Credit to the Edmonton Oilers, they won a game against the New York Islanders last night while also delivering encouraging performances. It was back to back, the mistakes were there but less prevalent and harmful.
There was also concern. Zach Hyman got hurt, the Nuge is adding defensive miscues to his already established loss of scoring touch and not getting to plays in time.
Bottom line: It was a win. Badly needed and timely.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN MARCH
- On the road to: CAR (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 1-0-0)
- At home to: ANA, MTL, DAL (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 2-1-0)
- On the road to: BUF, NJD, NYI, NYR (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 1-2-0)
- At home to: UTA, WPG, SEA, DAL (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: SEA (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: CGY (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected results: 7-5-2, 16 points in 14 games
- March result: 4-3-0
- Oilers in 2024-25: 38-24-4, 80 points in 66 games
The Oilers are no longer on a 100-point trajectory, but it’s close enough for jazz. Rounding out this road trip with a win would be a bonus, and vital considering some of the clubs coming to town in the next home stand. Up go the flaps, down go the wheels, hope it’s better when we see you back home, Oil.
THE NUMBERS
Leon Draisaitl is the human being lawnmower and NHL goalies are whatever gets in his way. The man is mythical now, we don’t really know how to place him in Oilers lore in real time. It will come as the years go by, and it’s been clear since 2017 spring the big man’s game is made for the playoffs. Last night, he was fire. His first goal was a slapper from range, you rarely see them anymore but I was taken by where his bottom hand was placed on his stick. Most players seem to have it lower for torque, maybe Leon doesn’t need that extra ounce and decided to go for accuracy. The second goal was neat, as in the neatest play by Pickard, lovely pass by the captain and then Leon showing all of the forwards in attendance how to score a damned goal. Music!
I was pumped about seeing Henrique with McDavid-Hyman but it lasted all of five minutes before Hyman got hurt. My goodness that’s an unlucky turn.
When this defense gets healthy, I like the look of it. Walman-Bouchard getting some run here might help the team in the postseason. Building chem takes time, and the duo looks better each outing. I’m still not sure the actual top-four defense currently, but am pretty sure Walman is in it.
Calvin Pickard had a nice game, Leon’s comments afterward are a tell about how respected he is ‘in the room’ among the players. We don’t get much real information about what happens back there, but I’ve not heard a negative thing about Pickard. I hope he gets a ring this spring.
All in all a good night, but it wouldn’t be Oilers without a worry. Hyman’s injury is a big damned deal, and it’s possible someone is flying coast to coast today.
New for The Athletic: Is there a changing of the guard on the Edmonton Oilers’ No. 1 line?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6195176/2025/03/15/oilers-lines-draisaitl-mcdavid-stats/
Still anxiously awaiting my Munzenburger signing – lets go Stan!
Hope you got your heat turned on baby.
Whose cat is that? It is a dead ringer for my kid’s cat Rugget!
I think we’re running out of games to catch Vegas. But Hertl did his best to help us out today.
Vegas up 3-2 with 30 seconds left. Hertl had a breakaway on an open net. Pulled a seriously Oilers move and opted for a drop pass to Eichel (who only had 1 goal so it’s not like it was for the hatty). Drop pass blocked, Dahlin scored to tie it up. Buffalo wins in the shootout. Honestly one of the biggest bonehead plays I’ve ever seen by Hertl there. But I will thank him and move on with my day!
It’s going to be very interesting to see how this team plays in the playoffs. I am hoping the recent slump is a function of the veterans being bored of the regular season grind (wishful thinking) and will remember how to score come playoffs.
Draisaitl is on the cusp of another 50/50 season, putting him in ever increasingly elite company. Only 53 players have ever scored 50 goals and 50 assists in the same season, and only 8 active players. Only two active players have done it more than once, Ovechkin (3 times) and Draisaitl (3, soon to be 4 times). Here is a list of players who have multiple 50/50 seasons:
Gretzky: 9 times
Bossy: 7
Dionne: 6
Lafleur: 6
Lemieux: 6
Esposito: 5
Yzerman: 5
Kurri: 4
Draisaitl: 3**
Ovechkin: 3
Interestingly, 91 of the 109 times this has occurred took place between 1971 and 1997. Since then, in nearly 30 years, it’s been done just 18 times (soon to be 19).
