I didn’t know if we’d get here, so ran with a combination of draft, 2020 offseason and playoff posts for about 100 days. Thanks for hanging in. We now return you to regular programming.
THE ATHLETIC!
Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. I am proud to be part of The Athletic. Here are the most recent Oilers stories.
- New Lowetide: Splitting the Draisaitl line may create hot August nights in Edmonton
- New Jonathan Willis: Is Philip Broberg on track to be a top-pairing defenceman?
- Lowetide: Oilers’ productive prospect pipeline a welcome change for playoffs
- Lowetide: Will the last stay-at-home defenceman please turn out the lights?
- New Mark Lazerus and Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Breaking down storylines, scouting reports and X-factors for Blackhawks-Oilers
- New Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Oilers scrimmage: Colby Cave gets Maurice Richard treatment in fitting tribute
- Lowetide: Imagining the city of Edmonton with the Oilers in a deep playoff run
- Lowetide: Ken Holland’s roster construction options over the next five months
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Inside the bubble: Details on where and how NHL players will live in Edmonton
- Jonathan Willis: Evan Bouchard’s AHL debut has him on track to become a No. 1 NHL defenceman
- Lowetide: Philip Broberg fortunate to arrive with Oilers under mature management
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: A ‘different’ Oilers initiation leaves Olivier Rodrigue wanting more
- Lowetide: What should Oilers fans expect from Connor McDavid in the playoffs?
- Lowetide: Dave Tippett’s postseason strategy against the Blackhawks
PREDICTIONS SEPTEMBER 2019
I like predicting opening night rosters a few weeks before the coach makes his final cuts. It’s usually close but there’s always a late story plot that sends the entire process sideways. Here’s what I predicted for opening night 2019-20 on September 10, 2019:
- Leon Draisaitl—Connor McDavid—Zack Kassian
- James Neal—Ryan Nugent-Hopkins—Alex Chiasson
- Jujhar Khaira—Riley Sheahan—Josh Archibald
- Markus Granlund—Gaetan Haas—Sam Gagner
- Joakim Nygard, Colby Cave
- Darnell Nurse—Adam Larsson
- Oscar Klefbom—Joel Persson
- Kris Russell—Matt Benning
- Caleb Jones
- Mikko Koskinen (Mike Smith)
I missed on a few. Riley Sheahan was injured, he would play on October 8, seven days after the opener. Joel Persson made the team but was on IR opening night, returning October 5.
Sam Gagner started the season in the minors, recalled for the October 24 game. Caleb Jones also began in Bakersfield, making it to Edmonton on November 14.
OPENING NIGHT ROSTER, LINES AND PAIRINGS
- James Neal—Connor McDavid—Joakim Nygard
- Leon Draisaitl—Ryan Nugent-Hopkins—Zack Kassian
- Jujhar Khaira—Colby Cave—Josh Archibald
- Markus Granlund—Gaetan Haas—Alex Chiasson
- Tomas Jurco, Patrick Russell
- Darnell Nurse—Adam Larsson
- Oscar Klefbom—Ethan Bear
- Kris Russell—Matt Benning
- Brandon Manning
- Mike Smith (Mikko Koskinen)
Ethan Bear made the club and started game one, he was partnered with Klefbom. What a story. Mike Smith started the first game, Joakim Nygard’s first shift came with McDavid and Neal.
Bear, Yamamoto and Jones were exactly what the McDavid cluster needed. Can Ken Holland find three more useful pieces in the offseason?
JESSE PULJUJARVI
Ken Holland told Bob Stauffer “we’ll see where it goes” and the two sides have talked more than once. I see Puljujarvi as being able to slide onto the roster on right wing, behind Yamamoto and Kassian. I think he could land a No. 3 right wing job on the 2020-21 Oilers, with Josh Archibald as the other regular on the starboard side. I don’t see him on a skill line to start, but that big body and skill set are going to be useful to an NHL team for a long time. Personally, I’d love to see him as an Oilers winger in 2020-21, but the bottom line is the young man should find his place in the sun. We don’t know where that will be, or when. However, it appears closer today than yesterday.
The AA – Haas – Archibald line played very well together last night. Should they stick together for game 1?
The heavy line didn’t have a good game, Chiasson in particular. Could that line be Sheahan’s landing spot? If Tippett sits Chiasson he could run Sheahan – Khaira – Neal on the 4th.
Anybody can leave – its not jail.
Of course, unless a player is on an approved leave, coming back would be an issue (and, even if approved, there would be strict protocols).
Yes, they could release Broberg at any time they want. There likely is a chance that they could release him mid playoffs to get him back to his club team but I think he’ll stay for the duration – Holland did say he spoke with Broberg, his Agent and the Skeleftea GM re: staying for phase 4.
I don’t disagree that releasing him at some point may make sense – if they aren’t getting banged up on the back-end.
Can players leave the bubble roster before they are eliminated? If we go deep and it is pretty clear that Broberg isn’t going to suit up for a game. Can he leave early to make for the start of the SHL on Sept. 19?
That sounds far less conspicuous than starting Broberg over Jones straight out. Works for me.
Bear: “…both teams hate each other…”
Make this kid Mayor or something.
Rob Brown just said the exact same thing in the post-game.
Loubardias too was raving about both him and Nurse on Flames radio earlier.
