Should be an interesting game for some reason the Oilers always bring their A game against the Flames, but tonight will be different. How are things Irish, what's the drink plan tonight?

Agreed 110% on JP.

I will hate it if they trade him tho. Still too young. Trade him now and it's certain it bites the Oilers in the ass. May as well ruin him here and see if he can turn it around in don't believe his value is high enough to get a decent return anyways.

A lot of guys just don't figure it out until they are 24 or 25. I honestly never believed it would take that long for JP. Next year, if we have him, will be a stronger indication of what he will end up.

I just don't understand why they don't give him a push with McDavid and the #1 PP. Give him some offensive opportunities and get his confidence up.

The dude had a point tho in calling you the western Leafs.....1 playoff series win since your finals appearance back in 03/04
- RatedR80

No hay does that make you guys?

I’m not buying this light part of the schedule stuff....if that was the case then we should have beat Arizona and the Kings.....this team isn’t good enough to view any teams as “easy wins”
- RatedR80

There is a big difference between should and will.

I agree all the games will be tough for the Oilers but my point is technically it is an easier part of thier schedule and they need to do well here to actually set themselves up for some kind of success.

For some reason the Oilers often play down to softer competition and play up to harder. They actually have been a bit better this year in that way than previous and they need to trend upwards in that way.

It's "easy" games where we really miss Eberle. He would feast on bad teams. At least that's what it seemed to me.

No hay does that make you guys?
- DuranDuran

The same as you as far as playoff success goes just with far faaaaar fewer appearances

There is a big difference between should and will.

I agree all the games will be tough for the Oilers but my point is technically it is an easier part of thier schedule and they need to do well here to actually set themselves up for some kind of success.

For some reason the Oilers often play down to softer competition and play up to harder. They actually have been a bit better this year in that way than previous and they need to trend upwards in that way.

It's "easy" games where we really miss Eberle. He would feast on bad teams. At least that's what it seemed to me.
- Aerchon

Pretty much sums up Ebs time here doesn’t it? Feasts on the lesser teams then vanished in the ones that matter (playoffs)....he will get a chance to rewrite history this season as far as playoffs go tho

Should be an interesting game for some reason the Oilers always bring their A game against the Flames, but tonight will be different. How are things Irish, what's the drink plan tonight?
- FlamesFan1230

Beer, vodka, and Jagr Bombs.
And some Pineapple Express with some honey oil too. That might be over doing it a bit but tomorrow is hangover Sunday anyways so go hard or go home

My overly optimistic post of the day

“Oilers are 5 wins and 3 losses in 2019. .625 winning %, if they can maintain that winning % we can finish the year with 92 points.”

There 👍

The big issue I have with the Puljujarvi thing is that it's not like he isn't producing when played up the roster. He's scoring at above 2pts/60 (top line level) when with McDavid and in past seasons even helped drive McDavid's production higher. Sure that's not hard to do as Rattoe does that too, but they should have EVERY reason to want Puljujarvi to thrive and develop into an elite winger; care to guess how elite wingers don't develop? Getting jerked around between 8-14 minutes a night with no PP time.

Look at how much time Rantanen and Pastrnak spent with MacKinnon and Bergeron. Allow some goddam chemistry to develop and put him in a position where he can learn how and where to be when on ice with skill (particularly with McDavid or Nuge). But (frank) the future when you're on notice from the owner that it's playoffs or bust- the present is all that matters...

Katz must be a (frank)ing mongoloid.

Hey babe.

Can you please slip some viagra into Jenny and Tkachuk’s gatorade? That ought to (frank) up their skating sufficiently.
- Wildschwein

Isn’t that the purple “special” drink gaudreau gives everyone when they score?

Hey babe.

Can you please slip some viagra into Jenny and Tkachuk’s gatorade? That ought to (frank) up their skating sufficiently.
- Wildschwein

My overly optimistic post of the day

“Oilers are 5 wins and 3 losses in 2019. .625 winning %, if they can maintain that winning % we can finish the year with 92 points.”

There 👍
- RatedR80

The big issue I have with the Puljujarvi thing is that it's not like he isn't producing when played up the roster. He's scoring at above 2pts/60 (top line level) when with McDavid and in past seasons even helped drive McDavid's production higher. Sure that's not hard to do as Rattoe does that too, but they should have EVERY reason to want Puljujarvi to thrive and develop into an elite winger; care to guess how elite wingers don't develop? Getting jerked around between 8-14 minutes a night with no PP time.

Look at how much time Rantanen and Pastrnak spent with MacKinnon and Bergeron. Allow some goddam chemistry to develop and put him in a position where he can learn how and where to be when on ice with skill (particularly with McDavid or Nuge). But (frank) the future when you're on notice from the owner that it's playoffs or bust- the present is all that matters...

Katz must be a (frank)ing mongoloid.
- MaximumBone

I love how Hitch will be the one to run Puljujarvi out of town by giving him 6 minutes a night on the 4th line and making him a useless ding dong.

Not only did you stunt his growth years ago, but now you underplay him with poopty players and will be lucky to get even half value for him.

Hitch is no better than TMac! And you hired Gulutzan.

What a fly by night franchise.

Hey babe.

Can you please slip some viagra into Jenny and Tkachuk’s gatorade? That ought to (frank) up their skating sufficiently.
- Wildschwein

You flirt with Whip and Irish and leave me all alone in the corner.

Beer, vodka, and Jagr Bombs.
And some Pineapple Express with some honey oil too. That might be over doing it a bit but tomorrow is hangover Sunday anyways so go hard or go home

- Flamin_Irishmin

Tomorrow go healthy and make White Russians for breakfast!

