The first time I heard Tower of Power horns with Little Feat, it was interesting and fun. When the live album came out in 1977, the appeal was full blown and out of this world. Sometimes there is a delay, either in execution or appreciation. I like what Ken Holland accomplished at the trade deadline, it gives the entire roster a big lift in utility forwards and blue. Last night in Columbus, it seemed the newcomers were finding their way and the established Oilers were distracted and out of time. Oh my God the passes were terrible, or rather perfect but to the wrong guys. It happens. Long season. Tough schedule. Those added horns will make everything beautiful in due time. Great deadline by Holland.
Will he add Jordan Eberle? It would cost Warren Foegele. I wonder. Eberle looked fab the other night and I am a sucker for returning heroes (Rusty Staub to the Expos in 1979) but Foegele has been part of this team and had success with the group. I’m not sure it happens. Think the Oilers are probably done.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: What’s next for Edmonton Oilers prospect Dylan Holloway?
- New DNB: Why the Edmonton Oilers look done adding before NHL trade deadline
- Lowetide: Oilers’ trade deadline plan on defence is coming into view
- DNB: How Oilers’ trade for Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick improves forward depth
- DNB: Oilers defense secures third-period comeback and OT win vs. Bruins
- Lowetide: Which under-the-radar Oilers prospect could be traded before the NHL deadline?
- DNB: How Calvin Pickard has affirmed his spot on the Oilers
- Lowetide: Is Edmonton Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie a tweener?
- Lowetide: What’s the ideal deployment for Edmonton Oilers’ Evander Kane?
- Lowetide and DNB: Who says no? Evaluating 20 of your Edmonton Oilers trade proposals
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers enter spring signing season under pressure
- DNB: Goals aren’t coming for Connor McDavid. He’s helping the Oilers more than ever
- Lowetide: Oilers’ Connor Brown and what’s next in his unusual season
- DNB: Oilers desperate to return to winning ways after dreadful loss to Flames
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers top prospect Xavier Bourgault is stalling in the AHL
- New DNB: The Flames are shopping Chris Tanev. Do the Oilers have what it takes to get him?
- Lowetide: How can Brad Holland and Oilers pro scouts impact trade deadline?
- New DNB: Why the Oilers shouldn’t trade Warren Foegele before the NHL trade deadline
- Lowetide: Why this Oilers-Bruins 4-player trade makes sense for both teams
- New DNB: Why a scoring winger should be the Oilers’ top trade deadline priority
- Lowetide: Where can the Edmonton Oilers improve their draft strategy in 2024?
- Lowetide: What are the Edmonton Oilers’ 5 biggest trade deadlines ever?
- Lowetide: Breaking down the Oilers’ 50-man list at the trade deadline
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers top 20 prospects ranking, winter 2023
WHAT TO EXPECT IN MARCH
- On the road to: SEA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- At home to: PIT (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: BOS, CBJ, BUF, PIT (Expected 2-1-1) (Actual 1-1-0)
- At home to: WAS, COL, MON, BUF (Expected 2-1-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: TOR, OTT, WPG (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: LAK, ANA (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 8-5-2, 18 points in 15 games
- Actual March results: 3-1-0, 6 points in four games
- Oilers in 2023-24: 38-21-2, 78 points in 61 games
I think last night’s loss, while less than ideal, shouldn’t be viewed as anything other than an off night by a very talented team. You don’t love the ghastly passes (Warren Foegele, Evan Bouchard, etc) but it’s important to remember these are players who bring value. This team is miles past ‘once more to the woodshed’ and I think we’ll see a far better effort on Saturday morning.
THE NUMBERS
I thought Zach Hyman was the best Oilers player. Calvin Pickard made some big stops, Evander Kane looked good to my eye, Corey Perry scored after a scary and dangerous play. There was good and bad about the rest.
I would like to talk about the trade deadline this morning. Ken Holland’s final run as general manager in Edmonton (we think) was rock solid. There was no swing for the fences, the team added at center (and that will improve the wing) and the defensive pickup is one the analytics department would have encouraged. In fact, I think all three moves are solid by the eye test and mathematics.
The acquisition of Adam Henrique allows Kris Knoblauch to play both Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the wing. That’s an important detail. Knoblauch said Henrique would be either 2L or 3C on this roster, and that means Ryan McLeod also sees some time on the wing. So, how does that compare to what we’ve seen this year at five-on-five:
- McDavid-Draisaitl: 64 percent goal share; 2.52 GA-60 (2.44 X)
- McDavid solo: 57 percent goal share; 3.03 GA-60 (2.22 X)
- Draisaitl solo: 57 percent goal share; 2.32 GA-60 (2.83 X)
- Nuge solo: 48 percent goal share; 2.65 GA-60 (2.85 X)
- McLeod solo: 46 percent goal share; 1.53 GA-60 (2.05 X)
- Derek Ryan solo: 29 percent goal share; 2.27 GA-60 (2.1 X)
I think the club can thrive with 97-29 together or apart with the addition of Henrique. I like Nuge better on the wing. I think Carrick will slide in and ease the load on Ryan.
