I do not recall a time when the Edmonton Oilers began a playoff spring with so many questions surrounding the heart of the order.
The “foundation” pieces of an NHL team are starting goaltender, the top two pairings, the top two lines and No. 3 center.
Through injury, ineffective play and coaches decisions, much of Edmonton’s heart has question marks.
Coach Kris Knoblauch has announced Mattias Ekholm, Evander Kane and Troy Stecher are not available for tonight’s game. My guess is they will try to get Trent Frederic into the lineup for tonight or Game 2 in Los Angeles.
We don’t know the lines and pairings, but it looks like Knoblach has abandoned the Skinner-McDavid-Brown trio by placing Zach Hyman in the lineup during recent practices. My opinions for the series lines and pairings are here.
I will tell you that my prediction is Edmonton in SEVEN GAMES. That is mostly due to the fantastic Connor McDavid performances in recent days, and my belief that Leon Draisaitl will be able to play at a high level starting tonight.
I am also fairly certain the coach will run Darnell Nurse, Evan Bouchard, Jake Walman and Brett Kulak heavily, while fading the third pair. I don’t know if Stuart Skinner will be the goaltender for every playoff game, but am pleased he gets the net and believe he is the best option.
The postseason is a special time for any sport. For the NHL and its fans, it is the beginning of a long and difficult climb to glory. Call it the Shawshank crawl, or climbing Everest. I always think of that slow climb up Pike’s Peak, during a late November dusk when my Dad drove that old GMC pickup up that steep hill like a champion.
The Oilers should be secure and in the driver’s seat of this series. What is stopping that feeling of comfort in this team? The unknown. We don’t know what we don’t know, and in this case it’s many, many things.
Bless you boys. Godspeed.
New for The Athletic: Will Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch continue to find answers in the NHL playoffs?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6293014/2025/04/21/oilers-coach-kris-knoblauch-nhl-playoffs/
It’s like Christmas: there’s a brightly wrapped package waiting for us, we even know most of what’s inside, but how has Santa (coach) put the pieces together? How will we be entertained? More than anything this year, it’s the coach’s (coaches’) decisions, starting at puck drop tonight, that have me mesmerized.
Projected lines per an article on nhl (dot) com/oilers, article notes this is “if” Frederic draws in:
Hyman – McDavid – Brown
Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Arvidsson
Skinner – Nugent-Hopkins – Frederic
Janmark – Henrique – Perry
Nurse – Bouchard
Kulak – Walman
Emberson – Brown
Skinner
Pickard
Forwards look good, I’d swap Hyman/Skinner but the closest I’ve been to agreeing with a forward lineup in several weeks.
Defense is scary. Brown over Dineen or Klingberg would be sub-optimal.
Hope Stu keeps his shutout streak alive …
Avalanche activate Landeskog..
I don’t find the coach’s lineup decisions all that confusing. After watching the first few games of the playoffs it’s almost an entirely different sport than watching Oilers Sharks game 75. Its tip pucks in, forecheck, backcheck through the middle, puck battle on the boards and line change.
This coach just went to war with Janmark, Henrique and Brown and from where he stands, they repaid his trust in full.
He has no idea what Jeff Skinner or Niko Kapanen look like in this new sport. Remember all of McLeod, Perry, Foegele, Ceci and Desharnais were excellent regular season players last year and all were healthy scratched and all but Perry were discarded (when they didn’t have to be).
He’ll start with his guys until they prove they can’t do it.
Janmark has been a good playoff player on Dallas as well. Some like the big games, some fold
Part of this Kane not playing may well be related to “appearances” – Friedman on 32 Thoughts did speak about the league looking in to cases where a player comes of LTIR and plays game 1…….. as has been done in the past.
Its notable that Landeskog, after playing AHL conditioning games, was also not inserted in to their lineup.
Perhaps the Avs and Oilers are being cautious (or have been “told” by the league)……?
Would have to send multiple 3rd round picks to Calgary in order to have Kane in Game 1.
I’m going with Kane and Landeskog are not playing because they would be liabilities if they played.
