-Buzzsaw-

Pettersson is not the player MacKinnon is, neither will he be.... he just doesn't have the raw power, acceleration, or speed. Pettersson is a passer/playmaker, who has an elite shot. But he can't go through an opposing team with speed speed and power. Pettersson can deke players on occasion, and use space, but he doesn't have the ability to accelerate into space and leave defenders behind the way MacKinnon can. Pettersson needs a linemate who can give and go, and exchange the puck with him... and that person needs to be a shooter too. That player doesn't need to be a superstar, but he does need to have a high level of skill. Brock Boeser could be that player... but when you put Boeser with Pettersson, then Miller doesn't have a partner. Kuzmenko was that player, but obviously he didn't fit Tocchet's requirements for defensive play. Personally I think the Canucks should have been more patient... Kuzzy is a smart player, and he would have adapted to Tocchet's system eventually, but they elected to go with Lindholm. But why spend all those assets on acquiring Lindholm, and then put him on the third line??? Unless Tocchet actually has an unconscious/conscious bias against Pettersson... (he is not at all Tocchet's style of player... just like Kuzmenko wasn't) and wants the Canucks' third line, Lindholm/Garland/Joshua, to be the new 2nd line... with Pettersson relegated to the third? In fact that seems to be becoming the case... If you look at ice time in game 6, the 'Third Line' actually had more ice time than Pettersson's line. Pettersson only had 15:46 of time, compared to LIndholm with 18:30, Joshua with 17:26 and Garland with 16:19. Which is completely crazy... relegating a 100 point player to the third line and third line ice time makes no sense at all. But in my opinion, a lot of what Tocchet did in the Preds series didn't make sense... playing a defensive series, when the Canucks have much more offensive assets doesn't seem a good idea... and the shot totals prove it. Canucks were very fortunate to win the series... thanks to a couple late game miracles, but needing last second miracles don't mean the coach is doing a good job... it means the opposite. I am hoping Tocchet re-thinks his coaching and lineup for the Oiler series... and the weird dynamic we are currently seeing... where one of the league's best offensive teams gets coached into a defensive shell... doesn't get repeated.

Reffing the Toronto/Boston series was actually worse than the Canucks/Preds. Bias in favour of Boston in the final game was so obvious you'd think there'd be a riot in TO. In the third Leafs get called for non-existent hooks, and Bruins get away with pulling down a Leaf on a near-breakaway. Anytime you are up against an original six American team you have to figure you'll be in the hole for penalties.

Get your facts straight. - Hogs got his 20 + goals because he was on a line with Pettersson. He can put the puck in the net. But he is not a passer or a playmaker... look at his assist totals. - And Kuzmenko's production did not go up after he was removed from Pettersson's line and put on the 3rd and 4th lines, it went to nearly zero. AFTER he was traded to Calgary and AFTER Kuz was put with Calgary top six players, his production went back up. - Hoglander did not decline to go to Abby... he played there nearly all last season. - In fact Podkolzin would be a potentially good addition to Pettersson's line, since he can pass and make plays... better than Mikheyev. Mikheyev used to be good for scoring on breakaways with his speed, but he lost that when he didn't fully recover from his injuries in Toronto. Mikheyev has hands of stone around the net... if you don't give him a wide open tap in, he's not going to score. At least Hoglander can take the puck to the net and he does have a good shot... just that passing isn't in his vocabulary. But what is needed on Pettersson's line is an experienced top six player... like Lindholm... Garland would do in a pinch, but that would break up the Garland/Joshua/Blueger line... which should be back together. All in all, the obvious solution is to put Lindholm and Pettersson together.

Too bad the Leafs lost... I was hoping they'd upset the Bruins. But they took them to 7 games... which means the Bruins are more beat up and tired... good thing. Not that I am cheering for the Leafs, just that I dislike Boston much more. I think the Panthers beat the Bruins in 6... and the Rangers prevail over the 'Canes. Then we will see a 7 game series between the Rangers and Panthers... hard to say who'll come out of that one. But the winner will likely be beat up. All of this is good for the Western Conference finalist... assuming its the Canucks.

He got the puck to Boeser... without Pettersson spotting Boeser open behind the net, and making the pass, no goal. And like I said... it is not a coincidence that an involuntary line juggle that was forced on Tocchet, was the key to scoring. Tocchet needs to be more flexible... if lines are not working, then he should look other combinations. And he should give Pettersson a partner he can create with.

McDavid was not on the roster in that last game.

Quote where I said the Canucks would be a pushover... I never said that. What I said was that posters like you who say the Oilers will be easy are deluding themselves.

Something everyone should remember about the Oilers: For those who thought the Preds were dirty in their runs at Hughes... the Oilers will be far worse. Kane will put on his headhunting hat and he will go after Hughes full dirty, late hits are guaranteed. So will Corey Perry. And all of the other Oiler lines will go at him too... Foegele, Hyman, Janmark are all fast and they will hit Hughes late too. They will need to be taught a lesson right away, a Canuck big D-man should be paired with Hughes for the first game and instantly someone takes a run at Hughes he should receive a beat down.

The Oilers had a far better record... and what counts is the playoffs. Oilers shut down the Kings 4-1 and did it in a very efficient manner. Anyone who thinks they will be a pushover is deluding themselves.

No, he was the starter.

