WCF: Edmonton Oilers (P3) vs Dallas Stars (C2) - Oilers win 4-1

[Yobbo]

Florida looks poised to win the Cup once again this year. No matter who comes out of the west, Florida has a superior team, and if they stick to their game plan they'll be repeat Champions.

[curves2000]

Originally Posted by Groot

Comparing a FAN perspective to that of an elite athlete that has dedicated their life and career, and actually earns something from winning a championship is nonsense.

Rivalries exist whether teams are good or bad all the time, in every sport. To pretend otherwise is ridiculous.

I think one of the issues we have in today's NHL is a lack of legit, 100%, hardcore rivalries. A lot of these players are friends, buddies, hang out together. Just look at them in warm up and how chummy everybody is.

The real rivalries were in the old days when there was a legit hatred for each other and it really showed on the ice and with the fans. Although I am not a big soccer guy, European soccer still has this on and off the field.

I might be wrong but best on best and hard core competition is where rivalries are formed in sports, politics, business

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Yobbo

Florida looks poised to win the Cup once again this year. No matter who comes out of the west, Florida has a superior team, and if they stick to their game plan they'll be repeat Champions.

The problem for Dallas is they won't go to the net...they have the puck a lot. Florida shouldn't have that problem.

That said Dallas should start going to the ####ing net!

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

I'd like to see Dallas drag this series out a couple games more and make those clowns scrape and claw to close it out. Let Florida rest meanwhile and get ready to steamroll them.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by dino7c

The problem for Dallas is they won't go to the net...they have the puck a lot. Florida shouldn't have that problem.

That said Dallas should start going to the ####ing net!

I actually think the biggest problem for Dallas is their coaching after watching the Deboer interview tonight.

He told his players not to play physical and not to hit. Wtf is that. Apparently he thinks they aren't built for playoff hockey.

It's pretty baffling but explains why players like Benn have looked so passive.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

DeBoer said he told his players not to hit?

The only way that seems real to me is if it was sarcasm. Otherwise wtf indeed.

The way opponents have shown up in two straight years you would think they're being paid off to throw the series or something. Baffling lack of compete and I'm at a loss to explain it.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

DeBoer said he told his players not to hit?

The only way that seems real to me is if it was sarcasm. Otherwise wtf indeed.

The way opponents have shown up in two straight years you would think they're being paid off to throw the series or something. Baffling lack of compete and I'm at a loss to explain it.

The interviewer asked him why they aren't pushing back and being physical/why did they stop hitting. And he answered by saying they aren't built to play that physical style so they are playing their own game. Lol.

[GullFoss]

Originally Posted by kipperiggy

Last year in my heart I knew they wouldn't win. I hate how apathetic I've become this year.

#### Bettman and this divisional format. Not even because it's a cakewalk to the SCF for the Oilers. The same match-ups over and over? 2nd and 3rd round series over in 5 games? Boring as hell.

This is how I feel too. I'm resigned to the fact oilers may win. In all fairness McDavid and Drai have earned the right to be in the finals two straight years. They're generational players and at this point they deserve the cup. Good for them.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I'd like to see Dallas drag this series out a couple games more and make those clowns scrape and claw to close it out. Let Florida rest meanwhile and get ready to steamroll them.

Well if they are gonna do all that they might as well win game 7 lol

[OminousFlames]

Not sure if this was mentioned before, but interesting how Hyman instantly has surgery to repair an upper body injury. However Kane needs all summer to contemplate whether to have surgery so they can milk LTIR all season, just to be ready for the playoffs.
Sure some decisions are tougher to make than others, but come on.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by FanSince'01

No-one but that’s not the point. The point is the playoffs are becoming boring and repetitive for the average fan, watching the same matchups year after year.

