As we prepare to enter Game 2 of the Oilers-Kings series, Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch is focused on getting Evander Kane and others into the lineup. There’s danger here, and we saw some of that in Game 1. Several Oilers took 20+ minutes of game action to get the wheels turning at a competitive rate. I think it’s worth mentioning. Knoblauch is a young coach, and his lack of urgency is a worry.
The Oilers are likely to dress Evander Kane tonight, with Jeff Skinner sitting. If Kane is at his rugged, first-shot scorer best, with the speed we expect from him, then inserting him into the lineup is a good idea. However, if he’s rusty, and I think that’s a reasonable bet, the Oilers run the risk of having another game where at least one player is trying to get up to speed. Back in October, I wrote the following:
When we talk about the rugged soul of the Oilers, it’s really about protecting Connor McDavid. Two things. First, it’s impossible. The NHL is a vicious game. It just is. You can’t police the game completely and McDavid is going to be a target this fall, winter and spring. The only way to avoid it is use him only on power plays. Not going to happen.
Second point. McDavid decided long ago the NHL wasn’t going to call the game straight up, so he took the initiative and began cross checking, slashing, hooking, knocking players over, et cetera. Leon Draisaitl is a true bully. It’s rare to see an NHL player exact a price for sins real or imagined so often. When Leon retires from hockey, all outstanding invoices will have been paid in full, and then some.
If you’re worried about McDavid and Draisaitl, I get it. However, you can’t wrap them in bubble and you can’t compromise your roster in the name of the sacred bleeding Jesus heart of the rugged soul of the ‘these assholes are being mean to my boy’ brigade. NO. ONE. IS. LISTENING.
So, Oilers management and coaching have to decide if they want to win the Stanley Cup or play men who are devoted to keeping the sacred heart of the rugged soul of Oilers physical hockey at Curt Brackenbury levels. It’s a simple choice. The Oilers can make the other team bleed.
All it costs is goals.
The Oilers dressed Josh Brown in Game 1, then faded him heavily (he played 4:54) when things went sideways early.
Evander Kane is a more substantial player. I wrote today about his impact in the 2022 series against the Kings, and if Knoblauch is chasing that with the belief it’s there, music! However, this series could be halfway done by midnight, and I get the feeling the Oilers are mending uniforms as the cannon balls land nearby. Is there urgency on the Edmonton side? There should be. And chasing hits is a bad way. I can see a way to place Kane into tonight’s lineup. I’m not at all sure Skinner is the guy to fade. We wait.
It’ll be a big show devoted to Game 2 Oilers-Kings today on Sports 1440, beginning at noon. Our feature guest is Kevin McCurdy, I’ll ask him about Kane, Brown and the optimal defensive pairings based on available players. We’ll chat NHL playoffs out of town, NFL draft, Blue Jays and more! I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio, Radioplayer Canada, it’s available post-show on apple and spotify, and we tweet it out on X.
Oilers-Kings an annual spring activity, and this year’s series feels like deja vu already.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6299165/2025/04/23/oilers-kings-playoff-series-history/
Thanks, LT.
As a student of head injuries and their impact on player performance, I’m always surprised that this almost never enters the conversation viz unevenness of play. Bouchard got a nasty bonk to the head in a game earlier this season. After his return his play was noticeably problematic. Skinner just returned after a bonk to his head. I expect unevenness in his play. I would also expect coaching staff (if not fans & pundits) to be aware of the need to mitigate stress wherever & whenever possible. The brain is remarkably resilient. But it does not mend in the same way as a bone.
Evan Bouchard is the same indifferent defenseman defensively that he has always been. It is just more noticeable without Ekholm or Broberg as his partner.
Great partners help. Bouch is a high risk passer who is creating cloud animals at times and doesn’t seem to have a mean bone in him. He can be more, we have seen it, where does it go? how does he get there? and that is the crux.
There was a noticeable uptick in Bouch bobbles after he returned in late January, after his head was run into the goal post v Wild.
After a concussion, the brain is more susceptible to concussion or similar trauma. Even a solid hit to the body can rattle the noggin enough to produce wobble in judgement, play.
What looks like indifference to us may simply be a player being self-aware about what he can and cannot do. As LT never tires of showing us, Bouchard’s outscoring is still strong, even if his wobbles seem egregious to us as fans.
I don’t think it’s indifference.
He seems to periodically lose the ability to process quick action around him in his own end.
I’ve often wondered if that is a function of his eyesight since he has what old-timers used to call a “wandering eye”…that is, his eyes are not completely synched with each other.
I myself had that malady early in life before getting surgery that involved shortening the muscles in one eye….made a huge difference.
Bracing for the inevitable insults.
Great post. Every player that comes back off a concussion/head injury takes time (sometimes half the season or more or never) to get back to where they are rolling. It is surprising when people don’t understand that and wonder why they aren’t playing up to their potential. Skinner is behind the 8 ball here because he was already having a rough year and due to his past numbers.
Bottom line this team isn’t fully healthy, it is definitely a factor.
Thanks. Sometimes recovery takes years. The brain is a mystery…
So are these Oilers. LT likened them to an old IH pickup early in the season, needing lots of warm-up to get the season started. I suggest they’re more like a 60s English sports car: beautiful, capable of (very) high performance, requiring constant tinkering…
lol yes they are.
I hear you. My dad had a few major concussions with baseball/hockey then in his late 40s got hit by a golf ball (from the air no bounce) just by the brain stem, doc said he was close to being dead right there. He was never the same. Imbalance, morning vomiting, vertigo (bed ridden type), terrible headaches. It was rough and there wasn’t any solution for him. It only worsened when he aged.
Sorry to hear. When I had my minor (but life-changing) bonk to the head it was my kids, and my wife, who suffered. Dad/husband had changed. But in mysterious/invisible ways. Tough, especially for kids, no matter what age.
