I remember exactly how I felt on March 6, 1987. Do you know why? It’s included in the above passage from a long time ago post on this blog. We all have favourites, players who transcend their own abilities and role to become legend.
If you are of a certain age, then you know the answer. Lee Fogolin. It hurt when Slats traded him, and I remember Fogolin fondly to this day. He was heart and soul, and he was a major player on the Oilers from opening day NHL until March 6, 1987. The deadline means pain, and we’ve already seen a hint of what is to come.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY
- At home to: ANA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: SEA, BOS, PIT, CHI (Expected 2-1-1) (Actual 3-1-0)
- At home to: LAK (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: MIN, COL, VAN (Expected 1-1-1) (Actual 2-1-0)
- At home to: WAS, VAN, BUF, SEA, DET (Expected 3-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected results: 8-4-2, 18 points in 14 games
- January result: 7-2-0
- Oilers in 2024-25: 29-14-3, 61 points in 46 games
The Oilers have a tough game tonight against an outstanding opponents. Connor McDavid’s suspension begins tonight, the silver lining that he’ll get plenty of rest mid-season and that’s a good thing. Some think he should skip the 4-Nations, but the NHL has robbed 97 of so many chances to win championships, I hope he goes. And wins.
THE 2025 TRADE DEADLINE
Derek Ryan is headed to Bakersfield, with a proud NHL career possibly over after 600 NHL games. He averaged 11-17-28 per 82 games but that doesn’t really describe his value. A smart player whose strengths included exceptional positioning and anticipation, he will be missed and I hope he returns at some point. I think it might be as a coach.
The deadline is something I look forward to, but when Ryan (and Lee Fogolin) lose roster spots it’s a reminder that roster improvement has sweeping impact on many lives. I don’t watch many of the deadline shows now because honestly I’m on the air for much of it and trying to keep up with the deals in order to be well informed before air time.
Back in the old days, trade rumours came via newspapers mostly and reporters like Red Fisher of the Montreal Gazette. I remember well the Paul Coffey rumours of 1983 fall, they came during a nine-game run to start the season that saw the Oilers go 7-1-1. Glen Sather was upset because Edmonton allowed 39 goals (!!!) while scoring 51.
Fisher told his readers on October 26th that Slats was unhappy with Paul Coffey and was talking to the Canadiens. Edmonton sought big center Doug Wickenheiser and young blue liner Gilbert Delorme.
The deal didn’t happen, the Oilers eventually acquired Kevin McClelland in early December and moved Mark Messier to the middle in order to address the roster imbalance. Wickenheiser and Delmore ended up in St. Louis and the Blues sent Perry Turnbull to Montreal. Greg Paslawski was also part of the deal.
Fast forward to this season and we’ve heard many trade rumours involving Edmonton. The assets out are likely to be picks and prospects, partly because the Oilers are trying to win Stanley and don’t want to bleed any talent off the roster.
The assets in? That’s the question right now. John Klingberg and Noah Philp will have a chance between now and March 7 to convince the coaches and management there is no need to acquire replacements in those areas. There are also Oilers fans who want a goaltending upgrade, perhaps Stan Bowman feels the same way.
Candidates for trade from the NHL roster include Jeff Skinner and (one assumes, if a goalie is coming in) Calvin Pickard. I don’t think either man gets dealt, for what it’s worth. The Paul Cofffey comp on this team (Evan Bouchard) is in no danger of beling dealt.
A busy show today on the Lowdown, noon to 2pm on Sports 1440. Daniel Nugent-Bowman at The Athletic will join us to talk McDavid suspension and all thing Oilers, Donovan Paulson will talk about the Jays addition of Anthony Santander (and what may come) and the baseball hall of fame voting. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio, Radioplayer Canada, it’s available post-show on apple and spotify, and we tweet it out on X.
Garth Hudson died. I’m crying. I loved The Band, and Hudson was at the heart of the beautiful sound. Please go on Spotify, listen to “It Makes No Difference” wait for the sax solo at the end, and enjoy the work of a truly great artist.
Went to the game. Was cheesed that they went back to ardvisdon again on that pp1 unit after 1st attempt.
Just not enough of scoring threat witb wiffler and/or ice hockey for NES length wind up time for slap shot combined with way to easy to knock off puck just didn’t look like right fit.
Was so much better when they swapped to ekholm in 3rd.
But whole thing was pretty glaring of ongoing concern i’ve had for years
-> need for a PP2 with some reps.
