Podcast (Audio) 2024 Playoff Blog, Video and Podcast Thread

[guymez]

Moose droppings:

Tough to argue with anything Messier said.
Also...the lack of an answer on what happened to McDavid to end the game is really concerning.

Last year a non hockey play (slash on Draisaitl) had this team put their tail between their legs.
Virtually no repsonse at all.
It will be interesitng to see the reaction from the team in this game after those viscious shots on McDavid.

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Tough to argue with anything Messier said.
Also...the lack of an answer on what happened to McDavid to end the game is really concerning.

Last year a non hockey play (slash on Draisaitl) had this team put their tail between their legs.
Virtually no repsonse at all.
It will be interesitng to see the reaction from the team in this game after those viscious shots on McDavid.

Last time something happened Nurse got a suspension and the NHL decided to "even it up" (laughable really). I'd rather win the suspension score.

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

Tough to argue with anything Messier said.
Also...the lack of an answer on what happened to McDavid to end the game is really concerning.

Last year a non hockey play (slash on Draisaitl) had this team put their tail between their legs.
Virtually no repsonse at all.
It will be interesitng to see the reaction from the team in this game after those viscious shots on McDavid.

This is not a tough team it’s a finesse team . They needed to add toughness the last few seasons but really haven’t… it’s how the team is constructed

 

[guymez]

Last time something happened Nurse got a suspension and the NHL decided to "even it up" (laughable really). I'd rather win the suspension score.

Yeah for sure.
I am not suggesting anything dirty but the team has to play Vancouvers stars even tougher.
Zadorov also needs to take some punishment.

The Oilers are very close to being bullied in this series by a bigger tougher team.
For the 2nd year in a row.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Yeah for sure.
I am not suggesting anything dirty but the team has to play Vancouvers stars even tougher.
Zadorov also needs to take some punishment.

The Oilers are very close to being bullied in this series by a bigger tougher team.
For the 2nd year in a row.

I don't think last year's team was bullied at all. They had functional toughness with Kostin to play hard and greasy. He gave them a response mechanism. Bjugstad is not a fighter but another huge human being with positional versatility in the bottom nice.

This year's team is big and has played hard, physical hockey but inconsistently within the Canucks series. Whereas Tocchet has his squad dialed in to start on time and, in an enemy building in a prospective series momentum changer game, they went hard physically and aggressively at the Oilers from puck drop. Oil lost the first period and chased the game all night. They have to find their harder game and respond immediately at puck drop. This is the exact playoff situation in which hard edge players like Kostin, Kassian and Torres add value.

Pound their top finesse guys. Don't run around and waste focus and energy on a third pair d-man.

 

[guymez]

I don't think last year's team was bullied at all. They had functional toughness with Kostin to play hard and greasy. He gave them a response mechanism. Bjugstad is not a fighter but another huge human being with positional versatility in the bottom nice.

This year's team is big and has played hard, physical hockey but inconsistently within the Canucks series. Whereas Tocchet has his squad dialed in to start on time and, in an enemy building in a prospective series momentum changer game, they went hard physically and aggressively at the Oilers from puck drop. Oil lost the first period and chased the game all night. They have to find their harder game and respond immediately at puck drop. This is the exact playoff situation in which hard edge players like Kostin, Kassian and Torres add value.

Pound their top finesse guys. Don't run around and waste focus and energy on a third pair d-man.

I agree with you about the Vancouver series but it was clear to me that the slash on Draisaitl played a pivitol role in the series against Vegas.
It was like that slash broke their will.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I agree with you about the Vancouver series but it was clear to me that the slash on Draisaitl played a pivitol role in the series against Vegas.
It was like that slash broke their will.

Naw. Nurse's dumbness to get suspended chasing hurt feelings hurt a clear advantage. Same issue of low EV scoring, out coaching including enabling a massive outscoring situation of Line 2, poor discipline and mistakes, and mediocre goaltending. All contributory to a missed opportunity within a saw-off series.

 

[guymez]

Naw. Nurse's dumbness to get suspended chasing hurt feelings hurt a clear advantage. Same issue of low EV scoring, out coaching including enabling a massive outscoring situation of Line 2, poor discipline and mistakes, and mediocre goaltending. All contributory to a missed opportunity within a saw-off series.

Yeah...thats fair.
There were a lot of reasons and you and I went back and forth on the coaching issues already.

In terms of this year though, aside from the coaching, are there any clear cut areas of improvement?
Is the depth better? I dont think so.
Is the goaltending better. Nope.
Is the team making less mistakes especially in terms of puck management? Nope.
Is the scoring distribution at 5x5 better. Nope.

