Sean Maloughney: PS GAME 3: McDavid Returns Connor McDavid gets his first pre-season action as the Oilers host the Winnipeg Jets.

Haven't had a chance to catch any of the games, but I'm glad to hear that the guys who need to impress have started out doing so. It's been a relief to see the highlights show Puljujarvi and Benson in a positive light considering our question marks on the wings.

Preseason games like this are terrible.

Oilers have most their regulars and most the ones who matter against the Jets B squad. If the Oilers don't win by a significant margin its not going to show well. If they lose its bad.

Preseason games like this are terrible.

Oilers have most their regulars and most the ones who matter against the Jets B squad. If the Oilers don't win by a significant margin its not going to show well. If they lose its bad.
- Aerchon

Agree lol. Pressure is on a little more to perform. Ill use the excuse that our guys are all playing for the first time this year while most of the Jets guys have played some games. I am expecting the first period to be rather sloppy and we might even go down by a goal or two but the bounce back will be real. McNuge will take it over at some point, just a matter of when.

Preseason games like this are terrible.

Oilers have most their regulars and most the ones who matter against the Jets B squad. If the Oilers don't win by a significant margin its not going to show well. If they lose its bad.
- Aerchon

I wouldn't say it is terrible. Pre-season simply means different things for different players. For the rookies and prospects you want to see them engaged in play and have the ability to stand out. Veteran players are taking things slower, not fully exerting their energy and getting used to shift lengths again. Goalies have to get their minds back into game form and get used to game action saves.

Pre-season is not even close to the level of play as the beginning of regular season and means even less compared to November games. Just have to look for the small details.

Haven't had a chance to catch any of the games, but I'm glad to hear that the guys who need to impress have started out doing so. It's been a relief to see the highlights show Puljujarvi and Benson in a positive light considering our question marks on the wings.
- MaximumBone

I thought poolparty looked great, Strome played well too. Kassian and Russel were brutal. Garrison is super slow, but has good hockey sense, still can't see him getting signed here. Lucic should start the year on the 3rd line, and prove himself if he want's to move up. I would set the top 3 lines something like...

RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Rieder-Draisaitl-Puljujarvi
Lucic-Strome-Khaira

Yamamoto could still push his way into the lineup too.

I thought poolparty looked great, Strome played well too. Kassian and Russel were brutal. Garrison is super slow, but has good hockey sense, still can't see him getting signed here. Lucic should start the year on the 3rd line, and prove himself if he want's to move up. I would set the top 3 lines something like...

RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Rieder-Draisaitl-Puljujarvi
Lucic-Strome-Khaira

Yamamoto could still push his way into the lineup too.
- Beergu

RNH / McDavid / Rattie or Yam
Lucic / Draisaitl / Rieder
Khaira / Strome / Pulju

These are the lines I guess they are leaning towards.

I thought poolparty looked great, Strome played well too. Kassian and Russel were brutal. Garrison is super slow, but has good hockey sense, still can't see him getting signed here. Lucic should start the year on the 3rd line, and prove himself if he want's to move up. I would set the top 3 lines something like...

RNH-McDavid-Rattie
Rieder-Draisaitl-Puljujarvi
Lucic-Strome-Khaira

Yamamoto could still push his way into the lineup too.
- Beergu

I'll be curious to see if Caggiula and Kassian can improve on their typically below-average defending to contribute to the kind of low-event 4th line this team seems to want. Brodziak has a pretty low bar to beat in that he just has to not be such a drain on the team that he negates McDavid's positive impact- in other words, don't do what Letestu did.

I'll be curious to see if Caggiula and Kassian can improve on their typically below-average defending to contribute to the kind of low-event 4th line this team seems to want. Brodziak has a pretty low bar to beat in that he just has to not be such a drain on the team that he negates McDavid's positive impact- in other words, don't do what Letestu did.
- MaximumBone

You don't think Caggiula / Brodziak / Kassian could be a nice 4th line ?

You don't think Caggiula / Brodziak / Kassian could be a nice 4th line ?
- Reveen.

Should be a very serviceable 4th line, as long as we don't move Caggiula up to any of the scoring lines, and Kassian doesn't keep taking idiotic penalties like last game.

Nurse for Nyquist. Solves all problems.

Nurse for Nyquist. Solves all problems.
- RafiDRW

Zadina for Lucic solves more problems

In what world does Caleb Jones get sent down before Keegan Lowe? Only in Oilerworld.

You don't think Caggiula / Brodziak / Kassian could be a nice 4th line ?
- Reveen.

It could be "serviceable", but my aim isn't serviceable (~45% GF)- I want it to be as close to even as possible. A 4th line is an easier fix than any other line and- as we saw last year- can make a profound difference for a bubble team.

Kassian and Caggiula historically give up more than they provide so my hesitation is more just expecting that trend to continue. Upshall has shown he can be part of an effective 4th line so, assuming health, I'd lean towards him over Caggiula.

Slick play by Puljujarvi there!

In what world does Caleb Jones get sent down before Keegan Lowe? Only in Oilerworld.
- Leichs

Because hes expected to play at big roll.on the farm and they wanted to get him to camp down there.

It could be "serviceable", but my aim isn't serviceable (~45% GF)- I want it to be as close to even as possible. A 4th line is an easier fix than any other line and- as we saw last year- can make a profound difference for a bubble team.

Kassian and Caggiula historically give up more than they provide so my hesitation is more just expecting that trend to continue. Upshall has shown he can be part of an effective 4th line so, assuming health, I'd lean towards him over Caggiula.
- MaximumBone

Putting Caggiula in a sheltered 4th line role should yield better results than playing him in a top six or top nine role.

Putting Caggiula in a sheltered 4th line role should yield better results than playing him in a top six or top nine role.
- Reveen.

We're already sheltering our 3rd line, though so our 4th needs to be able to take some tougher minutes. Nothing Caggiula has showed makes me think he's capable of that.

Zadina for Lucic solves more problems
- Reveen.

Go eat out Jero for a change.

We're already sheltering our 3rd line, though so our 4th needs to be able to take some tougher minutes. Nothing Caggiula has showed makes me think he's capable of that.
- MaximumBone

Your third line needs to act as a secondary second line at this point. Sixty goals for each line needs to happen.

Your third line needs to act as a secondary second line at this point. Sixty goals for each line needs to happen.
- RafiDRW

Or 180 from our first line

Your third line needs to act as a secondary second line at this point. Sixty goals for each line needs to happen.
- RafiDRW

I think that's a pretty unrealistic expectation to place on those lines.

Nuge (30)- McDavid (45)- Rattie (15)
Lucic (15)- Draisaitl (25)- Rieder (15)
Khaira (10)- Strome (10)- Puljujarvi (20)
Caggiula (8)- Brodziak (5)- Kassian (7)

LW = 63 / C = 85 / RW = 57 / Total = 205 from the forwards then add what I believe was a league-low 37 goals from the D and we're around 242 which would've been 3rd in our division.

I think most of the improvement this year has to come from defensive results.

Rattie and Puljujarvi certainly look like they want the spots

Rattie and Puljujarvi certainly look like they want the spots
- MaximumBone

What's the deal with Rattie? Guy has put up good numbers in junior and the AHL. Somehow hasn't had a long stay with a big club. Go from that to playing with McDavid, guys living the dream right now.

Rattie should have started the year in the NHL last season honestly.