prohibitive cost, or take back Koski. The whole world except for Kenny knows our weakness. They’ll keep us weak.
I think goaltending problem is well recognized now. Absolutely. Now, like before we still hear about the difficulty moving Koskinen or finding a replacement. Yeah I get it, but If Im paid 5M I think I should have had some foresight here.
You identified another problem. Our D men are not aggressive enough to keep anyone away from the crease. I find it odd. Are they not big enough, strong enough? Other teams D men have Oilers strewn all over the ice when defending their crease. Very few penalties taken.
It seems odd because if goaltending is suspect, you’d think your control over the slot area needs to be in place.
Good News on Ethan Bear! (Non-Covid illness)
Bear provided an assist in a 2-1 win over the Sharks on Sunday.
Bear (non-COVID illness) had missed five games in the middle of January before returning Jan. 27 against the Senators. This was Bear’s third game back since returning.
Wasn’t he a heathy scratch ?
That is what was being reported Bill, but I think no one knew for sure.
sorry , “was” not “is”
that was what was being reported.
That would make it his second non-Covid illness in two months, along with a Covid illness.
The first one was listed… out day-to-day. This one was not.
Very likely it was truly a HS.
Agreed. Hope not though.
Now that the pitchforks and torches have been lowered a little, is there a realistic situation this summer where Tippet gets renewed?
Is anything short of a conference finals appearance where they do not get swept easily enough?
I tried to move off wanting Tipp & Co to go
After last night I can’t convince myself they should stay
It’s like the Elks’ purge – they didn’t seem to have a plan, these guys don’t seem to either
The players have to play the game, but the coaches have to be the generals, they have to organize them and get the troops to follow the battle plan
They have spoken about how they want them to play, we have yet to see it happen defensively even if offensively they can cycle against weak teams
Protecting the key is the defensive game in a nutshell. The Oilers gave up about as many slot shots as had against the AHL Habs. That is not ok
Something isn’t right, and while possible I just don’t think that Oiler players are all dense, and that all of the other talented teams have the smart guys who can get to the right spots and not allow easy access to the fun areas
Shorten the shifts, limit 5v5 TOI and stick with it so they can adjust, it takes more than a game or a period
Stick with the plan, if you can’t over time you fail. McD and Drai keep trying to do it all kamikaze, when they get mad, but heroics aren’t on tap and their play declines in quality every time it happens as I see it
With the odd highlighter, but the mediocre team play remains a constant
Hard to bury the lead when you never have it.
Ha!
LT obviously meant lede, but we’re seeing some interesting spelling today.
Yeah, like this classic:
😉
Ha! Way to rein on my parade, ya bastage.
Bruce! Knocks one over the right field fence! lol
Good Morning Bruce. Wondering if you and David do a video last evening with your player grades?
I really look forward to the cults David and Bruce podcast. The grade A and grade B chances for and against, and the culpability stats give real insight. I wish they would publish their findings. It is a basic yet useful analytic which gives me much more information than shots on net and plus/minus, which I find are nearly useless. Bruce if you are reading this, please publish these. I think that you guys do a remarkable job on this analysis and would love to be able to use these stats in cumulative throughout the season.
Our host tiptoeing amongst the elephant in the room.
it was pointed out last night what the problem of this team is but this by far hits the nail on the head.
nelson88
January 31, 2022 8:18 pm
God damit. If Tippett and Holland can’t get this shift length bullshit under control they should both be fired. I’m as big a fan as 97, 29 and 25 as anyone but they need to stop being so selfish. It’s been going on for years.
They’d probably have a better chance in OT if they didn’t play 97 & 29 at this point, it’s ridiculous.
It’s a real Jamie Tartt look, and Tippett either can’t or won’t control it.
There was a moment in OT last night when Draisaitl refused to get off the ice at the end of a shift and he was gassed. He finally did and Kane came on for him but the coach has shown an inability to deal with this issue. Draisaitl needs to pull his head out of his ass and stop being so selfish.
Stunning thing is, he hopped back over the boards 40 seconds later on what was clearly Nuge’s shift. I’d bet money he did that without getting the tap. He was simply the first to react to 97 finally coming off.