You have mentioned this numerous times through the season but there is zero indication that Bouchard suffered a concussion and your opinion on his change of play is anecdotal and, least to my eye, wasn’t the case (also eye test).
The Oilers kept Stuart Skinner off the ice for 2 weeks after his bonk – the same staff permitted Bouchard to continue playing – the staff with access to ALL the important information made that decision.
There is no indication that Bouchard sustained anything you suggest.
With respect.
With respect, look at the hit he took in that game. Look at his play, especially immediately after.
The ugly thing about minor brain injuries is that they’re different for everyone, but they seem to add up to similar conclusions. Also, they’re pretty much impossible to diagnosis. Hence all the fuzziness around the concussion protocol.
There is no doubt in my mind, given the evidence ( hard blow directly to head, poor judgement & play subsequently ) that this player had his brain rattled. The long term effects? Again, different for every individual. However, repeated blows -even minor ones- add up.
I’m probably repeating myself. But I believe this bears repeating.
ps. Among his other fine hockey writing, Ken Dryden wrote “the book” on this, Game Change. Worth reading for any fan of the sport.
He had poor judgment before the bonk to the head.
I’ve never seen a team like Edmonton have as much reffing bias against them over the last 7-8 years. The Kulak call happens 100 times a game the Kings had two extended 5-3. When’s the last time we had a 5-3 in the playoffs you know the refs can’t allow that because the Oilers PP is supposedly too good. Fuk the refs, fuk Doughty who’s going to get Kane’s wrath tonight, the last fuk you goes to that Hollyweirdo pussy Will Ferrell. 5-2 Oilers boooook it…….
Lokomotiv won their game 7 today (in OT) and are moving on.
Technically, even if they were eliminated, unless Loco releases Berezkin from his contract, the Oilers couldn’t sign him until June. It seems far fetched that this org would play him this playoffs in any event but it would have been something to watch.
I’m going to be very happy when they get this kid on his ELC.
The thing with Evander Kane is, he’s a menace.
I like the insertion of Klingberg. The latter can move the puck and should be good for ~15 minutes. Huge improvement over Brown and better load management for the other D.
I approve of Skinner tending the net again. Right move!!
Gotta compete hard on D and limit the chances. All three pairs in theory should be able to transition the puck.
Go Oilers!
If the Oilers can just get rid of the defensive chaos…… but no every game. Fiala had an amazing pass on Kings goal 1. And on that note, why the early ticky tack call and then the rest of the game was nuts, Kings had the bear hugs, hooks in deep, crosscheck flying yet nope.
One disadvantage to being an exceptional systems team like LA, is in a 7 game series, you need to be able to handle adjustments from your opponent. When a team is greater than the sum of its parts, it can be tough to maintain the same level of effectiveness while playing a different strategy.
97 and 29 are as close to wrecking balls for any system as it gets, so we need to hope the bottom 9 can horcoff the shit out of the other 35 minutes.
nice
Will be fascinating to see which line Hiller sends out to match up with McDrai.
If it’s the Danault line…one of the Kopitar or Byfield lines could break some hearts.
48 hours removed from my post about Jeff Skinner playing in playoffs…
Healthy Scratch for Jeff Skinner…he earned it.
Number of pundits / experts around the NHL surprised by the decision
to scratch a healthy Jeff Skinner:
0
I realize he is probably not 100% – but like to see more from Frederic.
Hopefully Mr. Hyde shows up tonight and takes no prisoners
A thing that concerns me with the coaches we have had over the last few is that they don’t seem able to get the best out of the regular players. Part is the roster make up for sure, but if you look at the Panthers cup D group, it wasn’t exactly impressive. Nor most of their forwards. Their third pair was Kulikov OEL, who would have thought they would be as good as they were?
Yet Maurice gets the most. Tampa has been rolling as of late, the Panthers in a slump perhaps injury related, but game one and he had them prepared to smoke the Lighting, in Tampa
Woody and KK are blender specialists. Most of the NHL players etc I have heard talk about what makes a good coach and team is everyone having a strong role, and identities as lines and pairs. everyone pulling in the same direction
The blender is out of the Babcock line of coaches – the blender ‘forces’ the players to play the system because of unfamiliarity. I think this is part of why the Oilers as a whole are very often out of sync. We have seen what Bouch can do, despite Ekholm being off his game all season, they couldn’t get Bouch in a groove in 81 games?
Personally, I have really soured on Knobber. I think a lot of his success last year was team adrenaline. He is far too old school/conservative.
His personal decisions are baffling.
I think many folks underestimate what having players like Connor and Leo do for and to a team. No other team has that calibre in two forwards, they are both already in the all time categories
If they had a GM and coaches that could properly build the team and utilize them it would be the 80’s again
All very true. Oilers are a unique top heavy team. This is good, not bad. Coaching has to focus on getting everything possible from supporting cast. And these players absolutely must have a role and feel needed. We have seen this, and heard this, over and over.
Blending lines? Small impact based on individuals, life, events, injuries, and performance, but often based on things a coach can see behind the scenes. Coaches will tell you its based on “who’s going” or “who’s feeling it” in a game state. Sure, but this is fine tuning, not necessarily the nuts and bolts of good coach.
The results with Skinner are concerning but for me, the far bigger concern is how the goals are going in and I wonder how much is coaching. Playing deep in the net vs playing well out on the top of the crease.
For comparison, let’s talk about Hellybucyk. If you watched Hrudey’s breakdown Connor H plays deep in his net like Henrik Lundquist. This makes him suspectable to the exact shot that McDavid beat him with in the 4-nations. A perfectly placed shot into the top corner. So far against the Blues Robert Thomas ripped one from the dot top corner, Snuggerud went top blocker from almost the same spot, Kyrou went high blocker on the PP and Sundquist roofed one from the dead slot. But he’s choosing to give those up to avoid giving up any east/west stuff and all the goalmouth scrambles. By staying deep he can get where he needs to get to and because of his size he still blocks 90% of shots from range…only perfection beats him. Four goals against in two games.
