Finally.
NHL pre-season is far too long. The first four games mean next to nothing and the remaining games make us believe that players are better than they actually are. Have pre-season be four games... and start the regular season before the end of September.
During practice over the past couple of days, Tippett has had the big three of RNH, McDavid, and Draisatl centering their own lines. The Edmonton Oilers easier have the best centre depth in the entire NHL, no argument to say otherwise. Unfortunately due to the lack of high caliber wingers, it's likely we won't see the three split up for any long period of time.
Edmonton needs to figure out how to get two scoring lines going, before they even consider trying to split up their offense more. ---
Jurco – Draisaitl – Kassian Nygard – Sheahan – Gagner Granlund – Haas – Chiasson Khaira – Cave – Archibald
Nurse – Larsson Lagesson – Bear Manning – Benning
Koskinen
- No surprise that McDavid will not be playing tonight. The captain has looked like his usual self in the two games that he has played with no trace of an injury remaining. The story tonight should be prepping the team for the regular season; no one needs the distraction of a McDavid vs Giordano rematch. - Jurco and Bear were the big stories in last game and are seem to have the inside track on the coveted top 6 and top 4 positions. Tonight they will play against essentially a complete NHL roster. - Granlund's injury has had him passed by some players on merit, but his past NHL work likely keeps him in the main 23 man roster. Granlund is a skilled PK player and should be a welcome addition on the special team's unit that so far has looked very good. - Gagner and Haas need to do something
Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik Lucic-Bennett-Mangiapane Czarnik-Jankowski-Rieder
Giordano-Brodie Hanifin-Hamonic MacDonald-Andersson
Rittich
The Flames appear to be icing what looks like their opening night roster. On paper, the Oilers are the weaker team. The game means nothing in terms of the standings but some players in Edmonton are playing for a spot in the NHL.
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OILERS PLAYER PROFILE - WILLIAM LAGESSON Lagesson has been a steady presence throughout camp and likely has done enough to earn a spot as the 7th defenseman to start the season. Over the past couple of games Lagesson has had the unfortunate responsibility of playing with the slow and plodding Brandon Manning. Tonight he gets a chance to strut his stuff a bit more with the rising Ethan Bear.
FLAMES PLAYER PROFILE - MILAN LUCIC Oh Looch. You were a 6 million dollar anchor on the Oilers roster and will now inflict the same problems upon the Flames. Peters has already tried to do what McLellan did by putting you on the top line PP. I'm secretly hoping the Oilers allow Lucic to score a couple PP goals so the staff keeps thinking he belongs there.
3 KEYS TO VICTORY
1.) Regular Season Mentality - You have to know that Tippett is going into that dressing room before the agme begins and telling his guys to play this game with the same intensity of a regular season game. Errant passes, miscommunications, not skating back at full speed to rejoin the play, some of those things may have been fine before but should be unacceptable now.
2.) Last Chance - This is the last opportunity for some players to make the roster for opening night. No one wants to be sent down and for players like Gagner, Haas, and Nygard, they need to make life the decision difficult for the coaching staff.
3.) Starter? - Mike Smith has been fine if unspectacular through the couple games he has gotten into. Right now the starting position is likely Mikko Koskinen's but a terrible showing tonight could change that quickly.
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FILM OF THE DAY
This is the last game of pre-season. The last chance for some players to prove themselves. The last time we have to discuss games that don't matter in the grand scheme of things. With all of these lasts, it's time to pick a scene from The Omega Man.... and Charlton Heston as the last man on Earth.