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Player grades: Evan Bouchard sprinkles his magic over Edmonton Oilers' 3-2 win over Vancouver Canucks
The Edmonton Oilers finally brought their “A” game in beating the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Tuesday night. The Oilers got the better of almost all aspects of play, scoring one power play goal, killing off three Vancouver power plays, defending well and scoring two even strength goals, matching Vancouver in that category. Calvin Pickard was also solid in net, but not quite so spectacular as Arturs Silovs of Vancouver. But Silovs was not the best player on the ice in this one. That honour goes to game-winning shooter Evan Bouchard. In total, the Grade A shots were 17 for Edmonton, eight for Vancouver, with the subset of more dangerous 5-alarm shots ending up six for the Oilers, three for the Canucks. Connor McDavid, 7. Good game, one assist, one blemish, far more good than bad. He drew three Canucks defenders to him on the power play, then sifted a pass to Draisaitl for the game’s first goal. His line went to work in the second period manufacturing four Grade A shots and plenty of o-zone time. He got a bit too high in the d-zone on Vancouver’s second goal, giving too much time to Brock Boeser to pick his spot, never a good idea. #97 contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +5/-1; Special Teams +2/-0. Zach Hyman, 7. Provided his trusty screen on Edmonton’s first goal. Worked hard all game with plenty of smart hustle plays. No major mistakes on defence. #18 GAS: ES +3/-0; ST +3/-0. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 8. A brilliant goal in this one. Reunited on top line and his game again came alive He did his best work early on as part of Edmonton’s busy, busy penalty kill, which got a standing ovation for allowing just one shot on a double-minor kill in the first. Back on the second line, he won a board battle that helped free Nurse for a break-in shot. Then came the moment Vancouver paid for Carson Soucy’s vicious cross-check and suspension, with his replacement Noah Juulsen out of position, allowing Edmonton to break-in 2-on-1, with RNH sniping in a shot off the post. He followed up snapping wide a few delicious power play slot shots early in the third. #93 GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +1/-0. Leon Draisaitl. Still not looking fully healthy but a big game from Leon, one goal and one assist. His line created some dangerous shots on the attack. Excellent job moving his feet to draw an early penalty on J.T. Miller. Followed up by driving the world-famous Executioner’s Shot past Arturs Silovs. Ill-advised, no-look, backhand turnover led to a 2-on-1 break late in the first, but big #29 made up for his own mistake with a ferocious backcheck. He was slow to the shooter on Garland’s goal. But he made a typically fantastic pass to set up Bouchard on the winner. #29 GAS: ES +5/-1; ST +2/-0. Evander Kane, 8. This game represented the Return of Mr. Playoffs, and not a moment too soon in this series. He knocked down Nikita Zadorov — aptly dubbed the Apex Predator of the series by commentator Jason Strudwick — earning the first big cheer of the game, then blasted him twice into the boards on the same shift a few minutes later. You get the sense Kane might not like anyone else taking that Apex Predator title. But he took an ill-advised cross-checking penalty into Tyler Myers’ face. A great forecheck let to a Nurse’s Grade A. He almost tucked in a slot shot late in the second, putting it off the post. Huge clearance in the third almost led to a break-in goal. The came his monster hit on Filip Hronek, kicking off the Virtuous Cycle on Bouchard’s massive goal. Who is the Apex Predator now? #91 GAS: ES +4/-0; ST +0/-0. Dylan Holloway, 7. Looked right at home with Draisaitl and Kane. He’s gone from the bench to the fourth line to the third line to the second line. Some solid stick-handling and passing this game. Huge slot stickcheck on Garland in the slot midway. He charged in for a late second period Grade A, then set up Kane for another. #55 GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0. Ryan McLeod, 6. Kept it simple, held his own defence. Had a wide-open look in the first period but pinged it off the crossbar. Good work on the PK in the first, part of Edmonton’s unit that killed off six minutes. #71 GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0. Corey Perry, 5. A few bumbled pucks early on had me wondering why the Oilers stuck with him Sam Gagner. Didn’t get much done. He played just nine minutes, no shots, no hits, but no mistakes on major defence. #90 GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0. Warren Foegele, 5. As invisible as