Whether you love him or hate him, it’s almost without debate that people consider Bill Belichick the greatest coach in modern sports. One of Bill’s most famous quotes came in 2014 following the Patriots blowout loss in Kansas City against the Chiefs. The quote “We’re onto Cincinnati” became a rallying cry in New England as the Patriots ran all the way to another Super Bowl title.
What I’m trying to say here is the Patriots put a really bad and unlucky loss behind them. The Oilers need to do the same and get the “We’re onto Florida” mentality. Yes, last night was a tough loss but it isn’t the end of the world.
Looking back on it, Edmonton dominated the game for forty minutes against Tampa Bay. They led 2-0 but missed countless opportunities, it should have been 4-0 or 5-0 after forty minutes if we are being honest. Edmonton shot themselves in the foot by not converting and then luck took over, it happens.
I thought both Taylor Hall and Darnell Nurse made the right plays but caught bad breaks. Over the course of the season it will happen. It’s frustrating, but Edmonton outplayed Tampa Bay and deserved a better result. Over the course of an 82 game season, that will happen. It’s tough and it sucks, but you have to move on.
If the Oilers play against the Panthers the way they played against Tampa for the majority of that game, then they will win, I truly believe that. Some tough bounces decided that hockey game, plain and simple.
The Oilers need to mentally move on and realize nothing can be done about the Tampa Bay game. We’re onto Florida.
McDavid Out:
Todd McLellan confirmed today that Connor McDavid will not return before the NHL’s All-Star break. For Oiler fans and for the team, that’s tough news to take. McDavid is the club’s best player and he’ll instantly make them a better group once he returns to action. The fan in me wants him back right away. The Oilers are in the playoff hunt and he can help.
That said, I think the Oilers are doing the right thing here. Rushing McDavid back before he’s 110% percent would be a huge mistake. We saw what happened to Tony Romo in Dallas when he got back, keep McDavid out until he’s ready and the threat of re-injury is gone.
The Oilers get a ten day All-Star break, the longest in the NHL. This gives McDavid some extra time and that should help. This also means we know his likely return date, February 2nd against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rexall Place.
We also know that McDavid will miss another eight games before returning. Edmonton likely needs to go 5-3-0 in that stretch to keep pace in the Pacific playoff chase. Remember what I said when he went down, if Edmonton can stay within four points when he returns they’ll be okay.
Jakub Kindl:
The Detroit Red Wings waived defender Jakub Kindl on Saturday afternoon to the surprise of many. Should the Oilers, an injured team dying for defense, be interested?
Yes, Kindl can be had for free, but I’d pass on him if I were Peter Chiarelli. Kindl is a left-shot defender and the Oilers have tons of those. Oscar Klefbom, Andrej Sekera, Darnell Nurse, Brandon Davidson and Griffin Reinhart are all left shot guys that are likely in the long-term plans of this organization.
Kindl comes with his faults, too. He’s not a physical player and he’s extremely inconsistent. His defensive game has taken a step back this year too, he’s often been called a liability on the ice for the Red Wings.
In terms of ice time, we are looking at a third-pairing player. Kindl has averaged just 16:51 per game this year. His offensive numbers have suffered as a result, he only has five points in the 23 games he’s appeared in.
The Oilers would be wise to stay away from this player, in my mind.
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