The league has had multiple examples and chances to look into it. And they haven’t so far… Have they Mark Stone?
I don’t give 2 shits what Arvidsson and Skinner have done for the first 82 games. The season starts now Skinner with his shot and persistent forecheck Arvidsson with his net front chaos and ability to draw a penalty in a tight game.
Never a doubt Arvidsson will show up. Skinner looks ready as well and we will need both for our 16 games.
Winger Trent Frederic will be a game-time decision tonight while defenceman Jake Walman will return to the Oilers lineup for Game 1 of their first-round series against the Kings. Skinner in net.
Frederic knows what he was dealt for and he’s auditioning for 3-4 year contract playing along side the likes of McDavid-Draisaitl. I’m expecting Frederic to be the most notable Oiler in a good way tonight with adrenaline being a thing.
If he is a game time decision – then hes not really ready. Thinking 16 games into the future, I don’t want to see his contributions blown on one game.
Of course, he may well be completely ready and the verbal is nonsense.
I’m nervous about it. Hasn’t been that long since he could only play a few shifts
Defenceman Brett Kulak is on his way back to Los Angeles this afternoon after flying back home to Canmore yesterday to be there for the birth of his family’s second daughter, Skyler Brooklyn Kulak, and Head Coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed everyone’s doing well.
Nice work Brett.
Delete Foegele
Delete McLeod
Delete Holloway
Delete Broberg
Insert Skinner
Insert Kapanen
Insert Arvidsson
Insert Walman
Astonishingly -J. Brown seems set to draw in for Ekholm
Does anyone really feel we are even as good as last year?
Hard to make the claim we are better…
Savoie needs to be really, really good for this org.
I dunno….
You forgot:
Delete Ceci
I think this year’s team is better overall post deadline, but it’s not healthy. Foegele McLeod and Ceci got owned two playoffs in a row. Bro outscored but his stats were brutal. Maybe he’s the new Kris Russell, maybe not
The 3rd pair is a big problem with Ekholm being out. I expect the forwards to fare better, we’ll see
Add years to the average.
Holloway had a great year, but to compare this team to last you must be comparing last years Holloway to this years Poddy.
Wallman is better than last years Broberg
Skinner is better that last years playoff McLeod
Arvidson even with Foegele, but about to become better than
This team gives up some speed, no doubt. They should make it up with smarts.
And crust
I love my team. I love what they did last season. I hope they can win a bunch this playoff but I understand the current headwinds. That said,
Hollywood sign sucks!
I hope we don’t lose to LA. They suck. Not a good team. Ugly jerseys. Terrible city. Just a pile of poo. Factually speaking, of course.
I have to believe that Kane continuing to be held out is meant to make it a bit less obvious that he could have started playing at least a couple of weeks ago.
His interview from last week certainly sounded like he was going to be ready to go.
Could have something to do with the league suddenly threatening to crack down on LTIR violations.
Do we know what Stecher’s injury is? Did he take a puck to the head?
He got hit by someone in the Winnipeg game and looked awkward falling and was slow to get up. My guess is some kind of LBI
Thanks
Does anybody have the practice lineups? I’m dying over here. Hitting refresh on this thread every 5 seconds.
Spec also mentioned that Kap stayed out later than Frederic, which would point to the big guy playing……
Kap not playing makes sense on merit.
Cal Pickard is currently both the better and more consistent goaltender. He should be the starter. People can wish that wasn’t so, or hope like crazy that Stuart won’t be Stuart, but this decision is not based on factuals.
Hopefully they outscore the bad ones. They’re going to need to.
I disagree that he is the better goalie. I will not disagree on the consistency piece, but believe we will need a consistent Skinner to go anywhere. And believe he can be that guy
And my opinion is based on factuals. If anyone disagrees I will claim that they are not basing their decisions on the facts as a way of discouraging people from disagreeing.
Are factuals different than facts?
I will be drinking a few Factuals of whiskey during the game tonight. LT, if you are reading this, I may need a pregame account suspension.
