Game 6 2023 playoffs: Golden Knights at Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are facing sudden death in tonight’s Game 6 against Vegas Golden Knights. To a man, they are focused on winning, because a long season is a marathon and no one wants to see it slipping into darkness. A win tonight and the caravan rolls along, dreams of glory still aloft, the promise of names on Stanley in play. It’s a tremendous opportunity and an equal burden. It’s why my Grandma used to take Gravol an hour before HNIC. It’s why Tony Esposito lost his lunch between the second and third periods of the deciding game of the 1971 final. It’s all or nothing at all. Chasing shadows, moonlight mystery. Tonight.

THE ATHLETIC!

TONIGHT

Edmonton will have made all of the major decisions by now, the starting goaltender, who comes out of the lineup for Darnell Nurse, who plays center on the second line. I think we know, but there are injuries to consider and the McDavid line (Nuge-Hyman) didn’t deliver like it needs to (42 percent expected goals, 0-0 goals, in 5:07) in order to win the day. Stay out of the penalty box, keep your damn sticks down, skate like hell. I would run the following lineup:

• Nuge-McDavid-Hyman
• Foegele-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
• Kane-McLeod-Ryan
• Kostin-Bjugstad-Janmark
• Ekholm-Bouchard
• Nurse-Ceci
• Kulak-Desharnais
• Skinner (Campbell)

I believe the Oilers will win tonight, for what it’s worth.

A LOOK BACK TO ONE YEAR AGO

Last year at this time, we were discussing the summer and what may come. Here’s the written word from last June, with an update on each item.

Sign Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson. This is imperative and I don’t think anyone would bat an eye if it was for a significant length. These two men made an immediate and significant difference. Sign them, and then fashion the roster for the coaches. I expect the fourth line to be faster and younger next season and 7D will be a regular thing.

UPDATE: It happened soonafter the season ended, and Woodcroft’s regular season record (76-32-12, .683 winning percentage) is tops among Oilers coaches. Of course, he’s four Stanley Cups behind Glen Sather and one back of John Muckler, so work to do. Woodcroft has won three playoff series, matching Craig MacTavish in this century among Edmonton coaches.

Hire an analytics department before the summer trading period. The draft should be fine, Edmonton’s amateur scouts have delivered impressively in the last few seasons. Even though the team lets some good talent slip through the cracks (Matej Blumel signed with the Dallas Stars yesterday, he’s a good prospect), the amateur scouts are fine. The pro scouts haven’t been close to the amateur scouts for years.

UPDATE: If the Oilers have added to the analytics since bringing in Brad Holland, it has not been made public. That said, the team made three trades that math adored (Klim Kostin, Mattias Ekholm, Nick Bjugstad) or at least endorsed. Pro scouting is better with Brad Holland added, amateur scouts have been kicking out the jams for years.

UFA’s: I don’t think Holland can find the money for Evander Kane, but do believe Brett Kulak is worth the investment. The rest of the UFA group, which includes Josh Archibald, Derick Brassard, Colton Sceviour, Kyle Turris, Kris Russell, Mikko Koskinen, Brad Malone and Cooper Marody, will not return with few exceptions. I think Brad Malone gets a contract, maybe Josh Archibald, but the team should do the right thing and let Marody go.

UPDATE: He found the money for Kane, Kulak and Jack Campbell, in what was Holland’s signature summer as Oilers general manager. Brad Malone was also signed. Holland’s strength is free agency, and getting Kane plus Kulak back on the roster was a win.

RFA’s: Jesse Puljujarvi, Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan McLeod all need new contracts, I’m hopeful all three return but realistically it’s unlikely.

UPDATE: All were signed, but it didn’t work as planned. McLeod emerged as a real value contract, but Puljujarvi was dealt for cap room and Yamamoto didn’t deliver enough for $3.1 million (his cap hit) and enters summer in an uneasy situation.

Identify the foundation under contract: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, Cody Ceci, Evan Bouchard

UPDATE: That was the list a year ago, but I think the Oilers have done a nice job adding to it from within. I’ll list McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman, Nuge, Nurse, Bouchard from last season, and place Ceci (plus Brett Kulak) in the undecided. I’m convinced Evander Kane, Stuart Skinner and Ryan McLeod are part of the foundation, too.

