Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet has the Edmonton Oilers number. Coach Kris Knoblauch is attempting to ease his veterans into the preseason, like he’s handling the third imperial Fabergé egg. Tocchet brings an old school approach even in preseason, and that means living on the edge of the rules, skating the legs off the privileged, and communicating one true thing: Beating the Canucks means you better pack a lunch, because it’s going to take all day. Added to the fact Tocchet brought a bunch of AHL guys to get it done, and it’s very difficult to look at last night as a victory for the home team. There were things to like, and plenty that needs work.
THOUGHTS ON LAST NIGHT
Josh Brown is in need of some reps. He ran a five-on-five expected goal share of 26 percent, and the actual factual eye test surely came in somewhere close. The Oilers need him as a physical presence and a deterrent against tomfoolery. I don’t believe any one player can stop a vicious hit or attempt to injure, but for me last night (once again) showed why you need big, physical players who can play. Brown hasn’t shown well in the hockey portion of the games he’s played in.
Ben Gleason scored a goal and had the puck moving in a good direction five-on-five. He’s about where Jordan Oesterle was when the Oilers let him go for free. He can play.
Travis Dermott and Troy Stecher played well together, that could be a tandem at some point this season. Stecher’s timing offensively is a little off, owing to injury recovery and Knoblauch’s Fabergé egg approach to veterans. Ty Emberson and Brett Kulak looked like veterans who are getting close to being ready for the season. That’s a welcome piece of news.
The continued absence of Darnell Nurse is a concern, although he has been cleared to play and we should see him appear in a game soon. This is one part of the roster where the Fabergé egg application makes sense. The Oilers need the best version of Nurse possible, and that includes a healthy player.
Stuart Skinner had a nice night, boasting a .933 save percentage and making some big stops. There are lots of critics, but Skinner is ready and looked sharp last night. That’s a big damned deal. I wasn’t especially impressed with the Oilers blue physically in front of the goalie, and at least one cross-ice pass led to a goal due to a defender being out of position. There are things to clean up on the Edmonton side of the ice.
Connor McDavid is ready, honestly he seems to need about five shifts to reach mid-season form. Corey Perry cashed on a lovely give-and-go with the captain, and Vasily Podkolzin should have but did not. When God gives out soft hands for hockey, he means business and it sticks.
Leon Draisaitl scored a lovely shootout goal, sending this hockey fan back in time 50 years and a similar moment delivered by Montreal Canadiens center Pete Mahovlich. I liked Draisaitl’s game, he refuses to be a Fabergé egg and I worry about his all or nothing at all approach. His wingers could use more time with him, and that’s only fair to Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson. They’re quality veterans, the coach needs to stop auditions and deploy his starters.
Adam Henrique with Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown didn’t win the possession game but had as many good chances as the opponent and played a good game. I saw them good, and would suggest they weren’t at their offensive best.
Drake Caggiula, James Hamblin and Lane Pederson played well to my eye. I don’t think they will be here on the weekend. Caggiula had a fabulous sequence later in the first, but he couldn’t cash.
At noon today, Sports 1440, we have a loaded show. Daniel Nugent-Bowman at The Athletic will pop in to talk about Mike Hoffman’s release, what he saw last night and an update on Calvin Pickard. Jason Gregor will also make an appearance to talk Oilers, Elks and more. PLUS, Rachel Doerrie returns! You loved her analysis last year and she’s back to talk all things Oilers and NHL. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly.
Pierre LeBrun
The NHL and NHLPA have already chatted about it and will do so more seriously in CBA talks: reduce pre-season to 4 games (and add 2 games to regular season to make it 84).
That’s the idea anyway. We’ll see where it goes in CBA talks.
McFarland with a local update on Landeskog – he’s working hard on the gym and stuff but a ways a way.
I love this line. But their Corgis are not strong.
Henrique
21-22 ANA; 50.76 CF%; 49.44GF%
22-23 ANA; 45.77 CF%; 48.61 GF%
23-24 ANA; 48.05 CF%; 50.00 GF%
23-24 EDM; 48.58 CF%; 68.00 GF%
Janmark
21-22 VGK; 48.66 CF%; 48.48 GF%
22-23 EDM; 48.77 CF%; 50.00 GF%
23-24 EDM; 50.93 CF%; 50.00 GF%
Brown
21-22 OTT 50.36 CF%; 44.588 GF%
22-23 WSH; 51.19 CF%; 25.00 GF% (4 GP)
23-24 EDM; 50.95 CF%; 41.03 GF%
Janmark/Henrique/Brown 23-24
Playoffs 38.89 CF%; 66.67GF%
Janmark/Henrique/Brown last night
39.23 CF%; 0 GA, 0 GF
Yup, I’ve been saying all off-season, their success as a line in the playoffs has been very over-stated and their positive goal share likely a function of some luck.
