<p><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wow, did you guys see Connor McDavid&#8217;s pregame interview? <a href="https://t.co/7uf56oIFzc">pic.twitter.com/7uf56oIFzc</a></p>
<p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/671487558304575493">December 1, 2015</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
</center></p>
<p>Connor McDavid is finally going to be forced to do the one thing he&#8217;s been avoiding for his entire life; facing the Toronto Maple Leafs. I feel for the kid, really; he clearly wanted to be here, to the point where his clavicle acted in his best interests to get him out of the last matchup between these two teams.</p>
<p>But now, the gloves are off, and the Leafs need a loss. Tonight, even in Blue and Orange, he is Toronto&#8217;s saviour, not Edmonton&#8217;s, as the Leafs push for a huge zero points. Let&#8217;s get right to it.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>The Lines</h2>
<p style="text-align: center; "><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenationnetwork.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/61/a1/article_61a1b2a0-664e-48bb-9772-733bf3f576d4.png?resize=600%2C639" alt="thelines" width="600" height="639"></p>
<p>If you combined these two teams together, would they make the playoffs? Furthermore, would anybody in the bottom two defensive pairings on the Oilers make the Leafs? Who the hell is Iiro Pakarinen? McDavid is on the second line, has he already busted? Are Jared Cowen and Colin Greening alive?</p>
<p>No wonder these teams are in the basement. As much as it pains me to say, though, the Oilers have a worse roster, weaker coaching staff, and are the Oilers, so they&#8217;ll probably come out ahead with the loss tonight.</p>
<h2>Starting Goalies</h2>
<p>Jonathan Bernier is in net for the Leafs. He&#8217;s had a really tough go at it this season, putting up a much below league average 0.900 save percentage over 23 games, including losses in his last three appearances. With that said, the last time the Leafs faced the Oilers, a guy who played in the ECHL last night picked up a shutout in his first NHL game. This might be the night he needs to get a confidence boost.</p>
<p>Starting in goal for the Oilers is Cam Talbot. Daily Faceoff&#8217;s full bio of him is as follows: &#8220;Cam Talbot is currently first on the Edmonton Oilers depth chart.&#8221; I presume that&#8217;s like being the thinnest kid at fat camp. He&#8217;s a 0.912 this year, which is also below league average, but probably makes him the best goalie in Oilers history.</p>
<h2>Never Forget</h2>
<p><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Translation: McDavid sobbing to himself in a bathroom stall <a href="https://t.co/09N01r4gJF">https://t.co/09N01r4gJF</a></p>
<p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/696461171336077312">February 7, 2016</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
</center><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just like your team spent years relying on the Leafs for revenue sharing? <a href="https://t.co/th1rmxjatH">https://t.co/th1rmxjatH</a></p>
<p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/671478115529416705">November 30, 2015</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
</center><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Amazing how the Oilers had their golden boy return and still lost the hype battle to a JPG. <a href="https://t.co/F4IOwCD1OB">https://t.co/F4IOwCD1OB</a></p>
<p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/694736872757727232">February 3, 2016</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
</center><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Aren&#8217;t you the last people who should be talking about winning dice rolls? <a href="https://t.co/Ek6hWaxSzz">https://t.co/Ek6hWaxSzz</a></p>
<p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/688396126177865732">January 16, 2016</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
</center><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pouliot&#8217;s biggest regret from this play was that when he got up, he was still wearing an Oilers jersey. <a href="https://t.co/ofSu0lISKq">pic.twitter.com/ofSu0lISKq</a></p>
<p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/671508053959835648">December 1, 2015</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
</center><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">When your childhood dreams get relocated to Edmonton <a href="http://t.co/nWPMF7SMr4">pic.twitter.com/nWPMF7SMr4</a></p>
<p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/589584821304893440">April 19, 2015</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
</center><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">If your team ends a losing streak, but does it against the Edmonton Oilers, does it really count? Asking for a friend.</p>
<p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/564258007086030848">February 8, 2015</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
</center><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Giving the Oilers Connor McDavid is liking giving a recovery drug addict the entire nation of Mexico.</p>
<p>— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/589583686913363968">April 19, 2015</a>
</p></blockquote>
<p></center></p>

