Oilers

[sak22]

9 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

i don’t agree…

 

Sure Tkachuk is one pkayer, but are you saying you’d take Tkachuk over Matthews? I go Matthews all the way. 

At this point neither has made it out of the first round, and Matthews will need to get by either Tampa or Florida for that to change this year.  Better player for sure, but so far one that hasn't gotten over the hump despite having a pretty good team around him.

[robrob74]

11 minutes ago, sak22 said:

At this point neither has made it out of the first round, and Matthews will need to get by either Tampa or Florida for that to change this year.  Better player for sure, but so far one that hasn't gotten over the hump despite having a pretty good team around him.

And that’s what makes winning the cup one of the hardest feats in all of sports. 
 

It is easy for us to judge these great players on not winning a cup when in reality only one team every year wins it. 
 

now I think we should be judging on which players come to play. 

[travel_dude]

Oilers needed a PP goal to seal the deal last night.

The new look defensive system allowed 38 shots on goal.

 

Looking forward to the Cali trip.

Kane in SJ.

Should be a hoot.

Big teams against Baby Nuge and the Orange Crush.

[conundrumed]

This is getting super-old. When he drives to the net, it's almost always goalie interference that goes uncalled. Can we talk about that?

https://www.tsn.ca/yost-the-connor-mcdavid-penalty-debate-continues-1.1762725

[travel_dude]

11 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

This is getting super-old. When he drives to the net, it's almost always goalie interference that goes uncalled. Can we talk about that?

https://www.tsn.ca/yost-the-connor-mcdavid-penalty-debate-continues-1.1762725

 

He wants it both ways.  If you obstruct me, I want a penalty.  If I obstruct you, I get a pass.  Gio should never have been allowed to stop his move to the net.  Kneeordano.  He still feels that when the whistles are put away, he should get the only calls going his way.  Finally, some games actually allow for defense.  That is not game management, it's looking at the game.    

[cross16]

I think this speaks more to the issues with NHL officiating and less about McDavid. I see both sides here, I think he gets a way with quite a bit (especially some questionable hits/elbows) but I also agree that he should draw more penalties consistently. 

 

But all he does is highlight that the issue is consistently of NHL officiating and not McDavid himself. 

[sak22]

 

 

Refreshing to see a network that doesn't bow down to a player on an organization that hasn't accomplished anything in the past 15 years.  

[conundrumed]

 

[travel_dude]

33 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

 

 

Gee, you let in 8 goals in 1.25 games.

A sparkliing .429 last game.

4 goals on 14 shots to start this game.

Yeah, it's the young D's faults.

 

So glad we put him in the trash heap where he belongs.

Him and Kane are the MVP's of the team.

 

Most Vile People.

[Heartbreaker]

36 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

... Mike Smith rant...

 

Yeah, I mean, I don't really agree, but I don't know the guy. I can't justify his behaviour, but I always liked Mike Smith because he's a real competitor. I had sincerely hoped after his final season here that they'd give him an office job. I guess he just felt like had more playing days ahead of him, and unfortunately, he signed with the Oilers. He must be frustrated to the max - which doesn't excuse his actions, but I'm not convinced that he's human garbage.

Love.

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, Heartbreaker said:

 

Yeah, I mean, I don't really agree, but I don't know the guy. I can't justify his behaviour, but I always liked Mike Smith because he's a real competitor. I had sincerely hoped after his final season here that they'd give him an office job. I guess he just felt like had more playing days ahead of him, and unfortunately, he signed with the Oilers. He must be frustrated to the max - which doesn't excuse his actions, but I'm not convinced that he's human garbage.

Love.

 

I'm not calling him out as being garbage.

I said trash heap, which is his goaltending.

He plays the puck a lot differently than Markstron, which are the goalies that touch the puck the most.

Smoth goes for the stretch pass or clearing play.

Which is fine, if you want to just give up possession after the touch.

If it connects for a goal, call it a win I guess.

Kinda leaves the D with the impression he doesn't trust them to exit the zone.

 

Can't remember which Fllame said it, but when Smith called out the players on the bench....

Player X said "How about making a FN save".

Agree to disagree.

I wouldn't want him on my team.

[Heartbreaker]

5 hours ago, travel_dude said:

 

I'm not calling him out as being garbage.

I said trash heap, which is his goaltending.

He plays the puck a lot differently than Markstron, which are the goalies that touch the puck the most.

