The Oilers made some moves yesterday, sending goaltender Alex Stalock to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations. It could be one of those deals where someday never comes on the returning asset, but at the very least it’s a nice turn for Stalock who is closer to the NHL today than he was yesterday. If the Sharks offload James Reimer at the deadline, perhaps he lands back in the show.
The Oilers also signed three men to contracts for 2022-23, and that will be the subject of our conversation today. We’ll also talk about the game tonight, Edmonton could land in a tie for third in the Pacific with a win over the ‘Hawks.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Oilers fans still adjusting to Ken Holland’s management style
- New DNB: Ken Holland Q&A
- Lowetide: February tests Oilers’ mettle but playoffs are still in sight
- Lowetide: Positive early returns on Oilers’ 2021 draft class, but there are miles to go
- Lowetide: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers’ quiet man, is making loud noises on a new line
- Jonathan Willis: Salary cap limits Oilers’ options, no excuse not to look for a goalie today
- DNB: Mike Smith keeps showing he’s not the Oilers’ answer in net.
- Lowetide: 3 trade targets that could help Oilers this season and beyond
- DNB: Oilers trade deadline expectations? Mailbag
- Lowetide: Evan Bouchard’s new role with Oilers and the promising early results
- Jonathan Willis: With easy upgrades done, hard work remains for Oilers as trade deadline nears
- DNB: Oilers setting their sights on challenging trip ahead
- Lowetide: Oilers’ Raphael Lavoie has turned the corner as an NHL prospect
- Lowetide: The furious race to land Oilers’ open job on left defence
- DNB: Derek Ryan flourishing under new Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft
- DNB: Oilers picking Philip Broberg over Trevor Zegras is still debated.
- Lowetide: Connor McDavid’s remains a transcendent talent. Here’s why.
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2021
WHAT TO EXPECT IN MARCH
- On the road to: PHI, CHI (Expected 1-0-1) (Actual 1-0-0)
- At home to: MON (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: CAL (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: WAS, TBAY, DET, BUF, NJD (Expected 3-1-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: COL, DAL (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: SJS (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: CAL (Expected 0-1-0) Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: ARI, LAK (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 8-5-2, 18 points from 15 games
- Actual March results: 1-0-0, 2 points in 1 game
- Oilers in 2021-22: 30-21-3, 63 points in 54 games
If Edmonton wins tonight, the team will have 65 points through 55 games, and that’s a 97-point pace and we’re close to guaranteeing a playoff spot. The loss by the Kings last night gives the Oilers a chance to tie the left-coast team for second place. If Vegas loses, and Edmonton wins, the Alberta clippers will pass the Golden Knights in the standings, a truly rare item since the desert dogs entered the league. In Jay Woodcroft’s 10 games as coach, the record is 7-3-0 and the goal differential is 36-25 in all game states, 24-14 at five-on-five. This is a good team over the last 10 games, and that includes some rather significant injuries.
50-MAN LIST FOR 2022-23
This list (for 2022-23) has 39 names, so plenty of room. It’s also true the organization won’t sign all of the RFA’s listed here. Of the nine RFA’s above, four seem to be locks and we’ll see about players like William Lagesson and Cooper Marody. I don’t know this to be true, but Samorukov’s signing (it’s a one-way deal) might signal William Lagesson’s exit over the summer.
There are also myriad UFA’s, including Evander Kane, Colton Sceviour, Brad Malone, Mikko Koskinen, Kyle Turris, Josh Archibald, Kris Russell and Seth Griffith. Puck Pedia tweeted out last night that Griffith might be getting a two-year extension. If so, that’s a tell for Cooper Marody in my opinion.
Ken Holland is a different builder than any we’ve seen in Edmonton, signing Griffith is a late summer move and yet we are here. The dollars on all of these men are low enough that the team doesn’t have to worry about cap. If Griffith makes the team, his $750,000 cap hit would mean exceptional value if he delivered much at all.
I’m holding back on ripping Holland here, because it does seem to me that recent signings, from Malone to Desharnais, Hamblin and reportedly Griffith, may be the general manager hearing his new coach’s assessment of these men. I admit to having no knowledge of same, but that could be an answer to what is a somewhat curious signing timeline.
I endorse the signing of Samorukov, hopeful he emerges as an NHL regular. His foot speed has improved, or maybe he’s just comfortable enough now to use it. I would say the last 10 games (1-4-5, +8) have been his best, his explosive skating in recent games is eye popping.