I do like the trio by eye but think Janmark is a clear 4LW at this stage and think a Lavoie (or I guess Podz if they don’t carry an extra) could fit much better on Henrique’s left wing.
You have been saying that the style of play of the line is “unsustainable.”
But none of the players exhibit overly positive shot shares. None of them are “possession” type players. To my eye, they are not good at transitioning the puck up the ice.
In the playoffs each of Janmark, Brown and Henrique showed a pattern with their “own” on-ice stats of negative shot-attempt share, positive goal share. Henrique had the strongest goal share of the three, followed by Janmark, then Brown.
Henrique plays quite evenly across all defensive pairs, sometimes he gets elevated to the top six. In the playoffs he faced 89 shot attempts against when on the ice with Darnell Nurse, with two goals against.
Last season in Edmonton Henrique posted very positive goal shares in the regular season and playoffs: reg 17 GF , 8 GA; playoffs 9 GF, 6 GA.
The line will play with the bottom pairs. If pairs two and three struggle, particularly in goals, this will show in the stats and be visible to the eye. The most common defenders with this line were Ceci (20:22), Nurse (20.25), Kulak (16:58), Bouchard (10:24), and Ekholm (10:03). There were no goals against during the 20:25 they played with Nurse.
I do think that with Henrique and a decent level of defender that they can maintain a positive goal share. But I’m not convinced we have that in the bottom pairs. Maybe we will by playoffs.
Henrique posting close to a 50% GF over the last 3 seasons in Anaheim is a goddamn miracle. He’s a good two way player and his play is going to really carry the third.
100 percent agree. But the two-way play doesn’t tend to show in his shot-share. He prioritizes the house and he generates offence. This line gets stuck in their own end and has issues exiting the puck. I believe it’s a sustainable equation as long as the second pairing isn’t a complete disaster.
Kirby Dach left the ice after eating a shoulder to his head.
What a rough start to the season for Canadiens so far.
Wifi tried to take Stutzle’s head off too – 5+GM for Arber
I don’t understand why people say Philp is fighting Ryan for 4C. Ryan was a RW all last year except on PK. He’s now too slow to play 4C effectively. Ryan and Perry are the 4/5RW. Starting the season with Ryan at 4C and Perry at 4RW is impossible. Only one should be on the lineup at any time.
I would prefer Lavoie over Perry but McDavid seems to like having Perry around. Small price to maintain happy McDavid in the year before a contract extension can be signed.
Mainly because the team reasonably likely does not carry an extra healthy forward to start the season so, unless Philp actually replaces Ryan or Perry on the roster, its likely how things start.
You keep saying that but why would you hamstring yourself by playing Ryan and Perry at the same time? Especially as we all agreed that Ryan’s time as a 4C was over last year and Perry was mediocre. Ryan didn’t get younger or faster over the summer. There is no reason not to give Philp a 10 game test drive as 4C. We have both the cap room and the need for a big, mobile RHC who is good on the dot. Start as you mean to go.
Its not about what I would do, its about what management is likely to do (in conjunction with the coaching staff). I think its unlikely that they waive and re-assign either Ryan or Perry to start to the season and the other option for this is to carry a 13th healthy forward which, given managements words since the day Bowman was hired, would go against their approach of accruing cap for internal acquisitions.
Replacing Brown with Dermott will save $275K so maybe they will to that in conjunction with keeping a 13F but I’m not positive.
They could also run with the 12 forwards and just call Philp up for sub in days and then send back down.
Cool touch at Delta Center this year — for all #UtahHC games there will be a food option that represents the city of the opposing team.
@SportsnetSpec
This is pretty cool.
Hot chicken for a Preds visit, perogies for Oilers (maybe beef?), poutine for the Habs, wings for the Sabres…
Great idea.
Blueberry Pedaheh gets my vote.
Perhaps Geritol shakes.
I heard for the Canucks it’s a medium coffee and blueberry muffin from Breka for $30.
A liter of tears when the Canucks are in town. Bring your own Cup, the Nucks don’t have any to spare.