I am trying to find areas of improvement (just based on the playoffs so far) and its not clear to me that there are any.

 

[guymez]

@Oilhawks
Let me just emphasize what Messier said in the above interview.
The playoffs reveal teams and this playoffs is starting to reveal this teams weaknesses.
Its frustrating as hell to witness because they appear to be (at least to this point anyway) the same weaknesses from last year and the year before.

 

[Oilhawks]

@Oilhawks
Let me just emphasize what Messier said in the above interview.
The playoffs reveal teams and this playoffs is starting to reveal this teams weaknesses.
Its frustrating as hell to witness because they appear to be (at least to this point anyway) the same weaknesses from last year and the year before.

Messier is also quite distanced from the org at this point so would suggest he is talking things up for effect.

The biggest weakness is goaltending, and it’s had an impact on the rest of the team’s game.

 

[guymez]

Messier is also quite distanced from the org at this point so would suggest he is talking things up for effect.

The biggest weakness is goaltending, and it’s had an impact on the rest of the team’s game.

Goaltending has been an issue but when the team has to play Connor and Leon 30 minutes a game to carry the team that is a major problem.

 

[Oilhawks]

Goaltending has been an issue but when the team has to play Connor and Leon 30 minutes a game to carry the team that is a major problem.

Goaltending being dogshit is the reason they have to play Leon and Connor 30 minutes a night. They need to push the best 5 man unit they can to try to outscore the opposition. I think the ones buying into the "Canucks better" narrative are totally dismissing the psychological aspects of the game. This isn't a video game, having a headcase goaltender behind you completely throws you off your game

Statistically the Oilers have outplayed the Canucks 2 out of 3 games. And the one that they didn't (Game 1), the goaltender couldn't stop a beach ball in the third period. Reverse that for game 3 where the rookie goalie was able to keep it to that one final goal against at 6 on 5.

If the coach refuses to play the other depth options because he doesn't trust them, that's up to him. The options are there. And there is at least one defenseman that he should not be trusting and has an option to replace. There is at least 2-3 forwards that are being iced that he should not be trusting and has options to replace them

 

[guymez]

Goaltending being dogshit is the reason they have to play Leon and Connor 30 minutes a night. They need to push the best 5 man unit they can to try to outscore the opposition. I think the ones buying into the "Canucks better" narrative are totally dismissing the psychological aspects of the game. This isn't a video game, having a headcase goaltender behind you completely throws you off your game

Statistically the Oilers have outplayed the Canucks 2 out of 3 games. And the one that they didn't (Game 1), the goaltender couldn't stop a beach ball in the third period. Reverse that for game 3 where the rookie goalie was able to keep it to that one final goal against at 6 on 5.

If the coach refuses to play the other depth options because he doesn't trust them, that's up to him. The options are there. And there is at least one defenseman that he should not be trusting and has an option to replace. There is at least 2-3 forwards that are being iced that he should not be trusting and has options to replace them

Thats just not true,
Even in game 2 (the game the Oilers won) Knoblauch played Conner and Leon over 27 minutes. So its clear that he is convinced that is what he has to do for this team to win.

If the coach had any confidence in their depth he wouldnt be doing that. Why doesnt he have confidence in the depth...maybe its because the depth isnt that good.
That IMO is a major problem becuase we all know that you dont win in the latyer rounds of the playoffs in this League without depth.

 

[Oilhawks]

Thats just not true,
Even in game 2 (the game the Oilers won) Knoblauch played Conner and Leon over 27 minutes. So its clear that he is convinced that is what he has to do for this team to win.

If the coach had any confidence in their depth he wouldnt be doing that. Why doesnt he have confidence in the depth...maybe its because the depth isnt that good.
That IMO is a major problem becuase we all know that you dont win in the latyer rounds of the playoffs in this League without depth.

Why do you think he had to play them that much? If they had the lead do you think he would have played them that much? They chased the game the whole game because the goalie couldn’t make the stops they needed

Skinner is statistically the worst goalie in the playoffs in the cap era. I don’t understand why some are so quick to deflect blame elsewhere.

The depth on the team hasn’t been good enough, sure. I posit that a good part of that has been them chasing the game two games in a row because they can’t get the lead (the 1-0 lead evaporated quickly on a soft call and soft goal against).

If Knoblauch doesn’t trust the depth why is he so reluctant to take them out?

 

[guymez]

Why do you think he had to play them that much? If they had the lead do you think he would have played them that much? They chased the game the whole game because the goalie couldn’t make the stops they needed

Skinner is statistically the worst goalie in the playoffs in the cap era. I don’t understand why some are so quick to deflect blame elsewhere.

