There’s no team in the NHL quite like the Edmonton Oilers. Their pair of superstars and their ability to play together or apart sets up for a cat-and-mouse game between the two head coaches that will ultimately tell the story of the series.
This year, it becomes even more of a focal point than the series between the two teams in 2023. That’s because of the way the Golden Knights rolled out their forward lines to finish Round One against Minnesota. After searching high and low for a solution to stopping the Wild’s top guys, Bruce Cassidy ended up playing his three best defensive players all on the same line, and it worked like magic.
Unlike 2023, when Vegas has a lineup in which Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and William Karlsson were each on separate lines, this year they enter with the option to play them all together, which will make the battle between the coaches even more important.
I’m not a big line match guy but there are exceptions to every rule and they have a couple of players who are exceptions. Those guys are MVP’s of the league. You have to be mindful of when they are coming over the boards to get the matchup you prefer. -Bruce Cassidy
In their series against the Kings, Kris Knoblauch deployed Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together for the lion’s share of the time. LA countered with a bit of a rotation on who drew the defensive assignments, with Philip Danault, Anze Kopitar, and Quinton Byfield each spending more than 24 minutes of ice time against both McDavid and Draisaitl.
The Kings never unbalanced their lineup, and eventually it was their undoing. Cassidy has to be mindful of both loading up to limit the duo while not losing what the Golden Knights do best.
I don’t think you can mess with your chemistry. You’ve got to pick your spots to do that because your players get affected. I’ve just felt that I don’t like to lose the rhythm of our team. -Cassidy
In the first practice before the second round, Cassidy continued to have Eichel, Stone, and Karlsson skating together. With the benefit of last change for the first two home games, he may look to fight fire with fire, something he did not do for a single shift in 2023.
You have two guys who play a terrific two-man game so you have to be on full alert. But that means they are probably going to the bench together so it’s time to make hay against the rest of the lines if you feel you have the depth advantage. -Cassidy
The question for the Golden Knights, and Cassidy, is does his team still have the depth advantage they relied upon in 2023? If they still do while loading up the top line, the Oilers are in a world of trouble. But, if VGK can’t sustain down the lineup, they’ll be forced to take apart their mega trio and it will leave them vulnerable against McDavid and Draisaitl.
That’s kind of the fun part of the year as a coach. I enjoy that part of it. Kind of the back and forth and you’ve got to make your adjustments and guess what’s going to happen next. Try to think ahead without upsetting your guys. -Cassidy
Cassidy maneuvered it perfectly against John Hynes and the Minnesota Wild in the first round. The task is even taller this time around, but VGK have to feel confident they have the right guy pulling the strings.
Jeffrey M Sutton
Will McDavid and Draisaitl be allowed to use Twitter now that Canada’s new emperor has banned it?
David
Just stay out of the Penalty box! Don’t look at, skate near him, say hello, check, intercept the puck, beat him to said puck, score on them or anything else they will call for McDavid….
NAM
I am a big fan of Cassidy. He is an awesome strategist and this team will win or go down fighting. The fact that Marchessault, a couple of weeks ago, said Cassidy is the best coach he has ever had, says a lot. Also I have to give props to Cassidy for being a great fan coach. His press time means something to me, I am always learning something, its rarely just coaches speak.
As for the series, I am nervous. I wanted EDM over LA (NOTE: I hate both), but the fact that they figured a real good LA team out means they are no fluke. Vegas has to get past the weird, absolute shit, sloppy play that pops up from time to time. They need to pass well and win battles. The d men need to be on their game. They need to play strong defense in front of Hill. I think they can do it. Can’t wait!
Emmanuel
I am 85% sure he is a good coach with 2 caveats:
1. Hes never coached a bad/young team, always contrnders with stars.
2. As for the “strategist” label i think ‘tactician’ is a more accurate word. Until the Wild series hes never been much of a ‘line matcher’, he just rolls his 4 lines so its a dubious accolade. He does mix up lines (usually) between periods but its for inducing scoring not matching lines. Perhaps the Wild/Oil top heavy teams has prompted him to create the “Super Two Way Line”.
TS
Cassidy gives us more insight in ONE game timeout interview, than other coaches would ever reveal in any game. He packs a lot of in- the -moment knowledge in a single minute
.Post- game is very detailed, really informative…love our Coach!