Its more than just the shift length … Draisaitl has become a super high event player, and not in a good way. Far too many no look passes off his back hand from the side boards into the centre of the ice … these passes are being picked off with regularity now. Other coaches in the league would be stapling him to the bench.
I call it forcing plays
It’s trying to do it all themselves, buying their own hype
Nobody has ever been able to be a one man show in the NHL. Gretzky and Lemieux were the closest in a looser era, and they couldn’t even do it
Connor in this era is the best pure offensive player we’ve seen. But even he can’t do it solo more than occasionally.
Need to stop trying the impossible all the time. Play the long game
Agree does not speak to faith in team or teammates.
Man it’s hard to watch a game like last night’s and try and gauge which way Holland is leaning come the deadline.
Mike Smith is the lynch pin imo
Look how far counting on Mike Smith has gotten us this year. Do we really want to put our eggs in that basket?
Assume for a minute we do make the playoffs (big assumption) and Smith goes down in G1. What next?
GM has to upgrade this position.
Show me the menu please.
When I go to a restaurant and they hand me the menu and it has NO prices, I know I’m screwed.
#WaterAndASaladPlease.
#AllCappedOut
And if the Maitre d is from the same conference as you , well trust me the expected “tip/gratuity” alone will be painful / beyond your budget..
#30%
I don’t think Holland knows which way he’s learning at the deadline.
It seems his philosophy is basically to build his team in the off-season and then asses close to the deadline to see if they are “in it” and, if so, look to improve.
He’s not stupid so I’m sure he knows goalie is an issue and I’m sure he’s got calls in all over the league. I presume he wants to get a sense of if Smith is going to be able to help this season before he gives up material value in a goalie trade.
My life in a 5’10 body. Memoirs of a hockey goalie by Mikko Koskinen
“Hyman is reminding everyone why he was so sought after as a free agent last summer. Super smart, a pain in the ass to play against and a sublime passer. “
Can JP emulate this?
I’ll agree with “a pain in the ass to play against “, but I’m having trouble seeing the super smart and sublime passer.
I see lots of plays where Hyman DOESN’T give up the puck to a teammate who’s clearly open. It seems to me that most of his offense is created with shear effort and winning 1 on 1 battles. Nothing wrong with that, but I don’t see him as a particularly cerebral offensive player.
“Sublime” is a way over-the-top descriptor here. He is a pretty good passer though. I would actually say “under-rated,” but that’s a tough adjective itself with that “sublime” sitting there.
I’ve noticed the same with Hyman. His trade in stock move is to go around the opposing net, advance a few feet and then turn and shoot. Him doing this even if somebody is open leads me to believe that his offensive instincts in O-zone is not elite.
Hyman has been the Oilers’ best player over the last few games.
I remarked last night that he’s made 3 passes in two games that I didn’t think he had in him (for the Nuge goal on Sat and the Nurse goal last night).
Poor execution isn’t poor coaching, nor has there been a lack of practice time.
Firstly that game shouldn’t get to OT and wouldn’t have, if it wasn’t for Koski’s horrible play on the puck that led to the first laugher goal.
Secondly,. when you play a trap team you have to expect you might need to win the game with a low score…. AND you don’t want to ever give the trappers the lead. Both these factors depend on goaltending, which failed.
Thirdly, they actually had a reasonable number of chances that game. Puck was on their stick most of the night. They didn’t finish… Murray played well and was the first star. We can hardly expect the coaches to go out and shoot the puck for the players, can we? Just like the coaches can’t make saves.
And the player entitlement/long shifts has been a feature through multiple coaches. When does it end? This is where you want to see Smith, Keith and every other old fart in the room speak up. So far, no one has been able to reign these players in.
Poor coaching is benching an entire line for turnovers and giveaways and then keep putting Leon out there.
Leon was fighting it last night. If there was a game you could dial him back a little, it was last night.
The coach’s job is to put the team in the best position to succeed, through strategy, tactics and deployment.
A good point I heard this morning is that these long shifts wouldn’t be acceptable if the coach wasn’t on board with them.
That has little to do with execution. They should’ve won that game last night as coached.
Finish a chance, get a stop, the result is entirely the other way and we’re having a different conversation today.
By the way, when a player gets sat… the entire bench is supposed to take notice and get the message. “Pull up your socks.”
