The first time Edmonton played the Rangers, the result was 10-2 New York live from Manhattan. John Davidson had an easy night in the Rangers net, stopping 18 of 20. Two Edmonton goalies (Eddie Mio and Dave Dryden) faced 47 shots. Goal scorers for New York included long hairs Ron Duguay, Don Murdoch, Ron Greschner and Pat Hickey, while Al Hamilton scored his first goal as an NHL Oiler in the loss. Oilers fans are hoping for a better result tonight.
THE ATHLETIC!
The Athletic Edmonton features a fabulous cluster of stories (some linked below, some on the site). Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. Proud to be part of The Athletic, less than two coffees a month offer here.
- New Lowetide: Midseason review of ‘reasonable expectations’ shows Oilers are on track with preseason targets
- New Jonathan Willis and Daniel Nugent-Bowman: How are our Oilers predictions holding up at the midseason mark? We decided to find out
- New Jonathan Willis: Oilers midseason report card shows an unbalanced team with a lot of replaceable parts
- Lowetide: Oilers recall Kailer Yamamoto and William Lagesson
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: ‘If I have another one in a short time, my career could be over’: Recent head injuries concerning Oilers’ Matt Benning
- Jonathan Willis: The Oilers have actual problems; Connor McDavid’s defensive game is not among them
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers waive veterans Markus Granlund, Brandon Manning in Saturday shakeup
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: ‘We didn’t come with the mindset to play a hard game’: Poor preparation leaves Oilers coach steaming
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending depth chart in need of talent injection
- Lowetide: Oilers’ fleet centre prospect Ryan McLeod finding the range with the Bakersfield Condors
- Jonathan Willis: Leon Draisaitl is struggling badly, even as the Oilers’ depth forwards seem to be coming around
- Lowetide: Should the Oilers pursue Lias Andersson in trade?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Broken toes, holiday-time hospital visits and memories of home: A week in the life of Oscar Klefbom, the Oilers’ do-everything defenceman
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Grasping Mike Smith, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers’ recent plight by reading between the lines
- Lowetide: As Oilers’ auditions of fringe forwards nears conclusion, it’s time for Condors’ top prospects to force the issue
- Lowetide: The key missing element to the Oilers’ brilliant top line
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: ‘We called him ‘The Crane”: Teammates and coaches reveal their best Connor McDavid stories
- Lowetide: Complete Oilers top 20 prospects list, winter 2019
- Lowetide: Oilers’ No. 5 prospect, Winter 2019 — Raphael Lavoie
- Lowetide: Oilers’ No. 4 prospect winter 2019: Tyler Benson
- Lowetide: Oilers No. 3 prospect winter 2019: Ethan Bear
- Lowetide: Oilers’ No. 2 prospect winter 2019: Philip Broberg
- Lowetide: Oilers’ No. 1 prospect winter 2019: Evan Bouchard
OILERS AFTER 42 GAMES
- Oilers in 2015: 17-22-3, 37 points; goal differential -22
- Oilers in 2016: 21-14-7, 49 points; goal differential +5
- Oilers in 2017: 18-21-3, 39 points; goal differential -21
- Oilers in 2018: 20-19-3, 43 points; goal differential -6
- Oilers in 2019: 20-17-4, 44 points; goal differential -8
This year’s model looks a lot like last year’s edition and who wants yesterday’s papers? December has knocked the hell out of this team’s won-loss record, not a single doubt about it. A win tonight doesn’t get the team out of the ditch but it would be a one small step for next year.
OILERS IN DECEMBER
- Oilers in December 2015: 6-6-2, 14 points; goal differential -11
- Oilers in December 2016: 7-2-5, 19 points; goal differential +2
- Oilers in December 2017: 7-5-1, 15 points; goal differential +3
- Oilers in December 2018: 6-7-1, 13 points; goal differential -12
- Oilers in December 2019: 4-8-1, 9 points; goal differential -14
Yeah.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN DECEMBER
- On the road to: VAN (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- At home to: OTT, LAK, BUF, CAR (Expected 2-1-1) (Actual 1-2-1)
- On the road to: MIN (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
- At home to: TOR (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
- On the road to: DAL, STL (Expected 0-2-0) (Actual 1-1-0)
- At home to: PIT, MTL (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 1-1-0)
- On the road to: VAN (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 0-1-0)
- At home to: CAL, NYR (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
- Overall expected result: 6-6-2, 14 points in 14 games
- Current results: 4-8-1, 9 points in 13 games
After living through this month, 11 points in 14 games would smell like victory. Seriously. Reminds me of that CSN song “time we have wasted on the way” and January is going to need some winning streaks if deadline buying is in the plans.
