The Edmonton Oilers entered December on an impressive November run and looking to solidify a playoff spot in the Pacific Division. This morning, the club ranks No. 3 in the division, with Vegas and Los Angeles within reach. At the rate this Edmonton team is rolling, first place could be in question by New Year’s Day. What a wallop these Oilers pack when the pistons are firing in rhythm.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN DECEMBER
- On the road to: VEG (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
- At home to: CBJ, STL, TBAY (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 3-0-0)
- On the road to: MIN (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- At home to: VEG, FLA, BOS, SJS, OTT (Expected 4-1-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: LAK, ANA (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: UTA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 9-4-0, 18 points in 13 games
- December results: 5-1-0
- Oilers in 2024-25: 18-10-2, 38 points in 30 games
This is a tidy run over the last 10 games (8-2-0) and 18-7-2 since the 0-3-0 start impresses, too. Stuart Skinner owns a .919 save percentage at five-on-five since October 15, Calvin Pickard .921. These Oilers have (all numbers five-on-five) a 55 percent shot share (No. 2 in the NHL), a 53 percent goal share (No. 10) and a 54 percent expected goal share.
THE NUMBERS
Save for the one mistake (good job by the defense being right there to protect against what happened) Stuart Skinner had a fine game and made a few terrific stops. I think he gets this season’s playoffs to show what he can do, and we’ll see from there. Stan Bowman is a new general manager and the quickest way to upgrade this roster would be Connor Hellebuyck. I don’t know how he gets him here, though.
Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard are 5-4 goals at even strength during December, 4-1 with McDavid and 1-3 without him. For the season, they are 18-12 with the captain, they are 7-10 goals sans 97. I am not suggesting a split, but will say it wasn’t a surprise when the staff shuffled the deck yesterday.
Darnell Nurse is 2-2 goals with the captain, 16-10 (62 percent, impressive) without McDavid. Nurse-Kulak is 5-2 goals, Nurse-Stecher is 8-5 goals. If the club can get to the postseason healthy, Nurse might rock the casbah in a way we haven’t seen before in the playoffs.
Leon Draisaitl owns a 2.8 points-60 at five-on-five, good for No. 8 in the NHL among regular forwards. Connor McDavid (2.79) is ninth. The rest of the regular forwards go like this: Podkolzin (1.81), Janmark (1.7), Connor Brown (1.65), Jeff Skinner (1.60), Kasperi Kapanen (1.4), Zach Hyman (1.29), Arvidsson (1.1), Nuge (1.04), Corey Perry (1), Adam Henrique (0.99) and Derek Ryan (0.95).
I liked the Oilers effort last night, lost the plot a little but VEG is a strong team and their role players are tough to beat. Keegan Kolesar impressed the hell out of me with his checking and work rate. I’d love to see him play for the Oilers someday.
I was interested to see how Kris Knoblauch would deploy his troops against Jack Eichel in a home game. Eichel v McDavid went 1-1 goals with Vegas having the lion’s share of expected goals (77 percent). On the other hand, Draisaitl v Eichel went 5-0 shots with a 100 percent expected goal share on the night.
I don’t have much to say about this Oilers team right now, beyond they’re playing very well and the coaching staff is moving the quality of play up a notch plus a little bit. I don’t know what the future brings and previous coaches no doubt felt they had the verses that rhymed, but I do think that this team has a system they can play and is sustainable. I don’t know how many times the Oilers have had that key piece in place over the last 20 years, but do know they’ve never been able to keep it, to hold it in their minds and to execute it completely. I think we’re in new territory here. Hold on, baby. Hold on.
New for The Athletic: Why can’t Edmonton Oilers’ top prospects score more goals in the AHL?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5993803/2024/12/15/oilers-prospects-ahl-goals/
thanks
Vic Ferrari’s a magnificent bastard. Quick rebuild for the caps.
Hasn’t he been with the Caps for 10 years?
Maybe the new GM this past summer is the one who deserves the kudos?
Tocchet being bitter towards Edmonton while taking jabs at his stars:
https://x.com/patersonjeff/status/1868412435021095219
Tocchet hates Edmonton for sure after 1987 but hardly insults Oilers saying that they are better than the Canucks?
Oilers can have several players asleep and still win is hardly insulting.
