syntheticity

I lived and worked in Pittsburgh for three years. Only about 300k in the city (excluding metro) as of 2022 but so many of those are university students and UPMC staff from elsewhere, and I did (eventually) meet some fellow Canadians while there to bond over hockey with, but it took some time for sure. Not surprised that their fan base is pulling for us. In addition to past coaching / player connections, that city has a deep blue collar mentality & work ethic, stemming from their steel factory history. RT has helped instill an even keeled, workmanlike ethic into this team that I can really see resonating with Pittsburghers. (In contrast to the sense of entitlement that many see emenating from the Oilers side). It's nice to see that other fanbases (Pittsburgh, Calgary, even apparently Edmonton should they lose) are willing to come to our side. In some ways, it's a complete reversal from 2011 where we were widely villainized. This time around, we've been cast as the likeable underdogs looking to topple the presumed heirs to the throne...

Yes, he could reason the way you suggest, or he might not. You asked why Hronek would consider a bridge contract and the justification I gave seems like a reasonable one. Lots of players, including Pettersson, have reasoned this way into accepting bridge deals. Also, it's not as if he holds all the power in this equation. If they can't agree to a multi-year deal, the team isn't forced into arbitration. They could also trade him for picks / prospects, which could land him in a less desirable spot on a less competitive team.

If it's a choice btw an 8m+ per year for a longer contract that buys more of his ufa years vs a cheaper 1 year arbitration deal, then a 2-3 year bridge contract represents a reasonable compromise with both short-term and long-term upside for hronek. Short-term, it gives him more $$ than a 1 year arbitration deal would. Long-term, it only takes up 1-2 of his ufa years, allowing him to cash in on his next deal at age 28 or 29. It would be a bet on himself; if he thinks he hasn't hit his ceiling yet, then he can sign a more lucrative contract in 2-3 years (with us or another team), especially if the cap continues to go up.

Actually, the Oilers are widely loathed in Canada outside of Edmonton. Their fan base's argument that past success makes them more deserving of future success & recognition, just makes them seem entitled, in the douchiest way possible. There are very few things that Vancouverites and Calgarians agree on, but they've wholeheartedly joined forces in rooting against the Oilers in the playoffs.

It might be worth exploring a shorter bridge contract, e.g. $6-7m per for 2-3 years, to buy us time for Willander to graduate into the lineup.

Check out Ian Cole's Wikipedia page lol

Seriously, not that Zadarov needs it, but the fans should look into setting up a gofundme page to cover any future expenses for hits like that, definitely a worthwhile cause...

I watched game 6 from Brazil. Not as crazy of a time zone flip as Asia, but still... a Canuck fan's gotta do whatever a Canuck fan's gotta do...

You seem to be using the word "style" in a different sense from how I was using the term. I nowhere claim that VAN's style reduces to a rigid 1-2-2 system or that LA's style reduces to a rigid 1-3-1, nor did anything I say imply that. In the sense I was using the term, there's an overall systems difference that's widely acknowledged. For example: And there are a number other differences beyond the ones mentioned here by McDavid... But in any case, let's agree to avoid a pointless verbal dispute over the meaning of the word "style." If you prefer to refer to these differences as differences of implementation or discipline or something else, instead of differences of style, then fine. The point of my original post is that there are important differences between how EDM matches up against VAN vs how they matched up against LA, and it's not obvious that their success against LA implies automatic success against VAN.

Not sure how that's relevant to the underlying point that LA has a different overall style (e.g. prefering more man on man coverage in the d zone, more emphasis on clogging up the neutral zone) and personnel. Are you denying that?

According to Bing copilot, here are VAN's d-pairings for the 2024 playoffs lol

Sure, VAN doesn't use the 1-2-2 in all scenarios; it doesn't apply, for example, when they've got puck possession in the o zone, or when the opposing team has possession in theirs. The underlying point is that it's not clear that EDM's performance against LA immediately translates to how they matchup against VAN. LA and VAN play very different styles (man-on-man vs zone, usage of 1-2-2 vs 1-3-1, etc.), have totally different personnel and strengths, etc.

I really don't get why the Oilers are being so heavily favoured... Yes, our regular season dominance over them doesn't imply the same result in the playoffs. But it's not that we beat them, it's how we've matched up against them that matters. VAN employs a positionally sound, defensive structure has really seemed to slow down and frustrate them, even with McDavid in the lineup. It's this stylistic matchup, combined with VAN's personnel depth on both forward & defense, that has the potential to continue to frustrate EDM. Yes, the wins with McDavid in the lineup came before their coaching change, after which they made some significant improvements, e.g. becoming more defensibly responsible. However, it's not clear to me how these changes negate the fundamental stylistic matchup. So much of EDM's 5-on-5 offense (and their ability to draw penalties to utilize their pp) continues to come from their ability to use their speed to generate o zone chances, which VAN was largely successful in limiting this season. And it's not clear that anything has changed on this front. The stylistic & personnel matchup producing this result still seems to be there. One could even argue that it's even an worse matchup now for the EDM, with the addition of Lindholm, which gives VAN yet another option for shadowing McDavid (which could prove particularly valuable when EDM has last change at home). Yes, EDM looked good against LA. But LA uses a 1-3-1 system that's designed to clog up the neutral zone. EDM matches up well against that system, as they were able to crack it using their speed through the neutral. However, VAN uses a completely different 1-2-2 system that utilizes positionally sound defensive structure & solid stick work, that's designed to limit offensive free-wheeling into the o zone, often leading to dump ins, which plays to the strengths of VAN's d core to quickly retrieve pucks & exit their zone. (NASH was able to counter that somewhat with aggressive forechecking, often sending 3 guys at the puck, but that's not EDM's system.) Yes, McDavid is an elite, game changing talent, and EDM's top players were firing on on all cylinders.. against LA. Maybe they'll be able to continue that against VAN, maybe not. Let's see how things play out once the puck drops. In the meantime, I'm just not seeing any good reason being given for thinking that the key factors responsible for VAN's regular season dominance over EDM--the stylistic and personal matchup--couldn't continue to pose issues for EDM in the playoffs...

Yes, fewer shot blocks from edm should allow more shots to get on net. But, more importantly, Edm doesn't send 3 guys at every puck (which should also give us more space to operate), and strong positional play should also lead to more counter rush opportunities.

No it's not. LA plays a 1-3-1 system intended to clog up the neutral zone. Edmonton cracked that using their speed through the neutral. By contrast, we use a 1-2-2 system that leverages solid defensive positioning and stick work to limit opponents' chances and transition the puck out of our d zone quickly. This system is not inherently conservative. Rather, it focuses on smart, positionally sound aggression. That's what worked for us all year and what plays to our strengths. In the Nash series, it produced a lower event series because of how Nash played. Applying this same system against Edm has the potential to really slow down & frustrate them and exploit their weaknesses, as it often did during the regular season. No way Tocchet tries to reinvent their team system now, nor should he.