Identify NHL-ready prospects: Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway, Dmitri Samorukov, Markus Niemelainen, Stuart Skinner

UPDATE: Stuart Skinner emerged as the biggest contributor among rookies, he is nominated for the Calder Trophy. I think Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg will be long-term solutions and Markus Niemelainen replaced William Lagesson in a depth role. Samorukov was dealt to St. Louis for Klim Kostin, a trade that has worked out well so far.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

I used to be very busy on Mother’s Day, but this year is different. My Mom and my wife (Mom to my kids) are in heaven, probably talking about my terrible housekeeping. I’ll bet all the money I’ve ever earned they are cackling about my cooking too, barely able to contain themselves. “I was there for 40 years, maybe you should have paid attention!” and then laughter and hilarity. Oh they were a pair together, called me on my crap and told me home truths like they were reading a shopping list. I knew were I stood with both of them, probably why I loved them so much and miss them, especially today.

Jo-Anne’s Mom is 96 now, I’ll call with the kids later. It’ll be a difficult day at the house. We’ll get through it. These are better days, the pain is six months (almost) past and there’s laughter with the pain.

I was at a fund raiser for the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton in March, and there were many people there I knew through twitter. One of them, Jana, wandered by and said hello. We talked for a time, and she said something that struck me. She asked if I was taking comfort in Jo-Anne’s memory, and I said no, it was painful to look at photos and think about our life together. “Someday soon your memories will become friends again,” she said, or that’s what I heard her say.

It struck like thunder. I wished for it to be true. I swear things began to turn in the days that followed. I don’t know why, but her saying that freed me somehow. Damndest thing. I am so thankful. Still have bad times, but they aren’t all day or all weekend or even a specific time of day (mornings and night time in the house were especially difficult).

I always like to tell a story on Mother’s Day, so let me tell this one about my wife. She was easy to buy gifts for, because the things she liked, she really liked. Jo-Anne was a big lover of chocolate, I bought Purdy’s for her each Mother’s Day and whenever she ran out. Which was quite a bit! She loved flowers, lilacs, lillies, loved the smell of all flowers. She’d breathe them in, 10 minutes later she’d sneeze and then have to take a Claritin. Rinse, repeat. What a girl.

The best gift I ever got her was tickets to Donny Osmond in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat that played in Edmonton (at the Jubilee Auditorium) in the summer of 1993. She loved Donny Osmond when she was a kid, had all of his records, posters, the whole deal. When I found out the show was coming to Edmonton, I secured tickets, and we had a wonderful evening. Dinner at Earl’s with Ed and Cynthia (friends of ours at the time), and then the show! I swear to you, there was a point when Mr. Osmond was suspended by ropes (or cables) straight above Jo-Anne in the audience. She was in heaven, it was such a wonderful evening. Such a happy moment. He was her first love, but Jo-Anne married me, so take that Donny Osmond!

We’ve made some decisions in the last while. All of Jo’s clothing will go to Goodwill, it’s in the car I’m taking it today if they’re open, tomorrow if they aren’t open Sundays. If you tell them it’s for the Women’s Shelter, they give the shelter will receive gift cards to hand to the ladies and sell the clothing that’s usable in the stores. A grand idea, I’m so glad it’ll help. Jo-Anne led a good life, one that mattered. She cared for people. I know she’d like that idea.

We’re also going to give blood, me and the kids. I grew up Jehovah’s Witness, and faint at the sight of blood and can’t imagine donating it. However, the transfusions given my wife, they gave us hours and days and weeks of hope. I’m going to do it no matter how often I faint. Plus apparently you get a cookie and I’m all about it. I fainted so often when Jo-Anne and I were married it became a joke. I fainted at the Mis when we were taking birthing classes (dropped like a stone!), fainted when I ripped a nail taking out the garbage at our town house in West Edmonton, fainted one time when she talked about bleeding from a bad cut. So, I’m going to donate blood for Jo-Anne, the kids too. I don’t know how many pints she got, but figure I have enough years that added to the kids donations we’ll pay the world back with interest.

Please call your Mom today, and you gush and be silly about how much you love her. If you are married to a Mom, do the same and double it again. Get mushy men!!! It’s Mother’s Day!!