GDT: WCSF | IV | "Make It So" | Oilers vs. Canucks | 4.14.24 | 7:30PM | SN/CBC

[joestevens29]

See this perplexes me. I'm an outlier here, but I would not split them up. Drai is not that great 5 vs 5 on his own line. Combine this with his injury and it's a mess waiting to happen.

The Oilers completely dominated the game after the 1st period and I really don't see the need to over react switch things up. How many posts did we hit? With better goaltending it's 5-1 Oilers.

Also it did work playing them together in the regular season. Isn't the record the same or slightly better?

Ever since his "injury" the guy has been a damn beast. He looks faster and seems to be making an impact every shift.

I think they have no choice, but to split them up. No one else is going other than that first line. Can only play those guys 27+ minutes a night so long.

Not like they can't switch back at some point, but for this team to be successful we need more guys going and splitting them should help that.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Skinner was beyond brutal. He must not have played any baseball growing up because his glove hand is very slow to react and it sucks. His lateral movement side to side is terrible. That one that Zadorov scored over his shoulder was a series killer so far. They cant go in. Skinner has let in @ 5 very weak goals this playoffs. He cant make that big stop when we need it, never

I don’t really agree with that assessment of Skinner.

He actually has a pretty reasonable ability to make crazy saves. You even look at last game and he had 5 or 6 very good to excellent saves.

Then you have the high danger opportunities that most great goalies make a save on. He never stops these. This is where the “make a save” narrative checks in.

Then you have what I call medium danger. Boeser’s clean shot and Miller’s PP goal are great examples. Clean looks with good shooters. He makes a save maybe 60% of the time here. Which isn’t good enough.

Then you get low danger. Zadorov’s goal is a good example. They’re back breakers. Skinner probably stops 95% of these but even 5% going in isn’t good enough. This is where people get pissed and rightfully so.

So I don’t think the inability to make big saves is killing him, but the fair chance of a softie going in absolutely is.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

To be fair they are starting on different lines.

That McDavid/Drai combo is sooo tempting to go back to. We shall see if Knoblauch can resist temptation.

Strudwick makes a very good point in the video I posted as well. The Oilers had 5 players who played under 10 minutes in the last game. They might as well not play at all.
By putting everything on McDavid and Draisaitl Knolauch is basically trying to win a series without properly utilizing 1/4 of the roster.
It wont work long term.

Why can't we play Mcdavid and Drai together and slash the minutes? They dominated every shift out there last game.

Drai is hurt. Looks slow and not right. I think him on his own line is going to be a bit of a mess

 

[joestevens29]

I don’t really agree with that assessment of Skinner.

He actually has a pretty reasonable ability to make crazy saves. You even look at last game and he had 5 or 6 very good to excellent saves.

Then you have the high danger opportunities that most great goalies make a save on. He never stops these. This is where the “make a save” narrative checks in.

Then you have what I call medium danger. Boeser’s clean shot and Miller’s PP goal are great examples. Clean looks with good shooters. He makes a save maybe 60% of the time here. Which isn’t good enough.

Then you get low danger. Zadorov’s goal is a good example. They’re back breakers. Skinner probably stops 95% of these but even 5% going in isn’t good enough. This is where people get pissed and rightfully so.

So I don’t think the inability to make big saves is killing him, but the fair chance of a softie going in absolutely is.

Honestly, it's the NHL you can't give many guys the looks that this team does at times.

 

[K1984]

I got a funny Ken Dryden story for ya. I was at a preseason game in Halifax in 1978 at the new Metro Center between Habs and Hawks. Bobby Orr was in lineup . We were in the lower bowl and I went down close to the glass. You could say anything you wanted back then at the players and never got thrown out. Anyway, the Habs took the ice for warmup and Dryden lead them out on the ice. 2 fellas were right behind me and yell out " fuk Off Dryden, you french fuking fa_ (slang word for gay)" . You could hear them all thru the rink. Dryden looks up, shoots a dirty look and says " I am not French" and laughs

Very jealous of those from an era prior to mine that got to see these legends in person. My Dad was at the 1979 WHA All Star Game when Gretzky and Howe played on the same line. He was also in the house for the 50 in 39 game and the '88 Cup. I'd kill to step into a Time Machine and see any of those events.