And finally, when players have that kind of power, through multiple coaches and GMs, it starts with ownership.
Fatigue has lots to do with poor execution . Plus they didn’t deserve to win that game , Ottawa out worked them , most likely because the coach insisted his players take short shifts .
It’s entirely possible Tippet has given up on trying to fix the issue.
Having a head coach on an expiring contract has often been referred to as “dead man walking” for a reason.
Projection?
You are the “dead man walking” of posters.
I wonder if Herdman would pull a reverse Kruger
I’m sorry you say it has nothing to do with coaching then go on about how to defeat a team that is coached to trap..
Why didn’t the coach, coach his team to beat the trap? Isn’t that coaching? No? OK then.
Yes, this was the first time the Oilers have ever played against the trap and it was completely new to them despite having played against this same team a few days ago. Stupid coaches.
You did notice, right, that the Oil were generally effective against the trap despite having to chase the game? Won the possession battle, the shot battle and the chance battle. Did not translate it onto the scoreboard.
The number one strat against the trap, btw, is to score first. I guess I should blame the coaches for Koski playing that no-danger shot so foolishly. They were chasing the rest of the way.
“Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: Hyman 26-24-50; Nuge 8-52-60; Kassian 10-18-28.”
This is the gold I was mining for when I insisted that we load up a third line and let the Dynamic Duo “elevate” the play of whoever they are paired with.
And had mentioned that Nuge could take faceoffs on one side while Hyman (or McLeod) takes them on the other side. Gold dust.
Kass….a scintilla of gold. 😉
Seriously, without a coaching change, I think Kassian is “disappeared in the summer”, let’s hope it doesn’t cost too much
SOOO MUCH hinges on Kane.
Kass, JP, Yamo and others could all be affected.
I wonder what Sutter could do with Kass?
Get him to retire?
EDM Goal Diff 41 gp(22-16-3)
EV (5v5,4v4,3v3)
97 w/o 29(22-20) 52%
29 w/o 97(23-22) 51%
97&29 On(14-10) 58%
93 w/o either(8-7) 53%
71(8-11) 42%
10(10-21) 32%
Other(4-6) 40%
Net EV -8
Special Teams:36-30
Net ST +6
Empty Net:9-8
Net EN +1
SO/PS 3-0
Net SO/PS +3
Goal Diff +2
EDM’s Special Teams goal differential peaked at +19 (27-8) at game 22.
Since then they’ve gone -13 (9-22) over the last 19 games and sit at +6 (36-30) for the season.
Even Strength goal differential has gone from -2 to -8 over the same period.
Special teams are 3-14 over the last 12 games, with the Oilers outright losing the special teams battle in 10 of those 12 games, sawing off in an 11th, winning it just once (2-1 vs Calgary when the freshly-promoted Bouchard scored 2 PP goals in rapid succession). Since then the PP is 0/11 — in fact, -1 for 11 — & not sharp at all.
Lets not Barrie the lead.
The PP was bad before Barrie got hurt. It doesn’t matter who the D on top is. All they have to do is not screw it up.
Hey Everybody! Buzz Kills Here!
Sorry. Keeping in mind “being on the spectrum” It was a joke; A play on words; A sort of half truth.
“The really hopeless victims of mental illness are to be found among those who appear to be most normal. “Many of them are normal because they are so well adjusted to our mode of existence, because their human voice has been silenced so early in their lives, that they do not even struggle or suffer or develop symptoms as the neurotic does.” They are normal not in what may be called the absolute sense of the word; they are normal only in relation to a profoundly abnormal society. Their perfect adjustment to that abnormal society is a measure of their mental sickness.
These millions of abnormally normal people, living without fuss in a society to which, if they were fully human beings, they ought not to be adjusted, still cherish “the illusion of individuality,” but in fact they have been to a great extent deindividualized. Their conformity is developing into something like uniformity. But “uniformity and freedom are incompatible. Uniformity and mental health are incompatible too. Man is not made to be an automaton, and if he becomes one, the basis for mental health is destroyed.” – Aldous Huxley
Uniformity and freedom are incompatible.
The true danger of modern tribalism.
