I did up a little Youtube edit of Connor McDavid’s goals from this past season. I really think he’s going to have a whale of a game tonight for the Oilers in the Shark Tank and watching this compilation would be a fitting way to get ready for the game.
Legendary players rise to the occasion when they are called upon. We saw it with the Oilers in the 80’s with Gretz, the 90’s with Mario, the 2000’s with Sid, and now we’re about to see it with the Oilers again but this time with McDavid.
I know I caught some flack for my “This ain’t your momma’s Oilers” video because the music was a tad heavy for some. My tastes range but given the content of THAT edit, I thought that some heavier music was called for. I guess I was wrong. But if you haven’t seen it, check it out below and let me know how bad it really is. Lol.
I hope you enjoy the new McDavid video and please subscribe to our Youtube Channel if you’d like to see more. Let’s Go Oilers!!!
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Missing: One broom – Last seen in the hands of a Duck on its way to Calgary.
THE DRAISAITL INCIDENT
Yesterday the punishment for Leon Draisaitl’s spear was handed down and as expected it was only a fine but wow, did hockey fans go batshit over the punishment handed down. For me, I didn’t expect Leon would be handed a suspension, why would he? He has no history of this kind of behavior nor has he ever been suspended unlike Joe Thornton, who also was given a game misconduct in January for a spear on the St.Louis Blues’ Paul Stastny but also escaped a mandatory vacation for his action.
Here’s my contention though. Jumbo Joe actually speared a guy. I mean he took his hockey stick and thrust it into the midsection of the opponent and that my friend IS intent to injure. Look at the pic above! Thornton actually puts enough force into the spear to create a bow in his stick…
Betcha a lot of Sharks fans forgot about that eh?
Leon Draisaitl merely brought his stick up between Tierney’s legs to cause some temporary discomfort and it must not have been hard enough because Tierney came back to play.
I understand that what Draisaitl did is within the NHL’s definition of what a spear is but that’s not a spear. Check out this quick clip I made where I compared Leon Draisaitl’s spear with Thornton’s spear and then the mother of all spears, Marty McSorley on Mike Bullard and then tell me what Draisaitl did was THAT severe…
GAME FOUR and FIVE
7-0… But it could’ve been a lot different had Larsson’s shot went into the net and not off of the crossbar and if Nuge had buried that open net chance… Move on to game 5.
She’s a best of three and the Oilers have home ice advantage!!
The rubber match is tonight and I expect a fiery Oilers squad to come out and absolutely hand the Sharks a spanking. Nobody likes to be embarrassed like the Oilers were on Tuesday and everyone on that team will be fired up not to mention the fans. I don’t think it’s going to be a low-even game at all but I do have some questions going in.
Questions:
Will we see a timid game from Zack Kassian or will we get the human wrecking ball?
In games 3 and 4 Kassian was as much a passenger as the rest of the team. Personally, I think the fans are going to rev this team up like crazy and that first 10 minutes we’ve been seeing where the Oilers are on their heels, I think it’ll be the Sharks who will be on their fins.
How will Todd McLellan address Pat Maroon’s slump?
I wrote about Maroon’s lack of production after game 4 and we seen him dropped in the lineup in the latter stages of the game. Should the Oilers try using some more speed with McDavid? I mean, he’s looked okay with Cagguila at times and the Drake does have a gritty side to his game.
With the last change, will Draisaitl be up with McDavid again?
No doubt the Oilers are going to take advantage of having the last change but who should they deploy to stop the Marleau/Thornton/Pavelski line? Not sure I’d have Nuge’s line against them as RNH is literally the only real defensive player on that line. How about tossing Pouliot/Letestu/Kassian against them as those players are the team’s primary penalty killers. Surely they’d have success in that role.
Keep Nurse/Benning away from the Sharks top 6.
Just going from the eye test, Benning and Nurse had a shit time trying to stop the Sharks skillers.
Edmonton has called up seven players from Bakersfield right? Reinhart, Ellis, Lander, Oesterle, Fayne, Laleggia, and Khaira.
I can’t see any of them getting any action to be honest unless some real injuries take some of the top 6 out. But if I had to go from most likely to play to least likely I’d go Lander, Khaira, Oesterle, Reinhart, Laleggia, Ellis, Fayne.
The computer boys will have Fayne at the top of course but I can’t see it at all. He lacks a certain element of determination that McLellan likes in his bottom pairing dmen and he’s certainly not replacing Kris Russell. The thought alone makes me chortle aloud.
Now, Anton Lander can take faceoffs at least and Khaira can be a large presence on the wall but let’s be frank, Iiro Pakarinen and Anton Slepyshev are going to get the majority of the TOI because they’ve got size, they hit, they can skate well, and they can shoot. Oesterle and Reinhart shoot left so automatically they’re at a disadvantage and Nick Ellis is a total longshot to play unless Talbot loses a limb.
