Eichel’s defensive play was way better than McDavid if you say otherwise you didn’t watch the series. Eichel played on an even worse team for 6 years than McDavid, if there was a worse team or organization than Buffalo I challenge anyone to find a worse franchise during that time period.
The Oilers are in trouble with that Nurse Contract. He’s a bottom pairing defender on any contending team and he’s making number 1 money. It was exposed in the Vegas series big time. I also think they need to look at moving out RNH and Yamamoto, to bring in a couple bigger guys who can win some battles in the trenches. They were both cycle killers, and turnover machines along the walls all playoffs long. They couldn’t get any offense going because of being knocked off pucks too easily. I’m also not sold on Woodcroft. He pulled Skinner 4 times, and Campbell came in and played great every relief appearance. What would it have hurt to give Campbell a start? He helps the Oilers defensively with his puck handling skills alone. He would have helped neutralize that relentless Vegas forcheck that became a real problem 5 on 5. I also couldn’t figure out why he kept McDavid and Draisitl separated so long during the 2nd period meltdowns. Once Vegas got the leads, the first move should have been a timeout to stop the bleeding, and the second move should have been an immediate heavy dose of those two guys. Instead he did nothing until the 3rd period, when it was too late being behind by 2 goals. On a seperste note I find it flat out disgraceful that a team can come into the league and make a cup final and 3 conf finals appearances in their first 6 seasons the way Vegas has. It appears as though the league is paving the way to get Seattle doing the same type of crap to ensure prolonged interest. Im not saying the league should go back to its crappy expansion rules that Ottawa and Tampa dealt with, but it’s pretty obvious they’ve gone way to far the other way now.
McDahshhhanon is now placing his blames on Stone, after his favorite is predictably playing a disappearance act during the most crucial point of the playoff, wow!
At the start of the playoffs, I had a feeling that both leafs and oilers goaltending would be a concern. And it was. Both of these teams have gone thru a bunch of goaltenders the last 5 years. Hopefully they can finally find one that will be with them for a while.
you keep comparing player to player. Instead, try comparing Mcdavid's line including Draisaitl to Eichel's line then Stephenson's line then Karlsson's line. individually, McDavid's line including Draisaitl beets any one of em, but not all 3 combined. it gets even better when you go and blame Edm's defense or goaltending…
A sports organization is a centralized, command and control hierarchy. The Leafs were arguable in disarray and Shanahan appears to have imprinted a strong culture and has enabled moves like bringing in talent at the management, coaching and playing level. He, along with Dubas, have structured a professional minor league feeder system and the loyalty and opportunity extended to their minor league and now NHL coach is honorable. The most successful coaches in the NHL tend to have been around for a while and have brought along a successful ethos that they gained either as a player, previous coach and sometimes both. In the playoffs coaching will naturally go with the guys that got you there. The run and gun regular season offensive show sells tickets and jerseys and from that perspective the Leafs are thriving. The playoffs are a different beast. The defense appeared to be flat footed and gave up repeated turnovers resulting in Goals. Goaltending wins Cups and virtually everyone with their name engraved on Lord Stanley's hardware benefited from a Goalie who was able to stand on his head for 10-12 weeks in the spring and early summer. So it appears the culture has been established and the organization from a business standpoint is humming. Professional sports is also about winning. A great culture can be diminished by a group that accepts non performance and losing year after year. For all players, the NHL is big business and big contracts that are paid in full from day 1 to the last day of the regular season ensure that their financial incentives are not aligned with a long and punishing post season. Mathews, Marner and the Connor McDavid's all have their financial security guaranteed regardless of whether they win a playoff round. Perhaps instead of a relatively nominal playoff bounty offered, The NHL could prorate contracts over 10 months from the opening game to the Cup final. Instead of paying tv money etc directly to teams, they could beef up the playoff pool. For example a player that signs a USD$8m contract becomes eligible for a 25% top up contribution from the NHL. The now USD$10m contract is prorated over 10 months (Sept-June) but the player only earns the back end of the contract if he is still alive in the playoffs and payments stop when teams are eliminated. This financially aligns players with a winning playoff outcome. The big contract owners proportionally earn more but even the grinders who have smaller contracts have a chance to massively improve their earnings. So changes to the Leafs are required. #1 priority IMHO is goaltending. The young guy Woll looked good when called upon and might have the secret sauce but Samsonov was often caught out of position and gave up too many weak goals. Move Samsonov Defense was outmatched with both Florida opponents and the Leafs need their Coffey, Leetch, Lidstrom anchors to transition up ice without turnovers. Emphasis on a combination of speed and nastiness. In terms of trade bait up front I think you need to shake things up. Not necessarily wholesale changes but certainly a blockbuster with at least one of Tavares, Marner or Mathews needing to go. A Losing attitude is a virus that needs to be cut out. Edmonton went all in this year and are also out in the 2nd round to Vegas so perhaps there is a blockbuster McDavid and or Draissaitl for Mathews and or Marner. An explosive move that could shake up both rosters. Another move is Mathews and Samsonov for the #1 pick with Chicago. Grab a potential generational talent and clear cap space. Is a coaching change warranted? Perhaps. Keep in mind NHL coaches earn their chops through experience and just blowing the coach out does not change a losing culture. And it could be positive but only if a world class guy is ready to step in. Joel Quenneville comes to mind. He took a bullet for what happened in Chicago but is a proven winner. Also add a McSorley, Semenko type that offers the snipers a little more room to operate. Thoughts?
