Monday Mailbag – Western Conference Finals

Happy Monday, Nation, and welcome to a brand new Mailbag to help you get your week started and break down what’s happening with the Edmonton Oilers. This week, we’re looking at the Western Conference Finals, Jay Woodcroft’s line combos, and a whole lot more. If you’ve got got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or hit me up on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk and I’ll get to you as soon as we can.

Colorado has been very consistent defensively and haven’t allowed the Oilers top forwards to enter zone with speed very often.

No real surprises. Colorado can skate and is excellent off the rush. Overall, that’s been the case in this series, especially in the first two games. The Oilers have been outshot by 40 shots, 130-90, through three games.

That the Oilers’ offence hasn’t been able to generate much at all. I know the Avs’ defence is good, I’m not suggesting otherwise, it’s just that Edmonton had been able to generate more against both the Kings and Flames overall. Better team for sure, but I didn’t think they’d be able to limit Connor and Leon as well as they have.

Their kid line has no rookies. They have four, three and two years of NHL experience. Holloway hasn’t played one NHL game. Expecting him to match their success would be a surprise. But in the coming years he and McLeod could be the central pieces of a kid line.

Not surprised. There’s no comparison between Holloway and the line of Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kaako, who already have more than 340 games of NHL experience combined. Holloway has none, zero, nada. Expecting him to come in and make his debut in a WC final with the Oilers down 3-0 makes no sense.

Down by three games, why not throw the hail mary? The Oilers need offence. Obviously, with zero NHL games under his belt, expecting that Holloway would be able to produce right away is a little much, but at this point, I’d absolutely try it out.

I think a loud crowd can give the home team a boost at down times in the game and at the start. Edmonton’s best game in this series (thus far) came at home and I think the crowd’s energy helped. It won’t guarantee a win, but it can help at times.

Edmonton’s atmosphere has always been something special. I can’t say how much it helps but it certainly doesn’t hurt. I think the Oilers have taken a huge step forward in game night presentation down the stretch and in these playoffs.

I’ve been lucky enough to attend a few games throughout this run and there’s no better place to be than at Rogers Place during the playoffs. When people talk about how loud it can get in there, they mean it. I also went to Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles, and while the atmosphere at Crypto.com was great, it really wasn’t close to what we’ve got going on here.

I didn’t have an issue with what they gave up. Had CHI retained $1m it would have been better, but the trade made Edmonton better.

Woodcroft and McDavid know better than I — or you. That aside, Keith, like the rest of the Oilers defence, has been exposed by Colorado’s speed and pace in this series.

Duncan Keith has had his ups and downs for sure, but I think he’s been mostly solid throughout the playoffs. Who knows what he says in the room but he’s been solid on the ice.

Term is bigger concern for me than cap hit at this moment. I’d be leery of anything more than three years.

I wouldn’t offer the term and dollars it’ll take to keep Kane. He’ll follow the money, which is his right. For me, the top end is 3x$5M.

I’d do 3x$6 million but he wouldn’t take it.

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