'Major wildcard': Vegas analyst worried about star VGK defender vs Edmonton Oilers
Article content
Said Gawlik: 'Alex Petrangelo is a major wild card question mark of this series. Anyone that watched the last round, watched Kirill Kaprizov and more importantly, Matt Boldy, just do circles around the entire Golden Knights defense. Last couple of games, Matt Boldy, he just basically made Alex Pietrangelo become a turnstile.'
BOLDS LIGHTS THE LAMP🚨 #EasyToCelebrate x @budlight
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 30, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
5 days ago
- National Post
Canucks: Trading Vasily Podkolzin wasn't bad. Not drafting Matt Boldy wasn't good
Article content A more important and pressing query is what were the Canucks thinking at the Rogers Arena draft table in 2019? There must have a been debate. Article content They passed on enticing options — especially with a bumper crop of U.S. National Development Team prospects accounting for three of the first nine picks and seven of the first 15 — but made the surprise selection of Podkolzin. Article content It was somewhat stunning because highly-coveted USNTDP right-winger Matt Boldy was sitting there and taken two picks later by the Minnesota Wild. After his rookie season of 39 points (15-24) in 47 games, compared to 26 points (14-12) for Podkolzin in 79 games, Boldy took off. Article content He had 31, 29 and 27 goals respectively the following three seasons and point totals of 63, 69 and 73. That's nearly a point-per-game pace of 244 in 285 games, the true measure of potency and consistency plus future promise. Article content Boldy became a first-liner for the Wild, was on the U.S. roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off and could warrant Olympic team consideration. Team scouting efficiency is a pick piling up 200 career NHL games for its club. Podkolzin had 137 here and Boldy already has 285 with the Wild. Article content Article content The Canucks have had limited success with drafting forwards 10th overall. They got three successive 20-goal seasons from 1975 pick Rick Blight. They also traded rookie Cody Hodgson, a 2008 selection, after he amassed 16 goals in 63 games in 2011-12. Article content The kicker in all this what-could-have-been hindsight is the current status of Canucks unrestricted right-winger Brock Boeser. Article content He will test the market July 1 and could leave a considerable scoring void, unless he pivots back to the Canucks, which is hard to fathom. After a concussion, too much drama, odd management optics at the trade deadline, and still managing 25 goals, he may need a change of scenery. Article content Boeser, 28, is looking for term and salary and there's a gap between a five-year offer and the seven he covets. The money isn't as big a stumbling block as term. Article content AFP Analytics projects Boeser could get a six-year deal at $8.5 million annually in free agency. The Canucks offered $8 million so the gap isn't huge. If that's still too rich, free agent Nikolaj Ehlers could get six years at $8.1 million annually, if he doesn't re-sign with the Winnipeg Jets. Article content Article content
National Post
24-05-2025
- National Post
It took a while, but Oilers are masters of the secret playoff formula
When a team with enough high-end talent to outscore anyone in the league starts overwhelming opponents with smothering defence, it's a scary thing. Article content Article content Ask the Vegas Golden Knights. Or the Dallas Stars. The Knights are golfing after the Edmonton Oilers closed them out in five games with back-to-back shutouts and the Stars have turned over home ice advantage in the Western Conference Final after being blanked 3-0 in Game 2. Article content Three shutouts in four games by a team that boasts two Art Ross winners, three 50-goal scorers, three 100-point players and one of the most productive post-season defencemen of all time? That is a deadly mix. Article content 'We're a different team than we have been in years past, probably not as run and gun as years past, but we can play defence,' said Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who has to keep reminding people that this is not a new development. Article content You don't make it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final unless you've figured out and mastered the art of playoff hockey. Article content 'Forwards are coming back really hard, everyone is selling out blocking shots,' said McDavid. 'It's that time of year, that's what it takes. It's fun to watch. Article content 'And when we defend and everyone is bought in like that, we know we're going to find enough offence somewhere.' Article content It's not always there in the regular season. The Oilers were a pretty sloppy group this year and the biggest question mark heading into Round 1 was whether they could keep enough pucks out of their net, especially without their best defensive defenceman in the lineup. Article content But this Oilers team is a lot like those great Oilers teams of the past in that sense (minus the five Stanley Cups, of course): When the playoffs come, they turn into a very different animal. Article content Article content Stuart Skinner had three shutouts in 51 regular season starts. Now he has three in seven playoff games. And it's not because he turns into Martin Brodeur. When the Oilers tighten up and lock it down, they're as tough to penetrate as any team in hockey. Article content 'If you get a shutout your goalie has to be rock solid,' said winger Zach Hyman. 'At the same time, unless your goalie is out of this world, in order to get a shutout, you have to play well defensively. Article content 'You have to limit those chances because there are some good players on the other team and given enough chances they've shown that they can score.' Article content It took some painful lessons. For years and years, the Oilers were mistake-prone thoroughbreds, stubbornly, and unsuccessfully, trying to play their regular-season game in the playoffs.
Edmonton Journal
20-05-2025
- Edmonton Journal
At gut-check time, what separates the Oilers from the Leafs and Jets?
Article content How do you recover from the shock in time for Game 4 when Vegas scores the game winning goal with .4 seconds left in Game 3? This is how: Stuart Skinner responded with back-to-back shutout wins to close out the Golden Knights. The Oilers scored twice in the third period to tie it, won it in overtime and didn't lose another game to the Kings. Edmonton outshot the Knights 15-5 in the first period of Game 4, took a 2-0 lead and didn't allow another Vegas goal the rest of the series. When people talk about a playoff-hardened hockey team, this is what they mean. Back in the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years, the Oilers have evolved from the young, inexperienced lions of the past into the scarred, battled-tested team you see today. 'We have that maturity level,' said Skinner, who's become a poster-boy for mental toughness. 'We've been here before, we know what to do, we know what to expect. Whatever comes your way, there is a lot less chance of you getting rattled.'