Perry, but no mistakes on defence. #37 GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0. Derek Ryan, 6. He won a board battle and made a huge clear on Edmonton’s lengthy first period penalty kill. He threw a hard hit on Hughes late in the second. He lost the faceoff on Vancouver’s second goal. #10 GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0. Mattias Janmark, 7. He burst in short-handed for a 5-alarm shot. Solid on defence, so solid. I’d have him out there in the last minute protecting the lead every game, but that’s just me. #13 GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +1/-0. Connor Brown, 6. Good on defence, good on the PK, no offence. #28 GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +1/-0. Evan Bouchard, 9. What a cool killer he’s become. Edmonton’s best player in this one. One assist, one stupendous goal. Another game-winning goal. His excellent run of play continued into the game. He made a smart pass to free up McDavid to do his work on Edmonton’s first goal. Next made a fine deke to set up McLeod in the slot for a great chance. Excellent stick-on-puck shotblock on Joshua midway. Then came his outside shot through a self-inflicted Detroit Double Screen on the winning goal. #02 GAS: ES +4/-2; ST +1/-0. Mattias Ekholm. Solid defensive play early on to prevent a pass to Lafferty breaking in alone. Huge play to block out Garland on a rebound attempt late in the first, which might well have saved a goal. He lost a board battle and was out of position in the second on two Canuck Grade As on the same shift. Brilliant play on Edmonton’s second goal, avoiding a big hit and sending RNH and McD in on a 2-on-1 and scoring play. Huge play at the blueline to hold in puck for the winning goal. #14 GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-0. Cody Ceci, 6. He looked much better with Kulak. Bobbled the puck allowing Brock Boeser to break in on a dangerous chance in the second, tho he was able to clear the rebound. He broke in with Drai but failed to get a shot in net midway in the game. Had a few more bobbles with the puck but sound enough positional defence. #05 GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +1/-0. Brett Kulak, 7. A solid defensive stop and clearance as Vancouver put on some second period pressure, where he was out for 2:31. His superior skating kicked off an Edmonton Grade A sequence late in the second. His hard work led to a penalty call against Vancouver early in the third. He was the only Oilers d-man to keep a clean sheet at even strength, not one mistake on a Grade A shot against. #27 GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0. Darnell Nurse, 6. More good than bad. He took an early penalty, then charged in and lost the puck, almost leading to a 3-on-1 Canucks break, so not the best start. But made a good pass in the sequence leading to Janmark’s break-in chance. He broke up ice for two Grade A shots midway in the game. Garland’s goal deflected in off of his leg. #25 GAS: ES +3/-1; ST +1/-0. Vincent Desharnais, 5. He struggled, but battled, struggled more, battled more. Allowed a few Grade A shots on the PK in the first, both by Garland. He gave away the puck twice in the Sequence of Pain leading to Connor Garland’s goal seven minutes into the third. He allowed through Boeser’s shot on Vancouver’s second goal. #73 GAS: ES +0/-2; ST +0/-2. Calvin Pickard, 8. He only faced eight Grade A shots, but he was cool in the net and yielded just two goals. That’s almost always enough for the Oilers to win. He got an early save on Vancouver’s first power play. He stuffed the dangerous Garland late in the first. Looked good on Blueger’s harpoon. Then came a huge moment with Pickard doing what Stuart Skinner failed to do last game: thwart sniper Boeser on a 5-alarm break-in shot. He had little chance on Garland’s goal, as he was screened and the puck went in off Nurse. The second goal was roller derby madness, little chance for Pick. Recently at the Cult of Hockey STAPLES: Edmonton Oilers Old Boys Club delivers a message STAPLES: Social media explodes around Soucy-McDavid incident STAPLES: Another playoff season, another goaltending controversy in Oil Country LEAVINS: 9 Things McCURDY: Oilers vs. Canucks — how they were made Player grades: McCURDY: Game 3 — Canucks 4, Oilers 3 STAPLES: Game 2 — Oilers 4, Canucks 3 (OT) LEAVINS: Game 1 — Canucks 5, Oilers 4
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Filling a Marner-size hole in regular season would be difficult for Maple Leafs