The big item here is McLeod. Look at the suppression numbers. I’m sure this has been noticed by the Oilers, but do wonder how things will play out. If Henrique is third-line center, I’d run McLeod and Foegele with Leon. Ridiculous results in small samples five-on-five. When we talk about bottom-six forwards and how important they’ll be, I think McLeod is about to emerge as a major player for this team.
It’s trade deadline day and we’ve got you covered all day on Sports 1440. Lowdown hits at noon, we’ll have Steve Lansky and Tyler Yaremchuk, and if anything breaks a cast of hundreds!! It’s going to be a fun day and the Oilers have been linked to Jordan Eberle and wouldn’t that be wild? You can reach me at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section or on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly.
We tried hard on Tanev and supposedly our superior offer was rejected. Not much you can do about that except laugh at the clown running CAL. What a horrible return on all those assets. Other than Tanev exactly zero Ceci upgrades were moved (Walker might be a Vinny upgrade but no more). The complainers are whining that they didn’t get a unicorn for Christmas. Stecher is a RHD who is an excellent #7.
I like Henrique better than Monahan or Wennberg and he’s playing better than Lindholm this year. So we got the best center on offer IMHO.
Dowd didn’t move so we got Carrick. He’s decent on the PK, same number of goals, better faceoff numbers, hits more, tougher. Seems like a guy who stands up for his teammates (saw that already in the game yesterday). Their on-ice numbers a similar in many ways and PDO seems to explain the different results (1.05 for Dowd and .95 for Carrick). I’m okay with the move and lets see how he does.
Didn’t get a RW but there was no we could bring in 4 guys and Henrique can play wing as well.
So all in all I would characterize this TDL as “sensible”. No home runs like last year but you can’t pull that off every year and CAL was not cooperating. Good news is that if this is what Conroy is capable of we will enjoy watching them struggle for years.
The mighty Casey has struck out tonight.
I guess I just don’t understand why there is so many problems to start games.
It will never happen because its a poor idea, in my opinion.
I would like to keep both McDavid and Drai on PP1.
I only watched highlights: did Nurse play with Dez all night?
I believe so. All 6 had a rough go tonight. Didn’t seem to be reading each other after a shift or two. I’m not a fan of the Nurse/Dez combo
Agreed. I like Dez… on the third pair.
13 minutes with Deharnais, 1 minute with Ceci (5 on 5).
I think Janmark – Holloway – Carrick would be a preferable 4th line.
I love Ryan but he is slowing down in real time.
Ryan’s ability to get the puck out of his zone and out of high danger spots supersedes people’s wishes that Holloway will somehow flip a switch and immediately be an upgrade to Ryan.
Yet, this isn’t the case with 90% of most players to start their careers.
Holloway will get there but now isn’t the time, he’s better off in the AHL making mistakes & learning.
Is that true? Derek Ryan is 8-16 GF/GA this season. Holloway is 7-10. I am not sure how big of difference Ryan’s defensive awareness is making on results this season.
Ryan has the worst GF/GA out of any regular this season.
Ryan is one of the best players on the Oilers of getting the puck across the blue line.
Bob Stauffer mentions this and the Golden Bears literally every time he talks about Ryan.
He actually might be one of the best in the NHL at it IIRC
Generally, yes.
Tonight, he was 0-2 goals in 6 minutes and the Oilers didn’t have a shot on net while he was on the ice.
I think pretty much all the skaters can flush that game, from McDavid to Drai, to Ryan to Deharnais.
Janmark Holloway Ryan.
Don’t see what Carrick adds except injury insurance.
Also a good add in for any series we are getting pushed around. Other than that I agree with you godot
The Bolts land Duclair from the Sharts.
This just in. Jordan Eberle to Edmonton for a first round pick in 2038.
It’s about what LT said and Tocchet. You don’t have it every game. So play smarter
Drai was again a monstrous play killer, momentum killer. Connor as well. Forcing 0 % passes. Cheap cute plays. How bad do they want it? This isn’t enough to get it
Draisaitl has a real bad habit of stopping up short at the blue line & making terrible passes along the blue line, that shit has to stop before the playoffs.
So much so it’s been scouted to death & the opposition players are waiting for it.
sometimes you have to make the simple play.
I only watched the third and it was entertaining. I saw the same team out there but didn’t see Carrick – not sure if he got hurt or just wasn’t playing.
The ice looked awful, players were falling all over the place. Oilers absolutely controlled all the play in the third, Columbus would get the odd break off turnovers because of the Oilers pressure.
got to be a bit of an emotional release during this TD for these guys. KH kept the team together, hopefully they can gel and peak in the playoffs.