See, you can do better! More of this! Also, not asking you to stop holding the Oilers accountable with an outside Fandom outlook, just stay away from the trolling for the sake of trolling. Thank you!
— sometimes it’s fun to play the heel though
— I often cheer for the bad guys in movies novels etc. lots of people take themselves way to seriously: Bobby the “Brain” Heenan with his false outrage was a great compliment to “Mean Gene”.
— he’s just often playing a nick: it’s entertaining IMO…
“Beating the Canucks means you better pack a lunch, because it’s going to take all day. “
This is what we were saying about the Kings. This too shall pass.
JFresh
@JFreshHockey
·
18h
I don’t watch the Bruins. Is it their d or goaltending?
League cites early cap projection for next season at $92.5MM, essentially the 5% max increase rounded up (like they did for this season).
The new or extended CBA will be in place for the following season and no more 5% cap. Given the cap is still below 50% of HRR and they will use the lag formula (as opposed to projected), a reasonable chance the cap will be over $100MM when McDavid’s next contract kicks in.
League told Board of Governors they intend to start CBA talks in the new year.
Gleason looks like a blossoming player to me. If they can’t use him they should go fishing.
Who is out there who has dropped out of favor on their teams?
Can Oilers find another fast physical guy?
The signing bonus Gaudreau got will count ($2MM).
They need to get to the floor “within a reasonable time”.
They look to start the season apx $1.4MM short.
Akey has been assigned to Barrie – just needed medical clearance which they’ve received (per DNB).
Side note per OilersNow yesterday:
Getting sick of Stauffer tossing anything negative on Holland. The offer sheets definitely include some culpability from him, but ignoring the fact Jeff Jackson was running the team (he put in his coach in in November), means blame can be on his ledger too.
Regime changes and the fact Bob is employed by the team includes cowtowing but its so blatantly disingenuous and he repeats it often that it just gives me that gross feeling.
Including his drafting record being terrible while saying the only 2 players of quality were lost is just ‘true enough’.
Seravalli of all people had to set him straight that most teams aren’t running non 1st round homegrown (drafted) talent and that in the team’s lifecycle, there aren’t going to be alot of high end prospects. I think he said most rosters are ~20% homegrown but that seems wrong.
Holland owns some blame, Hollands does not own all of the blame. We’re not stupid.
Ken Holland’s contract ended at the end of June (two days after the loss to the Panthers). The Blues tendered their offer sheet about six weeks later on August 14th.
The verbal from Holloway was that Broberg‘s agent had been working on it for a while even to the point that the Oilers knew about it during contract negotiations.
Did Broberg’s agent hatch the plan prior to the game 7 loss? More than likely.
Even as a lame duck GM since Jackson was hired, extending Holloway and Brioberg would have been under his purview.
Now this doesn’t exonerate Jackson, but Holland was plenty culpable.
Holloway also suggested they “did not understand” why there seemed to be a lack of attention from the Oilers side.
Sounds like it was not prioritized, or the person responsible was not prioritized.
It introduced worry into the process, sounded like Holloway was doubting his future.
Holloway and his agent are trying to make it sound like they weren’t chasing the money. Oilers coddled Holloway and him and his agent hit the perfect storm with Armstrong having the cap to do his unappreciated buddy Holland a solid.
I get why both guys signed a sheet. The Oilers put a wall in front of Broberg to paraphrase Bruce. He should have been a regular all year – not in the finals – and earlier asked for a trade.
As for Holloway – like the player – but he’s one slash on the hands away from a career ending injury. He can’t even do a pushup with that wrist. Almost $3 million guaranteed extra over the next 2 years is some good insurance. Understandable.
So the final battles appear to be something like:
2 of Josh Brown, Stetcher and Dermott for 6 and 7 D.
Philp vs Ryan for 4C.
Lavoie vs Perry for 4RW.
If Caggiula is actually in the conversation, I imagine it’d be for 4RW or an extra forward spot, maybe if there are injuries.
Jarventie will have a small cap hit pro-rated to the amount of games he was on an NHL roster last season.
Per DNB:
– Jarventie is expected to be out a few days past season-opening rosters being due before going to the AHL.
– Akey has been on the ice all camp. He’s slated to go to OHL Barrie in a couple days.
– Lavoie is banged up. This won’t impact his availability for last two ex. games.
Per DNB:
Kulak/Brown have been together every practice and the coaching staff have not wavered no matters what has happened in the games.
