The Edmonton Oilers six-game winning streak put them in a good spot, but there’s plenty of work to do down the stretch. Entering this evening’s action, the team is No. 4 in the Pacific Division and No. 7 in the Western Conference. That will punch the playoff ticket, and would give the Oilers a first-round matchup with Vegas Golden Knights. Is that better than facing the Seattle Kraken? Los Angeles Kings? Calgary Flames? It’s a strange year in the division, all the goaltending is shades of grey.
NEW AT THE ATHLETIC: 3 trades that could help the Oilers this season and beyond
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: 3 trades that could help the Oilers this season and beyond
- Lowetide: The 5 biggest reasons for Edmonton Oilers’ recent turnaround
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ 2022 NHL Draft class gains momentum
- DNB: What I’m hearing on Oilers’ trade deadline plans
- Lowetide: Is Oilers’ Vincent Desharnais an NHL defenceman?
- Lowetide: Unusual Nugent-Hopkins line gives Oilers coaching staff options
- DNB: The Oilers scratching Jesse Puljujarvi shows it’s time for them to part ways
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ defence evolving through a period of transition
- DNB: Why 11/7 works, Klim Kostin the folk hero, Jack Campbell’s progress
- Lowetide: Are the Oilers creative enough in cap management to make a strong trade?
- DNB: Oilers must act at the trade deadline
- Lowetide: Oilers midseason review of 2022-23 reasonable expectations
- Lowetide: Making the call on young Oilers in need of a contract this summer
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ December sleep walk a touch of deja vu
- Lowetide: Bakersfield Condors’ 2022-23 season review to date
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2022
WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY
- At home to: SEA, NYI, COL (Expected 1-1-1) (Actual 1-1-1)
- On the road to: LAK, ANA, SJS, VEG (Expected 3-1-0) (Actual 3-1-0)
- At home to: SEA, TBAY (Expected 0-1-1) (Actual 2-0-0)
- On the road to: VAN (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- At home to: CBJ, CHI (Expected 2-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- January expected result: 7-3-2, 16 points in 12 games
- January actual result: 7-2-1, 15 points in 10 games
- December results: 7-6-2, 16 points in 15 games
- November results: 7-7-0, 14 points in 14 games
- October results: 6-3-0, 12 points in 9 games
- Oilers in 2022-23: 27-18-3, 57 points in 48 games
A win tonight means 59 points in 49 games, that’s a record that projects to 99 points and 47 wins. The Oilers have posted 99 or more points in a season nine times, including seven in a row beginning in 1981-82. There are two seasons of 99 or more points this century: 2016-17 and 2021-22. The Oilers won Stanley in 1990 after a 90-point season. Billy Ranford. Man.
LINEUP THOUGHTS
Evander Kane will not play tonight, that opens up an opportunity. My guess is we see Nuge-McDavid-Hyman again, and Kostin-Draisaitl-Ryan could also happen. That would mean the Holloway-McLeod-Foegele line gets another turn, with Jesse Puljujarvi and James Hamblin as the extras. I’d run this:
- Holloway-McDavid-Hyman
- McLeod-Draisaitl-Foegele
- Janmark-Nuge-Kostin
- Ryan, Puljujarvi
TRADE DEADLINE 1984
I’m astounded at the verbal online right now about the Oilers. Things like Ken Holland is afraid to make a big trade, despite substantial proof he has made trades at the deadline that were at the very least forcing the issue. Several have been risky and or ill-advised during his time in Edmonton.
Ken Holland will make a deal, but the Oilers aren’t exactly rolling in brilliant trade pieces. The first-round pick (currently No. 21) has the most value, but is it No. 20 or No. 30? A team making a deal would have to contemplate the possible value of Edmonton’s pick compared to, say, Calgary.
In 1984, the year the Oilers won their first Stanley, it was a quiet deadline.