The football version of Crazy Horse at the Filmore is playing out in Detroit this evening.
It’s a beautiful thing.
As a Vikings fan, I endorse the final outcome of said old fashioned shootout.
Summarizing!
O’Reilly notched his 11th goal of the year.
Nicholl picked up a helper.
The House of Stone was not a House of Soup.
Prospecting takes a break until Wodin’s Day.
Condors hand the Marlies their first home loss of the season in regulation.
3 of 4 points is a VERY good weekend notwithstanding the big blow lead yesterday.
Phil was out there for the 3rd last shift protecting the lead.
Savoie and the first line were out there starting with about 70 second left and they ran around for 45 seconds before Savoie blocked a point shot with his chest and they got a clear.
After spending about 8 minutes on the PP with one goal, Rodrigue has trouble with a shot from the circles, and leaves the rebound for the Marlies to cash and the lead is down to 3-2 with under 5 to go.
and anotehr Marlies penalty as the 2nd PP was winding down so another 5 on 3.
Savoie wide open for a one-timer a few times and the likes of Caggiula and Pederson can’t get him the puck – don’t even try.
Dineen, to Griffith to Pederson who one-times home the 3-1 goal on the 2-man advantage.
Savoie was on the ice but wasn’t prominent in the scoring play.
I think Noah Philp’s confidence isn’t where he needs it to be.
A strong rush on a 2 on 2 with Savoie (on a 4 on 4), and a good cut the the middle that opens up a shooting lane but he doesn’t take it, hesitates too much and the passing lane closes, goes behind the net and then the hope back pass is easily picked off.
Looking forward to the Oilers’ next opponent, the Panther come to town with no goals scored on their western Canada road trip. They have been shut out by Vancouver and Calgary in back to back games. The opposition goalies were the 2nd and 1st stars in the 2 games respectively as Florida led in all shot metrics.
They will arrive in ill humor and hungry to score. Should be a good one if the Oilers can maintain their current level of play.
Anyone notice Team Canada defenseman Theodore cough up the puck to Nuge leading to the Oilers 2nd goal. How about his perfect screen of Hill on the Skinner goal (almost as good as Team Canada D Pietrangelo’s screen on the Perry snipe). Maybe he deserves a pass on the Brown 2 on 1 goal, but still minus 3.
All kidding aside, he is still an excellent defenseman, but he beat out Bouchard based on reputation not based on actual performance over the last season and a half.
I would rather not have a single Oiler on this stupid tournament.
Philp with the transition through the neutral zone, to Perrault for the zone entry who sets up Griffith in the slots who takes his time and buries it upstairs for a 2-1 lead in the 2nd.
O’Reilly opens the scoring by tipping home his 11th of the season.
Mavey Petrov has announced his arrival – a little late but he’s arrived.
GREAT forecheck by Grubbe, puck pops loose to Wright behind the net and a neat backhand pass in front to Petrov – he was very tight but able to hold and snap it far side (skilled play not just to shovel it).
3 goals in just over 3 periods for Petrov this weekend.
Ryan Holt mentions that Hamblin may be back in the lineup later this week.
Oilers did a great job of crashing the crease, causing havoc, and giving Hill a hell of a time getting any clean looks infront of him while also doing a fantastic job of keeping their own crease clean, giving Skinner lots of clear views. To me that was the difference in the game and the recipe that should be cooked when playing such teams going forward.
As the announce crew kept repeating Vegas had a million shots directed at the Edmonton goal but mostly it was all from the perimeter and contested.
I’ll keep saying it will probably be Skinner and Brown that will be sat with a healthy line up, and I hope both fellas score more goals everytime I do.
Football games are mostly won or lost on the line, and by quarterback, the most key position
Hockey games are mostly won or lost by who is better in the slot areas, and by goalies
LT, the Jets are having a great season and would never, ever trade Hellebuyck. Your comment on him being a way to improve the roster is like all the Leafs fans commenting on how McDavid is the way to improve the Leafs. Whatever happened to “reasonable expectations”?
Ran face first into the joke and missed it..
A writeup on the three TC members representing their country for the first time at the WJHC, including Akey.
Mentioned therein is what the coaching staff likes about Akey, and also an interesting NHL comparable.