Vincent Desharnais has a massive wingspan, and has improved across the board in the AHL over his two seasons in Bakersfield. I think he can play in the NHL, his ability to move the puck via pass is solid if unspectacular. He will be 26 in May, that’s a late age for a first NHL contract. Who cares? I think this was a wise signing.
James Hamblin is the modern Mark Arcobello, pretty sure. His speed is the main weapon, but he’s a skilled passer and accurate shooter. In 78 AHL games, he has scored 21 goals. He turns 23 at the end of April.
Craig Anderson had a great game, I mean excellent. He stopped 29 of 30 shots. Mark Pysyk and Cody Eakin are also likely available. Anderson is the most likely, although at age 40, he might be a little on the young side for Ken Holland’s search. He turns 41 in May and has always been a difficult goaltender for the Oilers. He is career 12-7-2 with a .914 SP, with five shutouts, against the Oilers.
So much bad passing. Ironic that the equalizer came from a failed pass attempt.
A lot of poor individual performances throughout the lineup.
Koskinen obviously can’t make that mistake but as mentioned by maudite below, Hjalmarsson on the Hawks broadcast immediate reaction was that his teammates let him down by not giving an outlet. It’s also the nature of the position to have your team giving away the puck all night and you save their collective asses but your giveaway ends up an immediate GA. Overall he was good but you could see shades of worn out Koskinen tonight, hopefully four days is enough for him to reset as I assume Smith gets the Habs game.
On to the next one.
Habs come in 6-1 in their last seven after beating the demonic horde tonight. Cannot take them lightly… we’re not getting the free bingo space teams were getting earlier this season.
I can’t remember the last time the other teams goalie gave the puck away to the Oilers yet it seems to happen quite regularly with Koskinen and Smith. Both guys try to play the puck too much instead of playing it safe.
Nick hjalmarsson was with Chicago broadcast team chatting at that point. They asked for his take and essentially he said – while I am obviously cheering for Blackhawks honestly my first thought is u feel bad for koskinen because someone on his team screwed him right there.
I expect there’s supposed to be someone there but they we’re gassed and didn’t make it to the spot.
That’s two games in a row where we didn’t deserve a single point…and we ended up with 3 of a possible 4. Thankfully, these last 2 games were against bottom feeders.
Being tired is not an excuse. All teams have trips like this…but the good teams play their game consistently throughout. We still don’t.
I still can’t figure out who this team is…and we’re 3/4 through the season!
Do all teams really have trips like this trip for the Oilers?
Injuries are a significant factor at the moment. Not an excuse. But a real factor
This has been a very unique stretch of the schedule. It’s not something there is a lot of comparison for. And every team in the League has had bad stretches this year and been beat by bad teams. Travel and Covid and injuries have played a role up and.down the standings.
I agree all teams have been affected by injuries/travel/covid, but I don’t agree the Oilers are having a worse time with it.
The good teams are still good…despite the “factors”.
I believe McKinnon was out for like 3 weeks to injury (maybe longer) and Col still sits at the tippy top right now. Imagine what the Oilers look like with McD out for a month. Golfing early would be my guess…
We need to find an identity and we need to find consistency in our game or we’ll always be a middling team. And with two of the best players in the game….that’s unacceptable!!!
Today’s game was another huge step towards forming the new identity being demanded by a coach 11 games into the job.
The Flames also lost tonight in OT but to the second-worst team in the League. COL has lost to them.
And remove COL’s starting goalie for most of this season if you really want to compare. Then as soon as he’s back, cold, hasn’t played, put them on this 11 game “road trip” over which six starters were affected by injury, and then have them play the last period of the last game of the gauntlet down a man.
I don’t know if the Avs would look much better than the Oil through all that. But I’d bet they work their asses off and fight and battle when they didn’t have their A game, when they’re running on fumes. which all teams experience. And that’s what we saw from the Oil tonight.
That’s the consistency you want to see more than anytting as a coach. The effort, the work. The reward was they were never out of it and always had a chance to win. Chicago should’ve put away our shitty asses tonight and they couldn’t. So we get a point.
If you can’t see a new ID forming you are willfully blind. The “new” way may work or it may not. But it is unequivocally there.
They had a day off this whole tired thing is bunk only losers make excuses for every failing in their life. It’s not like the old days where players would party all night with some ladies of the night boozing and smoking yet manage to get into scrap in the 2nd period to wake-up the rest of the bench.
No Oiler has made any excuses.
It would be foolish to think that tonight represents who the Oilers really are.