Let’s assume there’s a Maple Leafs world in 2024-25 that doesn’t include Mitch Marner. First, though, let’s be clear. If there does come a time when the Leafs and Marner go their separate ways, we’re not going to know for a while yet. The Leafs made it apparent on Friday that after years of playoff frustration under president Brendan Shanahan — who, naturally, remains in his position — they’ve finally come to the realization that the core as it stands isn’t going to win in the playoffs. Just don’t expect there to be a straight line between what the front office may have planned during the off-season and what actually happens. If it’s Marner that general manager Brad Treliving intends to move, Marner and his agent, Darren Ferris, will have that knowledge long before July 1, when the sides can negotiate on a contract extension. Any talks on July 1 and beyond won’t be necessary if Marner decides to waive his no-move clause. Somewhere, too, we should leave room for the idea that maybe, just maybe, Marner remains a Leaf next season and he can take another run at what would be his first 100-point season in the National Hockey League. There would exist the possibility, even small, that the Leafs wouldn’t find a trade to their liking, even though potential suitors will be lined up around the block at Scotiabank Arena. When the Leafs had their exit meetings last week, Marner said he wants to stay with Toronto for the longterm. Holding firm on his no-move clause is a distinct possibility. Back to the idea that Marner has played his last game in Leafs sweater, or will at some point in the next year. With 85 points in 69 games this past season, Marner was on pace for 101 points had he played in all 82 games. He hit 99 points in 2022-23, 97 the previous season and had 94 in 2018-19. He’s going to record 100 points, whether it’s with the Leafs or another team. There’s the rub if Marner is deleted from the roster. If you think the Leafs should be getting a premier defenceman in return in any trade involving Marner — and that’s what Treliving should demand because there’s not going to be a ton available in free agency — all of those points that Marner amasses in the regular season, those same points that have helped the Leafs attain lofty status in the Atlantic Division, will be gone. There’s no one on the Leafs roster now or in the pipeline who will replace those points, and expecting that collectively from several players would be a tall ask. Never mind that if Marner eventually is no longer part of the Leafs picture, the team would be in some trouble at forward if Auston Matthews or William Nylander was injured for any length of time. A potential Marner subtraction from the roster has to have been part of the interview process that Treliving is believed to have had with, at least, Craig Berube and Todd McLellan for the vacant coaching position. Regarding Matthews, of his franchise-record 69 goals in 2023-24, Marner had the primary assist on 25 and assisted on eight others. Full respect to the chemistry that Max Domi had with Matthews when the two were on the same line as Marner recovered from an ankle injury suffered on March 7. But Domi is no Marner. Marner’s failure to make a difference in the playoffs, most recently his paltry three points in seven games against the Boston Bruins, helped reinforce the opinion that changes must be made to the core. Beyond Matthews, Nylander, Marner and captain John Tavares, the group of forwards that the Leafs have under contract for next season includes Matthew Knies, David Kampf, Calle Jarnkrok, Ryan Reaves, Pontus Holmberg and Bobby McMann. Restricted free agents include Nick Robertson, Connor Dewar and Noah Gregor. Outside of Knies, McMann and Robertson, it’s not a pool of players overflowing with the potential for increased offensive production in the event that Marner is traded. If you’re counting on, say, Easton Cowan and Nikita Grebenkin to make the roster and tip the offensive scales, we would humbly suggest you’re probably seeking too much. If Marner is no longer part of the picture, Treliving will need to accomplish more than re-signing Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi, if either happens, to try to ensure more offence comes from the forwards. Said out loud, “changing the core” sounds pretty straightforward. Putting that into motion is not going to be easy, and if it happens with a Marner trade, there’s going to a regular-season hole up front that will be next to impossible to fill. We’re not saying changes are not required for the Leafs to make headway, once and for all, in the playoffs. There should be the reminder, though, that the regular-season bumps on the way to the post-season would bigger without Marner. tkoshan@postmedia.com X: @koshtorontosun Berube? Keefe? Arniel? Options aplenty as Jets search for next bench boss SIMMONS: Another shining toy for the remarkable, still young, Larry Tanenbaum
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