Smoth goes for the stretch pass or clearing play.

Which is fine, if you want to just give up possession after the touch.

If it connects for a goal, call it a win I guess.

Kinda leaves the D with the impression he doesn't trust them to exit the zone.

 

Can't remember which Fllame said it, but when Smith called out the players on the bench....

Player X said "How about making a FN save".

Agree to disagree.

I wouldn't want him on my team.

You could totally be right, but I always got the impression that he loved being a Flame - right from the day that they signed him and he sent out the picture with the whole fam in Flames jerseys. He also brought stability to a position that we hadn't had since 34 (which is not to say that it wasn't an adventure watching him some nights, but you could say the same about R.A. Dickey, and he won the Cy Young). He stole a lot of games for them, he shut out the Ducks at the Honda Center finally putting and end to that effin' streak that we had to hear about every time we played there, and he always seemed engaged, and fully committed to the team. That's a guy that I'd hire, but again, I was never in the room, so I can't say for certain, only that I liked the optics. 

To juxtapose that, I really don't think that he likes being an Oiler. I think he went there because he thought he still had a lot of hockey left to play, which is, perhaps, a mistake that highly competitive individuals have been known to make over the years. You don't realize that it's over, and you play longer than you should. You're a boxer with a pristine record that loses your last seven matches, or you're a band that releases a trail of 5h!tty records so that you can play the music wrote 30 years ago, 30 pounds heavier, to a much older audience and their kids. I sort of see Mike Smith like that, and it's a drag because I'd imagine that it's a real grind for him. It shows in his playing, and it sounds like it's really coming out in his attitude. 

Love.   

[travel_dude]

Maybe he stabilized the position for us.  JJ would probably argue he prevented us from addressing it sooner.

We seemed to be on a roll of sign an over the hill guy who had a good career.

See if it works out.  Surprisingly it did for one season at a time.

But we didn't sign a starter until Markstrom.

 

EDM didn't recognize it sooner, and yet they have had starters and given up on them.

They tried to get Marky and decided to not address it.

Then they went back this summer and completely missed the boat.

$30m and they can't even go after the most important position on the team.

Could have bought out Kostco and had even more.

Could have designed a trade to address it.

Instead, look for less defense and more scoring.

[conundrumed]

8 hours ago, Heartbreaker said:

You could totally be right, but I always got the impression that he loved being a Flame - right from the day that they signed him and he sent out the picture with the whole fam in Flames jerseys. He also brought stability to a position that we hadn't had since 34 (which is not to say that it wasn't an adventure watching him some nights, but you could say the same about R.A. Dickey, and he won the Cy Young). He stole a lot of games for them, he shut out the Ducks at the Honda Center finally putting and end to that effin' streak that we had to hear about every time we played there, and he always seemed engaged, and fully committed to the team. That's a guy that I'd hire, but again, I was never in the room, so I can't say for certain, only that I liked the optics. 

To juxtapose that, I really don't think that he likes being an Oiler. I think he went there because he thought he still had a lot of hockey left to play, which is, perhaps, a mistake that highly competitive individuals have been known to make over the years. You don't realize that it's over, and you play longer than you should. You're a boxer with a pristine record that loses your last seven matches, or you're a band that releases a trail of 5h!tty records so that you can play the music wrote 30 years ago, 30 pounds heavier, to a much older audience and their kids. I sort of see Mike Smith like that, and it's a drag because I'd imagine that it's a real grind for him. It shows in his playing, and it sounds like it's really coming out in his attitude. 

Love.   

I can get with what you're saying a little bit. Buuut, nobody does this.

He was like this on the Flames too. I have very little respect for that. Vasilevsky and Markstrom don't do this, because tirades aren't the way to deal with it. I'm not giving him a pass because he thinks he's earned it and he's the man.

Sometimes you're just an Hash Rate and you're not helping the cause.

Hyper-competitive doesn't mean you can BTC everyone out like they're at your disposal. That's being an arrogant Hash Rate, helping nobody.

Mike Smith is an Hash Rate, acting like a boss. Clearly not a leader.

Who would even pull this Satoshi Nakamoto in the NHL? I can't think of a goalie that would do what he does.

I don't get the respect. He certainly doesn't deserve it.

[travel_dude]

When you start to see the Oiler fans turn on Smith and the water carrying local media saying the same thing, then you know Smith is a problem.  The solutions are less obvious.  The media and fans have basically already written off Kostco.  When you have no faith in your starter and backup, what is left?  Skinner with a sparling 6-6-0 record?  Reminds me of Ortio.  