Thanks for sharing this. Akey looked so good in the training camps. I see him on the fast track to the Oilers.
Bouch Akey Wanner/Regula
Way too much hate going on for the broadcast crew. When the team plays well, …..watch out as their fans still need something to bitch about.
In defence of Louie. They stuck him between benches watching for stray pucks and sticks. Getting in and out of the way of trainers, and players. Tuning out what’s around him. I don’t know if he needs to key his mike or it’s sensitive enough to filter out background noise.
What do you want out of this guy? Effectively he can’t do much but throw some BS around. Can’t even see all the ice. Strategic analogy? It’s hard to stay in tune with your partner when you can take visual clues etc.
powers that be want the game promoted, not the team. They want entertainment added. Somebody put Louie there. He’s supposedly delivering that on ice feel, live from the bench…ect. Given same conditions, he does as well as anybody.
Jack is great energy. That’s what he’s asked to do. His sin is he tries too hard.
And, everybody has a bad game from time to time.
I agree. Be careful what you wish for. Jack is miles better than his predecessor on Oilers national telecasts
I think that attributing any critique of the broadcast team to a need to complain when the team humming is extremely dismissive.
I agree that sticking the lone colour commentator between the benches is a mistake. If they were a secondary commentator similar to football’s sideline reporter, great. But you need a higher view to best comment on the game itself.
But I highly doubt that if you sat DeBrusk down for a beer he would be able to talk about how the teams in the Pacific approach penalty killing, for example. Or even identify any changes the Oilers make to their break-outs.
The problem isn’t that his position on the ice is keeping him from identifying how the two teams are performing, or how they are approaching various aspects to the game.
The problem isn’t that he and Michaels truly believe a game can be explained exclusively through heart, effort, grit, and of course face punching.
There is so much more to hockey than that. But we, as fans, are largely left to our own in order to be introduced to any deeper understanding of the game we love.
I think you completely underestimate Debrusk if you think he doesn’t understand hockey tactics. I think it’s not his role to be providing what you are asking for. And he gets feedback to that effect.
I should note, during Covid break many of our broadcast Canada wife went to a much more “ relaxed” style.
More joking, casual, opinion, rather then precise drill down of tactics we were watching.
I did enjoy the Prime crew as a refreshing change though that might grow stale over time as well.
Bruce Culock tweeted this:
I don’t think it was a particularly great game from the Oilers. Not bad. What I thought was very impressive and maybe game altering was the 10-12 blocked shots they had in the first period. Every Oiler was committed to making it very hard on Vegas to get shots through early.
I agreed and responded:
It was like watching Vegas trying to score on Vegas.
This is the biggest difference between this team and the most recent itterations imo.
It’s a good thing.
I also notice forwards being much more consistent about staying in the zone and actively making themselves a good option for the D getting the puck out.
Overall the puck movement has been impressive. Nobody has been able to interfere with it lately
As LT mentioned, the coaches seem to have found the sweet spot (mostly) between the roster and the tactics. A little wobbly yesterday at times, but getting that kind of lead, things usually get a bit sloppy for any team
I think that it is appropriate to recognize that this team looks better in play after the roster changes. All of the sudden Nurse is playing like he can, after a few seasons of not
Things changed when Podz got moved up with Leon, then changed some more after Arvidsson’s injury and the pickup of Kapanen off waivers. That newly formed second line has been dynamite, while (J Skinner-Henrique-Janmark) has shown some chemistry. And of course, the play of Nurse & Kulak. Something just clicked with those combos.
Podkolzin became a war hero last night
I think Podkolzin’s offense will come, probably next year, if they keep him where he is. Like Holloway, I think he is a slow transitioner to the next level.
Drai is playing better with a rock solid big fast reliable forward who plays hard all the time both ways.
As for the Russians’ offense, hold on, it’s coming.
Your starting to come around on Hollywoods replacement hopefully he’s not as injury prone.
It was NOT either/or. It should have been BOTH.
Imagine Podkolzin Draisaitl Holloway.
I don’t believe I have ever said anything negative about Podkolzin, even when he was a Canuck. I was not negative on the trade for him.
Historically, the “Podkozlin” bin is where I like shopping, in contrast to the “JeffS” bin.