😂 HaHa
What is factual is that Stuart Skinner let in one goal in his last two games played.
If it takes them 7 to beat the Kings, then they’re not winning anything this year and it is another wasted season.
It is of the utmost importance that they finish series one quickly. The alternative takes too much out of you.
Time to find out if they want to be great or not.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is borne out in previous cup champions’ first round series, but I wouldn’t be surprised. It seems like every year there’s a good team that bows out in the 2nd round after a hard fought 7 game series in the first round while their opponent had a few days to chill and get healthy after winning 4-1
In the other division only one of Winnipeg, Colorado or Dallas is coming out so that it makes it much easier. Hopefully they go to war and get softened up,
I commented before that Cup winners since St Louis don’t play 7 game series often. There have been 4 – 7 game series out of 24 for the champs
St Louis had 2 of them, a good but not great team that had a great run that season. Tampa had 1, Panthers the other of course. Only the Blues and Panthers had a 7 game final
Tampa only lost 6 playoff games in both runs, the Avs only 4 games, the Knights 6 as well. Florida lost 8
Tampa made 3 consecutive finals
GF/GP – GA/GP – Goal Diff – GP
St Louis – 2.88/2.69 – .19 – 26
Tampa – 3.23/2.23 – 1.00 – 22
Tampa – 3.43/2.00 – 1.43 – 23
Colorado – 4.20/2.70 – 1.50 – 20
Vegas – 4.00/2.59 – 1.41 – 22
Florida – 3.04/2.58 – .46 – 24
St Louis and Florida both got outscored in the final and won, the Oilers outscored the Panthers 23-18. The two also played the most games. The strongest of these teams scored well and could defend, Panthers and Blues were the weakest of these teams. Tampa’s second Cup stats were padded getting to play the very over matched Habs in the final
Not playing many 7 games series I think shows who was really rolling, and having less wear and tear helps
I dislike the analogy of “another wasted season”
Players develop, some thrive, they live and learn. Sometimes your team is good, sometimes not, but life moves on.
Wasting a season sounds so dismissive of all the work and effort that goes in. Regardlress of how well you do, you still might not get that last goal in game 7, the hockey gods don’t care what you might want.
Wild stuff from Jim Rutherford’s press conference.
Talked about how Quinn Hughes has made it clear that he wants to play with his brothers. Part of that is out of their control but part of it is in their control by bringing the brothers to Vancouver…… didn’t want to say more due to tampering.
Jim does seem to be making a habit out of destroying any leverage his GM has by talking to reporters.
First the interview he gave re: Miller/Peterson, now this. Say what you will about JJ, but it could be worse …
Who would want to sign in Vancouver with all the weirdness they create there? How to sewer an off season.
Bratt, Dillon & Nemec to VAN for Hughes incoming.
1) Checked a few sportsbooks this morning and I’m still seeing the Oilers as slight favorites while most neutral pundits seem to be favoring the Kings. I find that encouraging as these places make their money by getting the odds right most of the time.
2) I share LT’s feelings that the uncertainty and variance in expected outcomes with this year’s postseason is unlike any I’ve felt in my lifetime. I could easily see the Oilers sweeping the kings, or being swept. If I’m being rational I still feel like LA slaying the dragon in a 6 or 7 game series is the most likely outcome, but my heart (gut?) is telling me the Oilers take Game 1 and win a close series.
3) KK’s deployment continues to confuse and confound. After finally finding a pair of wingers that generated strong results with McDavid albeit in a small sample size down the stretch, he changes things up ahead of the most important game of the season (so far). How many minutes this year has 28-97-18 played together? How have the results been? I feel like I haven’t seen that line much, and when I did the results weren’t great … I’m worried that KK might be tinkering too much and is out-smarting himself. Hopefully I’m wrong the lines are firing on all cylinders.
4) Nurse, Bouchard, Walman, and Kulak all need to be playing 22 minutes or more this series. I trust Emberson to be worked in for 15-18 minutes but the 6th defenseman, whoever it is, should only be out there for 12-15 minutes and needs to be baby-sat by one of the top 4 whenever they’re on the ice. If it’s my choice that 6th defenseman is Dineen. Low event + soft parade minutes, with a higher floor than the chaos of Klingberg/Brown.