You’re right, it’s not like the old days when half the players couldn’t skate, they played less games, and had no Covid to deal with.
They didn’t need “waking up” there was nothing wrong with their work rate. In fact, you should be proud of it, because it was old school. Nothing takes more courage than to bust your butt when you have nothing in the tank and nothing is working. Earlier this season, this team would’ve hung their heads, or pouted, or just collapsed. Tonight was a big step forward in building the culture they need to build. One with a lot more lunchpail.
First off the Hawks are not a good team they have some heavy internal problems that affect their on ice performance. The Oilers seem to play down or up to their competition they have no killer instinct. Anyhow this all means shit the real season starts at the end of April and I would rather see the Oilers start on the road where there’s less pressure.
I thought that was a gutty performance on the road at the end of a massive road trip. Remember they just had 2 single games at home in the last 10, this was definitely the most brutal travel stretch of the year for the team. It’s easy to say- have to bring the effort 100% every night. But the NHL is such a fine line, all the players are elite. Little advantages play a factor in deciding games.
Rest of the year they have 1 more 3 game trip (Cali) and a bunch of 2 and 1 game trips. But they will be a lot closer to home in the final 30, and that should help them.
In the old days 16 of 21 team made the playoffs.
Teams with losing records made playoff runs.
Not comparable to today.
This is awesome. You droned on endlessly that Tippett overplayed McDrai and they were exhausted. Now you are saying being tired is bunk and an excuse for losers. Make up your mind.
Speaking as someone who has had to give “4 game in 5 night” LECTURE TOURS, with the gruelling schedule of fly in night before, give am rounds, lunch, hot/tub/massage whatever in the afternoon, ( No morning skate). Evening rounds (No NHL game to play). Short hop to next city. Repeat. It’s exhausting. You have checked into your next hotel very late for nearly a week. You get home very late Friday and sleep half the week end. With elite athlete calibre physical exertion, injury treatment (the walking wounded typically leave the home rink around midnight fyi) you don’t think there is a major mental and physical load to a long NHL road trip? Think again. If you don’t want physically and mentally tired to be an excuse, accept it as a reason.
I’m not sure all teams have stretches where they have to travel after every game for 11 straight games.
Seeing a joyful, excited, united Phlegm team makes me angry. I want to break it. Tankfully the Habs end the ecstasy.
Monday is a must-win.
Hockey Gods have really smiled on those dang Phlegms this season. Practically no man-games lost to injury,Covid had no affect on them at all, and none of their major players have gone through any sort of real slumps. Where as the Oilers (after a an obviously unsustainable PP heater fueling their 16-5 start) have had to fight through injury after injury, multiple waves of Covid with 2-4 players at a time, along with multi-player slumps (omg the goalie slumps).
It’s high time they got some frowns.
They’ve had too much luck for sure. It runs out soon I bet though…
They can’t catch us for injury time at this point…but they could lose Markstrom at the most inopportune time….like right before playoffs 🙂
Lol, it would only be fair…
Vegas loses in regulation. And Colorado drops one to Arizona??
We now have an identical record to Vegas (other than the Goal diff).
after the December/January from hell, it’s remarkable that the Oilers have caught back up to Vegas.
C’mon Habs
Well nuts
You jinxed it man! The fLames tied it up.
booo.
But the Habs do get the win in OT
Interesting…
both the oilers and the fLames both lose in OT to basement dwelling teams after they both scored in the final minute to tie their respective games.
What are the chances??
The positive takeaway is the Oilers have Tyler Benson. Should have been in the lineup. May have even scored the winner. Bad call by the coach😉😄
I don’t believe he was available tonight
Unfortunate
Habs take a late lead in Calgary. Bruins up by three on the Knights in the third.
Oilers will gain a point on Vegas tonight and it looks like they may gain one on the flames as well – maybe.
Giveaway after giveaway. Not at their sharpest tonight, for sure. But love the hard work at the end of regulation to get it tied up. This was a team we shoulda beat. Koski was rather good, until he wasn’t… the blunderous wandering out of the net caught him, again. It was just a “moment” in the game, but a costly one.
Back to their beds in Edmonton. Dreaming of kicking some Habs butts. GO OILERS!
Bruins 4- Knights 1 . 5 minutes left in the third. Smile!
I’ll never understand the refs when 2 Hawks jump on before anyone steps off, clearly 5 guys on the ice and they have possession right in front of their bench. Clear as day and Drai trips Jones 5 seconds later.