Not only that. This format rewards teams in the weaker divisions like the Oilers and Hurricanes because they are guaranteed an easier path to the conference finals. It's just a flawed format and the rivalry angle hasn't come to fruition as it's generated the same teams beating the same teams every year making it predictable and boring. Sure some of those Avs vs Wings rivalries in the past were fantastic but the NHL isn't played that way anymore as fights aren't a regular occurence and players aren't trying to kill other players out there. Rivalries are not really a big thing anymore in the NHL because the physical play has gone away.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by OminousFlames

Not sure if this was mentioned before, but interesting how Hyman instantly has surgery to repair an upper body injury. However Kane needs all summer to contemplate whether to have surgery so they can milk LTIR all season, just to be ready for the playoffs.
Sure some decisions are tougher to make than others, but come on.

Yup.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

This is how I feel too. I'm resigned to the fact oilers may win. In all fairness McDavid and Drai have earned the right to be in the finals two straight years. They're generational players and at this point they deserve the cup. Good for them.

No one deserves a Cup. You and your team have to earn it. That's what used to make it so special, and what makes the Playoffs feel cheap now.


The Playoffs used to get more interesting and intense the longer they went, not less. There's a massive problem here.

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by OminousFlames

Not sure if this was mentioned before, but interesting how Hyman instantly has surgery to repair an upper body injury. However Kane needs all summer to contemplate whether to have surgery so they can milk LTIR all season, just to be ready for the playoffs.
Sure some decisions are tougher to make than others, but come on.

It’s almost as if bones that are shattered and need to be screwed back together are treated differently than say a muscle injury.

[indes]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It’s also evident Knoblauch is a pretty good coach. He has to be to get that roster to buckle down without the puck.

I've said it before but they're just playing desperation defence and completely collapsing in front of Skinner. If you looks at the scoring chance chart on moneypuck you can see the Stars are getting plenty of chances in close but are missing the net like crazy. Their lack of finish is unreal and it's the reason they didn't win the last 2 games. Can the Oilers hold out playing this way? Its pretty wild that its even worked this long. Everyone saying the Stars are just ####ting the bed is pretty spot on, lots of solid chances for Robertson, Rantanen and Johnston - they're just not converting.

https://www.moneypuck.com/g.htm?id=2024030324

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Whynotnow

It’s almost as if bones that are shattered and need to be screwed back together are treated differently than say a muscle injury.

Yes, some things require immediate, emergency surgery, and others do not.

Simple yes or no question: do you believe that the months-long delay until surgery (which was known to be required last summer), was entirely due to the medical process, and not at all delayed for cap management purposes?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, some things require immediate, emergency surgery, and others do not.

Simple yes or no question: do you believe that the months-long delay until surgery (which was known to be required last summer), was entirely due to the medical process, and not at all delayed for cap management purposes?

The player did come out and say he was read to play months prior to the end of the regular season. There's little doubt that cap management played a big role in him returning just in time for the playoffs. The Oilers aren't the first team to do this but of late they seem to be the team that's been abusing it the most going back to Smith and Keith.

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, some things require immediate, emergency surgery, and others do not.

Simple yes or no question: do you believe that the months-long delay until surgery (which was known to be required last summer), was entirely due to the medical process, and not at all delayed for cap management purposes?

Sorry, can’t give you a simple yes or no. Not cause I’m trying to not answer, it’s that I don’t know. It may have been that he wanted to see if rehab was possible, or it may have been advised to wait for swelling or some other healing to occur. I actually doubt the surgery was delayed just solely to delay his return for cal reasons.

That said, I do completely believe he could have played in the season and was held off the roster for cap reasons. Was he fully healthy? Don’t think so, not even sure he is now, but he could have played. That’s the problem with the LTIR system, who is the arbiter of that? The oilers are the just latest in a series of contenders to use the gray area to maximize things, and until the nhl finds a solution it’s gonna happen over and over again.

[SuperMatt18]

Dallas offensive zone strategy just plays into how Skinner plays.

Skinner is good when he can get set and doesn't have to move laterally, and he can make the in tight saves too.

Skinner struggles when it's lateral movement and cross ice passes.

I feel like Dallas is playing for deflections and rebounds and Skinner is just not giving them much space there, they need to start trying to make some royal road passes and make him move more laterally.

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The interviewer asked him why they aren't pushing back and being physical/why did they stop hitting. And he answered by saying they aren't built to play that physical style so they are playing their own game. Lol.

Grounds for dismissal if that's the case.