5) Hindsight is 20-20, but the injury management/LTIR utilization re: Kane this year was pretty horrible considering it’s looking like he’s going to be back for G3 at the earliest. I worry the Oilers’ medical etc. staff lags behind others in the league given how this season has played out.
6) Trent Frederic has played 1 game (7:10) so far this season and is a game time decision for G1 tonight. If he doesn’t draw in/is ineffective due to injury, whoever was responsible for the medical due diligence on this acquisition needs to be fired. I really, REALLY hope the team doesn’t overpay (either in $ or term/NMC) to retain him to “prove” the trade was worth if. Good teams understand what a sunk cost is.
7) Interesting profile on Eric Tulsky (Canes GM) on The Athletic. If they go on a deep run, I wonder if Tyler Dellow gets a look as a GM somewhere. Probably not this offseason, he probably could benefit from a few years as an AGM. If the Canes succeed, I hope he gets an opportunity somewhere.
Bang on with the top line choice. If you were winning with the guys 97 had, why switch?
My prediction is that the Oilers won’t win more than two of the first five games.
That prediction is still compatible with Lowetide’s Oilers in SEVEN GAMES. (It happened three years ago.)
Will it happen? I don’t know. I think we’re all aware of the flaws of this year’s team. It doesn’t really feel like our year.
But I’ll never count out a team that has, arguably, the top two era-adjusted playoff scorers in NHL history.
My prediction is they win four of the first four games.
My prediction as well even put money last night on the game for a win and bet the Oilers sweep the kings in 4 and bet the series ends in 4 games. My gut and heart telling me a sweep.
Spec:
Dineen please.
My preference is Klingberg but, given the staff says he’s healthy, he seems a non-option.
Please don’t play Josh Brown in an NHL playoff game KK …
This is good advice!
Dineen has the potential to be useful, Brown not so much
Someone needs to run Kuemper.
If the Oilers turn every series into a competition to “run” the most valuable player they aren’t going to make it far.
It is a marathon; initiating the attrition is a shortcut to burning out.
Play hard, win your battles, don’t back down, stay out of the box.
Canucks are not exercising their option on Tocchet.
I’m a bit surprised given how loud Hughes sung his praises a few days ago.
They are still trying to get Tocchet signed to a new deal.
The team had an option to extend but don’t want to force him to stay.
Nah, the Canucks realized he was a trainwreck.
BS. They don’t want him to stay. He doesn’t want to coddle their high salary baby player. They kept the wrong guy and now the organization is on the decline again.
It is possible they had more than one wrong guy.
This is true
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Canucks GM Jim Rutherford says team will not exercise option on Rick Tocchet’s contract.
Praises the job the coaching staff did.
“I would suspect sometime this week, we will have (Tocchet’s) decision.”
Hope is Tocchet stays
Reading Friedman’s quote from Rutherford it seems like a bunch of adults decided to not hold Tocchett to an agreement he made several years ago (option year at the Canuck’s discretion) and are giving him a week to consider other options, including coming back.
Tocchet dodged a bullet there!
I do not recall a time when the Edmonton Oilers began a playoff spring…without Bruce. He should be here today.
As for not knowing squat, if the Oilers play like these dudes we’ll be fine. Let’s go boys!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSisohCWxaE,
Mohini Dey is such a talent
I’ll suggest Bruce IS with us today, as you’ve invoked him, called him here with your remembrance. Thank you.
Ps. I’m liking how David Staples remembers him after every Cult of Hockey podcast, “… in the halls of our fathers, … having a cold one with the Hockey Gord’s…”
#neverindoubt
Game one starts tend to be a wild, chaotic affair with players more resembling wind up monkeys than organized lines and units.
The first goal coming off said chaos and could go either way.
Its hard to do much when playing this type of game except keep things outside, safe plays, dump ins. Centres have to be really strong here, moving the puck up and staying on the high side.