Contrast that with Skinner who is trying to make himself big by getting way out above the blue paint but simply cannot get back when things inevitably bounce around and find someone’s stick. It’s not that he isn’t saving them, he isn’t even close.
On four of these goals the puck moved from East to West or West to East and he got beat. There were some stops in there when he’s eye to eye but I wonder if there’s something in the way he’s choosing to play?
1) Blown defensive coverage by Brown.
2) Blown defensive coverage by one of the forwards.
3) Mano-a-mano in front of the next against Kings best scorer.
4) Point blank shot head on from between and below the faceoff dots.
5) Draisaitl scores those all the time against elite goaltenders.
6) Two on zero, shooter with a screener, both unchallenged, plus a knuckle puck.
You had to dig deep into the excuse book to come up with these.
I think they are still trying to figure out a style for him, to offset his weaknesses. So far they haven’t got their
Your point is one I often mention about when the Oilers get ‘goalied’. Given most goalers play the way Helly does – not as well, shooting up top is the way to beat that, and the Oilers just don’t a lot of the time
They try 5 hole, arm, Nuge’s fave low blocker. Often no traffic, no change of angle, just straight up shoot. It usually doesn’t work
Watch Skinners eyes on the winning sieve shot he’s daydreaming about someone in the crowd. If we are down 1-0 by the 3 minute mark and 2-0 at 10 minutes this series could be over because of K.K stubbornness to go with the colder goalie.
He just got a snow shower from Foegele. Puh-lease.
If he shits the bed again this could possibly be his last game as a Oiler. I hope with all my heart he plays a steady game and we get the split.
Why did he get a snow shower from Foegele?
McDavid also needs to see some penalty kill time. Keep him up high and have defence dump the puck out as usual, but if possible, and if McDavid is fresh, lob it to centre ice.
Kings have a 5 forward PP unit, likely terrified of McDavid getting a shortie. McDavid should push Kempe back, eliminate play going through him, force an error, throw a curve into Kings PP.
Not every PP, but here and there.
He did play 1:27 of 4 on 5 last game – the most he’s played on the PK in a very long time I believe.
I only noticed at the very tail end of the PP in usual manner but yes, I love about 1.5 to 2min of McDavid time, but at the face off where he is seen, noticed, and can plant doubt in regard to holding that blueline by a forward.
Their PP seems to run through Kempe, biggest goal scorer Fiala with 14 I think. Shut this down with a fast aggressive PK. Kings PP is only average and they like set plays when they have time to set up.
It was definitely not “in the usual manner” – McDavid played 4:37 on the PK all season long – he played over a third of that on Monday.
If you want to argue, then “in the usual manner” means at the tail end of the PK, when the PK is about to expire, and Connor or Leon gets out there early so they can follow up a successful PK with a Connor, Leon, Hyman shift.
Back to the point, Since it flew over your head, was to change up tactics to disrupt the Kings, particularly with a 5 man PP unit.
Oilers face some major risks.
The first is the play of Evan Bouchard. Evan gets credit for points, yet many players can put up points with Connor and Leon. All three players listed here should be considered great players, however, Evan cannot make the cut because he cannot or will not work the mistakes out of his game. Love him or not, Evan’s play is a huge risk that has to be managed, and has not been managed all season long.
The second biggest risk is the coaching team. They have not prepared to defeat the Kings. Last game, if you take out McDavid heroics, the Oilers were beaten soundly in every aspect.
Playing Kane is only a minor risk. His job is not to try and flatten the opposition, he must understand he is rusty and penalties will come his way. But you don’t need to be shiny or fast to stand in front of the net and dare anyone to move you.
On set plays when McDavid is being shadowed you stand in the way, disrupt the shadow to create space. Get McDavid space, then get your stick on the ice.
Not playing Kane is a greater risk, they must find out what he can do.
Where there’s smoke there’s fire. I’d have to say that since a) we heard the NHL was breathing down the Oilers neck on Kane and b) they are starting him in the Top-6, that Evander Kane is MORE than ready. Maybe not tonight but there’s every chance this is the best version of him that we’ve seen since his cut.
I find that hard to believe that the NHL is singling out the Oilers. FLA went out and got Marchand knowing full well that they would hold Chucky out until game 1. He sure looked fine last night – almost like he could have played a week ago!
I believe that rule states that the NHL may review the injury at the start of LTIR. However, it is up to the team only when the player returns.
Simple solution: Salary cap must be adhered to for each game during the playoffs. Calculation is the player’s season AAV. Sure, a team could rest players on alternate games, but still a better way that what the NHL is doing now.
Tkachuk was never going to be challenged by the NHL because Bettman and the NHLPA don’t want the owners backing away from international hockey, and Tkachuk was hurt in an international tournament.
So many things they could do better. There are a few things the players would like changed, like consistent refereeing, but no dice. Strong management looks to employees, especially key ones, for input on operations and getting better. Not in Gary’s ‘verse
That simple solution does not work.
A team can be fully cap complaint, without any LTIR shenanigans and not be compliant for the playoffs.
A $5MM AAV acquired at the deadline only costs apx $1MM on the cap – could be down to $250K with double retainment, for example.
For me the flaws of loading up 29 and 97 stemmed from the lack of depth when they first started doing it. As long as the second line is strong, I think it is a good way deploy the troops.
Kane – Nuge – Hyman is pretty strong on paper. Hopefully they can deliver and remove some of the stigma of loading up 29 and 97.