OP quit downvoting my comments!
Funny cause who would have sat?
Actually sitting Bouch next game would be good after that garbage
They could go 11 & 7. Pick a forward to sit.
Yes those are options. But sitting him for a game is not an option. I imagine KK or Coffey will have a conversation, probably like they have many times before, and will point out mistakes and strong plays. They probably won’t lay out a punishment plan but will give Bouch 1-2 focal points and some words of encouragement. Bouch will probably acknowledge his mistakes, believe it or not he knows them, and he will continue to make plays that most Dmen in the lesgue can’t. Most of them will be successful and some won’t… maybe because he made a poor decision or his execution failed or the other man just made a good play.
I wonder what the new guys are thinking now after that shit show. And what they want to say but surely won’t
Seriously
That it was a letdown game after the Bruins.
That they are fatigued after the Bruins game.
That they are distracted by the TD happenings.
They sky isn’t falling here.
Playoffs baby. Give Stecher and Broberg a few games down the stretch. Same with the forwards have a fresh group for the real season.
They’re used to that sort of thing in Anaheim.
Summarizing!
Elgin R was almost right with that prophecy of everyone incurring soup tonight.
Lachance was on the top line tonight and potted the GWG–his 12th tally of the campaign–plus two helpers in a win.
Stonehouse similarly dented twine with his 18th of the season along with a game-high 5 SOG.
Määttä’s Redemption Tour continued with an assist.
Münzenberger was held soupless and shall have to content himself with flat ginger ale instead.
Yes. The Toffoli trade particularly hurt. Holland had reportedly called it day the night before.
Why do you guys think Tofolli is better?
Sometimes when you play a top team and a league top goalie it’s just not possible to win
Maybe next game
The Oilers are playing pretty bad tonight. Disjointed and a step too slow in all areas. They can barely complete a 10ft pass. Forecheck nonexistent.
Completely outplayed, credit to the Jackets they are holding up their end of the bargain at least.
Yeah, they looked pretty lethargic tonight. BJs were all over them all game long.
Leon was awful tonight. KK needs to start trying other players with McDavid when Leon’s having an off night.
Blue Jackets had a good game plan and executed. Oilers seemed half a steep slow and nothing was rhyming. Perhaps fatigue from the Bruins game.
5 and 1 in last 6. Nothing wrong with that.
If you had to pick which 1 of the 6 to lose, I’d have picked the most meaningless (ie – the eastern conference team with the worst record of anyone they faced).
Noticing Columbus doesn’t give McDavid-Draisaitl as much respect as most other teams. Often their passes will be largely uncontested, but Columbus pours on the pressure.
This trade deadline with certainly test the theory set forth by many Oiler fans that we can’t win with Ceci in the top 4.
Totally on purpose by Kane and Perry. Thing of beauty. That’s a playoff goal.
Oil always play like crap around the TD it seems. Anxious time for contending teams, who, otherwise, would be on cruise control.
Wonderful shot and tip. Let’s get another for at least a point tonight.
5-0 and it was great while it lasted.
Oilers are about to …powerplay goal!!
F*cking A!!!
Corey ** Perry!
One grey area might be the cap credit the team was owed after Keith’s retirement but the League conveniently chose not to grant them. Can’t see them denying Vegas the same thing if the situation presented itself.
Edit: my mistake I thought you asked about Holland exploiting a grey area haha. Even if not relevent to the comment my point still stands.
Totally
Kinda sad they don’t use that tendency to trick
Perry Power Play!!!!!
corey power potter plays are the best
Corey Power Perry Play!!!
With that marker, perhaps The Worm has turned.
That was a GORGEIOUS tip.
Oilers will be short handed soon.
Oh McDavid. So close on the wrister off the bar and then into the catcher.
Columbus sure has a lot of players skilled at anticipating and intercepting Oilers passes.
Like they know what they’re going to do!
I would never count this team out with a period left to play but their first two periods have been pretty crappy. Would adding two new players affect chemistry? On the plus side team has been money in the third.
I don’t see this as being on the new players.
Oilers are having trouble transitioning from playing against a fun team like Pittsburgh to a no-fun team that can forecheck.
While we’re at it, there appears to be someone on the forum downvoting everything a select list of people post.
Yep.
I don’t think removing Holloway and Brown from the lineup has effected team chemistry.
As of right now, one of those games that this team (and, really, all teams) tend to have over the course of the season – its not indicative of anything but it sure sucks to watch.
Agreed, just one of those games…and it’s terrible to watch.
Holloway brings the juice. He is an energizer bunny.
The team for old men couldn’t get anything up.
Nine fights this season if memory serves. And he’s six foot, 200 lbs. He’s built well.
We have as many fighters on the squad now as teams did in the 80s.