EVERYONE seemed to be sleeping on Vegas and Carolina this year. Yes, they don’t have all-world goaltending, but the teams are goooood. Oh, and everyone forgot that Florida is a great team too.
I hate vegas, but they are winning the cup. First taste of playoffs and Eichel gets a cup. Perhaps his only one. One is everything. Win one you’re a legend.
Oilers are an even bigger disappointment. They had a far easier path to the cup. Toronto had to contend with the two most recent presidents trophy winners (Bos, Fla) and the 3 time conference champions (TB). Conversely, Edmonton had to contend with two expansion teams (vgk, sea) and an overrated LA team. None of whom made the playoffs last year.
His last 3 seasons in Buffalo Eichel put up 224 points in 212 games. That's elite level production. This year he returned to a ppg player. Sure he had 3 lost years but that was due to a very serious back injury. He's clearly a 1C in the NHL. Bob's take that Eichel has produced at a second round pick level is not based in reality.
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Bob’s future is so bright, he’s gotta wear shades. 😎
The difference was, and always has been, the income tax.
Eichel’s defensive play was way better than McDavid if you say otherwise you didn’t watch the series. Eichel played on an even worse team for 6 years than McDavid, if there was a worse team or organization than Buffalo I challenge anyone to find a worse franchise during that time period.
Cmon Bob. 2nd round pick?? The guy is a stud. Has been brilliantly at times. Buffalo was garbage. Then he hurt his back. Pretty big injury.
The Oilers are in trouble with that Nurse Contract. He’s a bottom pairing defender on any contending team and he’s making number 1 money. It was exposed in the Vegas series big time. I also think they need to look at moving out RNH and Yamamoto, to bring in a couple bigger guys who can win some battles in the trenches. They were both cycle killers, and turnover machines along the walls all playoffs long. They couldn’t get any offense going because of being knocked off pucks too easily. I’m also not sold on Woodcroft. He pulled Skinner 4 times, and Campbell came in and played great every relief appearance. What would it have hurt to give Campbell a start? He helps the Oilers defensively with his puck handling skills alone. He would have helped neutralize that relentless Vegas forcheck that became a real problem 5 on 5. I also couldn’t figure out why he kept McDavid and Draisitl separated so long during the 2nd period meltdowns. Once Vegas got the leads, the first move should have been a timeout to stop the bleeding, and the second move should have been an immediate heavy dose of those two guys. Instead he did nothing until the 3rd period, when it was too late being behind by 2 goals. On a seperste note I find it flat out disgraceful that a team can come into the league and make a cup final and 3 conf finals appearances in their first 6 seasons the way Vegas has. It appears as though the league is paving the way to get Seattle doing the same type of crap to ensure prolonged interest. Im not saying the league should go back to its crappy expansion rules that Ottawa and Tampa dealt with, but it’s pretty obvious they’ve gone way to far the other way now.
McDahshhhanon is now placing his blames on Stone, after his favorite is predictably playing a disappearance act during the most crucial point of the playoff, wow!
Bobger Rabbit!!
Have a can of coke and a dart 🎯
lol
At the start of the playoffs, I had a feeling that both leafs and oilers goaltending would be a concern. And it was. Both of these teams have gone thru a bunch of goaltenders the last 5 years. Hopefully they can finally find one that will be with them for a while.
Bob's hammered
Is Bob okay. He seems a bit like he’s slurring a bit
Bob’s take on Eichel..agree.