(Personally, I’d rather Skinner or Arvidsson as the 29-97 winger, that line is about to get a lot of ice time, I’m not sure Perry has the lungs for that anymore)
Game 2 of the playoffs and it feels like none of the lines and pairings have played together before. (Slight exaggeration but not much)
Top line has played a ton together
2nd line has played a ton together
Henrique and Brown have played a ton together
Podkolzin/Arvidsson have played all season together.
On defense
Kulak/Emberson are the only pairing with time together that means anything, should be interesting how that plays out. Klingberg is going to make everyone elses chaos seem like watching grass grow.
To be fair, Kane played 0 games and Frederic only 1 and even Klingberg only 11 so we wouldn’t have seen this lineup which is why it would “seem” that everything is new. But you are correct that most of the lineup has played quite a bit together (this season and others) and that it shouldn’t be an issue.
Per Jack Michaels:
Looks like they want to preserve “leftie right” as opposed to moving one of Emberson or Klingberg over to their left side – which makes sense.
I’m guessing we’ll see as many Kulak shifts with Walman as Klingberg.
Who knows, maybe that 2nd line will be fire and I’m sure we’ll see Hyman (and others) with 1st line shifts as Perry can’t take that much ice.
On paper, that forward lineup looks like a load. If everyone is determined not to start the game half asleep, there could be a lot of puck possession and opportunities generated through some positive chaos.
With that said, they also need to bury one or two early(ish) on so that the getting goalied feeling doesn’t settle in.
“One interesting revelation is that Perry played so well with McDavid and Drai. Do you go
Drai-McDavid-Perry
Kane-Nuge-Hyman
Janmark-Henrique-Arvidsson
Skinner/Pod-Frederic-Brown”
im going to give myself a pat on the back 😉 a la Hh
I doubt the Kings can keep up with the potential different line combinations available. They’ve been blended so often it just doesn’t matter anymore.
Lol I know.
But this strategy is likely to be effective against LA, as long as lines 2-4 hold the opposition in check.
Good call, Perry was exceptional at his role.
Not loving Janmark as a centre. Let’s see how the game goes.
Knoblatch is going after them. Get a lead and open this game up. If that happens they need not worry about trap game.
Likely have to beef up third line and run 3 lines.
Confirmed – Kane in Skinner out. Also confirmed – Kris Knoblauch has a tonne of Mike Babcock in him.
Per Stauff:
I hope they run:
Nurse Bouch
Walman Emberson
Kulak Kling
And then throw Kulak Walman out for a few extra shifts.
They can run any combinations they like. They have a perfect left/right balance. Nurse has played with Klingberg, I suspect Walman & Klingberg might be solid also. Bouchard & Emberson could play with any LD too. The combos have fluidity.
I am all for Kane in the lineup.
I think the biggest risk with Kane is penalties + the Oilers terrible PK.
Agreed. Being rusty and too rambunctious could lead to many penalties, and so far, the glorious PK of last playoffs has not been seen since. I would love to see the restlessness and competitive drive be focused on creating positive chaos in the LA end.
My biggest concern with Kane is neutral one turnovers – he has a penchant for those when not rusty.
Neutral ZONE turnovers.
Me neither. So who do you sit?
Maybe going 13-5 isn’t the craziest idea ever. But KK would surely take flak for it if it didn’t work (or if a D-man got hurt mid-game).
13-5 will never happen. The injury risk is too high.
Frederic. He’s still hurt.
Connor Brown. He’s just not that good.
Podkolzin. He isn’t producing.
Janmark and Henrique before Skinner as well.
Want an interesting read? Go look at the hits stat column from last game.
Some guy named Jeff Skinner had 5 of them. T2 on the team only behind Hyman.
PK should be combo of 93, 29,. 97, 13 and 19 at forward.
If the goal is to get 97 and 29 to play over 30 minutes a night, giving them PK time is definitely one way to do it.
They were only at 22 and 23 last game. They can both play 25/game in the playoffs easily if needed. And they were getting extra shifts to chase.
This is totally manageable and worth the SH goals.
They can and may do 25+ per night, but they were held together with spit and twine by the finals last year. There has undoubtedly been an effort all throughout this year to reduce the load on them.
Doesn’t matter if they’re playing golf instead of hockey.
Same reason starters come in to relieve in baseball. Give everything you have.
Yeah, some hits are memorable. But I didn’t notice a memorable hit from Jeff Skinner. He had five you say. Interesting.
Good post. I say this as I prefer it to a “thumbs up”
This is why. Kane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuLAk8uTrCU
I just like seeing chucky jr. get hit.. and then look to the ref after he dives… he plays the role so well. spit.
J Skinner must have some premium quality sideburns.
The coach has shown general deployment is his weakness. That and playing Connor Brown at any and all costs.
He also seems to think PKing is some high art requiring years of study and specialized skill, rather than one of the most straightforward roles in all of hockey.
With respect LT, I think you have set things up a a false dilemma. If the choice is between Jeff Skinner and Curt Brackenbury, of course you take JS
But that isn’t the case. The choice could be JS or Evander Kane. I take EK all day long. There aren’t many smaller skill teams that win Cups. They can be a mix, but most Cup teams have size and are tough. Not necessarily fighting tough, but at least rugged and hard to play against
The Oilers with Kane Frederic and Perry are not bad that way, but health is a problem, and there are a lot of mild mannered guys by nature on the team. That’s not how Slats built his version. He also would not have had an undersized non hitting bottom six or pair, leaving Connor to try to lead the charge
He should not be at the top of the leader board for hitting, as he was last game. It’s not his game, he’s not built for it, and he’s needed for production. Bouch, Emberson, Kulak between them landed 1 hit, and took 12. Es no bueno
Kane & Frederic might take some time to get their games totally up to speed. But the sooner they get into game action the better. What could be better than a first-round best of seven playoff series against LA Kings to get the competitive juices going. Win and move on to the next victim..