Like we no longer have mcleod to even b version mcdavid entry style and that unit is so dialed around mcdavid it just should not be tried without him in same structure with same get it to drai with enough time open space to shoot some ridiculous heat seeker.
They should have some even semi confident pp2 unit heading into playoffs. Nurse and ekholm at point is nothing to turn your nose up at. Put podz out there for net front and dumo lead retriever and say skinner with henrique and see how it does with enough time to mesh.
Game didn’t feel exactly like one might think looking at final shot counts.
Felt like a team looking to win a tight game by a goal and just happy to give low percentage perimeter openings with slot plugged.
Couldn’t agree more, on several levels.
I think the Oilers could use a legite #2 C man, that could run a pp. Nuge when put at the #2 Cman is not a line driver anymore. Henrique can’t run the #2 pp as the main driver and qb. I think it is tough as well because they don’t get a lot of time. No clue how much they actually practise the 2nd pp? Do the Oil need a 2nd line C man rather than a 3rd line C man especially the way this coach plays McD and Drai together as much as he does. When the playoffs start he probably will play them a ton together. Thus not sure Nuge can drive that 2nd line.
Anyone else feel this way?
I thought Drai looked a little pooped in the latter part of the 3rd.
I would say that the biggest need the Oilers have at the deadline is a scoring winger, unless they really believe that Kane will be that winger. Or that they can get Skinner into the top 9 and get him going.
We can talk about S Skinner all we want. But…
The Oilers are top notch in scoring chances, xGF, xGA, but when I last checked they were 21st in the league in shooting percentage.
They were also 7th in goals scored per game coming in (well, a day or two ago at least).
A coach that can’t see his way to play his 3rd most talented scorer with a powerplay and the goalie pulled has problems.
Knoblauch is showing a rather large blind spot this season.
Expected goals 5.1 to 1.8 for the Oilers. Yes, goaltending was the difference. Could Skinner outduel Thompson in a Stanley Cup Final? Maybe. But after seeing tonight, I’d want some insurance in net to be sure.
So in other words, we were 3 goals short on Thompson and Skinner was one goal extra against.
What was the bigger problem, S Skinner not saving that extra shot or the Oil not finishing just 1 of those extra 3 expected? Thompson wasn’t unbeatable tonight
Really good game! Logan Thompson was excellent. Wish we won, but one of the more enjoyable losses. Oilers are playing fun hockey to watch frequently these days.
Probably the best team they’ll play on this homestand before the end of the month – hopefully they get revenge against the Canucks and finish the month on a winning streak.
Caps riding the PDO pony to perfection this year.
Good game – damn.
Caps played a good defensive game. Edmonton did two but a mistake by Arvy, a bad goal on Skinner and a mistake by Kulak/Stecher.
Have to think McDavid would have made a real difference in this one.
.786
Goddammit
Hyman did nothing that whole time, including on the tap in pass. Ugh.
Not complaining but I didn’t see a trip? The phantom/make up calls this game are galling
He keeps skating, not a dive, stick and hand in the body. Looked like tripping. Are we talking about another play, or are you saying he tripped without contact, or, he dived?
6 out, powerplay, no Skinner.
FFS Knoblauch…
He earned to be out there tonight
Now or never. Put Skinner on PP1
In hindsight probably a better fit on that PP than Ekholm
Ekholm was undeniably the right 5th man on that unit. The most capable to wheel with protectd puck and a real risk to score level shot that he has a shown variety of different ways he can release shot from.
Oilers seem disjointed/out of gas in the third. Hopefully they can find a way to tie it up. Disappointing game from Stu so far.
I’d be happy w a lucky goal to salvage this. Ideally by Nurse or Skinner (redemption) or Podz (reward).
Need to generate some shots. Been stuck on 29 for a bit.
Ovi is craving an open net. Hopefully he doesn’t get that opportunity
Never realized Tom Wilson was such a pushover.
funny rite?
That 53 guy who doesn’t play D was the one who pressured Wilson into screwing up that chance
Arvidsson taken off the top line because he’s playing terribly
Agreed. Noticeably bad. We need RNH, Bouch and Arvi to rise the next few games. Tonight has been the opposite
So can where’s that Ty emberson extension?
He impresses me more every game I watch him play. So smart and calm with the puck and seemingly never out of position.
Young Steve Staois
Exactly. me n friend ha e been texting about it.
That’s nacho goal, Ovie…
A third great kill – hope they don’t give one up right after for the third time….