HERE’S TO A HUGE W TONIGHT!!
Tim
Learn a lesson from St.Louis as Yogi Berra once said it ain’t over till the fat lady sings. Cassidy tends to go into a shell when were up in the third period. The stunning comebacks of the Jets with two goals in the final two minutes my advice would be don’t take your foot off the petal.
ThG
what’s a petal ?
NAM
You know like stepping on a flower, but I am not sure why you shouldn’t take your foot off of it. I mean perhaps it would survive if you take your foot off of it.
TS
Save the flowers, people! Mother’s Day is right around the corner!
Larry
Like many here I am a devout VGK fan, hoping living and dying with the results of the boys.
Cassidy and I don’t see eye to eye on many of the lineup changes, but I will give him the slightest edge that he knows what is best for the team haha.
I’m on record as predicting the $&)/& oilers going down in 6 games as we advance to the Western Conference Finals, however……after seeing these lines at practice I can only hope this will not be what we see tomorrow evening because what I see doesn’t look like a winning combination.
What I would like to see is:
Karlsson Eichel Olaffson
Saad Hertl Stone
Barbashev Howden Smith
Pearso Roy Kolessar
Each line has 1 or more responsible defensive forwards that won’t be totally overmatched when those 2 $&();& oilers are on the ice together or apart.
Yes I was the one who advocated for Olaffson to be a healthy scratch rather then Pearson and now I’m placing him on the first line, I just think he fits better there than on the 4th line and complements the speed of Karlsson and Eichel.
Go Knights Go!!
VGK fan
Larry, some excellent thoughts and observations, let’s get this underway already. The Fortress will no doubt be rocking, hopefully can feed off that energy and get in front early and shut their fans up.
Emmanuel
If McD & Drai play on the same line id keep the WK-Eichel-Stone together & hope someone can contain their 2nd line.
Susan Y.
If I remember right last time we played the Oilers in the playoffs, Karlsson did a really good job of containing McDavid.
JB
Some good thoughts here. For me I am pretty confident. Edmonton is very dangerous of course, but we know how to play them. It’s just,WILL we do what we know we must do. If we play right, we will take this series. Probably 6-7 games!
TS
We do seem to have more games logged vs Oilers than others, and playing tough Playoff games vs them is very familiar, been there, done that a time or two ..
So hopefully Cassidy has a real handle on just what worked and didn’t work in the past, and cook up the right formula for stopping the Oiler Train
. i feel better playing them than the Bruisers or the Beasts in the league.
Now, about those Canadien Boo- Birds: i HAVE noticed a whole lot of Booing from their fans, basically EVERY time a call is,or isn’t made. Kinda curious…
Jake
The pressure is totally on Edmonton.
It is a good place to be for Vegas.
I like Vegas.
Emmanuel
The consensus is the Oil are weaker than last year, no pressure on them and lets be honest its VERY likely McD ends up on another team sooner or later. To win a Cup.
Richie-Rich
Worked like magic? Okay, that’s a huge stretch. It worked, barely and the VGK had to rely on an offsides call. It’s true, the top line of the Wild wasn’t nearly as productive with Karpizov being stymied.
We will need to reduce the unforced errors and turnovers in round 2. Do that and I believe we have the overall better team. I would even give Hill the edge over Pickard.
The hockey God
Coach can hit as many push buttons on his chalk board, the players still have to execute. They aren’t dumb shit democrats who don’t think but only follow their party leaders like zombies do.
ThG
https://x.com/FarLeftLibNutMo/status/1919756436604911984/photo/1
Donald J Trump
nally, someone connects the dots.
“In 2014, after 3 of Fauci’s bugs escaped, 300 scientists asked Obama to shut him down. Obama declared a moratorium—but Fauci moved the experiments offshore, mainly to the Wuhan lab. Now our own government—CIA, FBI, State, DOE—all say those experiments likely sparked the COVID pandemic. And it all started as bioweapons research in 1947. President Trump just moved to shut it down—for good.”
— HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Donald J Trump
finally, not nallly
Richie-Rich
Isn’t it just a bit too late? AND, where is the justice for those who redirected funds offshore to the Wuhan Lab? We now know that Fauci and his inner circle knew that the virus didn’t come from a wet market and that it was their own illegal gain-of-function research that was the cause.