Wrong on both counts. Skinner is playing really well and so are the D on the team... look at the results... as the series went on, the Oilers D got better and better. The Oilers are not the same team they were two or three years ago, they have a much more experienced and capable defense... and I am not talking about Darnell Nurse. Vincent DeHarnais is a force for them now... 6'7" and 226 lbs... and Evan Bouchard has improved his defensive play considerably. And of course they have McJesus and Draisaitl... whether you like them or not, they are the #1 and #3 best offensive players in the league who can both do it on their own. The Oilers play much better with McDavid on the roster... don't assume because the Canucks went 4-0 regular season they will do the same in the playoffs. Canucks went 4-0 vs the Preds and barely scraped out a win in round 1. Will take a lot better coaching from Tocchet to deal with the Oiler's offensive threats and generate more shots from the Canucks top lines. If Tocchet leaves Pettersson with Hoglander and Mikheyev, and Suter on Miller's line, then we will continue to see very little production.

Personally I think Silovs should be a tandem with Demko... so 45 games for Demko, 37 for Silovs.

Tocchet is FORCED to juggle his lines by a game situation... so out comes Pettersson, Boeser and Suter... AND THEY SCORE. Hmmmm.... could it be that was what Tocchet needed to do in the first place???????? Anyway, on the 2nd round... and I really hope Tocchet gets his coaching hat on and starts to think about matchups and lines.

Nylander plays with Tavares... who is being paid over $10 million.

Nylander had a linemate who could put passes on his stick.

Tocchet is deflecting and pointing at Pettersson as the problem. And Petey is a decent person and more than willing to go along with his coach's demand he '...move his feet.' But the fact is, you can't attribute the poor play of the team to one single player. By Tocchet's word, the whole team isn't '...moving its feet." And the whole phrase is a cliche... and the fact anyone who is knowledgeable knows a puck moves faster than any skater... and what is really needed is some crisp passing to move the puck. But you don't get that unless you have players who can pass and receive passes. The best passers on the team are Pettersson, Miller, Boeser, Hughes and Lindholm. Hughes is being run so constantly he can't get off decent passes. Miller and Boeser can occasionally put together some decent plays, but are usually let down by Suter. Pettersson has no one to pass with on his line... occasionally he sets up Mikheyev, but he always flubs it... Hoglander has been invisible most of the series although he was better last game. Garland and Lindholm are doing decently, but not 1st line level. Blueger and his line can generate some flurries in the opposition end, but Blueger is a third liner working with 4th liners. So the whole team is being frustrated by the fact there is not enough concentrated talent on any single line. If Tocchet was really open to improvements, he'd either put the Lotto line back together with Lindholm/Garland/Joshua as the 2nd line, or he'd load up Miller's line with the addition of Lindholm and add Pettersson to Garland and Joshua line. Not spread out the talent so no single line has the skill to overcome the Nashville check. Its comes down to the coaching more than a single player. Pointing the finger at Pettersson is bullshit.

Marner has nobody on his line to pass with... Matthews is out... its just like Pettersson having no one. Tavares/Nylander line is intact... they are producing.

Really, Really, Really happy the Bruins are choking. Even if they eliminate the Leafs, they will be beat up and meanwhile Florida is waiting, nice and fresh. Florida will be tough to beat this year... last year they had too many injuries... this year they have pretty much a full roster. Rangers are also an excellent team... will be a real battle with Carolina though.

No, Pettersson is not a Superstar like McDavid... who can make plays completely on his own. Petey is a player like Mitch Marner... who needs a Matthews to shine. Every successful top six line in the league has at least two high level players who can both shoot and make plays. For the Leafs, I mentioned Matthews and Marner... they also have Tavares and Nylander on their second line.... this makes them a double threat and is the reason why they are one of the highest scoring teams in the league. It goes the same with every team in the NHL. You have to load up your top lines. Pettersson had an elite offensive player in Kuzmenko on his line at the start of the season, but Kuz was yanked. When Kuzmenko was traded, Lindholm should have gone on Pettersson's line and stayed there. But Tocchet is more concerned with checking and defense, and so he put Lindholm on the third line... but when you spread out your talent too thin, then you end up with nothing.... which is what you see with the Canucks in the playoffs with the closer checking and attention to detail. Its not just Pettersson who is underperforming in the playoffs. If you are going to put a third liner like Hoglander as one of the wingers with Pettersson, then the third player should also be a high level third liner who can make plays... like Garland... not a 4th liner with hands of stone like Mikheyev. Hoglander can score, but he is not a passer or playmaker. Give Hoglander the puck and he'll shoot or drive to the net... he rarely sets up one of his linemates.

Dubois had 16 goals and 40 points in the regular season compared to Petey's 34 goals and 89 points. He also played on the Kings number 1 line for a large part of the season... with the best players on the team. For the first 20 games, when he had 30 points and the NHL lead in points, Pettersson was on fire... when Kuzmenko was yanked from his line... after that with the exception of the approx. 1 week when the Lotto line was re-united, and when he again set the league on fire and won Player of the week, Petey has played with nothing but 3rd and 4th liners. He is still playing in the playoffs with a 3rd liner, (Hoglander) and a 4th liner. (Mikheyev)

There is no coach in the league who puts the previous season's 100 point center on a line with 3rd and 4th liners. Except Tocchet. Tocchet doesn't make Miller play with Lafferty and Di Giuseppe.. why is he making Pettersson play with Mikheyev and Hoglander? Failure in Coaching... or setting up Pettersson to fail.

Oilers are looking better this year than last. They have multiple years of playoff experience, they have Skinner playing really well, (at least for an average NHL goalie) and their offensive machine is being complemented by a defense which is playing stingy. Right now I would say they have to be one of the favorites to come out the the Western Conference. If Canucks get past Nashville, and based on the way both teams are playing now, the boys from Expo Blvd will have a tough time.

If Tocchet doesn't adapt and react to the way the Preds are playing, Canucks will lose this series.

One post troll with a nickname that celebrates Pastarnak.... hmmm... could this be a Boston fan?

Is that what your crystal ball tells you?