Stripe solidarity is a thing.
I say we embrace it and become the hardest building to ref in. No appeasement. Open verbal and presence-based hostility.
That would be…awesome.
self defeating (cult, gang), but awesome.
Would it though? The personality types that gravitate to reffing crave obedience and shrink away from shows of strength.
I feel these bullies won’t back off because the biggest dogs in this fight are backing them.
That is a weak weak penalty
Perry. Having a heckuva game.
What’s that call for?????
Being an Oiler
Perry put a little extra cheese on that shot.
ok I’ll show myself out
Nacho, nacho maaan.
https://youtu.be/5E0gcobxWMg?si=2pvGGr-xF4BY1_8G
Perry kissed a goal and I liked it.
Nachogate….
That’s like, what… 30$ worth of nachos?
Likely most expensive nachos in the city.
Didn’t expect Perry to rip home a one-timer from distance…..
Great goal. Moron fan.
Skinner costing us the game. Hasn’t had many saves to make and decided he just wasn’t going to save anything
Not sure how you pin any of this on Stu.
The 2nd goal was a meh point shot from a defensive d-man with no screen that Skinner whiffed on.
He didn’t cost us the game. He just didn’t save any of the 3 high danger chances, while for the umpteenth time we got goalied
Continually losing games while egregiously outshooting the opposition is getting so tiresome.
Sure cap hit, sure there are worse goalies, sure, sure and sure.
Sure.
Score effects played huge part in outshooting.
Kulak basically got walked, terrible angle and Stecher just did a fly by……
So the 3 game suspension wasn’t enough.
Not nearly it seems.
Knoblauch not being able to figure out how to change his powerplay lineup is pretty weak.
Ekholm replacing Bouchard isn’t a change?
He’s done that before and just leaves the structure intact. That won’t work. 93 can’t fill 97s shoes. Arvidsson is not a threat.
53-29-90
14-2
Focus on point shots. Leon and Skinner for zone entries. Perry is in front. Leon distributes and Skinner is weaving to open areas to set up the wrister. Alternate play is behind the net.
97 is out so let’s removing 3/4 of the PP? Nah.
The powerplay still isn’t that good this year.
Why isn’t Skinner on the top pp.
Becauseoilers
Gotta find a way to bang one through this period….
What has happened to Bouchard’s willingness and ability to get a shot through. Someone needs to remind him he can score off a wrister too. Especially on pp. Just get shots through. He used to be amazing at this.
confidence.
he’ll be back.
im just happy it’s a contract year.
Had to figure out how to log in again, reset my password so I could say that Bouchard’s stick is where plays are going to die right now. But that usually means he has a snipe up his sleeve. Book it.
Oilers playing well for the most part. Bouchard struggling with decision making. Thompson better than Skinner the difference so far
Get Hopkins outta there. He can’t be relied upon in that powerplay role with McDavid not there.
I would not put Arvidsson back out on this pp.
I was scresming at the game. Like so clearly inneffective choice.
Summarizing!
A rare loss for London, and soup was not on the menu for either O’Reilly or Nicholl.
That’s not “veteran guile” that’s interference.
to my eye replay made it look more borderline. Obstruction for sure, but well executed.
Perry looking…tired.
It infuriates me that people start talking about goaltending based solely on shot differential. Did you see the two goals given up? This is best/most opportunistic team in NHL. The score is NOT on Stu Skinner.
The second goal was ugly, tender needs to make a stop there.
The first goal is not on Skinner at all. The second goal is a bad goal on any goalie. So yes part of the score can be attributed to the goalie.
The second goal was absolutely awful. There was no screen, he missed it.
Expected goals on NST are about 3.5 to 1, in favor of the Oilers.
That’s about right by my eye (although 3.5 is a bit high).
The first goal against was solely on Arivdsson but the second goal was solely on Skinner.
I am now officially in Camp We Gotta Improve Goaltending.
I don’t want to trade Skinner, but I don’t think it would hurt to have a second netminder with a higher ceiling. Maybe Gibson? No clue how the money would work, but I think it needs to be looked at.
I think our inability to finish hurts us just as much. Outside of 29 + 97 a lot of guys not getting much done when it comes to cashing chances.
That and screens- get to net when d are in position to shoot!
Sure, but Skinner is ranked 58th in the league in goals saved above expected (min. 5 games played), and 34th if you look at 5v5. There is significant room for improvement there.
Bouch and Nuge struggled on pp. Bouch having tough night passing and shooting so far.