You could assume both if the Podkolzin deal wasn’t made after the offer sheet.
Wanner took a puck to the back of the helmet laying out to block a shot – heard he needed stiches.
Rodrigue with the start today – both ends of the back to back.
McDavid was quiet last night, in fact (or in my opinion), kind of a blah game from him. I wonder if Eichel is just not a good match-up for him? Kudos to dirty Jack if he’s that big a deterrent to McDavid.
Imo is was more the Vegas Team D then Eichel. Large wingspans with constant structure and support, layering the levels McDavid has to work through.
Nurse was the Oilers best skater last night, in my opinion – Massive plays at both ends of the ice.
The Nurse/Kulak vs. Nurse/Stecher numbers have had a big delta the last few games. The ability to run that pairing full time (or, I guess, find another 2RD that meshes with Nurse allowing Kulak to solidify the 3rd pairing) is still THE need.
Prospectulism!
As the NCAA and USHL are now on a fortnight’s holiday break, the OHL contingent has the sched all to themselves this week.
Early days, but it seems the House of Stone peaked with the 37-goal campaign two seasons ago that got him signed. In the season-plus (76 GP) since, he has 23 goals. He still averages 3.5 shots/game this season but only 3 goals makes it a 7.1 SH%.
With his apple yesterday, Nicholl remains slightly better than a point/game with 31 in 30 GP, tied for second in team scoring. O’Reilly’s behind the pace a bit with 24 in 28 GP but has been better of late.
Ottawa (Stonehouse) @ noon
London (O’Reilly, Nicholl) @ 2 p.m.
Both times, as usual, are Zama City time.
Zama City, paradise on earth.
There were big score effects in play but NST had Vegas ahead in scoring chances and high danger scoring chances and the Cult of Hockey did as well.
The Oilers were sloppier than they have been recently for about half that game.
I wouldn’t say that Skinner “stole the game” but the Oilers had the better goaltender on the night (even with that 3rd goal) and that was a big part in the win.
Looking at expected goals on NST, it’s basically all oilers for the first 2 periods. Right after making it 5-0 they fall off a cliff and the flow of play favours vegas until after they score 3, at which point the game more or less stabilizes. That sure looks like game management/score effects to me, and the fact that Skinner was able to slap down that nonsense when needed was a perfect response. I’m inclined to give them a pass, just because I think you’d be hard pressed to find a team that continues to play it’s A-game once up 5-0.
What NST data are you looking at? In all situations, Vegas led xGF in periods 1 and 2 and overall. At 5 v 5, it was even in the 1st, Vegas led period 2 and the Oilers period 3.
https://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20242025&game=20477
https://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20242025&game=20477
For the record, NST’s xGF is very unreliable for measuring individual games and even more unreliable for measuring individual players. Data on way too many important variables affecting the quality of a shot or chance are unavailable that may wash out over a season or more worth of league wide data, but that have a huge impact on individual goals.
The corsi, fenwick and actual shot data are just data though, and they indicate no pattern of scoring effects
Oops, I was just looking at 5v5 expected goals. All events looks very different indeed, although maybe to be expected when the zebras won’t call anything against one of the teams.
A few thoughts
I believe I was wrong about Skinner
It was actually funny how Jack tried to make us believe the game was close time and time again in the 3rd.
How that wasn’t a penalty on the hit from behind on Ekholm is bewildering to say the least
In September we thought the defence was going to be a big problem. By committee they’re going a terrific job.
The passing has really been on point the last little while.
On the Brown goal, Bouchard made a backhand pass from the goal-line corner to the blue line middle to start the breakout. Clever play. You hold your breath when you see Bouchard doing it, but absolutely the correct play. The Knights weren’t expecting it (no one was).
Fair to say we will need 1 upgrade on D before the postseason. Not sure what else we will need, have followed but not close enough. Not sure what the Cap Space and Trade Capital will allow.
Good to see them rolling. Leon has been Dominant this season. Scary Good. He puts back pressure on the back check and cause numerous turnovers yesterday.
panthers, bruins, sharks, senators before X-mas. 3 of 4 would be nice.
If they can beat the Panthers they should beat the other three. The Bruins aren’t the Bruins anymore
As long as they can still beat up on the Leafs, I’m good.