A Canadian team will never win the cup as long as Bettman is running the show.
you keep comparing player to player. Instead, try comparing Mcdavid's line including Draisaitl to Eichel's line then Stephenson's line then Karlsson's line. individually, McDavid's line including Draisaitl beets any one of em, but not all 3 combined. it gets even better when you go and blame Edm's defense or goaltending…
A sports organization is a centralized, command and control hierarchy. The Leafs were arguable in disarray and Shanahan appears to have imprinted a strong culture and has enabled moves like bringing in talent at the management, coaching and playing level. He, along with Dubas, have structured a professional minor league feeder system and the loyalty and opportunity extended to their minor league and now NHL coach is honorable. The most successful coaches in the NHL tend to have been around for a while and have brought along a successful ethos that they gained either as a player, previous coach and sometimes both. In the playoffs coaching will naturally go with the guys that got you there.
The run and gun regular season offensive show sells tickets and jerseys and from that perspective the Leafs are thriving. The playoffs are a different beast. The defense appeared to be flat footed and gave up repeated turnovers resulting in Goals. Goaltending wins Cups and virtually everyone with their name engraved on Lord Stanley's hardware benefited from a Goalie who was able to stand on his head for 10-12 weeks in the spring and early summer. So it appears the culture has been established and the organization from a business standpoint is humming.
Professional sports is also about winning. A great culture can be diminished by a group that accepts non performance and losing year after year. For all players, the NHL is big business and big contracts that are paid in full from day 1 to the last day of the regular season ensure that their financial incentives are not aligned with a long and punishing post season. Mathews, Marner and the Connor McDavid's all have their financial security guaranteed regardless of whether they win a playoff round.
Perhaps instead of a relatively nominal playoff bounty offered, The NHL could prorate contracts over 10 months from the opening game to the Cup final. Instead of paying tv money etc directly to teams, they could beef up the playoff pool. For example a player that signs a USD$8m contract becomes eligible for a 25% top up contribution from the NHL. The now USD$10m contract is prorated over 10 months (Sept-June) but the player only earns the back end of the contract if he is still alive in the playoffs and payments stop when teams are eliminated. This financially aligns players with a winning playoff outcome. The big contract owners proportionally earn more but even the grinders who have smaller contracts have a chance to massively improve their earnings.
So changes to the Leafs are required.
#1 priority IMHO is goaltending. The young guy Woll looked good when called upon and might have the secret sauce but Samsonov was often caught out of position and gave up too many weak goals. Move Samsonov
Defense was outmatched with both Florida opponents and the Leafs need their Coffey, Leetch, Lidstrom anchors to transition up ice without turnovers. Emphasis on a combination of speed and nastiness.
In terms of trade bait up front I think you need to shake things up. Not necessarily wholesale changes but certainly a blockbuster with at least one of Tavares, Marner or Mathews needing to go. A Losing attitude is a virus that needs to be cut out. Edmonton went all in this year and are also out in the 2nd round to Vegas so perhaps there is a blockbuster McDavid and or Draissaitl for Mathews and or Marner. An explosive move that could shake up both rosters. Another move is Mathews and Samsonov for the #1 pick with Chicago. Grab a potential generational talent and clear cap space.
Is a coaching change warranted? Perhaps. Keep in mind NHL coaches earn their chops through experience and just blowing the coach out does not change a losing culture. And it could be positive but only if a world class guy is ready to step in. Joel Quenneville comes to mind. He took a bullet for what happened in Chicago but is a proven winner.
Also add a McSorley, Semenko type that offers the snipers a little more room to operate.
Thoughts?
Bob retire your dementia is taking hold.
Mackinnon > McDavid
Great thumbnail pic lmao
Which team didn't show up from time to time besides Boston in the regular season? Weak argument imho.
What does the President actually do?
Playoff's matters and nothing else
EVERYONE seemed to be sleeping on Vegas and Carolina this year. Yes, they don’t have all-world goaltending, but the teams are goooood. Oh, and everyone forgot that Florida is a great team too.
I hate vegas, but they are winning the cup. First taste of playoffs and Eichel gets a cup. Perhaps his only one. One is everything. Win one you’re a legend.
The Oilers were over the cap too haha come o
Oilers are an even bigger disappointment. They had a far easier path to the cup.
Toronto had to contend with the two most recent presidents trophy winners (Bos, Fla) and the 3 time conference champions (TB).
Conversely, Edmonton had to contend with two expansion teams (vgk, sea) and an overrated LA team. None of whom made the playoffs last year.
His last 3 seasons in Buffalo Eichel put up 224 points in 212 games. That's elite level production. This year he returned to a ppg player. Sure he had 3 lost years but that was due to a very serious back injury. He's clearly a 1C in the NHL. Bob's take that Eichel has produced at a second round pick level is not based in reality.