Wait for a power play when you can actually slow things down and capitalize.
You could ice the best line in hockey for opening face off. Try to seize the lead in the first period.
Drai – McDavid – Hyman
I don’t like starting the game with 29-97 on the same line. Immediately you’re playing almost 2/3 of the game without your 2 best players on the ice, and it’s nice to have in your back pocket as a coach to be able to pair them up if necessary later in the game/in key moments if you really need to push for a goal.
I expect Henrique, JSkinner and Arvi will be reborn for the playoffs. Especially Skinner. Must be pretty pumped to finally play in the playoffs.
Let Skinner have a couple games before Kane takes his spot for game three in Edmonton and doesn’t look back.
As others have opined, if he’s not game-ready after 10 months… he may not play for the Oilers ever again.
Or he might play on Friday…..
Jeff Skinner has the best goal share on the team since January 1.
What is the Oilers record since then?
Who will come out of the line up when Kane eventually gets activated?
Hopefully you’re right about the last two. Can’t see it with the first. His footspeed is cooked and he gets caved too often.
I am looking forward to Skinner’s excitement infecting the whole lineup. This is a good story, a 1000+ game player tasting Stanley Cup playoff intensity for the first time. This year, make Skinner (both of them) a winner!
I’m looking forward to Kane’s excitement infecting the whole line up. This is another good story.
A very good story, indeed.
I expect the Kings to be underhanded dirty, then disciplined. If the unpractised Oilers try to muck it up, the penalties will come.
High speed forecheck, hit hard, walk away.
The Kings will be baiting them into penalties.
The Kings game plan will then be to interrupt McDavid before he gets to speed. To collapse in front of their net, yet also own the Oilers net front. No surprises here. They will give up the perimeter and wait for a turnover.
I think Knoblach goes with short pass up the middle and break out. They must go hard to the net, not the perimeter, and have a high trailing man who becomes the shooter. This rush works against the Kings. My 2 cents.
From what I’ve seen and read re Kings’ tactics, I like what you’re suggesting.
I also think the Oilers have proven themselves to be fairly disciplined viz “baiting,” and viz running around chasing hits. Conserve energy for net-front battles (home net and Kings’ net).
Let’s hope that by this time tomorrow we will all feel exactly like how Leaf fans do today.
Spoke to a couple of them last night and this morning. No, I will not feel delusional. These guys are planning the parade route! I will be content and satisfied with at least a split.
Watch out! I’m hearing Leafs fans may have goalie injury worries to go with their jubilation at winning a game where Sens outplayed and outshot them for much of the game.
I’d love an Oilers 6 v Kings 2 score. Keeping my fingers crossed that no Oilers get hurt. And that Oilers outplay & outshoot em.
I was looking for Kulak baby news, and all that comes up on google is that they had their first child between games 6 and 7 of the 2022 1st round series against the Kings.
Damn if that’s not inconvenient timing for the team 2 times in a row 😉
I’m only half-joking, his absence would be devastating to a decimated D corps right now. Congrats, but for goodness sake get back on the plane 🙂
For those expecting a vicious hard-hitting game, I’m not so sure that’s what you’ll see.
I noticed last year the Oilers turned away from even obvious hits and it served them well. And so far in this playoffs it’s the young upstarts (Blues, Sens, Wild) that are out there running around while the higher seeded veteran teams are playing calm hockey. No one is running around out of position and they’re winning.
Dallas and Colorado were two true contenders and was not physical at all. I don’t see LA as particularly physical and we know Edmonton isn’t so I expect this will look like that game.
What you will see is 10/10 battle levels on every loose puck and in front of the net.
Xtreme chess
I would think both teams want to stay out of the penalty box. Though the officials tend to put their whistles away during the playoffs that might not be the case with this first round series. But that is all part of the unknown.