OILERS 2019-20
Yamamoto has played 59 minutes in the NHL with Draisaitl, the results (1-5 goals, 31 percent expected goals) are poor but that’s a small sample size. I’ve always been a fan of Yamamoto (ranked him No. 11 for the 2017 draft on my final list) but am more concerned about injury. His wrist issue started as a small item and lingered throughout the year. He didn’t dominate offensively in the AHL, in fact his career points per game at that level (.68) trails Tyler Benson’s (.92) by some margin.
But his junior resume was stronger (1.27 for Yamamoto, 0.97 for Benson) and he is a more dynamic player. Edmonton has a need for speed. I think Yamamoto can help, if he can stay healthy. The answer unfolds starting tonight.
CONDORS 2019-20
At 6pm Edmonton time, the Condors will play Ontario Reign. It’ll be a chance for Jay Woodcroft and staff to deploy Markus Granlund and Brandon Manning. The Benson-Marody-Currie line is back with a vengeance and the defensive pairings are likely to drive everyone crazy. At this point my only real concern on blue is making sure Bouchard and Samorukov have veteran partners. Manning-Bouchard, Samorukov-Day? We wait.
WORLD JUNIORS
Philip Broberg scored his first goal of the World Juniors today, a dandy wrist shot with evil intent that found twine against the Slovaks. He’s averaging 18 minutes a night, playing a lot of PK and has played well to my eye. Beautiful skater.
Raphael Lavoie has an assist so far at the WJ’s, he is averaging 13:56 per game. That’s No. 8 among forwards by my math, which means he’s moved up a line based on the original depth chart. Five shots a little disappointing, he hasn’t unleashed anything frightening yet.
Matej Blumel has a goal and is averaging 15:31 so far in the tournament. I think he’s a long shot for the NHL but he has offensive talent.
Well said at swearing? Lowetide, why is this language tolerated and applauded?
A team with good leadership should not let a 5 goal comeback, period. Blowing a 2 goal lead in 3rd would be bad enough. Would Crosby or Toews teams ever let that happen? How could you trust the team to defend a 1 goal lead in crunch time. So-called leaders hereare too quiet vocally, need some veteran voices to speak up on the bench
What’s with these personal attacks, can’t someone criticize and call out the team’s lacksidaisical non-effort? I am no sock puppet, just an Oilers die hard fan with an honest opinion. Bravo for piling on
Well done there, very righteous response swearing at me pointing out fundamental character flaw of team that people gloss over. This is what’s wrong with the water, they need a Matt Hendricks, Matt Cullen
Oilers win and phlegms loss equals a good new years eve. Happy new years everyone
I listen to the away broadcast all the time because of Remanda. These broadcast teams are always lobbying for penalty calls on their star players all the time. If the Oilers had the Bruins announcers for their own showing replays of McDavid and Leon getting mugged and embarrassing the refs I guarantee between McDavid and Leon we have at least a dozen more power plays. The two whiners the Canucks have doesn’t seem to hurt their cause either. I used to like DeBrusk but he’s been inflicted with the Remenda disease where he’s trying so hard to be neutral that he ends up lobbying for the opposing teams.
Guys, word to the wise…for some reason, on a lark I picked up some Kirkland Egg Nog. (The boozy kind.)
I didn’t know that it was possible to make egg Nog taste like fish. I mean, it’s clearly fish Nog. Pass. Rum and egg Nog, far better. Less…fishy.
Ok, I had too much fish Nog. Have a great New Year’s, compatriots.
Assertive golf clap!
Dear Limit, or whoever’s sock puppet you are, kindly piss off
For the rest of the hail and hearty, including our valiant, handsome, and irrepressible host…Happy New Year’s.
Agree with you on Remenda. Have you seen Mr Magoo?
+1
Well said!
Really !
Thanks for dropping in! Happy New Year!!
That is speculation. Maybe Holland knew all the defensemen would fly off the board earlier than the public lists were suggesting. It was NOT just Holland who went against the public lists which all had the defensemen ranked lower.