The dude had a point tho in calling you the western Leafs.....1 playoff series win since your finals appearance back in 03/04
- RatedR80

That’s when Kipper really got into the blow, was smoking 2 packs a day, and drinking at the bar till closing before game days... 🤪🤪🤪

And didn’t we have Mike Keene in there somewhere?!

And we were still no where as bad as you will be for the foreseeable future. You guys are so screwed.

My overly optimistic post of the day

“Oilers are 5 wins and 3 losses in 2019. .625 winning %, if they can maintain that winning % we can finish the year with 92 points.”

There 👍
- RatedR80

Oh good (frank)ing job there Midas..
🥴😂

The big issue I have with the Puljujarvi thing is that it's not like he isn't producing when played up the roster. He's scoring at above 2pts/60 (top line level) when with McDavid and in past seasons even helped drive McDavid's production higher. Sure that's not hard to do as Rattoe does that too, but they should have EVERY reason to want Puljujarvi to thrive and develop into an elite winger; care to guess how elite wingers don't develop? Getting jerked around between 8-14 minutes a night with no PP time.

Look at how much time Rantanen and Pastrnak spent with MacKinnon and Bergeron. Allow some goddam chemistry to develop and put him in a position where he can learn how and where to be when on ice with skill (particularly with McDavid or Nuge). But (frank) the future when you're on notice from the owner that it's playoffs or bust- the present is all that matters...

Katz must be a (frank)ing mongoloid.
- MaximumBone

So let’s see here....McDavids numbers are better with Puju then they are with Chiasson.....in fact as you have shown Chiasson drags McDavid down.....so the solution? Let’s play Chiasson with McDavid!!.....Katz deserves every bit of failure.....I have no idea what Hitch is thinking....in fact he is doing the same poop Todd was doing....Chiasson on the top line....Lucic as a top 6 player....bouncing Puju around the line up....Khaira-Nuge-Puju as a line were starting to form chemistry but did they get a chance to keep going? Nope because Hitch needs to change to get the bottom 6 in order because that’s the priority apparently

- Clyde334

Well I don’t want to be 100% negative....I need to add balance to my posts

That’s when Kipper really got into the blow, was smoking 2 packs a day, and drinking at the bar till closing before game days... 🤪🤪🤪

And didn’t we have Mike Keene in there somewhere?!

And we were still no where as bad as you will be for the foreseeable future. You guys are so screwed.
- Flamin_Irishmin

If Dave didn’t go above and beyond so far this season you would be in the gutter with us if he gets hurt you are (frank)ed

I’d have done whatever the (frank) you wanted if your (frank)ing Devils beat the Ducks.

Sadly it is not so.
- Wildschwein

Devils are destined for Kakko!

Devils are destined for Kakko!
- smellmyfinger

Lucky bastard

So let’s see here....McDavids numbers are better with Puju then they are with Chiasson.....in fact as you have shown Chiasson drags McDavid down.....so the solution? Let’s play Chiasson with McDavid!!.....Katz deserves every bit of failure.....I have no idea what Hitch is thinking....in fact he is doing the same poop Todd was doing....Chiasson on the top line....Lucic as a top 6 player....bouncing Puju around the line up....Khaira-Nuge-Puju as a line were starting to form chemistry but did they get a chance to keep going? Nope because Hitch needs to change to get the bottom 6 in order because that’s the priority apparently
- RatedR80

I'm not ready to decry Hitch yet. Not until Puljujarvi continues posting sweet-nothing and nothing gets done about it; that's when he'll catch my ire. He's defending his players as best he can and playing most of the roster to their strengths. Unfortunately, that means sacrificing a lot in puck-possession and development for the future- especially since Klefbom went down.

However, I will say that he doesn't seem to be following through on his verbal from when he started, but losing Klefbom kinda threw his plan into disarray. I remain of the mind that a younger/fresher approach to the game would've been more conducive to long-term success, but alas.

On the note of "built for the playoffs", I think the sentiment is still fine and has shown to have some element of truth. You need the guys that'll go that extra mile and throw themselves into the gates of hell for the sake of victory. However, I think this thought process is weak in cases like ours where you can be "built for the playoffs" all you want, but if you're not making the playoffs then it means absolutely nothing. High-potency offense and solid possession often drive victory in the regular season while repeatable, low-event hockey and scoring depth wins championships. This is why I value guys like Larsson, Hjalmarsson and Lindholm (Vlasic pre-offensive outburst) more than your average fan and subsequently why I wasn't as furious about the Hall trade when it happened.

As with most things, balance is ignored in favour of one extreme because the extremes are easier positions to hold and defend.

I'm not ready to decry Hitch yet. Not until Puljujarvi continues posting sweet-nothing and nothing gets done about it; that's when he'll catch my ire. He's defending his players as best he can and playing most of the roster to their strengths. Unfortunately, that means sacrificing a lot in puck-possession and development for the future- especially since Klefbom went down.

However, I will say that he doesn't seem to be following through on his verbal from when he started, but losing Klefbom kinda threw his plan into disarray. I remain of the mind that a younger/fresher approach to the game would've been more conducive to long-term success, but alas.
- MaximumBone

It might seem like it but I’m not as down on Hitch as I was Todd.....I also remember he was handed a pile of poop and is expected to turn it into gold....he has done some good things....most notable is with Jones but there is certainly some negatives there too with him....doesn’t matter tho at the end of the day it’s not as much as a coaching thing as it is a roster thing