It is a rotten shame that there are so few people around this hockey team right now who can properly capture their story so that it lasts in a proper form.
This is a special time due to the two future first ballot Hall of Famers driving the bus – but the video that remains from this era will need to be played without audio.
Further – almost everyone being paid to watch the game and report on it is either so inept they don’t know what they’re seeing and can’t convey it, or has decided the proper motivation is to grab a narrative and fit everything to that.
Yesterday’s game was just another example to add to the pile. The Oilers whipped the Knights. Seized control and the game was not in doubt. In response, the broadcast crew desperately tried to claim it was not reflective of the hockey apparently. Just ridiculous. It is a sport not a TV show.
Live there was no doubt about this one – just wondered what the final score would be. With a full view of the benches and everyone on the ice and all that was going on – that game was not close. They either couldn’t or wouldn’t see that. I know which I believe it to be.
Another thing they won’t say – glad the Oilers can dust a top club with #97 having a middling to bad night. He looked tired or ill out there for much of the game. Zero sharpness and deferring everywhere.
Cult of Hockey has the 5 -alarm chances as 8 for Vegas yesterday, 7 for the Oilers. That matches my eye test.
I have no problem with Jack and Louie taking about how Vegas played well. That was a really good game between two really good teams. Skinner played great, and I’ll be the first to admit I did think the game may be in doubt when it became 5-3. Short-lived, as Skinner sealed it away soon after.
But I disagree that Jack and Louie are inept.
I agree that the flow of play on ice did not match the 5-0 score and I agree with Jack and Louie the Knights had played better than the score indicated at points.
I disagree with the original poster that there was never any doubt. There was legit doubt when the 3rd goal against was scored – that Skinner goal was MASSIVE.
It seems like there are some have strong emotions related to the play by play announcer and color guy – emotions that cause them to be in feelings. To each their own, you can only feel how you feel but, for me, those calling the game never put me in feelings and take away my enjoyment of what I see with my eyes.
I liked when it was 5-0 and Jack kept insisting the game was close, if you counted the couple of posts Vegas hit as if they were goals.
I find it hilarious when announcers continue on about posts. It’s like Patrick Roy said in the 93′ Playoffs, “you expect me to stop those too?”.
That game was role reversal. Finally not the Oilers hitting them, and blocking more shots
Patrick Roy only says stupid things.
F that guy.
Down The Stretch They Go!
I’m a big Jack Michaels fan. His tone and excitement can enliven a pedestrian midweek game.
We’re in a phase where the regular season Edmonton Oilers are pure entertainment. We should have no concerns about making the playoffs or divisional rankings, these things are either irrelevant or a foregone conclusion, and so I prefer a few hours of escapism, a hockey game turned into an Indiana Jones movie, in the background while I wash the dishes.
Nobody calls an overtime like Jack. Nobody’s soundbites from key moments (radio and tv) are better than Jack’s.
Michaels, DeBrusk, Stauffer, Príncipe – they’re the schtick and they’re OUR schtick. I choose to enjoy their Comedia Del Arte and the creative license they’re afforded.
The Pleasure was ALLLLLLLL ours!
Just threw up in my mouth a bit.
In all seriousness – if you grow up on Rod Phillips, this is abysmal. As in beneath the organization abysmal.
Rod is a legend. Truly one of a kind.
the goat. right up there w Gretz himself.
Jack Michaels is tolerable on TV because you can follow the game. He tends to get a little too overzealous for me, but he’s fine.
On radio he’s brutal because he doesn’t make the distinction and transition back. So he spends lot’s of time spinning stories and going off on tangents making him impossible to follow for long stretches.
Give me Cam Moon and Stauf all day long on radio.
I’ll take them on the TV as well. Throw in Struddy and Ferraro as well
I remember the first game Jack Micheals did. At the end he spouted out ” The pleasure was all mine”. He changed that his next game to ” The pleasure was ALLLLLL ours”.
Monday’s Panthers/Oilers game is the Amazon Prime Monday Night feature game.
The contrast with the work of the local crew. will be dramatic.
I am looking forward to it for sure. High quality the other 2 games I’ve watched there.
Say HH;
How’s about enlightening us with your take on Oiler’s recent brace of games?