Great post. Thanks!
The only official merchandise I have ever bought it a Drai jersey.
McDavid in the 60/60 club. Go Leon!
Only 4 players in the 70/70 club
Esposito: 1
Gretzky: 3
Lemieux: 2
X: 1
Without checking, who is the fourth?
Bruce, give the rest of the class a chance before blurting out the answer.
Would that be Bernie Nicholls?
Could it be Brett Hull?
Yzerman?
Walman/Bouch has been great – Walman is a solid top 4-dman and Bouch has been back to elite Bouch the last handful of games.
I kind of want them to split the two as those are the two best passing puck-movers and I don’t think Nurse and Ek can play together (so they probably go back to Ek/Bouch and then Nurse/Walman which was great in its one game).
Also, I think Ty Emberson may be getting tired – he’s played 64 games after having play 30 career NHL games before. He did play 69 games in the AHL one season but he’s also get a college background and those are apx 35 game seasons.
I can see a bit of a platoon with Klingberg coming up.
It’s a sad state of affairs when 5 of your top 10 point getters are D. What initially looked like a run in place off-season now looks like a massive miscalculation by Jackson and Co.
Appears they built the F group betting on their ceiling and didn’t consider their floor
Nothing wrong with offensive output from the defense.
It’s not the D I’m pointing fingers at. 62 G from the bottom 9 forwards is pathetic. They will only end up with three 20 goal scorers. Also pathetic.
It’s either the Oilers don’t get enough from the back end or now they are getting too much from the back end.
Lets be fair and compare against some top teams
Oilers top 6 Dmen points total
170
Jets- 141
Caps- 165
Stars- 111
Vegas- 144
Capitals are the only ones within spitting distance. You can read it 2 different ways, the Oilers aren’t scoring enough (which is true) but also that the Oilers defence is putting up more points than the other top teams (which is also true)
Valid point, but if the D are racking up points from further away from the net on the same goalies that burries this sad set of bottom 9 forwards even further.
That album! The soundtrack to my teens. A confused & confusing time, so eloquently represented by Townsend, Daltrey & co.
Thank you!
Who?
Who are you?
Love The Who. That period had so many great wonderful songs. Love Reign o’er me also a favourite.
Loved that album Quadrophenia, one of the most underrated Who albums.My Best concert of all time,saw them in 1976 still with Keith Moon alive at the Coliseum doing mostly Whos Next tunes,first laser light show at the time.
Oilers need to just use more logic,coach needs to discipline more,he seems too soft.No more stupid moves,Mcd and Ekholm should have had 4 or 5 days off after 4 nations,not smart.
Sheshterkin playing tonight. Oil likely see Quick tomorrow.
Big win Oilers. Needed a feel good story like the Pickard pass to lift this team up. Oilers are going to need their version the “Gloria” song if they are going to go anywhere this year.
I thought it was La Bamba! How easily we forget.
Mike Griffith (Bako) saying nothing official but he’s hearing Derek Ryan is headed back to the Oilers.
He’s been very meh as a second line center in Bako.
At least he can be another veteran voice in the locker room. IMO they should call up Philp instead.
I mentioned this last night as well. Call and keep him up
That locker room has nothing but veterans! Agreed with calling up Philips. I like Ryan but he is another small, slow forward.
Philp has been a very meh 3rd line center in Bako recently…..
old, slow, not physical makes sense in the oilers team building formula. Expect no difference and another McDavid year wasted
Is coming within 1 goal of the cup considered a wasted year? Man Detroit wasted so many years of Yzerman.
When looked at in the entirety of 97’s career it’s a wasted year of McDavid. How long has he been in the league and been a generational talent? These years had many teams without the generational talent of 97 and 29 win cups. Why? could it be the team composition? He had one finals appearance, with a loss at that. I believe that Bowman recognizes the soft group that exists here and is trying to construct a different feeling in the roo. I don’t give a poop about Yzerman BTW.
Here is a genuine question: Do you think the Oilers had a good team during the 97 and 29 years? Not that those two drove positive results, but has the team around them been anything other than mediocre? I’m really curious.
