Edmonton Oilers fans are a disgruntled group today. I don’t think it’s warranted. Ken Holland made three additions at the deadline, the biggest one allowing coach Kris Knoblauch room to wheel with Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the wing at the same time.
Fans look at Vegas Golden Knights are enraged at Holland for not doing the same. For me, I don’t think the Oilers would be making moves like the Golden Knights no matter the general manager. The Oilers are a copycat team, even the 1980’s Stanley clubs were designed like the WHA Winnipeg Jets.
Now, in truth Glen Sather was Edmonton’s Sam Pollock, just like Kelly McCrimmon now displays Pollockian skill negotiating the rapids of NHL roster building.
I’m not suggesting Oilers fans accept their plight, but I am suggesting a new general manager isn’t going to change the course of the franchise. You want Kelly McCrimmon creativity? Hire the man, or Bill Zito. The Oilers under Daryl Katz are extremely likely to hire an established general manager with years of experience building teams the traditional way.
THE ATHLETIC!
- Lowetide: What’s next for Edmonton Oilers prospect Dylan Holloway?
- DNB: Why the Edmonton Oilers look done adding before NHL trade deadline
- DNB: How Oilers’ trade for Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick improves forward depth
- DNB: Oilers defense secures third-period comeback and OT win vs. Bruins
- 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: 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: Where can the Edmonton Oilers improve their draft strategy in 2024?
- 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 expect we’ll see a better game from the Oilers than the clunker delivered in Columbus and am especially encouraged by the McLeod-Draisaitl-Foegele line apparently making a return. I like that trio plenty, and it allows Nuge to slide up to the McDavid line (with Hyman) while leaving Evander Kane and Corey Perry for the Adam Henrique trio on the third line. If speed becomes an issue, you could see Dylan Holloway back sooner than later.
HOLLAND’S FINAL TEAM
Holland is going to war with a team that possesses enormous gifts and significant flaws. I think the Vegas Golden Knights need to be this team’s first-round opponent this year. Getting past the VGK would be a major lift for this hockey club. You could see Connor McDavid’s frustration last game between the two teams (Edmonton outplayed the Knights but lost) and I suspect the return engagement will be a strong effort by the Oilers.
The Oilers lost to Vegas because Jack Eichel ran over them, Laurent Brossoit got hurt and penalties to Philip Broberg and Mattias Janmark dashed hopes in the pivotal Game 5. This year’s team has a different coach, some interesting tweaks among the forwards and is running back the same defense and starting goaltender. The defense (in my opinion) is far better in coverage and outlets more efficiently.
The suicide passes at the blue line remain. The 97-29 numbers together and apart at five-on-five are top flight, and the assignment today is finding Leon two wingers who help him outscore like McDavid manages with Nuge and Hyman.
Dear Oilers fan: You have the best player on planet earth playing for your team in Buffalo today. You have the most talent surrounding him (or close) since he arrived in 2015. You do not have the most innovative management group. I don’t see Katz hiring Eric Tulsky this summer, perhaps I’m wrong.
It’s a good reminder that along with Gretzky, Kurri, Messier, Anderson, Coffey, Lowe, Huddy, Fuhr and Moog the Oilers also had Glen Sather. Perhaps the next Glen Sather will be introduced this summer. In the meantime, Holland’s final team just had its final tuneup. How high can they fly?
CONDORS WIN
Bakersfield won another game last night, offensive contributors included Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, Raphael Lavoie, Tyler Tullio and Max Wanner among the prospects. Jack Campbell had another strong game, I don’t know if he’ll play another NHL game for the Oilers but he is at .915 save percentage, just behind Olivier Rodrigue at .917.
Friedman mentioned during the 2nd intermission tonight that he has had conversations among hockey execs that the current LTIR rules are a topic of discussion (again)
He said “there are a couple of managers that are not 100% comfortable with the idea that someone can’t play game 82, but then is OK 2 or 3 days later to play the opening game of the playoffs”
He said the discussion was not about Vegas specifically, just the general situation
He also acknowledged this would require a change to the (next) CBA, and he’s not even certain it would have enough support (to make a change that would stipulate that X amount of time has to pass before the end of the season and when a player would become eligible)… just that this is a discussion topic that is out there
I turned the TV off immediately after the OT goal only to read later that the goal was called back lol. I guess I didn’t miss much. That second goal was perhaps the weakest goal of the season on Skinner. It was literally a lob backhand that started coming down before it hit Skinners shoulder. Skinner was good in OT though. LT is right enough with the backhand passes out there. It was a weak backhand pass attempt by McDavid that set up the tying goal for Buffalo. Terrible game by Bouchard who after a terrific stretch is starting to make the big mistakes consistently again. Bouchard may be the weakest 1 on 1 player in the league. For all his offence I have never seen a guy get undressed one on one like him. Can’t remember who the player was tonight but his eyes lit up when he saw it was Bouchard defending him and he stick handled through him like he wan’t even there. Evan needs to stop looking at the puck and take the man.