Pretty remarkable they’ve managed to go 4-0-1 in their last 5 with the special teams being outscored.
The PK has been better in that stretch (only 3GA, though still a below average rate) but the PP remains MIA as you note (PP is 2-1 in the last 5).
Even strength is 17GA-8GA in that stretch. Hopefully they can get everything rhyming at the same time shortly.
The ice definitely looked bad last night. The team had some bad bounces and weren’t as sharp as they have been lately. Mikko made some excellent saves and then had one or two he would likely want another crack at.
Kane will take some time to get going. The all star break should give him a chance to get in some hard skating but he will need game situations to get his timing back.
I thought the team team had a lot of energy if not much finish. It’s hard to understand why the coaches allow such long shifts. If this crew is going to survive the marathon schedule coming up, then an attitude adjustment is necessary.
Ryan McLeod is a gem. Whatever line he plays on is good.
Teams have been shitting up their ice for years to deal with the Oilers and the speed game. Decades, in fact.
They had better get used to it because that tactic isn’t going anywhere.
And both teams have to play on it
It’s a player maturity issue. Crap ice, go to plan B
Tryin to ram plan A’s deal down the games throat, finding to much consternation and many serious intense looks of impending game changing heroics on the bench, that it doesn’t work most of the time, must be coming clear through the fog of disappointment?
As seen through gassed eyes?
“Halfway stats extrapolated to 82 games: Ryan 6-6-12; McLeod 10-4-14; Shore 4-6-10.”
And this is after a slow start in the first 20 games.
Devon Shore has been like found money.
I think you mean scheisse…?
And Munny with a triple off the wall! lol
OH WAIT!….he’s rounding third (with Jim Steinman on the piano) here’s the ball, the play at the plate….holy cow I think he’s going to make it!
#RegressionToTheMeat….Loaf
Tkachuk comes in and without any thought of the puck, runs Russel with what looks like intent to injure. Why? Because hes trying to make a statement. The game plan is to slam the Oilers as a team wherever you can, and you can win the game. Same as it ever was.
The Oilers response? Nothing.
No statement in return. Then we (they) self justify with thoughts like “we don’t want to take a penalty” It confirms what other teams already know. Hit them, disrupt them, it will be effective and the Oil have no counter.
There is no excuse here for the Oil. Another run at McDavid behind the net with a high elbow. Nothing.
If Kassian is getting an extra 1.5 to enforce and he won’t show up. Hes traded. Tomorrow.
But a team that needs to use one enforcer will always be weak. Every single player needs to stand up for their teammates. It doesn’t have to be a fight. Anyone can use their stick, throw a hit, take a punch, but you have to show up.
To hell with the penalty. The right response was to target Tkachuk. Take a penalty, it doesn’t matter. Teammates kill off the penalty. There has never been a Stanley Cup team that doesn’t stick up for each other.
If I was them Id be happy to give up that one point for a little self respect.
I buy your premise. Not sure about the conclusion.
Do you think that Holland, in trying to get tougher, moves Kass and not Yamo??
Not saying what’s right but just what will Holland do.
Kassian doesn’t even know what he’ll do shift to shift. And certainly isn’t a reliable deterrent anymore.
Shore knows and has as much game at this point, and close to the speed as well.
You can’t always play people because of innate talent or potentials. Or cap hit. Be creative, everything changes over time.
There are options. Other teams do it and we pine for their players, who are the same we have but are handled better.
Kass needs to go. Now with Kane here for the rest of the year, even more reason to move him. He got benched last night. Next will be HS/PB…but that could lower his perceived trade value so it would be best to find a trade partner sooner than later and hopefully free up some cap space.
My friend Taber would like to “bet a buck”, that Kass is more likely to be here post deadline than Yamo is.
Trade value?
I think you mean it would increase the negative value of the contract and the poison pill the Oilers would need to swallow to divest (in either retainment or actual assets out)….. right?
If you don’t do it now, you’re hooped come playoffs
We’ve seen it. And if it starts playoffs you address it immediately, game one. Sacrifice the battle to win the war. And do it smart, reciprocity
Takes the right coach
What’s up with JP; It’s starting to become a concern.
Is he hard to play against?