Whenever I see today's great players live I really try and absorb it, because one day I'd like to tell some cool stories myself.

 

[guymez]

Wrong thread.

 

[McShogun99]

I defended Skinner last game. I was wrong

It's not like he let in any bad goals last game but you still have to make a save when the team makes a mistake in front of you. It's almost a guarantee that a high danger chance goes in against Skinner. Game 1 and 2 he was just so bad that I'm surprised he didn't get pulled after the 3rd goal of each game.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Why can't we play Mcdavid and Drai together and slash the minutes? They dominated every shift out there last game.

Drai is hurt. Looks slow and not right. I think him on his own line is going to be a bit of a mess

If you play McDavid and Draisaitl together and slash the minutes you might as well start the offseason tonight.

Them playing apart makes them wayyyyy more defensively responsible firstly. It also makes them more decisive since they can’t just defer to each other.

Also it’s the whole idea of lifting up your linemates. If you play McDrai you’re gonna get a crazy line with lots of offensive opportunities. By playing them apart, the lineup as a whole is better but you nerf both of them a bit.

How do you think Foegele got 41 points this year?

 

[bone]

It's not like he let in any bad goals last game but you still have to make a save when the team makes a mistake in front of you. It's almost a guarantee that a high danger chance goes in against Skinner. Game 1 and 2 he was just so bad that I'm surprised he didn't get pulled after the 3rd goal of each game.

It's not just the high dangers, really.

 

[VainGretzky]

@McDNicks17 Told you Pickard was starting

 

[K1984]

It's not like he let in any bad goals last game but you still have to make a save when the team makes a mistake in front of you. It's almost a guarantee that a high danger chance goes in against Skinner. Game 1 and 2 he was just so bad that I'm surprised he didn't get pulled after the 3rd goal of each game.

The 4th goal was absolutely dreadful. The other three can be categorized as "would have been nice to get one save there out of the three, but not THAT bad," but the 4th was terrible and absolutely crippling late in the period.

There is no reason for a goalie to ever get up on his feet out of the butterfly when the puck is in a scramble position in front of you. I think Skinner might have actually survived to see this game had he not let that goal in because 2 of the other three could be chalked up to defensive incompetence, but that one was so bad it left the coaches no choice. To dominate a team for a whole period, and then have your goalie give up that..... just can't happen.

 

[joestevens29]

If you play McDavid and Draisaitl together and slash the minutes you might as well start the offseason tonight.

Them playing apart makes them wayyyyy more defensively responsible firstly. It also makes them more decisive since they can’t just defer to each other.

Also it’s the whole idea of lifting up your linemates. If you play McDrai you’re gonna get a crazy line with lots of offensive opportunities. By playing them apart, the lineup as a whole is better but you nerf both of them a bit.

How do you think Foegele got 41 points this year?

It's not like you still can't play them together, but for the most part you have to hope the others do better with them split.

Throw them out late in a period for a shift, throw them out at the end of a PK etc...

Edit: And not to make up excuses for Nurse and Ceci, but given how the forward group was playing if you can get more things going from multiple lines that should help the defense as well.

 

[Pavel10]

Teams never trade 100 point players unless they’re forced to.

Retaining him was the right decision.

Hindsight is 20/20. I’m sure any GM would entertain trading him if they knew what this year’s campaign entailed.



I’m pretty sure that’s because both DeSmith and Demko were injured.

Leafs will be trading a 100pts player that does nothing in playoffs this year.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Honestly, it's the NHL you can't give many guys the looks that this team does at times.

Absolutely true too.

if this team played about 5 or 10 percent better defence and Skinner saved 5 percent more shots, this team would be a lot better off.