 

I was looking at Smith's contract.  No waiver protection.  No cap savings by demoting him to the AHL.  No money to bring up Skinner unless they run 12F or 6D.  I might have the 35+ contract thing wrong, but the way I read the rule is that there is no relief (AHL or retired) in the first year of the contract.  In the 2nd year, there is only $100k savings.  Yikes.

[Addicted]

I look forward to Oiler's games every night, they're my third favorite.  I watch the Flames first, then the Panthers (mostly to cheer for Benny), then I like to keep tabs on the stinkers up north, crossing my fingers for a loss.  After a loss, I love to go on twitter and watch the epic meltdowns.  Smith is definitely the new whipping boy.  It fun!

[travel_dude]

3 minutes ago, Addicted said:

I look forward to Oiler's games every night, they're my third favorite.  I watch the Flames first, then the Panthers (mostly to cheer for Benny), then I like to keep tabs on the stinkers up north, crossing my fingers for a loss.  After a loss, I love to go on twitter and watch the epic meltdowns.  Smith is definitely the new whipping boy.  It fun!

 

I can stomach listening to the broadcasts on HNIC.  Other than that it's like listening to a couple of giddy teens talking about Bieber.  I guess I should not be surprised, since the play-by-play guy is a former radio guy.  You have to sound excited to bring the emotion to listeners. 

 

Was it a close game?  Yes, they came to within one and kept pressure on.  But Tampa was coming off a long break featuring a single game in 2 weeks.  

[travel_dude]

DM played a decent enough game today against CAR.

Smith gave up two goals and really a 3rd that was called back.

Even though Koskinen played a much better game against FLA, Smith will get more games.

 

Looking at the standings, EDM is caught up to LA, Vegas and NAS.

Dallas on the verge of a tie with them, with a less game played.

Drops EDM out of the top 8 by virtue of more games played than Dallas.

 

Two easy road games for them this week (Philly and CHI) then home to MTL.

 

[conundrumed]

Seriously mounting injuries.

RNH

Puljijarvi

Kassian

Turris

Keith

Russell

[travel_dude]

20 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Seriously mounting injuries.

RNH

Puljijarvi

Kassian

Turris

Keith

Russell

 

KJeith is supposedly back tonight.

But Yamamoto is out with a sore foot.

Blocked a shot against the Cats IIRC.

[CheersMan]

1 hour ago, conundrumed said:

Seriously mounting injuries.

RNH

Puljijarvi

Kassian

Turris

Keith

Russell

 

1 hour ago, travel_dude said:

 

KJeith is supposedly back tonight.

But Yamamoto is out with a sore foot.

Blocked a shot against the Cats IIRC.

aw, sore foot.

GO FLYERS!

[travel_dude]

29 minutes ago, CheersMan said:

 

aw, sore foot.

GO FLYERS!

 

He's just a little guy.

Since they like small players, perhaps we can trade Phillips to EDMM.

Phillips was as productive in the WHL and more so in the AHL.

Just can't get a break in the NHL.

Helps I guess if your depth sucks.

 

Oilers are on the playoff bubble right now, with Dallas ahead of them by virtue of playing one less game (EDM holds the tiebreaker for RW's).  ANA and VAN are 2 and 3 points back, but both have played 2 more games. 

[travel_dude]

Gotta LOL at EDM media and fans.

Up till last few game?

Koskinen sucks.

First shot in.

 

Now, he's a stud, don't need Smith or a starter.

 

Game against CHI.

First shot in,

 

[travel_dude]

Killing time until the Flames game watching a bit of MTL@EDM

Hyman runs over the goalie and the trailer scores.

Coach challenge and rules a good goal.

Later MTL gets a PP and scores.

EDM challenges for offside and wins challenge.

PP gets reset to 40 seconds.

Same player (Suzuki) shoot the exact same shot on Smith and scores again.

3 goals on 12 shots.

Well 4 on 13, but only 3 counted.

 

MTL comes into Calgary and leaves without Hammon and Evans.

Emergency callup gets the start in EDM.

 

[travel_dude]

MTL scores a shorty but challenged for offside.

I'm not really sure of the call, since the EDM player pushed the puck out to the line.

Brought in by MTL player.

EDM wins the challenge.

Three challenges go in favor of EDM.

Two were flip of the coin close.