2024 Semifinal Game 2: Oilers at Stars

Ziggy watched Game 1 with some concern, and feels the Oilers should cut down on the mistakes. She does think the team is good enough to outscore the errors, but also believes a two-pronged attack of “outscore” and “don’t let them score” is the best plan of action. She was also about to say something about injuries, but a bird flew by and she took off like a bat out of hell. Ziggy, who has been with us for well over a decade, has never caught a bird nor a rabbit. She’s the Switzerland of dogs.

Do you think the Oilers can win tonight?

Yes. If the team plays the same style as Game 1, it’s possible. We know the Stars will bring more in this game, and Roope Hintz could play (likely to play) in a game that’s more important to Dallas because of the opening loss. However, the Oilers have ironed most of the unforced errors out of their game, and don’t wobble when bad things happen. This team has the look of a mature club ready to win. In my opinion.

Should Kris Knoblauch insert Adam Henrique and toy with a winning lineup?

Henrique’s skill set is appreciably more than the player he’d replace, so yes. There are thousands of traditional worries that get mentioned this time of year, but logic and reason should win the day. I see Henrique as another Nuge, a player with great utility who can play up and down the line.

Holland screwed up at the deadline.

I didn’t agree at the time and don’t agree now. Henrique is a strong addition to this team, injury aside. Sam Carrick hasn’t played much but is useful and I think he’s earned the starts he is getting currently. I know it’s popular to hammer the GM, and there are things on his resume that stand out in the extreme negative, but since Brad Holland arrived (Zach Hyman and everything after) it’s my belief the team has delivered impressive procurement results.

What proof do you have?

The Oilers are up 1-0 in the conference finals.

Because of McDavid and Draisiatl and Bouchard. All of those players were already Oilers before Holland arrived.

I’ll list Hyman, Henrique, Mattias Ekholm, Evander Kane, Cody Ceci, Brett Kulak, Corey Perry and there are others. Holland’s style is not my preferred approach, but that’s kind of the fun of it. I would have had Evan Bouchard in the lineup as a regular long before he got the chance. I would have stayed the course with Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones. I was all-in on Kailer Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi.

Is this your resume? Because it sucks.

No, it’s a list of my past bets that didn’t work out. Holland’s trade for Duncan Keith cost way too much, Edmonton should have received a first-round pick in order to establish value. Trading for, then walking, Andreas Athanasiou, looks terrible although it was the right thing to do (walking him) due to the salary cap stagnating because of the pandemic. The Zack Kassian contract, signed just before the pandemic, was also unwise in any situation. Those things are true.

So you agree, Holland should have been fired long ago.

It’s also true that he acquired Hyman, Ekholm and others. The entire resume must be viewed, good and bad. I think that’s fair.

What exactly are you saying?

I’m saying that Brad Holland’s arrival coincided with an uptick in procurement on the pro side. I’m saying that Jeff Jackson’s arrival signaled a more aggressive (firing Jay Woodcroft, sending Jack Campbell to Bakersfield Condors) approach to roster fixes.

What exactly are you saying?

Evaluating Holland’s run in Edmonton will be easy if the Oilers don’t win a Stanley this spring. It will represent another GM who didn’t get it done with ‘gut feel’ and represent a clear indication that the team needs badly to modernize hockey ops.

And so?

And so, I think, based on recent events, they’re already there.