I’ve looked into it, and in the first round they ‘set the tone’ and it becomes more about game state as rounds go. Penalties in the first period, not so much in the third etc
I don’t expect rough, but I do worry about dirty. The Oilers manned up fully can play that style now probably, but it’s not native to most of them. LA can be dirty, and we know the Oilers assuredly get away with less
I do want to see some hits on their D, not stupid, but finish checks and wear them down
It’s the dirty that needs to be eliminated from the game, the roughness is ok.
It’s funny, the LA fans claim that Edmonton is dirty and of course Edmonton fans say
LA can be dirty.
It would take 3 Perry’s to fill one Doughty dumpster
It was interesting to see how many whistles were blown in Sens v Leafs.
This is my playoff jam:
https://youtu.be/BzqcIuFm-7w?si=f8UKaxARu9HtxlFp
Thx for sharing!
I saw this the other day & thought of you. And then the big Owe made me think of LT & the expos.
https://youtu.be/c2zurZig4L8?si=j1DwgLXxYAhkQJOU
Thank you for that! It had been a while since I last heard it.
That video was the studio version of FFTCM dubbed over a soundcheck of same. Palmer’s percussion hits are a little off but Emerson’s keys seem on point.
Fun fact: The album for their Works Live album features Olympic Stadium on the cover. The fleurs-de-lis give it away:
Like Pink Floyd a few years prior (circa Atom Heart Mother), ELP undertook this tour with an orchestra. And like with Floyd, the venture was unprofitable and thus short-lived.
1970s opulence…
The drum kit shown is, I believe, the legendary kit sold to Ringo Starr. And the massive rig from Emerson with modular and GX1 is unreal. Lake could not make due, therefore, with just 4 strings on his bass.
The big Owe, open to the sky due to the roof residing in France until 1982 and not completed until 1987. Now a new roof being constructed again…
Procol Harum had a better concept of how to do live orchestral recordings!
Stan Weir was born in a log cabin he built with his bare hands.
Stan Weir knows how the Caramilk gets inside the Caramilk bar. Because he put it there.
Stan Weir killed two stones with one bird.
Chuck Norris checks under his bed for Stan Weir.
Stan Weir aced a 500-yard par-5. Using a jackfish. Which he caught with his teeth.
Stan Weir, ladies and gentlemen!
I think they can win, my heart says they can win, I have no idea which version Oiler team will be playing tonight
As for the heart of the order, I truly hope Bowman has them heading into next playoffs with a solid 3C, some playable RC C’s, and enough D depth to have a balanced and playable 3rd pair
No more weak links. Hammer down Lads, no mercy
Do you not consider Kulak – Emberson not a “balanced and playable 3rd pair”?
I do.
They’re probably looking at Kulak in the top four. Unless of course they place Emberson in the top four and have Kulak anchor the third pair as he’s accustomed to.
You are about to experience, the awe and mystery which reaches from the deepest inner mind, to the Outer Limits.
no one is disputing that, and it has little to do with the post I was responding to.
the plan was
Elk-Bouch
Nurse-Walman
Kulak-Emberson
Klinger
Stecher
Brown
Dermott
Dineen
Scungilli, said that wasn’t good enough depth. I said Kulak-Emberson is a balanced and playable 3rd pairing. 2-3 injuries have derailed that. Tough to have enough depth that 2-3 injuries on D don’t impact quality.
Ekholm’s absence creates a depth problem on the blueline. I think that’s what Scungilli was talking about. Also, Stecher is not available just yet. It’s wonderful that Kulak & Emberson are a balanced third pair. But does that have any bearing on the team’s current lack of depth on defense?
The top two forward lines look great, the top two D pairs are fine but lacking some minus Ekholm and the goaltending makes me nervous but after all they made it to game seven of the SCF last season. I’m crossing my fingers.
Bowman has them heading in to this playoffs with the centers being:
McDavid
Draisaitl
Nugent-Hopkins
Henrique
No right shot but Philp is “right there” and arguably should be playing.
I think that is an elite 3/4 center duo.
If not for injury, the 3rd pair would/could be Kulak and either Emberson/Stecher. The only reason its not a solid-great 3rd pair right now is injury.