Brar notes that Philp is in rotation with the 4th line. Doesn’t say who is coming out.
Good stuff – it will be interesting to see who he plays with in the game he gets (if its just one).
I don’t see him not being assigned to start the season – with the waiver exemption and the excuse of so much time off, its just too easy a decision to make.
Little doubt he’ll play in the NHL this season – at least for me.
Twenty games or so in Bakersfield would be my guess.
Not sure why they would prefer Caggiula over Lavoie. Does he still have lingering effects from his LBI? It sure looks good for Philp. And it looks like they’re being patient with Brown.
Sucks that Hamblin isn’t part of things Because IMO the best possible 4th line is (Hamblin-Philp-Podkolzin) If it where up to me, I’d waive Perry, Brown & Ryan for purpose to reassignment.
There is no indication they prefer Caggiula over Lavoie – they are both with the team.
I’d rather have Ryan on the 4th line over Hamblin.
Hamblin can come in and give some “safe minutes” but his ceiling is so low – Ryan can still help produce more offence, take right side faceoffs and PK better than Hamblin.
I like Hamblin’s speed & age over Ryan. They’re both similar in playing style, there really wouldn’t be any drop off. Also, it would give the fourth line a LHC and Philp RHC. His ceiling couldn’t be any lower than Ryan. It’s just my preference. They need to inject more youth into the lineup and not be the oldest team in the entire league. Subtracting Ryan & Perry would accomplish that.
The deployment of Brown is so perplexing. Almost as confounding as the original signing.
This reminds me of the Will Acton training camp.
It did waiver in the 3rd period last night though, with Kulak-Stecher getting the reps and Brown playing with Gleason.
I said that Brown has been with Kulak in every practice and that has not wavered no matter what has happened in the games – it continued today with no wavering.
Kemp never got a real chance.
Hamblin may also be assigned, he doesn’t require waivers yet.
Gleason showed so much better than Josh Brown (to my eye) but was never going to make it over Brown.
For me, the real question is starting to get down to who is 7D, Brown or Dermott.
DNB.
Gleason and Pederson are on waivers for the purpose of reassignment. Hamblin has sent to AHL Bakersfield.
If Corey Perry does not make the team, would he “go to Bakersfield” or maybe retire?
Lavoie has done more than enough to show he is at least a 4th line NHL winger.
I wondered if he will shuttle between Edm and Bako via paper transaction, but never actually leave Edm. It would make sense so they don’t have to have him on the roster all the time, but he still gets some stability in one place. Plus it keeps him fresh for the times they want him in the lineup.
I think he would be claimed off waivers
Who was it out of TO that threatened retirement if he aas claimed off waivers? Maybe Perry could take that road
Jason Spezza, and it was a hell of a declaration.
The difference here is that unlike Toronto, our farm club isn’t also in-city. Sure, Perry played years in California, but I don’t think Bakersfield is as ritzy a destination as Orange County.
Lavoie or Perry?
I do not think the threat of losing Perry on waivers is so great that I would avoid risking it. I am sure Oilers mgt thinks differently than me on this.
No one is claiming Perry off of waivers, unless they have actually talked to Perry and have him be agreeable to it.
I would rather lose Perry than Lavoie.
Lavoie is a big improvement over Perry.Bigger,faster,and younger!
I thought that Gleason may stay for a bit longer (and maybe he still will) but I remember hearing coach say they wanted to cut down to 9D and, with Dermott and Brown and Kemp still around……
Has Dermott shown enough to earn a contract? If they do sign him and O’Reilly what would the total for the 50 man roster be?
I think he’s outplayed Brown but I really think Knob (and maybe Stuart) wants Brown for the PK.
O’Reily’s contract would not count on the 50 while in junior.
I haven’t checked in a while but I think they have a ton of room for contracts, like less than 45 – just checked, they are at 43 contract.
I do think they will sign him he seems like a dependable vanilla journeyman that can fit in immediately.
Maybe they are trying to “sneak” Lavoie thru waivers. Hope not as it’s hard to see him getting past Mtl. – especially after the Laine injury
Just started your book LT. Through 2 drafts and amazed all the little facts you throw in I never knew about. Remarkable research and such an enjoyable read for any Oilers fan. Can’t wait to read the rest. Well done and thank you.
Brown is not/should not be a full time NHLer on a cup contender.
Has to be Emberson + Stretcher and sign Dermott.
I’m not sure they head to Seattle.