Most trades at the deadline you can see coming a mile away. Edmonton dealt Blair MacDonald at the 1981 deadline because two guys age 20 (Jari Kurri and Glen Anderson) were faster, better and less expensive. He was the second captain in a row (Ron Chipperfield) to get traded at the deadline.
That 1981 deadline was busy. Edmonton dealt MacDonald, Pat Price, John Hughes and draft pick Lars Gunnar-Petterson, while receiving Pat Hughes, Garry Lariviere, Garry Unger and the rights to Ken Berry. Unger had been pursued by Sather for some time, the price tag going way down in the months leading up to the deal.
THIS YEAR’S DEADLINE
Ken Holland makes moves for famous people at the deadline. Chris Chelios, Matthew Schneider, Brad Stuart, Todd Bertuzzi, Robert Lang, it’s an impressive list. Since arriving in Edmonton, names like Andreas Athanasiou, Mike Green, Dmitry Kulikov and Brett Kulak have come to the Oilers.
I think, based on what we’re reading, the Oilers have a plan to bring in a substantial veteran at the deadline. The target is/was a defender, but there’s some sustained mention of a veteran center like Jonathan Toews as well.
Holland’s Oilers have received some fine talent from Bakersfield this season and that appears to be impacting the plan. Philip Broberg is emerging now, Dylan Holloway has been a contributor for the last six games, Vincent Desharnais (Bruce McCurdy has an article up on the big man) and of course Stuart Skinner was a big part of the first half of the season.
It’s a difficult call on Broberg, can he manage the third pairing job? One of the factors, aside from his fine play, is what is currently out there and available. It isn’t great, gotta say.
LOWETIDE AND JAMIESON
We hit the ground running today, 10-2, TSN1260. Michael Geddes producer of “Offside” doc on Harold Ballard at 10:40. Bruce McCurdy from The Cult of Hockey will be in at 11, TSN Insider Chris Johnston at noon, and we’ll have Daniel Nugent-Bowman from The Athletic! 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
kinda expected last night
West standings this morning. Wins +/- and (points percent).
DAL +15 (.650)
SEA +14 (.649)
WPG +14 (.643)
VEG +12 (.622)
LAK +10 (.600)
COL +9 (.598)
EDM +9 (.592)
MIN +8 (.587)
——
CGY +7 (.573)
NSH +5 (.553)
STL +1 (.510)
VAN -7 (.427)
SJ -11 (.388)
ARI -13 (.365)
CHI -14 (.348)
ANA -15 (.344)
Tight.
Games left before all star break:
DAL vs NJD
SEA vs CGY, vs CBJ
WPG vs BUF, vs PHI, vs STL
VEG at NYR, at NYI
LAK at FLA, at CAR, at TBL
COL vs ANA, vs STL
EDM vs CHI
MIN vs PHI, vs BUF
—
CGY vs CHI, at SEA
NSH vs NJD
STL at ARI, at COL, at WPG
So this is what being a Flames fan feels like.
I see what you did there Ryan 😉
A point’s a point.
On to the next one.
“This game looks like the end of the streak – Edm didn’t play great last game and have had a long break, while CBJ gave Cal all they could handle. Can the Oilers push through, sans Kane or do we see traditional mid-week malaise?”
Boy I took a lot of grief for this prediction. Glad the Oilers eked out a point!
No need to over-react. I pity the Black Hawks
Putrid Canucks team had 15 shots in the first 10 mins of the game against the Hawks.
I pity the Hawks fans. Ugly hockey.
Ugly
Yes, this. If the Oil don’t mercilessly pummel Chicago, then it’s time to worry again.
Tonight’s lassitude was predictable – too long between games, too much reading their own press clippings!
Janmark was especially awful tonight. Hopefully this is the end of him being put on the 2nd line.
First game back from illness….no?
Might take him a few games to get back up to speed
Janmark is a 30 year old, career 3/4 line player. No shame in that, but if he is on our 2nd line when the playoffs start, we aren’t going very far.
