This is a team with Cup aspirations. No one (at least anyone who should be taken seriously) is suggesting that Vegas was at team the Oilers should have walked over on route to an easy Cup. Edmonton has two of the best players in the NHL in their prime and they have yet to win a Conference Final game, let alone be in a Cup Final. They lost to a good opponent. It's still disappointing.
- freelancer

Bottom line is this is a club that needs big clean up on 5/5 play in the PO's. Some great pieces were added...but obviously needs some tweaking still. Skinner was killer in reg. season but needs to up his PO game. Hopefully it's all addressed.

Insult me all you want bud. I'm sure you are having a bad day.
- JRocknRoll

Doing fine thanks. I've got no skin in the game.

I will say this…

While I thoroughly enjoyed the Oilers prolonged winning streak to close out the regular season which stemmed from a tangible commitment to team defence, I was somewhat concerned, heading into the post-season, that even the slightest resistance would result in a cataclysmic fall back to earth. That turned out to be the case, in my opinion.

Analytics aside, by my eye the team changed during the 3rd Period of Game 1 against Los Angeles. They had played two nearly flawless periods to begin the playoffs and were in complete control - making good reads, winning battles and generally imposing their will. Then one bad play resulted in a Kempe goal. Then another and so on - and it seemed to me that the perseverance, resiliency and control they had demonstrated for a month was lost in a very short period of time.

From then on until the final buzzer of Game 6, Round 2 the Oilers game felt like and looked like a team that had lost control and reverted to its former volatility.

One thing that I believe also bares mentioning is that if this team had acquired a true $5 Million Goaltender they would have likely been unstoppable. I don’t hate Campbell but if the Oilers had ended up with a Sorikin or Grubauer or Ulmark things would have likely looked very different. It’s a combination of bad luck and perhaps poor pro-scouting that ultimately resulted in what will long be considered a terribly squandered opportunity.

Ivan Provorov and Carter Hart would help 2 areas of need.
- hello it's me 2050

I dont think goalies lost the series for you. Watching closely I saw very little defense by mcdavid and dreiseitle

I will say this…

While I thoroughly enjoyed the Oilers prolonged winning streak to close out the regular season which stemmed from a tangible commitment to team defence, I was somewhat concerned, heading into the post-season, that even the slightest resistance would result in a cataclysmic fall back to earth. That turned out to be the case, in my opinion.

Analytics aside, by my eye the team changed during the 3rd Period of Game 1 against Los Angeles. They had played two nearly flawless periods to begin the playoffs and were in complete control - making good reads, winning battles and generally imposing their will. Then one bad play resulted in a Kempe goal. Then another and so on - and it seemed to me that the perseverance, resiliency and control they had demonstrated for a month was lost in a very short period of time.

From then on until the final buzzer of Game 6, Round 2 the Oilers game felt like and looked like a team that had lost control and reverted to its former volatility.

One thing that I believe also bares mentioning is that if this team had acquired a true $5 Million Goaltender they would have likely been unstoppable. I don’t hate Campbell but if the Oilers had ended up with a Sorikin or Grubauer or Ulmark things would have likely looked very different. It’s a combination of bad luck and perhaps poor pro-scouting that ultimately resulted in what will long be considered a terribly squandered opportunity.
- OilDerek

They will look back at a wasted opportunity for sure. Might not have been an easier path to the SCF.

Having said that don't forget to mention Woodcroft getting outcoached in round 2 as well. The decision to not go to Campbell in an elimination game after Skinner looked shaky again was pretty big. Plus his line macthing was off at times too where Vegas was rolling 4 hard lines many times Woodcroft shortened his bench to 3 lines and was getting out matched. And where was Kostin? Hurt or in Woody's doghouse? That guy should have been playing big minutes. More than a few coaching errors on Woodcrofts side IMO that got overlooked.

I dont think goalies lost the series for you. Watching closely I saw very little defense by mcdavid and dreiseitle
- LFS

If McDrai focus on playing lockdown defense and produce less you'll hypocritically complain about them for not enough production.

They will look back at a wasted opportunity for sure. Might not have been an easier path to the SCF.

Having said that don't forget to mention Woodcroft getting outcoached in round 2 as well. The decision to not go to Campbell in an elimination game after Skinner looked shaky again was pretty big. Plus his line macthing was off at times too where Vegas was rolling 4 hard lines many times Woodcroft shortened his bench to 3 lines and was getting out matched. And where was Kostin? Hurt or in Woody's doghouse? That guy should have been playing big minutes. More than a few coaching errors on Woodcrofts side IMO that got overlooked.
- LordHumungous

His goaltending decisions cost them the series.

There are two players who were in the top 30 of points scoring this year that are still in the playoffs. Too many teams/players focused on juicing the offence in the regular season and playing an absurd amount of minutes to do so.

Yes, when they can get a ton of powerplays, Edmonton is going to light it up. But Drai and McDavid look a lot like they are PP specialists rather than all around players who are going to carry a team in the playoffs.

The Oilers need to focus on:
1. Playing a 200 foot game during the entire regular season rather than just trying to turn it on during the playoffs.
2. Play McDavid and Draisaitl less than 22 minutes per game in the regular season so they can actually be fresh for the playoffs.

Blaming things on goaltending is a cop out. The Pens are a good comparison here, when they played run and gun playoff hockey their goaltending sucked. When they actually committed to the backcheck in the playoffs, the same goalies were all of the sudden great. The Pens won a cup with no Letang and Ron Hainsey as a 1D... sometimes its how the team plays together rather than what individuals are out there.

There are two players who were in the top 30 of points scoring this year that are still in the playoffs. Too many teams/players focused on juicing the offence in the regular season and playing an absurd amount of minutes to do so.

Yes, when they can get a ton of powerplays, Edmonton is going to light it up. But Drai and McDavid look a lot like they are PP specialists rather than all around players who are going to carry a team in the playoffs.

The Oilers need to focus on:
1. Playing a 200 foot game during the entire regular season rather than just trying to turn it on during the playoffs.
2. Play McDavid and Draisaitl less than 22 minutes per game in the regular season so they can actually be fresh for the playoffs.

Blaming things on goaltending is a cop out. The Pens are a good comparison here, when they played run and gun playoff hockey their goaltending sucked. When they actually committed to the backcheck in the playoffs, the same goalies were all of the sudden great. The Pens won a cup with no Letang and Ron Hainsey as a 1D... sometimes its how the team plays together rather than what individuals are out there.
- MacPatty

~100% of playoff lineups dress 12 forwards and 6 dmen. Obviously playoff teams add a lot more forwards than dmen at the deadline.

In 2017 Pittsburgh was among the bottom 10 in every statistical defensive category... except goaltending. Fleury and Murray were excellent and covered up a weak defense.

Apparently, Kane was playing with a broken finger. Explains his lack of production in the playoffs.

Apparently, Kane was playing with a broken finger. Explains his lack of production in the playoffs.
- Oildrum

Seemed to work pretty well when he crosschecked Pietrangelo in the face.