He’s got a ways to go on his journey to “Becoming Jere”
He looks lost out there when the puck gets to him. Having a rough go right now. Maybe drop him to the 3rd for a bit and fire Hyman up to #1 on the R side and drop Yammy back to the 2nd .
Maybe send him to Adam Oates ( is it Adam Oates who is the “stick whisperer”?) to get the lie and length of his stick fitted properly.
Speaking of which, did JP get his lid adjusted? It seems to fit now, no?
We got the market cornered on big guys that can skate with Lucic hands
It does not appear to be a production issue, on track for 20-30-50.
And not an effort issue.
More of a consistency issue. Which is not unusual at his age.
He’s a keeper and could represent “value” on the right contract. $4m x 6 ?
If he was on pace for thirty goals then the Oilers would have a big problem. The effort is certainly there and he does a lot of positive things. He can save the gaudy numbers for when he is signed long term.
Yes he could turn into a really good contract . He was tracking to a 5 mill plus guy early, but now not so much. The ball was in his agent’s court and there was no rush to sign any extension ( sure they were hoping he would keep up the point production pace) . But now if I was Holland I would definitely have a hat with his agent and toss out an offer where it does end up at 4 mill per for 5 or 6 years. I would take that chance.
You do that one asap, but for 8 years
It would be interesting to go back to Puljujarvi’s junior days and figure out why he was the WJHC MVP. Remember, Yakupov broke Stamkos’ goal scoring record, and he was not a great NHL player.
I wonder if Jesse was simply stronger and faster than his peers in junior and didn’t really need elite offensive sense because he physically dominated everyone.
I don’t think he’s a bad player at all, but I think it’s fair to say he hasn’t delivered what was expected in his draft year.
I get your point. Would just add he’s pretty much what LT expected and documented in his draft year. Very talented but at risk of being shy on offense.
The way he is bumbling with the puck on his stick, I posit (OP language) that he may be suffering from a hand injury. Couldn’t seem to hold on to or complete any passes last night. With the terrible ice and his recent inability with the puck, he seemed only good in the D-zone and hence slightly better than Godot’s favourite muse.
“Why you hef to be so Med Oil?”
Kidding! just love that line so much
I see him as an auteur. He plays his game and it’s unusual. Connor’s is as well.
It makes him harder to use, but also makes the potential so much higher. He has a game breaker’s mentality. He’s second or third wheel with who he plays with
I think he defers then, as the young mostly do, and when he pushes his game it’s not a natural mesh
I still think he should be a centre so he can roam. I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. He has the range on the ice, likes to transport, and is defensively reponsible
Lagesson building up his trade value.
Yes he has been playing well. Could be a good toss in at the deadline on a trade if he keeps it up. Maybe in a trade for a guy like Clutterbuck. For some grit in that bottom line ?
“Skinner played well enough in his last game to get another start soon”
Skinner gets the Hawks. May be the last time we see him for awhile.
Very winnable game, which makes for a frustrating loss.
Ottawa is a better team than most give them credit for. If Murray plays like that all the time, they are a handful. Zub is a quality defender and Stutzle is a difference maker.
Lots of anger towards Koskinen last night but I thought he was fine.
1st goal was probably the softest, but he had a lot to deal with in the crease. Besides, if McLeod just makes the proper backcheck, instead of dithering about changing in the neutral zone, there is no 3 on 2, and no shot from the slot.
2nd goal was a scramble PK and an open net off a slot shot rebound. Of course there’s no PK, if Bouchard doesn’t make the unforced turnover just outside the Oilers blueline. He’s making too many turnovers, of the unforced variety, to be considered a 1st pairing dman right now.
Overtime goal was a great shot from the slot. Stutzle had all day to pick a corner because the Oilers puck management was brutal in OT. And yes, shift length is a major reason for that, and continues to be an issue. The Oilers have plenty of depth for 3 on 3 hockey now. Nobody should be staying out there for 2 minutes.
Mostly agree with your take espl, Bouchard’s slow response to developing plays – how do a big percentage of his passes keep hitting the other teams players and thus reverses the play – making the oiler forwards do a 180 and desperately try to negate an odd-man rush.
I I am not ready to give Koski a pass on the OT goal. What is the point being 6ft 7in. if you can’t even cover the net vertically? Yes the shot was a laser but was stopable espl. considering Stutzle took a long time to unleash it.