This is pretty much as expected, presuming they are right (they often are):
@2MuttsHockeyPod
NHL complaining that so far ratings are absolute crap.
Have they considered burying some games even further.
Wild with a 1020 pm central time puck drop during the week. Good luck with that I can’t even stay up for the oilers games
Yes, I am in the East. So it is hellish start times when you work at 5am! lol. I could care less about most of the games tbo especially at those times. Plus the officiating! lol I jest, kinda, sorta.
That’s wild.
NBA does it right! For the next seventeen (17) games, there are twelve (12) that start before 6:30 P.M. mountain time. Of the other five, the latest is an 8 P.M. start.
The NHL bemoans the fact that it cannot grow the game fast enough for their liking but does not accommodate fans during the best round (RD 1) of the playoffs. As you are all aware the game the other night in LA was listed as an 8 P.M. start time, but puck drop was damn near 8:30!
No original 6 US teams made it. That’s likely the crux of it.
1 – Pickard should start. Just as he should have started game 1.
2 – 97 and 29 should PK due to LA’s 5 forward setup.
3 – 53-97-18 should be the line.
I suspect precisely none of these things will happen.
You are correct.
1 – I don’t agree with either part, but I am also not opposed to Pickard getting the start for Game 2. This may need to be a playoffs of “win and you’re in”.
2 – I get the idea, but that runs the risk of burning out 97 and 29, and it further reduces playing time for the other forwards which further disrupts their rhythm.
3 – I get the idea and support it. The challenge comes in who sits? Janmark scored last game, Perry scored last game, Brown is valuable for the PK and was hot coming into the playoffs. Henrique is useful as the 4C. Podkolzin is valuable for his puck retrieval and cycle game that wears out the defence. Arvidsson was heating up over the final games of the regular season and has been known to play a pest role. Frederic can play C and is needed for his forechecking, all around game, and to get him in better game shape (I know, playoffs aren’t the time to do that, but here we are).
See a few posts above for who sits. The still-hurt Frederic comes first.
I see it now. I’m not anti-Skinner and really do want to see him succeed with the Oilers. I’ll give you Frederic because my resistance to take him out of the lineup is fuelled by my desire to see some crease crashers, some “go ahead and make me” attitude, someone to make life miserable for LA’s D. If he really is hurt, which is highly likely, I would ultimately rather see him recover a bit more and be a more impactful player in later rounds.
This Jeff Skinner thing is weird, he produced a whole single assist during his late season audition with McDavid.
The Kings were bullying Jeff Skinner, Skinner was losing board battles and every other aspect of the physical competition that was being thrown his way in game 1.
Kane has been a thorn in the side of the Kings 3 seasons in a row, insert him into the line up and move on.
Kane has 12 goals and 4 assists in 18 playoff games vs the Kings, he was only truly healthy the 1st of the 3 series. Insert the man! Skinner among other is never going to produce in that manner. A physical arrogance series feeds into exactly what Evander Kane is as a player. Put him in coach.
Agree, love Skinner’s ability to score but he does/can get bullied off the puck. The second season is not easy. I would take him out too with reservations about losing his scoring but they also have to have faith in what janny and other depth did last playoffs. It is too bad Frederic isn’t fully healthy with his skating. Kane def needs to go in.
I have come to the opinion that only elite players can be wallflowers. Truly elite, Kucherov. Or a team can carry a mild mannered scorer if that’s all you have, but not many. Reinhart for the Panthers
Otherwise they need to be robust players, assertive and love the battle. NHL hockey is rough, can be dirty, and it only gets more so in playoffs
That doesn’t mean big necessarily, although it’s always a good thing in a good player. Tampa is the most successful team of the last 5 years, and although they are smaller up front, their fellas play with jam, grit and pace. Their D group is huge so that offsets the smaller forwards
Morning skate is at 11 local, so noon mountain. Will likely know more then.
Who do you think will start between the pipes tonight?
Stuart Skinner
Without a doubt they start him
I’ve been out of Alberta since February, anyone care to share what the vibe in Edmonton right now is like? Is it usual playoff excitement or has it been a lot subdued as playoffs have become expected and/or fans feeling bearish on this year’s potential success?
I suspect Kane will dress for game 3 when KK can control match-ups. And Pickard will start game 3 if Skinner stinks tonight.
Go oilers!
I have the same suspicion, albeit I think Pickard gets the G3 start regardless unless Skinner is absolutely lights out tonight.
Welcome back, greatest username in LT history! (Well, OK, “Fuhr and Lowething in Vegreville” is pretty good too.)
As a fan/defender of Skinner’s, I do agree that Pickard should get the Game 3 start if Skinner isn’t able to get that one (or more) extra stops that he couldn’t get last game.
“All it costs is goals.”
Game 1: Another game where Oilers out-hit the opponent—and lose.
My preference, whoever is in/out: Apply the lesson of Period 3: Get into the Kings’ net-front. Early. Often. With attitude.
Conversely, get the puck & Kings’ players out of Oilers’ net-front and up ice with purpose.
Being “physical” doesn’t mean bashing someone into the boards or in the head. It does mean moving the opponent, with force, from danger areas (or where he’s preventing you from being dangerous, eg. Corey Perry and his goal, a textbook example, if I were writing a textbook on this topic).
Go Oilers!
Also helps if they play at least some sort of D structure. I guess the running around can coincide that. It almost seems as if they play better Defensively a higher percentage of the time when picard is in.
Coach might let team know that post-concussion Skinner is more fragile than Pickard?
Whatever it takes: tighten defensively; get the f*king puck out of the d-zone & into the o-zone. The D are built for this (esp with -rumoured- Klingberg in tonight).
can pretty much guarantee Skinner starts the game
and does not finish it
If coach K.K waits too long to pull the trigger on a skaky near-broken Skinner and we lose the series he needs to be fired the day after were eliminated.