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wow, did you guys see Connor McDavid's pregame interview? <a href="https://t.co/7uf56oIFzc">pic.twitter.com/7uf56oIFzc</a></p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/671487558304575493">December 1, 2015</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</center><p>Connor McDavid is finally going to be forced to do the one thing he's been avoiding for his entire life; facing the Toronto Maple Leafs. I feel for the kid, really; he clearly wanted to be here, to the point where his clavicle acted in his best interests to get him out of the last matchup between these two teams.</p><p>But now, the gloves are off, and the Leafs need a loss. Tonight, even in Blue and Orange, he is Toronto's saviour, not Edmonton's, as the Leafs push for a huge zero points. Let's get right to it.</p><h2>The Lines</h2><p style="text-align: center; "><img src="//thenationnetwork.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/61/a1/article_61a1b2a0-664e-48bb-9772-733bf3f576d4.png" alt="thelines" width="600" height="639"><br></p><p>If you combined these two teams together, would they make the playoffs? Furthermore, would anybody in the bottom two defensive pairings on the Oilers make the Leafs? Who the hell is Iiro Pakarinen? McDavid is on the second line, has he already busted? Are Jared Cowen and Colin Greening alive?</p><p>No wonder these teams are in the basement. As much as it pains me to say, though, the Oilers have a worse roster, weaker coaching staff, and are the Oilers, so they'll probably come out ahead with the loss tonight.</p><h2>Starting Goalies</h2><p>Jonathan Bernier is in net for the Leafs. He's had a really tough go at it this season, putting up a much below league average 0.900 save percentage over 23 games, including losses in his last three appearances. With that said, the last time the Leafs faced the Oilers, a guy who played in the ECHL last night picked up a shutout in his first NHL game. This might be the night he needs to get a confidence boost.</p><p>Starting in goal for the Oilers is Cam Talbot. Daily Faceoff's full bio of him is as follows: "Cam Talbot is currently first on the Edmonton Oilers depth chart." I presume that's like being the thinnest kid at fat camp. He's a 0.912 this year, which is also below league average, but probably makes him the best goalie in Oilers history.</p><h2>Never Forget</h2><center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Translation: McDavid sobbing to himself in a bathroom stall <a href="https://t.co/09N01r4gJF">https://t.co/09N01r4gJF</a></p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/696461171336077312">February 7, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</center><center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just like your team spent years relying on the Leafs for revenue sharing? <a href="https://t.co/th1rmxjatH">https://t.co/th1rmxjatH</a></p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/671478115529416705">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</center><center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Amazing how the Oilers had their golden boy return and still lost the hype battle to a JPG. <a href="https://t.co/F4IOwCD1OB">https://t.co/F4IOwCD1OB</a></p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/694736872757727232">February 3, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</center><center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Aren't you the last people who should be talking about winning dice rolls? <a href="https://t.co/Ek6hWaxSzz">https://t.co/Ek6hWaxSzz</a></p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/688396126177865732">January 16, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</center><center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pouliot's biggest regret from this play was that when he got up, he was still wearing an Oilers jersey. <a href="https://t.co/ofSu0lISKq">pic.twitter.com/ofSu0lISKq</a></p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/671508053959835648">December 1, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</center><center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">When your childhood dreams get relocated to Edmonton <a href="http://t.co/nWPMF7SMr4">pic.twitter.com/nWPMF7SMr4</a></p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/589584821304893440">April 19, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</center><center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">If your team ends a losing streak, but does it against the Edmonton Oilers, does it really count? Asking for a friend.</p>— The Tank Nation (@TLNdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/564258007086030848">February 8, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</center><center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Giving the Oilers Connor McDavid is liking giving a recovery drug addict the entire nation of Mexico.</p>— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/589583686913363968">April 19, 2015</a>
</blockquote></center>

LGD: The Leafs are bad, but the Oilers are worse

Recent articles from Jeff Veillette

Breaking News