I think the team cuts down to two extra forwards, being Lavoie and Philp today.
I continue to cheer for both forwards (Lavoie & Philp)… I fear the waiver wire.
Listening to some of the post-game pods and shows and listening to the texts and calls and it seems some are already wondering how long of a leash the new second line should be given.
My goodness, its one game and neither Drai nor Skinner were playing the game we will see from them come October 9 – they were doing the veteran thing where they were doing what they needed to do to get themselves ready for the season which often does not directly corelate with the best game on the ice.
If that game for the forwards means anything, we might as well cancel subscriptions and find a hobby, because they won’t make the playoffs playing like that
I was pleased that the D group as a whole were mobile and played a pretty good tempo, were mostly moving the puck pretty quickly. It will take a while to settle but encouraging signs
Sharpening up that shiv early eh?
Gonna be a long season.
“If the Oilers haven’t won the Stanley Cup by October 10, this team is DONE and ownership should fire EVERYONE!”
They are all smart, talented players, and the likelihood they figure out each other’s rhythms is high. Last night was their first game together, I would think they need at least 10 more to get a sense of whether it works or not.
For me, I saw flashes of it in the third period, and I think it will be helped by a strong puck moving pairing behind the three of them (either 2-14, or 27-49).
Holloway + Desharnais >> Skinner and Josh Brown.
No need even for Broberg to be added to the equation.
Uhh what?
Skinner is one of the top producing 5v5 players in the league. Also, why is it Brown vs. Des? Stretcher >>> Des.
Of course you know all this.
Skinner scored 16 even strength goals last season. Tied for 106th in the league.
His 34 even strength points was tied for 150th.
Useless post with no commentary or context.
Skinner was NOT “one of the top producing 5V5 players in the league” as claimed.
Feel better now?
Try again, but using your brain this time.
LMAO.
I like that you post this as if it’s a bad thing. Those are very good rankings. Look at his numbers over the last five years, even better.
LOL – you should take a look at where he stands over the last 3 years – I’ve posted it many time.
Just to remind you, he’s tied for 13th in goals with Jason Robertson and ahead of, well, Ovi, Tkachuk, Tkachuk, Drai, Panarin, Kaprizov, Nylander, Keller, Crosby, Guentzel, etc.
Brown sucks but we are trending to a Stecher/Dermott combination at 6D/7D replaces Deharnais and Josh Brown playing the Ryan Stanton roll in the AHL.
Jeff Skinner had a down year last season and had more goals last season that Holloway has points in his career.
Jeff Skinner had a down year last season and had more assists last season that Holloway has points in his career.
Jeff Skinner had one point in the 2022/23 exhibition season (on the PP) and ended the year with 37G and 82 points in 79 games.
I like Holloway and wish he was on this team but he got overpaid by over a million and he’s not in Jeff Skinner’s stratosphere and that includes 2-way game as Holloway is still a player that makes puck mistakes in the neutral zone that lead to high dangers against, with regularity.
This is complete nonsense.
The drop off from Skinner to Holloway for 2nd line winger is so much more than the drop-off from Desh to Brown as the 6th Dman….never mind the fact that Brown is really the #7 D man.
Desharnais could become stetcher or dermott. If we have to read every game you’re giving Broberg the Norris and the 4,5,6 D suck I won’t be reading one word you write. Ceci is gone and clearly you need a new victim.
This is sooooo much funnier than Broberg floating Bouchard. That one people had to suspend belief. This one, on the face of it insults people’s intelligence.
Can Broberg hold up to the rigors of top 4 minutes. He sure puts himself in vulnerable positions for no apparent reason.
It also needs to be noted that this great playoffs of Broberg resulted in the worst CF% among the D, the worst FF% among the D and the worst expected goal share among the D (i.e. less than 35% expected goals).
Jeff Skinner was #2 in the entire NHL in 2022-23 in ESP/60.
How many of those you gonna get for $3M?
A lot better than getting Vanek from Buffalo for $7MX7, that’s for sure.
Arthur Fonzarelli says hi. Ehhhhhhh 👍
I sure didn’t see Brown as everyone else seems to have. He isn’t much different to me than Desharnais except he is a waaaay better skater, gets around a lot faster. Same wobbles passing like Vinny. He stopped a lot of forwards on the boards and trying to get to the net
That’s what big marginal D play like. If they play better than that and can also skate they make 5M plus like Zadorov. He also hasn’t had a year with Coffey coaching him yet, I did see him giving input to Josh during the game. Maybe he is 7-8, maybe he gets better and size wins the day
I’m sure he can ramp things up physically, he just needs to relax and not be so nervous with the puck.