Enough. You cannot guarantee that he does not finish. If you believe you can, then I have a bet for you:
If Stuart starts and finishes the game, you don’t bring him up in another post for the rest of this series.
If Stuart starts and does NOT finish the game, I will not defend him again for the rest of this series.
That’s true I can’t guarantee he gets pulled when he lets in another 5 goal plus stinker
If he doesn’t let in another 5 goals plus stinker he won’t get pulled. But that also means the team in front of him is lights out defensively. Maybe if the team plays better for Pickard, then they should start Pickard. But really there should be no difference in that regard.
Ok, here’s my bet then: Two or less goals tonight, and you drop the topic for the entire series.
Three or more, and I will not defend him for the entire series.
You’d think Kuemper didn’t just let in 5 goals during the game on less shots the way you talk.
Should’ve yanked him after 2 last game. Knoblauch has no sense of when to pull a goalie. Not only would they have won if Pickard starts – but if he had started
the 2nd, they also win.
K.K doesn’t pull netminders. This may be his only gig as a head coach he will get fired if we lose to L.A. What’s the reasoning of not starting Pickard? I don’t give a shit who starts in game 3 we need a split and Pickard is our best option tonight. Anyone that hasn’t been drinking the heavens gate kool-aid knows Pickard deserves this opportunity tonight to get us level with these pricks.
You’d think Kuemper didn’t just let in 5 goals during the game on less shots the way you talk.
How many off his shoulder and pushed into his own net, or where he stares into the abyss and can’t see the puck?
The quality of GAs were completely different.
Kuemper (arguably) let in more weak goals than Skinner.
The McDavid goal was a very bad goal on the goalie.
You’d think Kuemper didn’t just let in 5 goals during the game on less shots the way you talk.
Their SV% were the same .800. Not good.
That is factually incorrect.
You cannot guarantee anything that happens on the ice tonight.
I think the Kane addition will be beneficial but the most important line-up decision is who starts in net? How bad does coach K.K want his job? Without Pickard steady eddy goaltending we might not have even have made the playoffs. Is Pickard the answer I’ll take my chances on him at the moment. Skinner has lost the plot we can’t afford to be down 1-0 after 3 minutes on some weakass wrap-around goal.
I think it’s more, how bad do the players want to win the cup.
It looked to me like they want to win the Cup -in period three. That’s the team I trust will show up – in periods 1, 2, 3 tonight.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to Pickard getting the start (even though I think it should still be Skinner, and it appears to be), but Pickard doesn’t exactly provide “steady eddy goaltending.” He has been more consistently good than Skinner, but he’s had his share of stinkers too. In his 31GS, he had 6 games of 4 or more goals against and was pulled in 2 of them; that’s 19.4% (approx. 1 game out of every 5) of games giving up 4 or more. In his 50GS, Skinner had 14 games of 4 or more and was pulled in 2 go them with a 3rd due to concussion protocol (in which he may have ended up being pulled anyway); that’s 28.0% (1.4 games out of every 5). I know these numbers don’t paint the whole picture, but they start to give the idea that they both had struggles this season. Pickard has been everything you want in a backup except for being the push of a young, upcoming talent.
The Oilers are notorious for starting a series slowly. In the 2019-20 Qualifying Round vs Chicago, Game 1 was a loss. In the 2020-21 first round vs. Winnipeg, Game 1 was a loss. In the 2021-22 first round vs. LA, Game 1 was a loss. In Round 2, Game 1 vs. Calgary was a loss, and in the Conference Finals vs. Colorado, Game 1 was a loss. In 2022-23 first round vs. LA, Game 1 was a loss and Game 1 of Round 2 vs. Vegas was a loss. In the 2023-24 Round 1 vs. LA, Game 1 was a win. In Round 2, Game 1 vs. Vancouver was a loss, Game 1 of the Conference Finals vs. Dallas was a win, and Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals vs. Florida was a loss. That’s a 2-9 record in the first game of a series over the past 5 playoffs. In those 11 games, the Oilers gave up 55 goals and scored 41 for GAA of 5.00 vs. a GFA of 3.73. It’s almost like it was predetermined that the Oilers would give up a lot of goals and lose by at least 1.
These words should be plastered on the walls of the office building where the Oilers front office is based out of …
I’d add in Klingberg or Dineen for Brown.
I’m not sure what I’d do about goaltending, I’m ok with either decision. The problem is if Pickard goes in and has a bad game it’ll feel insurmountable but think that overall he’s been the more consistent and slightly better goalie on the year.
I’d wait one more game to insert Kane unless it’s Frederic coming out because he isn’t healthy enough. The lines were starting to go in the third period and I’m not convinced Kane is a better bet than Jeff Skinner tonight.
One more game to make adjustments, then back at home with last change. Already making one change on D and will probably be shuffling the lines, this team has had too much instability already.
I think Kane’s return would be inspirational to his teammates. Was Skinner really any better than Frederic and which player is more suited for a rugged playoff series? They want a split in LA, everything is on the line tonight.
I’d start Kane over Frederic. I doubt Frederic is or will be healthy. Kane probably is, he just needs to get back up to speed.
Good TSN article on O’Reilly and London’s Memorial Cup chase.
Glad to see he’s at 2 PPG these playoffs. His regular season did not deliver the bump in points that we were promised when he was drafted as a reach pick. (Hmm…nor did Mitch Moroz, also drafted at #32.)
I think he led the OHL in plus/minus…….
Third, behind teammate Dickinson and Protas from Windsor.
But yes, a +56 is nothing to sneeze at.
Well we can say this about kane and know for sure, he won’t be nearly as bad as the last 2 series from last seasons playoffs. He could barely move out there. Full respect for the warrior he was last season for playing up until the point he couldn’t skate and likely worsened everything!
