Head coach of the Vancouver Canucks Rick Tocchet wasn’t shy about praising the Edmonton Oilers.
After a seven-day vacation, the Edmonton Oilers are excited to get things going against the Vancouver Canucks tonight at Rogers Arena. The final second-round series to play their opening game is this one.
It’s the only all-Canadian game in the playoffs this postseason, with the Toronto Maple Leafs already gone. Two outstanding teams are driving this series, which is sure to be a great one.
To prepare for the much-anticipated game, a number of players and both head coaches met with the Vancouver-based media earlier today. After spending some time talking with the media, Rick Tocchet shared a few fascinating anecdotes.
Tocchet emphasized what he thinks is the team’s least discussed strength when asked about things the Canucks should be mindful of about the Oilers: “not to build them up too much because they are a hell of a team – they are one of the better teams at taking the puck to the net.”
“Everyone speaks about’star power,’ but in terms of net front, I believe they are among the greatest teams offensively. Many of the guys there frequent the net and hang out there.”
Tocchet named three Oilers players in particular—Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, and Corey Perry—as those that truly push play in the direction of the goal.
Whether they like it or not, these two teams will square off tonight to determine who wins the best-of-seven series.
