GDB 29.0: What Is This Odd Feeling? (7pm MT, SNW)

Photo credit:© Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

By Jason Gregor

3 years ago

Seinfeld was the Wayne Gretzky of sitcoms. So damn good.

Debating which is Gretzky’s greatest record is similar to debating which is the best Seinfeld episode.

There are so many worthy choices.

One of the best scenes is when Jerry cries for the first time.

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Jerry experienced emotions he wasn’t used to expressing. It concerned him, and after years of being beaten down I sense some Oilers fans are struggling how to deal the feeling of calm confidence before a game.

It has been a long time since Oilers fans could rationally prepare to watch a game knowing there is a very high likelihood their team will win. There is never a guarantee, of course. The 30th place Detroit Red Wings defeated the first place, and reigning Stanley Cup champion, Tampa Bay Lightning 6-4 last night. Upsets happen.

But as you read about the Oilers, and get prepared to watch them later tonight, you might be wondering what is this “calmness” you are feeling.

The Edmonton Oilers are good. They are 14-5 in their last 19 games.

They have the top-two leading scorers.
They have two of the top-10 scoring D-men.
Their starting goalie has the fourth best Sv% among goalies with at least at 10 starts.
The team is playing sound defensively allowing only 2.63 goals/game during this hot-streak.

Calm confidence has never been a part of Oilersnation since its inception in 2007. If you are second guessing yourself, don’t. Your eyes are not deceiving you. For over six weeks the Oilers have stopped being a tire fire defensively. Outside of a few games against Toronto, the Oilers have played winning hockey. They aren’t simply relying on their superstar forwards to carry them. They are better in their own zone, through the neutral zone, and even in the offensive zone, as they maintain possession longer 200 feet away from their own goal.

And tonight they face a banged up and beaten down Ottawa Senators team. The Senators had four shots on goal in the first 30 minutes last game. The Oilers had six goals. They controlled that game from the opening faceoff, and I expect they will have long stretches of controlling the play again tonight.

Despite their weakened opponent, this is an important game as Edmonton is entering their most difficult stretch of the season. They play five games in seven days, and 10 games in the next 16 days as they travel from Edmonton, to Vancouver, to Calgary, back to Edmonton, then to Montreal and Toronto. They face all six of their divisional opponents in the next 16 days, and I expect will see 15 or 16 forwards, eight defenceman and both goalies play.

The advantage of having good depth is the Oilers will be able to bring players in and out of the lineup without much drop off. Enjoy the calm for a night, because the next few weeks could be a bit more nerve wracking.

LINEUP…

Oilers

Draisaitl – McDavid – Yamamoto
Ennis – RNH – Puljujarvi
Shore – Khaira – P.Russell
Neal – Haas – Chiasson

Nurse – Barrie
Lagesson – Larsson
Jones – Bear

Smith

Caleb Jones draws in for the injured Kris Russell. Russell has been solid on the backend since February 1st. He’s helped on the PK, he’s chipped in six assists and when on the ice outscored opponents 8-5. In other years, losing a veteran blueliner would leave a hole on the backend, but Jones is more than capable of sliding in and playing just as well.

The Barrie v. Bear debate has been a topic recently, and I asked a former NHL D-man his analysis of the two defenders.

“These two D are similar sized, but play the defensive side of the pucks differently. Barrie is a quick skater and uses his stick and angles to try to shut down the offence. He is most comfortable defending with the puck on his stick! He defends best when he gets the puck, because he is very good either moving it up or skating it out. He is elite in the offensive zone in how he can join the rush, but also when he jumps in from the blueline it creates a lot of issues for defending teams.”

“Bear defends with being in position more than using his feet and using his stick to disrupt the opposing player and then turning that puck quickly into a breakout pass. If he can add the element like Barrie of jumping into the rush, and then jumping off the O-zone blueline to create more chaos in the O-zone, it would bring another element to his game. Right now Barrie is a better all around defenceman.”

I’ve read many comment how Barrie is terrible defensively. I think people toss terrible out far too easily when discussing players. He isn’t an elite, shutdown defender, but he’s far from terrible. And he is elite at moving or skating the puck out of the zone, and then joining the rush. The reason the coach plays him with McDavid’s line is because he makes them more dangerous. I’m perplexed by those who try to diminish what he does well. He’s been excellent the past six weeks.

Since February first he is a +8 at 5×5. He has only been a minus player at 5×5 in two of the past 17 games. I’d say he is helping more than hindering.

Senators

Stutzle – Anisimov – Batherson
Tkachuk – Tierney – Brown
Paul – Norris – Dadonov
Bishop – Peca – Watson

Chabot – Zaitsev
Reilly – Zub
Wolanin – Gudbranson

Daccord

The Senators had to change lines again, but this time due to injuries to Colin White and Ryan Dzingel, who both left Wednesday’s game with leg/knee injuries. Peca and Bishop are a downgrade up front, while Wolanin draws in for Brannstrom. The Senators didn’t skate this morning, but the smart money is on Daccord to start in goal.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING…

From SensChirp.ca:

The Edmonton Oilers.
A force in the Scotiabank Northern Division Presented by Scotiabank. Their lineup features two of the league’s most dynamic forwards.
In Connor McDavid, you have a rare combination of speed and skill. And not like, normal hockey player speed. This is the launched out of a cannon kind of quickness. If you see McDavid picking up steam in his own end of the rink, it’s already too late. At that point you have three options- trip him, tackle him or change and let someone else end up on SportsCentre.
In Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers have the defending Hart Trophy winner. He gets lost in the hype around McDavid sometimes but he’s almost as impressive. You sometimes forget about him for a little bit and then all of a sudden he has three goals, two assists and it’s still the second period.
Yes indeed, the Oilers are a powerhouse.
Well except for the fact that they ain’t won shit. I mean, as a franchise they’ve won like 40 Stanley Cups but nothing recently. The stink of playoff failure is overwhelming with this group and their ability to elevate and then ultimately crush the expectations of their fan base is matched only by the team sitting a couple spots above them in the North Division standings.
And yea, they’ve beat Ottawa six straight times this season. Sure, they’ve outscored Ottawa by a 28-13 margin in those games. And yes, I did get second-hand embarrassment in my own home watching that last game.
But THIS one is going to be different. This time we show these wannabe contenders the REAL Ottawa Senators. We hit ‘em. We outwork ‘em. And we BEAT THEM!!!!!

TONIGHT…

Photoshop: Tom Kostiuk

GAME DAY PREDICTION: Oilers win their seventh in a row over Ottawa with a 5-1 victory.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Draisaitl scores for the third game in a row. He scores twice.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Khaira and Shore connect for another goal as Khaira continues to produce 5×5. Only McDavid and Draisaitl have a better P/60 than his 2.57, and he is tied with Jesse Puljujarvi for fourth most 5×5 points among forwards.

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