So many options up front. Its dizzying to think of the combinations. A couple people will have to sit if Fredrick plays tonight. At least two of Skinner, Kapanen or Jones will have to sit out tonight.
My guess would be
Drai McD Hyman or Skinner McD Hyman
Pods Nuge Arvi or Pods Drai Arvi
Skinner Fredrick Perry or Nuge Fredrick Perry (Feel free to swap Trent and Nuge)
Janmark Henri Brown Same 4th line
I hope D combos
Nurse Bouch
Wallman Emberson
Kulak Brown (for size)
I like the idea of Brown in for size, but I would play him with Nurse, Walkman with Bouch and Kulak with Emberson. This will help in spreading out the ice time and not overplaying the top 4. Imagine Nurse and Brown clicking.
If, as many claim, Nurse couldn’t carry NHL defenseman Cody Ceci there is now way that he can carry Brown.
Nurse is likely to play 24-28 minutes, again the opposition’s best players.
If Brown plays, he should be in the 6-7 minute range.
I don’t think there is any plan to spread out the D-minutes – they will run the top 4 heavy.
Here’s hoping that the refs hold the Kings to the same standards that the Sens were held to last night!
Game day baby!
Leafs did a great job selling the calls. This is different from diving. This is helping the officials and their evaluators see the infraction. There’s infractions all.over the ice every game. Officials want to make the easy calls. They need help
Good morning LT. The air is fresh and brisk up in NE BC Pink mountain area. Mcdavid and company are different this year with lessons learned for years past. Especially going to a with heart breaking ending. They will be back in the SCF vs either Carolina or Washington. Now for today is the start of 4-0 sweep series dust-off vs the kings.
Oiler native prayer:
THY CUZZINS WILL COME,TO CHEER UNTIL ITS DONE ON ICE, AS WELL AS ON OUR REZZES GIVE US THIS DAY TO OUR DEADLY FANS AND FORGIVE US FOR YELLING TUGEYE AT THE TV AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO GET ROWDY AGAINST US. LEAD US NOT LIKE A REZ DOG BUT DELIVER US LIKE A BUFFALO. IN THE NAME OF THE AUNTIES, UNCLES AND CHIEF AND COUNCIL. AHO
This is awesome. I read it as Smudge Pan. Deadly. Thanks for sharing!
Hell yeah
Tugeye… ha!
Finally! Too long a wait.
Expecting a game 1 loss because they almost always lose game 1 and haven’t been a full unit forever then off to the races.
Usually takes a couple games to figure out the goalie and exploit the weaknesses. This team has shown it can do that and adapt to longer series if needed.
Hoping the powerplays are at least even and the team made their ‘point’ in their last matchup.
And for gods sake set the tone and hit somebody! Preferably Byfield, ignore Danault and his 8 goals, get the superstar who outscored Nuge.
LFG Oilers, 16 to go!
I am expecting a game 1 win. These series have always started with losses due to the extreme levels of expectations Oilers put on themselves. But…. I expect that with a game 7 of the finals, and a seven nations win in the books, that Conor will play more freely, and that the team will follow.
3-2 Oilers.
Kurt Leavins says he is hearing the Oilers are targeting game 3 for his debut.
Kurt does have sources and knows stuff – an hour before the Oilers announced the free agent dman from Finland, Kurt messaged me the Oilers will be announcing another European signing right away.
Who is “his debut” in this sentence?
Kane, as per Kurt in last night’s CoH podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/cult-of-hockey-podcast/id1168773970?i=1000704233773
Ooops, Evander Kane.
How much difference can a week make, for a player who has been out all season?
As I said above, echoing those more knowledgeable than me: After 10 months, if he’s not game-ready now, we may have seen the last of Kane in an Oilers uniform…
Glad we kept him off LTIR for most of the year …
Gladiators… Sticks Up!
Looking at you Perry, Frederic, and Kane… time to bring the nasty while staying composed!
I think that being an underdog in the eyes of many experts is the perfect mindset for this team. Oilers in six.
11 hours to go
Nine, and counting…