He’s noted to be an OK skater but I certaintly didn’t see him any more mobile than Vinny and didn’t see his closing abilities that Vinny has.
To me, his puck play last night, against a terrible quality of comp, makes Vinny’s standard game look Makar-like.
I’ve seen enough with Brown. He is not a NHL level player at this point, not even as a 7th D-Man. Waive him and have him help coach up the kids in the AHL.
0% WAR rating from JFresh looks to be completely accurate.
What qualifies Brown as being able to “coach up the kids in the AHL”?
Brown would be focusing on himself not the kids.
For a franchise that has no idea what the Stanley cup feels like, last night would feel like a win for them lol
Nurse has been cleared to play and Pickard scheduled to skate today and take shots.
I honestly don’t have high expectations for Josh Brown, At the same time, I do want him to be successful (imagining the kid who was excited to do his dream job). But watching him last night there were too many times where plays died with him, or he wasn’t making simple plays to help his team. And aside from his tussle with Hoglander (?!?) he was fairly physically invisible.
I want tough team play, I just don’t think Brown fits the bill.
Brown is not the problem. The individuals responsible for targeting him are.
He was targeted as a hopeful #7 and will cost nothing when sent to the AHL. No harm, no foul.
They like his size and potential physicality. I’m disappointed we haven’t seen it yet, because that’s the edge he has over the other three incumbents and that is what the team needs from him. Not to mention he needs to relax and not be so nervous with the puck on his stick.
He wasn’t alone in less than polished play. Brown took a fair few guys into the boards that I noticed. That is the main physical play, when a guy that big takes you in it hurts. Like Kane does to folks. Or huge guys crosscheck a player, like Zadorov did to Leon, ruining the second half of his playoffs
Brown was credited with one hit last night.
If exhibition games nerves against an AHL and 4th line roster is something at 30 years old, well, I definitely do not want him in the lineup against good teams when games matter.
Rishaug says he doesn’t see how Josh Brown makes this team. I agree given he’s outplayed by both Stecher and Dermott and Stecher looked great in the 3rd when he was playing with Kulak – QoC caveat.
Gleason has outplayed him too. This is a problem since they need that big tough third pairing defenseman. I’m thinking they may have to go into the season with 8 defensemen, if they want to wait for Brown to come around to what they expect from him or send him down to work on some things.
Send him down to work on things then. No one is claiming him. There is no reason to try to shoehorn Brown into the lineup.
I agree with sending him down but I don’t know about “working on things” – he turns 31 in January, he is who he is and he doesn’t seem to be good enough at playing NHL hockey for this team – at least so far (and its kind of an extrapolation of his recent career).
I’m less concerned about the truculence factor. Given the length of the previous season it would be good to have some D options to save on wear and tear moving forward with the overall D corp
You still want to ignore Brown’s 6 years of NHL history. He is what we are seeing.
So, 8D and 11F?
No twelve forwards + Kane, eight D. But they could also waive him for reassignment.
Dermott makes the team. I’d like to see Kulak & Dermott paired.
I don’t think they are going to take their cap accrual down to near zero so they can keep 2 extra d-men on the roster.
So, you’ve actually done the math and seen this to be true?
What math would you like me to do.
They can do things to increase cap space like replace Perry with Lavoie and replace Ryan with Philp and replace Brown with Dermott but, if we are being realistic, neither Perry nor Ryan are being waived and keeping 8D would crater the cap space.
You think it’s unrealistic . I don’t think it should be unrealistic at all. If the kids weren’t ready maybe. But one or both those aged vets needs to ply their time elsewhere for the good of the team IMO. We’re talking tough decisions here.
I don’t believe the management and coaching staff of the team agree but I guess we’ll find out at the in less than a week.
Connor has sent out the memo, he wants the team together for the final two preseason match ups on the road. No more tryouts, no more hopefuls, it’s time to put it all together.
Its guaranteed Nurse will play the final two games and be ready for 82 games and more.
You got that from his post-game last night? He only mentioned it like 4 times. lol.
I do think they will give the third line a night off as the likes of Philp and Lavoie will each get at least one more game.
As the fourth line
At this point I think they get down to the starting line up right now. Let the boys gel together on the road for the final two tune ups.