Ain’t nobody gonna want to get in a fight fest against us.
Or you could say like Knoblauch did, the only way to discipline players in the NHL is TOI
If they want to the Cup they can’t, he shouldn’t, play like that
John Tortorella absolutely would.
It comes down to when they have possession easier they look great, and when they don’t they break down pretty easily
The neutral zone is wide open for Columbus, and that is a bad thing
They do seem a bit off in addition to making lots of straight out bad plays.
I’d say they might be a little out of sync more than the chemistry being off. But who knows.
Yea well what ever it is here’s hoping it’s a one game thing!
Yup.
He didn’t bend the rules – the ability to provide bonus bonuses to veterans coming off long term injuries is specifically provided for.
Keeping players on LTIR after they are healthy enough to play and activating them immediately upon the cap not applying after having used the LTIR reserves for material acquisition is in strict violation of the rules around activating players.
This is the 1st time in his career Holland has traded a 1st for a rental, so there’s certainly evidence of at least pressure from ownership if not somebody else making the final call.
That trade wasn’t “textbook Holland” at all.
When you’re being forechecked hard you make bad plays. Seems like the story tonight.
You seem to forget how he saved the last game with a terrific back check with the empty net. ( and the back check in the previous game to that with a play on a break away that was a one of the top 10 play’s of this year).
If he messed up it was not because he wanted to.
Great news!
I literally jumped off of the wagon and am now drinking my 3rd, and unless I’m really insane final drink of the evening. 90 dollars a bottle whisky; yikes its a good thing I bought these when I had money to spend.
Semi pissed – Oilers are undergoing “growing pains” with their new players lol
Oh boy. This might be Bouchard worst game of season. Reverting back to his lackadaisical approach. Coughing up pucks and poor decisions over and over. Young dman making young dman mistakes. I get a bit angry at his urgency levels sometimes.
50-50 he gets the OT winner though.
lol. Always possible. Gotta get there first. Would like to see Kane get one. Foegle also having a bit of a rough night.
You must have liked Carrick’s tilt though.
Holloway driving the 4th line forward would be more useful though.
When has Holloway even driven the fourth line?
Who Doesn’t love a good fight? Pretty even match up. Both got in one good punch. Always loved a player who can fight and play. Can change momentum quickly.
How many fights are there in the Stanley Cup final?
I’d rather have a 4th line centre that can transport the puck.
How bout one that can win a faceoff too?
Hopefully Henrique helps but there are a lot of guys with tunnel vision
Making the obvious choice
I’ll add not necessarily a lot of support to make a play
On going
McDavid having a really tough time handling the puck – as bad as any other game this year and there were some doozies (for him) earlier in the season.
If the ice is crap you have to adjust
Connor has lost the “handle” several times tonight????
Thanks Coff
That was an insane stop by Pickard on seeing the replay. Man.
Bouch having a rough game
Love the second effort by Pickard.
Be nice if everyone else followed suit.
Holy crap Bouch with a brain cramp, lazy ass give away! Picard makes the save.
Yikes Bouch – that isn’t “bad defensively” – that just a sloppy and lazy play.
Jackets ring one off the post on a 2 on 1. Lucky not to be 4-1
I don’t think nets are designed for shots that hard. I think I heard the net cry.
Wild backhand pass by Drai, broken play – goal.
Game on!
That was a very bad period of giveaways and brain farts and bad coverage . Jeeez
Better come out on fire
Anyone know how the NHL counts “giveaways” and “takeaways”?
According to the NHL the Oilers have 1 giveaway tonight, but Columbus has 4 takeaways.
It’s like a takeaway is something you earn, but a giveaway is pure sloth and depravity?
I think your last sentence gets it
No Holloway to bring youthful energy.
Lol, I’d say ‘you can’t be serious’, but I know you are.
Sure, no Holloway is affecting McDavid and Drai, and Bouchard.
If the Oilers made a highlight reel of Top 10 Horrendous Giveaways of the Season, they could pull a good 5 or 6 from the first 15 minutes of that period.
It’s like the Oilers learned the wrong lesson from the Pittsburgh game: all passes will complete.
What did they learn from their last game, which they won against the formidable Bruins?
The was a very poor period – unexpected for sure.
Tarasov was very good but that was only part of the reason for the big deficit.
What I like about the Oilers is that no man gets left behind. When they play loose it’s a full team effort haha. Yeesh, looser than loose in their own end.
I think I saw four pucks through/under Tarasov glove from the left hand side. Someone should park themselves by the far post and there will be a tap in.
Who boy ….. still time to get a Goalie Kenny
The problem isn’t the goaltending…
The Oilers should play a little team defense, and not make passes to Blue Devils’ players.
Oh oh.
playing defense is optional.
goaltender not helping.
Yikes the boys have dug a hole now down 3-0.