He may be rusty but he will be better skating than then and will still bring that on ice intimidation factor.
Fred is hurt still but kudos for trying and helping janny finally score.
I mean, maybe, but it’s far from a certainty. He hasn’t played a hockey game in what, 11 months? Who knows where his conditioning at, and another year older as well …
nope he hasn’t so I hear you BUT he is healthier than the end of the playoffs by far likely so I will take some rust instead of a gimp out there who is 3 plays behind. Hopefully he is at a point where no aggravation occurs. I think he may surprise us in a good way… Time will tell.
Insert Kane and change some energy.
Insert Klingberg and have a 6D they can play 10-12 minutes – there will be wobble but there will also be positive puck moving.
Get the damn split and let’s go home.
I like this! and your attitude. haha
Thumbs up to that.
I would like to see Kane in Frederic out. Alternate them until they shake of the rust. Even when they’re both back and healthy, LEAVE JEFF SKINNER ALONE!
I find it astounding that the coach can’t separate his obvious personal bias from how he handles the skilled 13-year veteran forward. The reaction I’ve read to this has been almost universal headshaking from us “non-professional coaches and managers”. I have a pretty strong feeling that we’re witnessing a wisdom of the masses scenario play out in real time.
This^. Frederic is clearly not 100% so going with a platoon of Kane/Frederic while they shake off the rust/nurse their injuries probably helps the team more than taking a guy who has been healthy all year and scored 16 goals out of the lineup.
I doubt we “masses” have much wisdom.
However, I like your idea of alternating returning injured players, Kane & Fred… and keeping Skinner in.
Except Kane isn’t injured – he’s clearly not going to be in “mid-season form” game shape wise but he won’t be battling injury in the nature the Frederic likely is.
Unless Kane’s fitness level isn’t up to snuff (which is highly unlikely), I don’t think he needs games off, he needs games.
It’s fair to say that both coaches and old bloggers are being stubborn about Jeff Skinner.
Jeff Skinner is a turnover machine who loses battles with alarming frequency.
He’s frequently bullied off pucks. While he is somewhat adept at maintaining possession in both neutral and offensive zones, his work along the wall is very weak. If he was strong on the penalty kill, it would be easier to justify a spot. But if he can’t reliably fill a top six role, there are just simply better options.
The guy was on bad teams, yes, and his playoff drought is not on his shoulders. It is a team sport. However, he’s been a very significant piece of all these teams that failed to make playoffs, and after watching him for a season, I feel more balanced in my assessment. I fully acknowledge his performance in limited minutes with respect to point generation. His performance is quite solid, but it is a 200-foot game, and he is not a 200-foot player.
Brady Tkachuk was useless in his first playoff game so they should’ve sat him too? Experience matters no matter your age. Skinner can make a difference in the hardest part of the game, goals.
He got his welcome to the playoffs moment and got beat on the wall while getting his stick slashed. Otherwise he helped provide the only semblance of secondary scoring in that game. 97 did the rest.
I am being stubborn on him because it seems alot of newbies are getting grace while he isn’t. His regular season 2 way game had really come along by the end and now he has to ratchet it up again. Just like many other on the team. What did Podz do out there with more TOI than Skinner? Brown? I think there are better options to sit.
Thanks for the reply!
I agree somewhat that other newbies are getting grace, while Jeff is not.
What Podkolzin does is play a responsible game and support one of the best players in the world with puck retrievals, and he hits hard. Pods’ stat line was all 0s, with 1 shot and 4 hits. JSkin found an assist, still wound up a dash 2, albeit while dishing out 5 hits. Pods played 5 more seconds. Brown? Well… Yes, no disputing that. What’s going on there? My word. Not sure he’s getting grace. Freddy and Walman are, but their spots are not in jeopardy and so it’s less of a talking point.
The coach (all coaches) are allergic to Skinner’s risk. In playoffs in particular, it’s very difficult to roll the dice. I will lean a little bit on that Skinner can make a difference in the hardest part of the game (scoring) and that he has experience. He does historically score in the regular season. But he does not have playoff experience.
The goal is a solid example of playoffs as a different beast. The primary assist and the goal itself came from Frederic and Janmark, respectively, both who attacked the blue paint. Janmark scored two goals all year, neither of them on a goalie. Yet in the first playoff game, he scores a very big goal. I’m optimistic for it, and am a genuine fan, but I don’t see Skinner scoring goals like he did vs. Seattle, where he’s stone-alone in the slot and gets to rip it top corner. The perimeter and the red-zone are now closed. Especially against LA!
Skins did, at times, find success attacking the net this year. With the perimeter closed, poor ability on the wall, weakness in his own zone, “maybe” capability to attack the net, we’re left with a paradox. Arvy, by contrast, is much better along the wall, tighter defensively (good outs), attacks the blue, has a fast one-tee to possibly score from distance, is feisty, and so isn’t considered as risky.
Both of Kane & Frederic are experienced players with more playoff experience than Jeff Skinner. Podz & Brown are penalty killers so naturally they would get more TOI especially with all the penalties called against Edmonton deserved or not. Plus, Skinner isn’t on the #1 PP.
It was 4-0 kings and Jeff was minus 3 ..Kane is bigger and faster and is not afraid to go to the net .Edmonton needs more of that .We don’t have enough people that go to the net front and haven’t since we let all our 6 ft 2-3 inch 200 hundred pounders leave last summer. Kane over Skinner all day long when playing LA
Who are the “Simply better options” in the Top 6? If 97 and 29 are your centers, your top 6 non-Skinner wingers are Hyman, Podkolzin, Arvidsson, and Brown? Skinner is a better player right now than two, arguably 3, of those players.
He’s really worked on his game and has been a much more reliable player in his own end. He isn’t a Selke finalist, but he’s solid enough and he’s arguably one of the most skilled players on the roster.