PULJU TO FINLAND
The Oilers loaned Jesse Puljujarvi to the Finnish men’s team so that he can play in the World Championships in Paris and Cologne. I suspect he’ll be reunited with his old World Junior linemate, Sebastian Aho. Too bad Patrik Laine is taking the tourney off. It would be something to watch this trio play after a year of pro hockey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn3AbZhENRU
Speaking of the Men’s World Championships, keep an eye on Swedish defender Rasmus Dahlin. He’s 17 I believe and is the youngest player to play on the Men’s team in half a century if I’m not mistaken. He’s eligible to be playing in the u18’s that are going on right now to put it into perspective. Some will compare Dahlin to Erik Karlsson or perhaps even Paul Coffey but they don’t do him justice because he’s basically doing what McDavid did to his opposition in junior but Dahlin is doing it versus men in the SHL.
Enjoy the Oilers game tonight folks! It’s going to be a beauty! McDavid is going to break out tonight and Edmonton is going to be electric!
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Our beloved Big Rig has only scored 3 goals in the last 15 games. It has been nearly three weeks since he scored his last goal and just over two weeks since his last point. It’s safe to say that the Oilers would be a lot better if they were getting some production from one of the team’s premier goal scorers. I mean, the team would be a lot better if they could get more than 5 goals in 4 games too. But I digress.
I believe that Maroon is at his best when he’s hitting and shooting and getting fully engaged with the Oilers’ opponents. Was it not Coach McLellan who said he plays his best when somebody is pissed off at him?
In the four games vs. San Jose, Pat Maroon has 10 hits and 10 shots and due to all of the penalties being called on the Oilers (or taken by the Oilers, depending on how you look at it.), his average TOI is hovering around 15 minutes per night. He should be getting more ice-time but the refs are bound and determined to keep him on the bench or in the box.
Now, I’m not sure he deserves to get 18,19, or 20 minutes of ice-time if he looks like he’s got a piano tied to his ass but he’s not looking like the Pat Maroon that scored 27 goals this year. He looks slow and encumbered. Is he playing through an injury maybe? I don’t reckon the Sharks are really THAT fast but Maroon is looking slow and unengaged. Somebody poke that bear and get him back into this series!
There are some that are wondering if this hit to the head has been the cause of Maroon’s lack of production.
Come back, Patty! Show us what the Big Rig can do in game 5 because the Oilers are going to need all the firepower they can get!
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One thing that we’ve seen all year this season is that the Oilers have rarely played two bad games in a row and last night the boys in orange, blue, and white showed us why they were challengers for the Pacific division crown and why they are becoming one of the most feared teams in the whole NHL.
I don’t know about you but I was jumping and shouting and feeling mighty good last night. My wife and kids were looking at me like I had an arm growing out of my ear but I didn’t care. Actually, I was getting really worried as Larsson and Lucic took those penalties in the 3rd period but as soon as I seen McDavid gather that puck on the left wall and take off, I had a feeling he was going to sift that one away and that he did. I grabbed my infant son and we jumped for joy. All in the world was good.
Here are a few thoughts on last night’s game:
Zack Kassian – UNREAL!!! Can you believe the transformation that he has undertaken? I know that we’re going to be discussing this game for year’s to come because of this performance but he HAS to be given a new long-term contract this summer. Todd McLellan compared him to Darren McCarty and I can buy that soup. If you remember, McCarty scored a pretty important goal for the Red Wings back in 1997. If not for Kassian’s ability to change games on a whim with his physicality than for being a player who is that skilled, that fast, with that kind of size. He’s the perfect 3rd line winger in my opinion AND Connor seems to think quite highly of him. #inspiration
Kassian's teammates thrilled for him. McDavid says he looks up to him primarily because of how he's turned his life around.
Special Teams were “Special” – both teams went 0/10 combined on the power play but the Oilers PK units outshot the Sharks veteran PP lines 6 to 5 plus both Oilers goals were scored whilst killing off infractions. That said, the Oilers have to stop taking penalties after the whistle and the need to be more careful with their sticks. It won’t be long before the Sharks powerplay begins to click if Edmonton keeps giving them this many opportunities every game.
On the 6 San Jose powerplays Oilers outshot the Sharks 6-5 & outscored them 2-0 https://t.co/ygFn2KQ8Fh
Haley/Thornton to Return? – I can’t imagine that the Sharks are going to stand for getting their asses kicked like this at home. I’m willing to bet that they toss AHL super-pugilist Michael Haley into the lineup for game three. Jumbo Joe took the ice yesterday to practice but was unable to go. I reckon there’s a better than 50% chance he goes for game three but I’ll tell you a secret… It won’t matter.
Experience – Not one question about the Oilers lack of playoff experience after the game was Todd McLellan asked and for good reason. The Oilers looked like a top NHL team last evening and the Sharks looked old and tired. Add to that beaten up.
A Team Game – We all loved that Zack Kassian was a terminator last night but he wasn’t the only one. Matt Benning laid a big hit and Leon Draisaitl and a burr in his saddle too. Pat Maroon and Milan Lucic were playing hard as well. We should never have to think back and wonder what this team could’ve done with Hall and Yakupov again because THIS is how a TEAM plays. And frankly, this is how teams win, with a group effort.