Didn’t deserve a point but finally some puck luck and scored one with the goalie pulled.
Was that the Oilers most mistake filled game of the year? If not it was close. Holy crap the turnovers and just bizarre risk taking. Thank God for the single point and let’s get outa here.
Huge point to get with empty tanks. Well done. Get your asses home and get some sleep.
To play their 11th straight game with travel in between.
Take that point for sure.
No JP, no Nuge, no Kass, no KRusty, no Benson…
Yams and Keith missing for parts of it.
Playing 7-11 with that schedule I think was absolute genius, because the vets at least have a clue on how to deal with it. But that sked is so hard on the rooks and Boosh…
Jesus and forgot about Barrie.
Damn. Everything that could happen wrong, did happen. I friggin hate Chicago.
Get outta dodge. Get some rest. Stretch drive coming up.
We need to beat teams we should, end of road trip or not, massive fail
How do you let that pass happen twice in a row?
You put out the guy with the smallest wingspan to cover the middle and tell your best defenseman to spend the pk on one knee.
That was embarrassing the way Yamo defended it should of had Hyman he has more hockey sense.
Got a point that they didn’t really deserve. Whole team was awful tonight.
Not Bouch.
Not McLeod.
That’s pretty damn bad, gotta say.
(the game, not the goal).
Refs in their infinite wisdom decided the Oilers didn’t deserve 2 points tonight. I can’t say they’re wrong.
Fuck those guys you can’t call anything after the shit they let go in the 3rd.
Drai wants to go home
hawks players are just laughing their asses off on that call
When Kane talked to Kos he said “Don’t worry, I’m gonna bank it off of Jones, through Fleurys armpit, off the post and in””. No prob.
Would like to see the Highlander here
Well that’s a stolen point. Can we get a second one?????
There’s some puck luck for the Oilers!
That was a ‘hockey Gods smiled today’ moment folks.
Lol, Kane has been horrible in his own zone this game, but has the hands at the other end. That’s hockey!
Thank you Caleb Jones
haha…..Seth Jones, dummy
LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Lol, Jones failed to clear, then he scored the GA.
Seth that is.
Too much tome left
KANE!!! AGAIN!!!
HELL YEA!
Where’s Bruce? 6 v 5 goal!
the Hockey Gords owed us that one
A reprieve.
Woot!
BOOM!!! Klutch Kane!!!
OMG!
Thank you hockey gods.
Apparently we haven’t scored a 6 on 5 goal all year. Would be a good time for one!
Well played sir
Haha!!!!!!!
Why do they suck so bad with goalie pulled
The perfectly timed post
Reverse psychology for the tie!
Buttonhook giveaway repeat
When you dive for pucks and take out the legs of players its cool cause it was a hard nosed play…..
This may be the sloppiest game ive ever seen. 800 passes to nobody. Turnover after turnover at their offensive line. At what point do we think this team is just out of shape? End of a long roadie is tough but when playoffs are on the line, i think we’ve given benefit of the doubt far too much.
gnashing over, ill look silly if connor scores a beauty…happily.
They can’t string more than two passes together tonight.
There is no playoff series that replicates what they’ve done over the last 10 or 11 games.
Incredibly sloppy play all game.
This team is going to get steam rolled by the flames.
Easy there. It’s one game. Currently 7-3 under Woody. Flames haven’t shown they have an answer for McD and Kosk saves his best for Calgary. Plus, never forget…Flames suck.
They should be playing like their playoff lives are on the line, because they are, and they’ve played objectively terribly tonight.
One game. It’s not like they aren’t trying. Sometimes you have a lackluster night. 82 games. Hopefully they get their first 6 on 5 goal of the year.
Booyah
Giveaway after giveaway after giveaway… the story of this game.
The Oilers seem to think that turnovers are a good thing. That’s the best explanation I think…
Everyone focusing on Koskinens mistake instead of how atrocious the defense has been the entire game
also would like to know how many turnovers within 10 feet of our blue line
seems like we do the high risk play each and every time
No doubt the D have not been good at making clean passes out of the zone.
That does not absolve Koskinen passing the puck right to Kubalik.
The whole team has looked as if they don’t belong anywhere near the playoffs.
No it does not absolve Mikko for that poor play, but that poor play does not negate all the 10-bell saves he’s made this game.
Nor does that mistake absolve the team for the atrocious D.
It’s been a real ‘team effort’ tonight.
So much talent but they seem to always come out flat in these types of games that they should be playing with more urgency.