You need to score goals to win games, and the Oilers need players who aren’t 97 and 29 to chip in. Even on a 3L with Kane/Frederic and Nuge, he still offers value
I’m not a big “4 lines” guy, because in actual game states it’s very rarely that static.
The top 6 includes all options available in the bottom six, with exceptions.
What is somewhat static in the top 6 are the two centremen – but even Drai often goes W:
C
Connor
Leon
W
Hyman, Pods, Arvy, CBrown, Nuge, Rico, Perry, Freddy, Skinner
Janmark omitted because, well, he doesn’t get lifted much these days.
When Connor and Leon go together, we elevate a winger, and then the next-up line is either Nuge or Rico at C with best available wingers, or a line with a specific task (force an o-zone start, energy cycle). If there’s a TV time-out and good zone position, we even see one of the big two out with fresh wingers.
For a 200ft game, as explained, there are many better options in playoff hockey. I understand the pro-Skinner camp. But coach isn’t sold, neither am I. And I don’t see the players as being so, either.
We’ve often heard that Drai wants to play with Pods and requests such. If Skinner was in demand by his team-mates, the coach could be more enticed accommodate that. This is a big reason why Pods is in the top 6, and Knobbers has said such multiple times. We don’t hear that, or really see it, for Jeff Skinner. We do hear coach being transparent about his struggles. That’s a lot in the “no thanks, Jeff” camp.
This is also in response to OP Al’s feelin’:
Drai’s presser before playoffs had him, unprompted, say that he’s played well with Kane and is looking forward to it, when asked generally about lines. As Al said, if Kane is skating, if he can hit, that’s music to Drai’s ears. Same reason he likes Pods – truculence, above average defense, more space for him, and more attitude for the line. If Kane can score, well, oh baby, let’s go, it’s not even a conversation.
Sitting him to see if Kane can help, now, is just safer business.
It isn’t just coach. It’s the eyes, the numbers. Skinner plays soft hockey. It’s war time.
I think Kane has more playoff goals than Skinner.
Hyman, C Brown, Podkolzin, Arvidsson, Kane, Frederic, Janmark & Perry all offer more value in a playoff series against LA Kings at this time.
Considering Jeff Skinner averaged .56 giveaways per game (41 total) all season, you’d be a long way off of “give away machine”. He literally had more hits than giveaways, 45.
He was +1 on the season, I know +/- is a weak stat but climbing back after where he started on the season is pretty impressive.
He had 5 hits last game, in 11:12 ice time, with 0 giveaways.
Maybe you’re the stubborn one who can’t look at this objectively. Skinner has played well for the Oilers since the new year, he has 16 5v5 goals, all of the ones he’s had this season.
Is he Barkov? Of course not, but is he materially hurting or helping the Oilers? He’s helping. When your team is struggling to score goals, you don’t take the goal scorer out of the line up.
You’re spicy and coming at me, so I’m going to push back.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/giveaways-vs-turnovers-find-value-unreliable-stat/
He may be credited with relatively few giveaways, and that’s fair. But there is no stat that demonstrates lost battles with any clarity. Every time he loses board positioning, gets out-muscled, or similar, this is not counted as a giveaway. Yet, for all intents and purposes, possession has been given away to the other team.
This is why I referred to him as a turn over machine, not giveaways as quoted. Giveaways, as a stat, is a very poor way to determine how a player influences possession. Turnovers are not recorded with any success.
NHL’s advanced stats aren’t nice to Jeff, either:
https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/8475784
As an offensive specialist, he’s 5% above league average for time in the D-zone and 3% below league average for time in the O-zone. Per Money Puck, he starts only 7% of his shifts in the D-zone. That’s a massive red flag.
Jeff Skinner DID lost battles during game 1 – he did not have a good game.
I would suggest that, prior to that game, since January 1, Skinner’s battle level has been just fine and his game very responsible.
He did lead the Oilers in goal share in 2025 at near 70%.
I imagine if the Oilers lose to the Kings Bowman gets a coach with urgency, a la, Coach Q.
Laviolette still owes us a Cup.
Hard to the net!
If Kane, and team can do that, great! If not, go 11/7 after he breaks Byfield’s face… sticks up boys!
Sorry LT, probably not the message you were sending today…
Smashing Byfield’s face probably gets a penalty. Are you sure giving the Kings a power play is wise?
Wise as a fox
Byfield punching Connor in the face didn’t, so why not?
It won’t work. Honest. I understand the sentiment, but losing a series and winning the ‘moar big’ war is a bad way to go. Better to do what Corey Perry does, subtle, sneaky and effective agitation.
Old age and treachery wins (almost) every time.
THIS is the wisdom of the fox. Or, perhaps, the Worm.
You don’t win cups by punching faces and injuring the opposition – at least not since ’75….
I am unsure. Kings have always been nastier and we have always won.
However, more power plays in general is good for the oilers, and more shenanigans will mean more powerplays on both sides (I think).
We had 5 penalties they had 2 (refs invited to a party with some B actors after the game) you might as well get your moneys worth
Lost 150 game one double or nothing tonight let’s go boys
That’s the spirit I’m still living off the coin I made in the eighties off of fishes like H.H.
I have correctly picked the Stanley Cup winner 3 of the past 4 seasons.
It has been lucrative.
I wonder if Frederic comes out and Kane goes in.
Freddy made a nice play on Janmark’s goal.
Skinner was OK, but his little side shuffles get him in trouble in the neutral zone. He needs to skate in straight lines and get pucks behind the defence.
This is why he makes so much sense on McDavid’s wing.
Frederic looked slow out there to me. I haven’t seen enough of him to know if that is from the injury, or is skating not one of his strengths
Agreed he was in molasses early. Strong forechecker not like Hyman or Foegele but he’s not slow. More Tkachuk-like movement imo. That high ankle is definitely slowing him down.