I don’t care if Fauci and others got a pardon. These gangsters need to be investigated and brought to justice for the genocide they unleashed on the planet.
knights fan in minny
damm right R-R
Guy on the glass
So many fake tickets sold on stub hub yesterday. check your seats.
Larry
I truly and obviously hope what I’m about to say won’t happen and I can be proven happily wrong…but….i will say it anyway….Bruce I beseech you to not go forward with the lines you have rolled out at practice…it simply is not a winning combination.
Go Knights Go!!
PJT
It’s called line matching, Larry. We’ve got home ice — why wouldn’t we use it?
Our 1st line is built to shut down McDavid, Draisaitl & Perry. Kolesar on L2? That’s to forecheck Kane — they’ve got history, and disrupting him matters.
This isn’t random. It’s strategy.
If our top 2 lines neutralize theirs, the depth battle favors us. Our 3rd/4th lines and offensive D can tilt the game.
And don’t forget: this is a mental game too. EDM’s got a couple of the dirtiest chirpers in the league with Perry and Kane. Let them take the bait — we stay disciplined. Hopefully the refs catches on to their shenanigans and end up giving us free power play minutes. Go Knights Go!
VGK has the edge. Play smart, play tough
arnold rothstein
how do “fake tickets” get sold on stub hub ? What is story, behind the story ?
Anand
Edmonton Get Fucked!
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To the inches where mo’ now the hoe is gotta go
Pussy just as hairy as a panda, pink and peppy panther
Panty expander, tricks lick long while I lap long hard and fast
While I’m dippin’ hunnies ass, throwin’ harder with Barbara
Seein’ sexy with Betsy, gettin’ ready for Betty,
I hit the hooker heavy
I hit the hooker heavy
Use a finger to when them real niggas comes to spread’em
Hittin’ other peoples bitches so I’m comin’ to ya weddin’
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So you can say I have a head start
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Than ya thought I was wife, whore, daughter in the order
Fuck all that one man one bitch shit
One condom, one dick, switch
To another after gun with a rubber
You can lick me like a lover wipe your mouth on the cover
I never dilly dally pimpin’ Susan and Sally
Now you can find the couchie from Miami to Cali
Throwin’ harder with Barbara
Seein’ sexy with Betsy, gettin’ ready for Betty,
I hit the hooker heavy
I hit the hooker heavy
Bitches comin’ with it for doublemint
Lookin’ for ya homies
Cause the hoes know me like they owe me
I got a strip I hit when I’m lonely
Hit a bitch wit a whip and she run like Toby
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Wit truce sluts lookin’ for a crew screw
I flip and I flow when they go kinda low
Hoe better have my dough so suck silly
Hookers could stay or ya don’t touch nuts
Really hook a good day
Adios disapear like a smoke your rejected
By a dick thats erect bitch
Sometimes I think I’m losin’ it a lunatic
With a lot of automatic shit with clips
It ain’t no thang to me it’s the same ole slang
To me I roll with a long size gang with me
Throwin’ harder with Barbara
Seein’ sexy with Betsy, gettin’ ready for Betty,
I hit the hooker heavy
knights fan in minny
fucking nut job grow up
Donald J Trump
From ‘The Daily Caller’s’ report on President Trump’s “Meet the Press” interview:
“I mean, look at the Democrats. They’re in total disarray. They have a new person named Crockett. I watched her speak the other day, she’s definitely a low-IQ person, and they said she’s the future of the party. I said you have to be kidding.”
Ouch. You can almost hear the collective gasp from the liberal media, but for those of us living in reality, Trump’s words hit the nail squarely on the head.
If This is the ‘Future,’ Democrats Are Stuck in Reverse
Richie-Rich
This is an opinion piece I wrote for the Nevada News and Views. Americans are simply not aware of the fact that we have already gone over the fiscal cliff and are on our way down to crash below. As you will see fixing this mess cannot be accomplished by taxing the rich alone, and a lot of pain is coming in terms of what has to be done to get us back to fiscal sanity.
https://nevadanewsandviews.com/has-the-u-s-already-gone-off-the-fiscal-cliff/
knights fan in minny
stormy is back