Tipp:
Liked both goalies, liked two of the powerplays, other parts of the game, thinks (in general) they still have some kinks to work out before Saturday.
Hoping Sheahan is ready Thurs, but quite pleased with Haas’s work on the PP.
Jonesy was not available today but was scheduled to play. Wanted to give Broberg the start because out of all the remaining D he was the only one who hadn’t played any game at all at this level.
Tip just said why Broberg played tonight – Bouch has NHL games on his resume and Broberg didn’t and they wanted to ensure he got one in.
Tip says post-game that the reason for playing Broberg was simply to ensure that every d-man in the bubble has played an NHL game – really didn’t sound like he was on the verge to getting in a post-season game.
defmn,
Precisely.
jp,
I don’t think it is a bad read, JP. There’s something there, we just don’t know exactly what.
Perhaps Tipp will enlighten us during the post-game… assuming there’s a member of the media smart enough to ask the question.
One thing is for sure though… no way is he going to rank his D for the benefit of us poor schmos lol.
What’s Bouchard thinking right now? I know they are not competing for the same spot but there was one extra guy who got to play tonight and they chose the younger guy.
Smith just confirmed neither of them know who is starting and they are taking it day-by-day. Tipp has indicated that he expects both will play during the playoffs.
Unfriendly Regional Arachnid Individual,
N64,
I’m happy to be wrong on this. Whatever Tippett thinks is best is cool with me.
IMO he views this as a really important game though. We’ll see soon enough what he really thinks (well, or not).
And again, this is just my opinion based on what I think Tippett would/wouldn’t do here.
Turns out one of his regular season points was alongside McDavid (thought I remembered that!). So in the regular season he scored:
1.42P/60 with McDavid
0.57P/60 without McDavid
Add in tonight (40 second shift?) he’s scored:
4.19P/60 with McDavid
0.56P/60 without McDavid
🙂
If I’m the coach I throw out the first bunch of wobbly shifts and give him enough time to leave them behind
Why not? It’s an exhibition game. Easier to argue against dressing him. But if you dress him you give him time. For all players with just one exhibition. But year Covid this is your chance to prepare him if you dress him
jp,
I agree with the other guy. He wanted to see what he has in his #10 D whereas he knows what the rest can bring. This #10 D has never played on NHL ice before so keeping him around to let him get a feel for it and let Tippett know what he can expect of the player if it comes to needing him. Philly did the same with Zamula earlier today.
Could be. We’ll see.
I don’t personally have a preference, just trying to read what Tippett would do. I don’t think he’d play the #9 or #10 D in this game. Much less give him the minutes Broberg got (27 seconds more than Benning in the end).
Well, yes, Nuge is better than Ennis so that would make sense.
With that said, Ennis has played very well through the scrimmages on the Drai line and, when that line was trying in the first period, they dominated and Ennis made the primary skill play on the Yamamoto goal.
Sign that boy! 6 yrs x $2.9 per? Am I being cheap?
I honestly wonder what they’ll do if a game goes to 4OTs..
Oh McPrecious, how I’ve missed you…
Nice game. I enjoyed that!
Period
No fans. It shouldn’t be that hard. They never have to open the doors to the arena.
No fans also means they can keep the arena cold.
The community rink is always cold. The ice is fantastic.
I’d agree most years. But if you dress a rookie covid insurance D prepare him with some TOi
Really curious how the ice is going to hold up when there are three games in a day, especially if there are games that go to OT. Seems to be taking some crazy bounces just in this third period.
Oh yeah. The boys are back
What is Russell”s points per 60
With McDavid?
Vs without McDavid?
?
Alright, the last few shifts I can say I take no issue with the compete level here. Both lines started playing their games. I’m the jackass.
P Russell still doesn’t have an official NHL goal LoL…..
Nice play to finish that
David should of stocked his flip after that one.
P. Russell eating Kassian’s lunch.
McDavid is being Covid19 smart in this game, it doesn’t look like he’s broken a sweat or will need a shower after the game.
Of course Russell gets his first goal here.
Nuge with the pitching wedge, sticking the green.
McDavid can also put the puck in the next in an NHL arena.
P. Russell/McDavid – maybe we have a new 1RW………
yeah, he looked so stoked
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquirussel!
lol now McDavid.
1st goal!!!!!! (sorta)
P. Russell can put the puck in the next in an NHL arena……
We’ll see I guess, maybe I’m way off base.
I think it’s highly unlikely Tippett would put Broberg in the lineup purely as a reward. And I think it’s even more unlikely that he’d continue playing him in full rotation as a reward. I just don’t see it.
He’s played both sides too. I find it a bit difficult to believe but maybe Broberg has actually passed Jones as #7D? For better or worse.
Bear plays like he has been in the league 10 years, not one.
Some pucks on their net would be nice…
Cool, still don’t like that they didn’t keep the foot on the gas pedal at least a bit. I get it’s an exhibition and I certainly don’t mind McDavid easing off his puck rushes for such a game, but there’s a difference between not playing recklessly and trying.
I think the Draisaitl line is better with Nuge on it
Would prefer to swap Ennis with Nuge for the rest of the third
That was an absurd save!
Wow – massive Smith save.
The showed in the first period what happens when they try against a team like the flames….