The depth on the team hasn’t been good enough, sure. I posit that a good part of that has been them chasing the game two games in a row because they can’t get the lead (the 1-0 lead evaporated quickly on a soft call and soft goal against).

If Knoblauch doesn’t trust the depth why is he so reluctant to take them out?

Knoblauch played connor and Leon over 27 minutes in game 2 as well. A game that they were not at all in jeopardy of having it get away from them.

My opinion on that is that Knoblauch is playing the odds. He understands that if he has the 2 best players in the world play half the game it gives him the best chance to win.

I am also not deflecting any blame away from Skinner. We had an earlier discussion (and both agreed) about how starting Pickard was the right move for game 4.

This to me isnt just one issue.
The TOI distribution is just as obvious as the goaltending issue.
It just cant continue. Lets say they contine to do this and beat the Canucks. What are they going to do against an even better team in Dallas?
Its just so crystal clear....some depth players have to step up or this team will have a problem even with Pickard in net.

 

[Rpenny]

this video is private?

 

[guymez]

this video is private?

Oh crap...that must have happened after I posted it.
Ill see if I can find an alternative.

 

[Rpenny]

Oh crap...that must have happened after I posted it.
Ill see if I can find an alternative.

you might want to review all your video posts. Some are private and others have been removed by the uploader

 

[guymez]

you might want to review all your video posts. Some are private and others have been removed by the uploader

Yeah I see that.
That certainly wasnt the case when I posted them.

Not much i can do now.
Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[Oilhawks]

Knoblauch played connor and Leon over 27 minutes in game 2 as well. A game that they were not at all in jeopardy of having it get away from them.

My opinion on that is that Knoblauch is playing the odds. He understands that if he has the 2 best players in the world play half the game it gives him the best chance to win.

I am also not deflecting any blame away from Skinner. We had an earlier discussion (and both agreed) about how starting Pickard was the right move for game 4.

This to me isnt just one issue.
The TOI distribution is just as obvious as the goaltending issue.
It just cant continue. Lets say they contine to do this and beat the Canucks. What are they going to do against an even better team in Dallas?
Its just so crystal clear....some depth players have to step up or this team will have a problem even with Pickard in net.

Sorry what? The Oilers didn’t lead that game until they scored the OT winner. The Zadorov softy right before the 2nd period ended could have killed them. They had to come out like a barn on fire and limit the Canucks to 2 or 3 shots or whatever during the third period and OT

I’m not really interested in continuing this discussion if we’re not going to consider the facts, like the Derek Ryan 4 on 4, etc.

Regarding Dallas, I have them winning the Cup, but this is a winnable series

 

[guymez]

Sorry what? The Oilers didn’t lead that game until they scored the OT winner. The Zadorov softy right before the 2nd period ended could have killed them. They had to come out like a barn on fire and limit the Canucks to 2 or 3 shots or whatever during the third period and OT

I’m not really interested in continuing this discussion if we’re not going to consider the facts, like the Derek Ryan 4 on 4, etc.

Regarding Dallas, I have them winning the Cup, but this is a winnable series

That game was never at a point where it was out of reach.
That was my point.

If Knoblauch is going to go nuclear at the drop of a hat then this team is done. If not this round then the next round for sure.

 

[guymez]

Had to lighten the mood a bit. Cool as a cucumber....an NHL goalie in the making?

This is what hockey should be about. A young goalie mic'd up. #love #hockey | By Newfoundland Hockey TalkFacebook

"Ref...is it snack time yet?"

 

[Oilhawks]

That game was never at a point where it was out of reach.
That was my point.

If Knoblauch is going to go nuclear at the drop of a hat then this team is done. If not this round then the next round for sure.

Okay, but they trailed the entire time. It’s logical that their best players would get the most time.

For the record, I don’t like it either but the primary reason for stacking the top unit (McDrai, Hyman, Ekholm and Bouchard) was because they were chasing the game due to soft goaltending

 

[guymez]

Okay, but they trailed the entire time. It’s logical that their best players would get the most time.

For the record, I don’t like it either but the primary reason for stacking the top unit (McDrai, Hyman, Ekholm and Bouchard) was because they were chasing the game due to soft goaltending

If it was primarily about chasing the game then he wouldnt be starting games with them together.

 

[Oilhawks]

If it was primarily about chasing the game then he wouldnt be starting games with them together.

Okay, so he started them together because Leon is playing injured. Does that necessitate that he plays them more minutes because of that, or is it because they are constantly chasing the game due to leaky goaltending?

This is why I said I wanted to agree to disagree, we're debating in circles here and neither of us are going to agree with the other on these points.