Because teams never win or lose all their games, teams are never as good as they look in their wins and never as bad as they look in their losses. Winning and losing is a function of the play of both teams and a very generous dollop of luck. That first EDM goal, for example, breaks exactly our way when McLeod releases the shot, just like the first BUF goal breaks exactly their way (RNH knocks it down, Thompson swats it in from his knees). You can’t put too much into it, I think. That’s why we have a whole bunch of games in the regular season. Average things out.
BUF, like CBJ, has been a not great matchup for us in the CMD era. Our record is 6-5-4 against them after this last game. PIT was bad to start, but since Holland took over, we’ve gone 6-1, a complete turnaround. We’re way ahead of the two teams we just lost to in the standings, but they both do pretty well against us. Splitting the season series is par for the course with CBJ. Losing the season series is par for the course with BUF. Matchups seem to matter.
It’d be big for LAK to stay ahead of VGK the rest of the way. That way, VAN gets the Knights in the first round. Or the Knights cross over to the Central; I think that’s possible. I’m not saying we’d lose against them, but I think the emotional high of beating those guys in RD 1 would probably affect our ability to win three more rounds, which I’d really like to see us do. So, yeah, no VGK in the first round please.
Championing “young and hungry with no scoring” is old man hockey, isn’t it? Daryl Sutter style.
Probably only for my sake need correction:
Oilers -0.42 goals/60 5×5, 99.78 pdo
Canucks +0.47, 103.14 (pdo is correcting still doing decent on way down)
Vegas -0.01, 100.76
Canucks not much use for relative realistic thought but 0.3 5×5 goals a game less than Vegas is something I’d argue might want to be looked into better.
Clear raised shots from 6-10 ft out Vegas and others scoring on us multiple times jump to mind. Only that 1 Kane goal last game to at least 2 vegas goals fit profile of what I swear I see.
I domt know. Just realize when I abused numbers in rush. Sorry anyone smarter than me who saw that gap.
It’s not like you to give up on the Oilers so easily. All kidding aside this rule can’t be changed fast enough it takes away from the spirit of the game plus it’s down right bush league. I wonder how many people tore up SO betting tickets as half the people turn off a game when they go to commercial.
They can win with ceci. I believe that. Just can’t get as significantly outcoached with ceci. They are good enough. Just some things to put together and a bit of time left to come up.with better solutions and adjustments.
Out for real. Just caught up on group text. Oiler mode off lol.
Nobody sucks for the love of God.
LT said it best many different times. Enjoy this. It’s grand time to be a fan.
What can they do better, wish they didn’t leave an easier gotten point behind today.
I not hoping David Oliver might turn into our next 50 goal scorer. If yiu either forgot about briann glynn times or were too young – even when they really sucked there was far less viritol spewing out on daily basis from real fans…the kind of fans who would’ve died for this interface back then (stop fighting before it starts you mostly all agree about most important thing – what team you’re cheering for)
be nicer to yourselves and this team and other fans. It’s a nice enough day outside go enjoy it. See you all tomorrow.
I remember the comments made at the beginning of the month when I predicted 8-5-2, 18 points in 15 games this month.
You know what? They are ahead of my projection. So, that’s a positive.
It’s a hard league to win games in and the schedule is busy. Oilers ran into an excellent goalie and a dogged forechecking team and my goodness they love the high skill passes. That Leon item to McLeod was fabulous, but the team overall didn’t take care of the puck at all today.
They know how to do it, so that’s good. Doing it consistently will win them Stanley.
Nope. Just time to improve from game to game any exploitable example can help chances of doing so.
They are good enough. They just might need to see or do little things a slightly better way if it can be found.
Devil in details mode.
I was excited at start of knobby because the pp2 seemed to be starting to get a bit more minutes. Then that tappered off. It’s useful.to have another option at least vaguely comfortable with each other in game state come end of year.
Does BUF get 4 points for that result today..?
What a waste
Where is Matt Hendricks when we need him??
Yeah seems like it, just no game awareness – hope they hit the right net in the SO
Was Nurse not tripped by Tuch on that winner.
Ha off side.
It’s amazing what can happen when not just shooting at bottom of net or trying to pass it into net.
I noticed 19 & 91 in that period.. but where’s 90. I’m sure he will make his presence felt some time soon.
Shorty! Love it! Foegle from Highlander.
“I don’t see Katz hiring Eric Tulsky this summer, perhaps I’m wrong”
I agree with today’s monologue overall, for me I don’t get over the top about management even if I comment about it, it doesn’t ruin my enjoyment anymore than when they play like in Columbus, but I think disappointment at the wasted opportunities makes sense, is an appropriate reaction
My hope is that in the unexpected change at the top (Bob still with a contract), and the verbal Jackson came in with, The Owner wanted something different and more up to date. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he wants a more capable deal making GM that uses the tools available, because DK himself said the part of Rexall he liked best was the deal making. You need data to inform strategy to do that well
I imagine DK is all about at least Connor staying, and whatever needs to happen to ensure that, will be done. He has a lot of chips in the middle, it could go very bad for him if the team went DoD
Of course this is the Oilers so I am always prepared for being underwhelmed by the org