Klefbom has three years left on his contract after this season. He will be 30 when his next contract begins. It is unlikely and likely unwise for the Oilers to re-sign him as a 30-year old. So Broberg arguably will be arriving just in time to replace Klefbom, and not leave any gap in the left hand D.
The Oilers will be able to transition smoothly from Klefbom and Nurse to Nurse and Broberg as the top two LHD.
A whole lotta teams beginning with Detroit started drafting D higher than they were on the concensus lists. The concensus lists this time didn’t reflect the actually thinking and draft strategy in the #5-#20 range.
Watched Flames live P Kane is still unreal. – different level than everyone
Flames new coach is not shy about playing Lucic. 16 mins. Still a turn over machine.
Debrincat looks good Quenville skates well Toews looks like the second comming of Michael Frolik Solid but def not covering $10.5 Mil
Oilers game was 6-0. My phone died. Looks like a wild 3rd!
just aeeing now. No pushing at all. Always play Draft Kings. Fortunateb o have some extra $$.
Go Tampa!
Oh fuck off.
A wins a win but the last time a player showed emotion (Perron) he was run out of town by pretty boy Eakins. I can’t blame the players it’s the culture in Edmonton our home announcer for Heavens Sake is the Professor and Maryann here on Gilligan’s island Remanda. Been a Oiler fanatic since day one and I would fire that Goofball Remanda into the sun he’s a disgrace. Ive seen and been there when we won, we’re not that far off one Josh Anderson and one Pageau plus a Curtis Joseph and we’re cooking with gasoline. Holland is making 5 million a year use a couple of markers and lets get this shit show back on the rails like it’s 1989. Happy New Year Oiler fans only.
I think Haas may be a better fit on that line than Nygard – more defensive responsibility – generally on the right side of pucks – just as quick.
A win to close out the old year makes for a Happy New Year (soon anyways) everyone!
Draisaitl -2 again
-8 last 3 games
He’s going for Yak’s record!
Hopefully K bomb is ok the Oilers where so lost without him. Ganger just doesn’t bring enough to play NHL 15 minutes a night but the coach obviously doesn’t wanna gas McDavid/Draisaitl in a game we did lead 6-0 at one point
Oilers only win if McDavid/Drai go off and/or the goalie steals it, right?
McDavid and Drai and with one point each and the goalie was average, at best – they score 6.5 goals and get the regulation win. Nuge with 4 points, Neal with a Hatty, Khaira with two apples, 4th line chips in.
No character on the bench, Neal laughing joking after game, players should be ashamed giving 5 goals. They stopped playing. Nuge, Bear interviews, even Tippett conference too non-chalant shrugging shoulders, they should be mad as hell they quit playing. Stupid OilersTV post-game drivel too
Hey all, long time no read!
Was hoping there would be a bit more positive energy, but the Oilers are gonna Oiler. Anyway, wanted to wish our host and everybody else a Happy New Year! Hope everybody has an awesome 2020!
Sickening no leadership on this team. Captain should NOT let this happen where team stops playing. Way too non-chalant, didnt even want to try, half-ass effort. Connor does not have killer instinct that a true captain needs.
Even in a game where they were up 6-0, the big minuses continue to accumulate.
They say: Not how but how many.
Let’s forget the how starting now.
Belvedere…take me away
Happy 2020
Oil finally win a NYE game, first since ’85!
Who was the savage that threw his stick at Yamomoto’s feet??
Oilers call up someone who can finish a empty net!
Yammer breaks the Oilers’ empty net curse!
Yama. Moto….
Well that was nice
If the Rangers score, there will be fireworks ?
Say it with me now, everyone.
BE.
CAUSE.
OILERS.
Repeat until playoffs… so forever.
witches. must be witches
It’s 6-5 now!?!?
Ok this is epic-level trolling by the Hockey Gods.
Epic collapse. Like beyond belief terrible.
BornInAGretzkyJersey,
x3
Why is Sam G playing the whole 3rd period? Tippett lessons
If Klef is broken I don’t think Manning will be able to fill his shoes even with a full rickibox.
Hockey Gords are a bunch of good for nothings
Oilers need a shutdown C and line and our D are still a work in progress
So I just got a score update that the rags have scored 3 goals in the 3rd after we were winning 6-1???
WTF IS WRONG WITH THIS TEAM???
BornInAGretzkyJersey,
x2
Rigged I tell ya