Will Oilers’ fans as a group be able to not over-react?
Jackets beat Carolina just earlier this month….
.
Depends.
A lot of media attention being given the Oilers upcoming schedule here.
I mean, I don’t recall ever having a string of this many games against teams openly trying to lose. ( insert Gary Bettman joke here)
Yes, the schedule has a big string of non-playoff teams. Did anyone really think that Oilers were going to run the table and win all 8? Was that expected? Would even Dallas or Toronto be expected to do that?
12 points in the 8 games is my expectation.
What qualifies as “overreacting” to you?
*Considering this is a team pushing for the playoffs, (with 4 of the leagues top 10 scorers) who just lost to a bottom feeder team while giving up almost 30 giveaways.
I think they’ve earned an insult or two. . .
I would consider over-reacting as giving this game too much power, catastrophizing the team based on the game and not realizing that the Oilers were not going to run the table 8-0 against these teams – that should not have been expected and wouldn’t be expected of Toronto, Dallas, the Ranger or even Boston.
You should keep track of everything bad anybody says about the Oilers after this game then demand everyone write an apology letter to Ken Holland when the Oilers have a good game.
Why do the last 15 years of Oilers teams insist on being living proof of the time tested saying:
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”
This X 1000.
Oilers have got to tune out their positive press clippings.
Pretty shitty way to end the winning streak. Oilers just can’t seem to win these “gimme” games like every other team seams to. And of course, Kraken are destroying the Canucks. Hope they don’t throw their golden opportunity of rising up the division by losing to all these bottom feeders they’ll be playing in the next few weeks.
Prior to the game tonight, the Oilers were 8-2 against the bottom 10 teams in the league – one of the best records in the league.
They did NOT play well tonight but could have easily won the game – they had the better chances and they got out-goalied.
The Oilers lost to a bad team tonight – all teams do it, even the elite.
The Oilers had generally taken care of business in these games this season.
Certainly Korpisalo played well. But I don’t think it’s fair to hang this on Skinner. Oilers were very poor with the puck tonight – 25 giveaways and Columbus pounced.
While they had far more shots on goal, they were a little too cute with the puck, lot’s of drop passes, stuff behind the back where they needed to put more on net. In this instance, I think they really missed Kane who plays more of a straight line game.
It’s just one game, but a disappointing result in a race where every point right now is important.
I didn’t “hang it on Skinner”, just pointed out an opinion that Korpisalo outplayed Skinner and, for me, it was the difference in the regulation result. Oilers did not play well but had the greater chances, on aggregate, in regulation.
Take down this guys’ name for a future apology letter.
I’ll look for others.
Thanks for sharing that. Always good to know what’s fact and fiction with these sorts of things.
Kesselring with a great shot block and then Devon Shore with a McDavid type end to end rush to pull the Condors within one late.
Check that: Empty netter and its over.
Natural Stat Trick, the game stats and the tab for Oilers-Opposition….
I see it, appreciate it.
That last shift of OT was pathetic…
It was literally 3 on 1 at one point for about 5 seconds while Columbus made a change & NOT ONE of the Oilers pressured the damn puck carrier.
Then after the line change, Nuge lets the puck carrier casually skate into a good shooting position with a moderate screen by the two players battling for position & it’s GAME OVER.
These boys can’t be surprised they lose games like this.
They basically played that OT like they didn’t even want to win.
(I don’t mean to shit on them after a 6 game win streak, but that should’ve been a relatively easy W. They made this game a lot harder than it needed to be & that last shift in OT looked like they weren’t even trying FFS).
Woody.really, really, really, likes putting the big guns together…..
McDavid was not much better than Drai in the 2nd half of that game including OT….
Not a great game . They got Korpisaloed. At least they got a point off the last place team. Give them credit.
Absolutely brutal 3rd. Fortunate to get a point given how sloppy they were all night long handling the puck.