Last fall I predicted Koskinen would not be back in an Oilers uniform. It was obvious the team lost all confidence in him. Then failure to get a better goaltender and summer optimism crept in. He’s not that bad. His save percentage is actually okay. He’s okay if he’s not overworked. And then the decision to go another season with Koskinen. The team loves him because they feel for him. As a fan I feel the same.
But what a failure move to go with this tandem. The number one reason behind the mediocre record this season.
I hope the present tending can stay above water until help arrives.
Its up to Holland to find a solution at a reasonable cost. If he can’t do that responsibly then he needs to step aside.
Hard to move Koskinen last summer given his contract. The real screw-up was signing Smith and thinking a repeat of last year was possible.
For 2 years!
Before you spend too much time putting yourself on the back, I don’t recall anyone calling for or predicting that Mikko would receive another contract from the Oilers.
Oilers 3-0 in shootouts this season.
Too bad we looked discombobulated in OT last night.
“Shiza happens. They salvaged January with a blazing finish. Let’s not bury the lead.”
Points in 5 straight games.
In contention for a playoff spot even with our number one goalie out for almost the entire season. (This doesn’t get mentioned very often, not even on broadcasts where they debate the minutia)
This. But we better see a really good team tom night that is fired up and hustling.
Id say the time to be hard on the team is after a game like that where there were so many learnings.
The Oilers beat themselves in overtime. Again.
I watch an opponent that seems to have a gameplan. At least some sort of strategy they try to execute against what they know is a more talented opponent. I don’t see the Oil with an overtime game plan. Big switch to starting Connor and Leon? Okay. After that it just looks like poor execution. Long shifts, slowing down the pace, waiting for Leon or Connor to “do something” Waiting for the BIG play while the other team just simply takes a shot.
Man, coach these guys already.
agree—watching the Oilers is sometimes like watching kids at the skate park trying to land a nice trick. It’s nice when it happens but otherwise it is a lot of failure and falling and railing your nuts. Sometimes I get the impression the rest of the team just kind of sits back and waits and hopes for 97 and 29 to just do something. I think this is my least favorite aspect of the team—-the times when it seems like they aren’t even a ‘team’ past a bunch of guys who just pat 29 and 97 on the back after another highlight play, which by the way are not surprisingly getting more and more rare as the season goes on and players wear down and other teams lock into their team systems play.
That’s a hundred percent coaching. Tippet has made a bit of an effort, with a more balanced lineup and playing the fourth line more, but he’s ready to abandon all of it at a moments notice. It’s hard for the team to feel confident throughout the lineup when the coach has no confidence in them.
Agreed.
It must be hard to break out of the ‘just add 97 and 29 for OT victory’ trance.
A few hours of 3 on 3 with them on opposite teams would get some new creative juices flowing. Heck, people would pay to see that
Shift length is a real concern
I don’t understand why Tipp had McD and Drais on the last shift of the game leading to OT. This is common and poor personnel management.
It is also noticeable during the PP but this is more difficult to manage as it is usually one of the top two lines causing the infraction therefore they are on the ice/not fresh.
The ice looked like my local ODR. Brutal. The league needs to be better. Is there this much discrepancy in NFL turf? I honestly don’t know the answer. Soccer pitches are highly variable. But the NHL has the ability to control the environment.
Rambling…
I did my own rambling this am. But yeah, game management is a thing and here it is coached, or lack of coached.
I was shocked at Tipps post game. He sounds like an observer. He identifies the problems but seems unable to fix them.
Shift length is a major problem!!!!!!!! Both McD and Drai were gassed in OT. DRAI is quite bad at staying out way too long most of the time. McD seems to have a better engine than Drai, as he still is fast when gassed, but his stick handling suffers. Drai just looks like a swayback Klydsdale when he is pooped . He could easily put Nuge and Hyman out as a pair Drai and Jesse or Yammy and McD and Kane. He has to start doing that
Why wouldn’t McDavid/Drai be on for the last shift of regulation in a tie game (assuming they aren’t already tired from a previous shift)?
Regulation wins are important (and worth more than OT wins given the tiebreaker rules – which could very well be important).