 

[VainGretzky]

Leafs will be trading a 100pts player that does nothing in playoffs this year.

Matthews and Marner do nothing so which one

 

[Oilers in NS]

Very jealous of those from an era prior to mine that got to see these legends in person. My Dad was at the 1979 WHA All Star Game when Gretzky and Howe played on the same line. He was also in the house for the 50 in 39 game and the '88 Cup. I'd kill to step into a Time Machine and see any of those events.

Whenever I see today's great players live I really try and absorb it, because one day I'd like to tell some cool stories myself.

got Stan Makitas autograph that game

I met Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, and Eddie Shack at Fogg N Suds in Port Coquitlam early 90s. Of course, I lost autographs. Gordie had bricks for hands. Eddie was funny as fuk and Bobby Orr was an absolute perfect gentleman

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Leafs will be trading a 100pts player that does nothing in playoffs this year.

Marner is also up for a contract and the Leafs have also committed 24 million to Matthews and Nylander. He’s also a RW that doesn’t PK.

Completely different situation from Nuge and his 5.125…

 

[guymez]

Why can't we play Mcdavid and Drai together and slash the minutes? They dominated every shift out there last game.

Drai is hurt. Looks slow and not right. I think him on his own line is going to be a bit of a mess

I just think that the team is more engaged overall if Drai and Connor play on seprate lines.
Maybe one of the reasons why the depth isnt doing much of anything is because they arent getting enough ice time to be effective.
Maybe play RNH at center just on the face off although Drai took most of the draws last game.

 

[Oilers in NS]

I mean he's still a pretty good bargain and I don't think anyone expecting him to replicate last year's numbers.

Even these playoffs offensively he has okay numbers. The problem is his lack of intensity and stepping up to seize the moment.

He wanted to be here after going through a long struggle with some of the teams we had earlier in his career. As a vet he needs to show more and elevate his game.


I mean I get where the fellas were coming from. Everyone just assumed you were french if you played for the Habs back in the day.

Everyone hated the Habs back then.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

What’s wild is the Canucks weren’t scoring a ton of goals in the 2nd half of the season and in the first round against the Preds..yet they have 5, 3 and 4 goals in three games this series

goaltending and defensive play needs to be much better

 

[McDNicks17]

@McDNicks17 Told you Pickard was starting

It's a miracle!

 

[K1984]

I just think that the team is more engaged overall if Drai and Connor play on seprate lines.
Maybe one of the reasons why the depth isnt doing much of anything is because they arent getting enough ice time to be effective.
Maybe play RNH at center just on the face off although Drai took most of the draws last game.

I have a feeling that Leon is actually not all that injured or possibly even not injured at all, but they're just playing it up like he is.

Since the third period of Game 1 he hasn't shown any sign of physical issue, at least to my eye.

 

[joestevens29]

Absolutely true too.

if this team played about 5 or 10 percent better defence and Skinner saved 5 percent more shots, this team would be a lot better off.

What makes guys only score 10 goals and not 20 is that they can't make the quick plays. But you give most NHLer time to think and put a full effort in and they all can pick corners.

I saw what Sean Brown and a Dave Babych can do in beer league type hockey. Guys that aren't known for goal scoring, but sure were money at picking corners when giving time.

 

[Little Fury]

This may sound harsh but I think every Canucks fan should [redacted]

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

It's stunning to me how people look at things like this as if it's a board game and there is no human/team element to the decision. It's completely asinine, this isn't a video game where you can shuffle players around and have it just work.

Playing Campbell isn't realistic in any sense anyways because the series would effectively be over by the time he got a chance. If Pickard crumbles tonight you can bet your house that Skinner is getting the chance to rectify whatever the hell has happened in Game 5. If he shits the bed there too we're done. Campbell isn't playing even if we want him to.

Campbell isn't playing because the organization is done with him. If Pickard completely fails or gets hurt and Skinner fails again, Rodrigues is absolutely in the table to play