Nurse and Nuge Way too casual there. Too much space given.
Drai and 97 had a dreadful shift as well in OT
All looked fatigued
What’s he doing with Soup’s glove!
Skinner poops the bed in the 3rd and OT.
Team didn’t give him much rope but far and away the second best goaler.
Got the efficient loser point.
Onto the next one!
Embarrassing. Oilers dummied by one of the worst teams in the league. Korpisalo was good, but the Oilers only looked dangerous a handful of times in my opinion. Poor defensive play too.
Well that’s shitty
Nurse was awful in OT
I hate playing Nurse in OT. Not really his skill set, poor shot, poor passing. He can skate though.
Add to that poor man marking, y’know all the hallmarks of a $9M
#1 Dman
Just wow
Not passing to Draisaitl and charging into the Columbus zone, lost his mind out there. Everyone hearing ghosts, weird stuff.
Mentioned Nurse’s salary… drink.
Bad goal on Skinner.
Korpisalo >>>> Skinner
2 ugly goals against for Stu tonight
I disagree. Even though Nurse screened the shot, Skinner managed to get a touch on the puck with his glove.
He should have made the save on that one – for sure (in my opinion).
It hit him square in the glove. Popped over.
Brutal goal against.
Oh well, he’s been the better fella most times this season.
Crap happens.
Onto the next one.
Terrible effort all around
Woof.
An ugly ugly game from the Oilers.
Gaudreau comes up short on his chance. Story of his life.
Often when Drai has this time of off-night, he plays hero in the end….
26 giveaways huh
Wah is a failure of a marketing campaign
You know not of wah you speak.
You are talking about it…so, no, its not.
You’ve chosen the losing side of an argument for the purpose of being contrarian.
How on-brand of you.
Where’s the beef?
Getting lots of mentions for all the wrong reasons is not equivalent to success.
Oh the sweet Irony
Gotta give the Jackets some credit.
Tulio and Demers with some nice back and forth half-wall/point passing on the PP – puck works its way to the far side, a shot, Tulio sneaks in from the wall and buries the rebound in to a gaping cage.
I believe Jackets only have 3 road wins this year….
Oilers look like complete shit in their own end. Interesting given nurses comments to start the game.
Surprised no challenge there – there was clearly Jacket initiated contact that moved Skinner before the goal, no?
with the way goaltending interference has been called that look like it
Wanted to save both Barrie and McLeod the humiliation….
Sam Gagner like….
fook me
An insurance goal would be welcome.
Where’s Kostin?
One shift, early in the third. Nothing since.
I thought I saw his numbers at the tunnel entrance, hopefully just a equipment issue.
JP showing up in a lot of good places tonight. If he keeps it up the floodgates could open for him.
Pujo a couple of great chances tonight.
A lot of chasing to start the 3rd and now a PK
Wow some sloppy play by the Oilers. D handling the puck like a live grenade.
So sloppy to start the third boys..
These lines stink.
Bouch may lose some minutes to Vinny after that awful giveaway…..
Which one?
Lost count after the 2nd period
Love Stuart but his puck handling makes me nervous.
Broberg continues to dominate in short metrics – 9-0 shots through 2 but that’s against the following forwards, in order:
Sillinger
Robinson
Johnson (he’s good but a struggling rookie)
Olivier
Kuraly
Roslovic
Marchenko
Seems reasonable to me, it’s a one-goal game.
Where do u get this data? Thx.
Yet Barrie and Kulak are -1 against these guys.
Hope Deharnais comes out for the third….
Time for a mature responsible third period.
Derek Ryan’s exact quote during the intermission was ‘mature, professional’ 3rd period…so yes
I was trying not to plagiarize.
oh, OK
I was suggesting you and he were thinking along the same lines
King Henrik effusive in his praise for Stuart’s technique/game tonight.
Really enjoy him on the panel in general. His breakdown of the PP goal by EDM was astute.