Pretty strong feelings about calling up a 14F.
Yea, I’d rather a young player with some future with the team be here and can provide some sort of intensity and at least have a chance to show something and learn. If anything, go stand in front of the bloody net and get in the way of the other team’s defense corps. The low shooting % is likely tied to uncontested hi danger chances.
Elite 2-way d-man Evan Bouchard is back.
It’s been 5 or so games without any egregious giveaways, very good defensive plays, consistently fantastic transition, etc.
Even his battles have been better (yes, I know, the Thompson goal).
Stretch drive/playoffs Bouch has arrived and that is one of the top keys to Stanley.
Oh OP, how I love your optimism.
That isn’t optimism – I’ve had optimism this game was coming at some point but the above is about what the player is actually bringing.
Have we seen any egregious giveaways in the last 5 or so games? I don’t think so.
The only “egregious” play was the Tage Thompson goal and, honestly, that was mostly Podz and Bouchard had little he could do.
He’s winning battles, he’s moving the puck exceptionally, he’s creating, he’s producing, he’s not making big mistakes, etc.
I’m beginning to think the top 4 D is going to be Bouchard, Walman, Nurse, Kulak. Meaning even when Ekholm returns he will be solidifying the 3rd pair along with Emberson,
Klingberg & Stecher. I’m expecting the defense to be stellar.
The other thing I’m thinking is they should just alternate the goaltenders from here on to the end of the regular season, and during the playoffs, since one clearly isn’t better than the other.
Ekholm is their best overall Defenceman,don’t see that happening.They wore him out,that’s on management.
He’s been sick and now he’s injured. He’s also the elderstatesman of the blueline. He might need a lighter work load during the playoffs. They can do that now that Walman has arrived on the scene.
Has Cater Hart had his equipment on recently?
In the last 7-8 years, there are 4 forwards who have been all time incredible in the regular season and playoffs.
Mackinnon
Kucherov
McDavid
and Draisaitl.
For me, Draisaitl has hit another level this year, not only with his offensive play, but with his defensive play. Every game, it seems like he comes back hard on the backcheck and strips the puck away from other team a few times.
I watch Oiler games with my son ( not always but quite a bit) I tell him to watch how hard Draisaitl plays at both ends of the ice and to emulate that in his own hockey. Its U11 hockey, and as coach I tell him, I want him skating just as fast into our defensive zone as the offensive zone. Lots of yelling on my end, but he is getting it.
Prospecteny!
Only the Knights get the day off amongst the remaining NAmateurs. Everyone else toils.
BU could conceivably lose today and still be eligible for the Frozen Four as an at-large team, being ranked 9th in Div-1. They play #14 UMass who ousted the Vermonters.
Notre Dame has no such margin for error, as they will have to win the Big Ten title to make it to the Frozen Four. They battle the #2 Michigan State Horcoffs.
Barrie has won their division and will likely be the #2 seed in the OHL Eastern Conference.
Flint seems locked into 6th in the Western Conference and a 1st-round matchup with Kitchener, who has 35 more standings points. A win today clinches a playoff spot for the Birds of Fire.
Peterborough is in next-year country as Stonehouse is set to play his preantepenultimate NAmateur game.
Like Flint, Muskegon has yet to clinch but can do so with a win today.
Boston University (Copponi) @ 2:30 p.m.
Notre Dame (Fischer) @ 4 p.m.
Muskegon (Berry) @ 5 p.m.
Flint (Day, Clattenburg) @ 5 p.m.
Peterborough (Stonehouse) @ 5 p.m.
Barrie (Akey, Wakely) @ 5:30 p.m.
All times, at all times, are Purple Springs time.
…in which Bruce expands his vocabulary yet again courtesy the erudite and esoteric Tarkus.
Oilers now in a 16 game to 18 game race to the finish with the Kings.
Bonus: Oilers play Kings 2X in this mini season.
Should be a lot of fun.
So if the Oilers win 60% of their remaining games, which is slightly less than what their winning % has been for the season, they should win 9.6 games which I’ll round up to 10 just because, they should finish with 100 pts. even.