Some of us are silly and believe the team is looking like another potential Cup finalist, which should give you easy goals to reach etc.
I watched the Vegas broadcast. Even when it was 5-0, they were saying they didn’t think it was a 5-0 played game territorially, with the Oilers scoring on their chances and Vegas not on theirs. They brought up that based on their analytics, the game should be tied.
Knoblauch did say the Oilers did not defend well and the Stuart was their best player.
All that said, the Oilers fully deserved the win. They executed on their chances, while Vegas did not and Stu outplayed Adin.
There have been so many games where they don’t execute on their chances. But not lately. Skinner may have been the reason or was it they just didn’t bury their chances.
I tuned in right before Vegas scored, and from that point on for the most part it looked like an even game.
No one here has got to like Vegas, but it’s easier if we respect them. After all they are still a recent cup winner and led by the excellent if not lovable Eichel have got a nice window to eventually repeat.
I’m not a huge Jack Michael’s fan, and usually tune him and Louie out for the most part. I will say that he can amp it up in big moments like the end of close games and OT. He is infinitely better than his predecessor on Oiler National games so I will not complain.
The Monkees were legit, fight me.
What a game. I was actually happy Vegas scored. It made them think they had a chance and they cut down on their shenanigans. We need to send a message though. This and the Minny game, we got handled with no sass back.
If you call scoring 10 straight goals over a 71-minute span “getting handled”, I guess the Oilers got handled,
Meant physically, Bruce, but I suspect you know that. I know that making them pay on the score sheet is optimal. However two extremely dangerous plays (on Ekholm and Bouchard) when the game was beyond doubt needs addressing. I would absolutely rather lose the game and keep those two healthy than hammer the other team. Long view buddy.
Every great Oiler team, and the ones that weren’t perhaps great but got somewhere, were ‘at least’ as mean and or dirty as their opponents. KK doesn’t embrace that, but it
Oops
is in Oiler DNA. Kane will help. I wouldn’t mind more, and some D who arrive in Burke’s ‘ill temper’. Of course hockey ability is always first
I don’t want to fight you (maybe you’re being ironic), but I’ll share a little story….since it’s a pleasant Sunday.
In ’66, I was 13 and on the yearly family pilgrimage to favourite uncles, aunts, and cousins in Edmonton. On this occasion, I was in front of the big colour console watching the Monkees with 3 cousins, drumming along in my head, as it were.
Seven years later, I’m celebrating a 21st birthday at my manager’s house in LA. It’s a pleasant weekend in the Valley, and sitting next to me on the sofa, Louie Shelton is strumming a Martin playing a lot of “familiar”.
As it turns out, he played all of Mike Nesmith’s guitar solos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv9J6-6Fmfc
I love you Melvis.
Great story.
I love you too, Woodguy!
Amazing story. Thanks for sharing this. I know the Monkees didn’t write their own stuff, or even play their own instruments in the early years, but I still love listening to the music.
They still made the best R+R movie of all time.
Carole King wrote Pleasant Valley Sunday. She wrote most of the 1960’s and 1970’s.
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=pleasant+valley+sunday+youtube+caroline+king+demo&mid=B3A1B45FDF5A47AFBA0DB3A1B45FDF5A47AFBA0D&FORM=VIRE
Who was your manager? And why on earth did you have the need let alone have a manager in California at 21?
He’s Melvis baby!
Melvis has regaled us with tales from the road during his time in the music industry…he’s mentioned Seals and Crofts and I’m sure there are others
In this case, it was Marcia Day – Seals and Crofts and England Dan (Seals) and John Ford Coley’s manager – for whom I was a stage manager in ’74.
when you were 16? Cool
Not much for math, are ya?
Try again. Write it down, maybe.
I must confess, I know very little about anything to do with stage management.
How you managed to get to California from somewhere I assume was near Edmonton is what makes me wonder.
For one thing, I was a complete nobody in life when I was 21.
The Monkees learned to play their instruments fairly quickly.
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/did-the-monkees-play-their-own-jL1n3HS2TrWe7F7WxtKDyg
The Monkees became legit. They took advantage of their opportunity to become a real pop music group.
Beastie Boys had to do the same. But they could write.
Ya, ok, jethro.
They could write what?