Cam Talbot – Speaking of players with more playoff points that Hall… Talbot not only got a kickass shutout last night but he assisted on Connor McDavid’s goal. I know there were some on Twitter claiming Talbot is better than his mentor in New York but I think Henrik Lundqvist is a bloody good goalie and Dadbot has a pretty tall hill to climb before we can put the two on the same plain. Not to say Talbot can’t get there because I think he can but let’s give him a few more seasons on this team before we start making those claims.
16 Shots – The Oilers managed to hold the Sharks to 16 shots in game 2. Six in the first and second periods and 4 in the 3rd. That’s what I call 60 minutes of domination and that’s what we were all hoping for. Edmonton basically did to the Sharks what the Sharks did to them in game 1.
Match-Ups – The Oilers 2nd line of Lucic/RNH/Eberle were matched hard to the Sharks 1st line and 1st D-pairing and came out on top. I love the way that Nuge and Eberle have picked up their games in the hitting department. They’ve turned the gritensity dial to 11 and I think it’s throwing the Sharks for a loop. They expected the regular season versions of Nuge and Ebs and it ain’t happening.
The reason I bring this up is because I have to wonder how having the last change is going to affect the Oilers in San Jose. Will we see the Oilers game 1 performance or one similar to game 2’s?
I tell you, I can’t wait for game 3! I wouldn’t make any lineup changes because you don’t fix something that isn’t broken and I don’t expect Kassian to come out flying like he did in game 2 but somebody will and part of the allure of playoff hockey is seeing who will be the hero that game or that series. Until then, I guess I’ll have to settle for watching the Flames lose out to the Ducks and the Caps continue their process of sweeping the Leafs.
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You would have to go back 27 years, back when the Edmonton Oilers last won the Stanley Cup, to see one of the best surprise snipers in NHL history. In 1990 this player was Washington Capitals’ winger, John Druce. He went from being a fringe NHLer to scoring 14 ginos and 17 points in 15 NHL playoff games. Sadly he never developed into a consistent NHL scorer and the magic he briefly had, never showed itself again.
In the Oiler’s 2006 playoff run that clutch scorer was the legend of Castledowns, Fernando Pisani, who notched 14 goals (some crucial) and 4 assists in 24 playoff games.
Realistically, every NHL playoff year there is a player or two who rises from relative obscurity to playoff glory. And while it seems magical, it’s actually very practical. When things tighten up in the playoffs, the top six of each side often cancel each other out, leaving opportunities for third and fourth liners.
So the question is, are there any of those players currently on the Oilers, just waiting for their time to shine in playoffs? I would say there are more than a couple, but here are my top four.
Now a couple of things will need to happen for a player to emerge from darkhorse to thoroughbred, and most important is games played. On that note, I took a sip of the Kool-Aid, and liked the taste, so it says here, the Oilers will play in at least two series. That should be enough minutes for something special to happen. And the following are the most likely candidates.
Which One Will Emerge . . .
Zack Kassian: Because Kassian was a scorer in junior, and can play up and down the line-up, it’s not that far-fetched for the big guy to emerge as a surprise sniper. He’s had several goals reversed because of off-side challenges (in another time they would be goals). Watching him play he does a lot of things like a top-6 forward. He skates well, can make a pass, a play, can fill in on any line really, but his main role has been as an agitator/intimidator, and he does that very well. So much so, his production has been neglected. However he’s in the lineup every night, so the opportunity is there.
Anton Slepyshev: I’m reaching on this one because Shlepy struggled with consistency during the season, and isn’t a regular, but if there’s an injury in the top nine, or he gets hot, look out. Slepyshev may have the best wrist shot on the club, both hard and accurate, and he has the size and speed to get to the net. He’s proven to be a defensive liability which has kept him out of the lineup, but he has the tools to do the job.
Drake Caggiula: The Oilers top college FA signing has had an up and down year but has shown some glimpses of the scoring potential he showed in college. The experiment of putting the Drake at centre seems to have finished and Caggiula is settling in nicely on the wing. There would need to be an injury for a true opportunity, but he definitely is the most likely darkhorse candidate, that is if one emerges.
Iiro Pakarinen: Another stretch, at least as much as Shlepy, but Pakarinen has played this role before. During the Oiler’s previous farm team, the OKC Barons’ 2014 – 15 regular season, Iiro held a hot hand, sniping for 17 goals in 38 games. Pakarinen became such a proficient clutch goal scorer he earned the moniker “Iiro the Hero.” Pakarinen game has slowly come around in the last month and he seems to be gaining confidence. Could the hero return?
For the Oilers to Win They Need . . .
All season long the local and national hockey pundits took a worrisome look at how much scoring production fell on the shoulders of the McDavid line. Towards the end of the season, the resurgence of Eberle and the Nuge allowed most fans to breathe a sigh of relief. But for the team to get a bolt of unexpected scoring like Pisani did back in 2006, now that would be special.
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