The Edmonton Oilers are getting some good news on the injury front now. To say it is timely would be an understatement. It looks like the club will be complete (sans Evander Kane) before April 15. What will the lines and pairings look like?
WHAT TO EXPECT IN APRIL
- On the road to: VEG, SJS, LAK, ANA (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 2-0-0)
- At home to: STL, SJS (Expected 1-0-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: WPG (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: LAK (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: SJS (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected results: 5-3-1, 11 points in 9 games
- April result: 2-0-0
- Current record: 44-26-5, 93 points in 75 games
It’s a damn shame the Glimmer Twins can’t play in this game, but the reality of injury is the roster will be less than ideal this afternoon. We can expect a great effort, and cheer for a win. It’s a big game today.
MY IDEAL LINES
- Skinner-McDavid-Hyman (searing offensive potential)
- Frederic-Draisaitl-Arvidsson (This line could be a monster)
- Podkolzin-Nuge-Brown (Nuge and Brown have great chem)
- Janmark-Henrique-Perry (No Country for Old Men line)
- Ekholm-Bouchard (the best pairing in years when they’re on)
- Nurse-Walman (B Flat, watch for the changes)
- Kulak-Stecher (Stecher has outplayed Emberson)
- Pickard/Skinner (Pickard has been the better goaler)
In this lineup, I’m fading Evander Kane, Ty Emberson and Stuart Skinner. In each case, it isn’t my preference, but there are legit reasons for it.
Pickard is playing well, if he can continue then he may begin the playoffs as the starter. Chances are both see the net in the postseason, but riding the hot hand in a goalie tandem where the starter has had some wobble would seem reasonable.
Kane hasn’t played in a long time. I don’t think anyone, including Kane, can really know what he’ll be able to bring this spring. If he emerges as the full-torque Kane, then he’ll be inserted on merit into a prominent spot. We can’t make that call from here.
The reason teams acquire depth on defense is because there will be more than six defenders in action during the postseason. So, the choice of Stecher over Emberson is anything but final.
It looks like Trent Frederic will draw in today. Music! He’s a fine player, hope he’ll show Oilers fans what he can do. I hope he signs in the summer, the 2025-26 Oilers could be very interesting.
JUHA WIDING
Back in the olden days, we didn’t get to see the expansion teams much. My parents and grandparents wouldn’t watch the entire game if Minnesota was playing Toronto and it was 3-0 after one. They’d play cribbage and ask me (and Grandma) for the score from time to time. Dad might pop in to watch until Jim McKenny made a mistake, and then he’d mourn the loss of Bob Baun and go back to cards.
It was very rare to see an expansion team at home, but once in those early years the schedule allowed a late game from the coast. Kings v Habs. Los Angeles wore their yellow homes and I was spellbound. What a look! And Widing was their best player at that time, he was the only one with any idea about what to do with the puck. When you’re a kid, even one event can have a massive impact. I never backed away from my Bruins fandom or my hope the California Golden Seals would one day be good, but I became a Juha Widing fan based on just one game. He would eventually become a WHA Edmonton Oilers player for a short time.
The life events that followed soonafter were very sad, but I’ve always held a place in my heart for him. He was a brilliant hockey player who chose a tough road (European playing junior hockey on the Canadian prairies was a difficult path in the 1960’s) and was plagued by demons of his own.
It’s funny what you remember from your childhood, the Widing story has always stuck with me. Both as a reminder about what can happen even to the gifted, and that we should always be kind because we don’t know what another person is facing in that moment. RIP Juha Widing.
Calgary scores late in the 2nd and early in the 3rd to draw even with Vegas at 2
15 min remaining
Brochu with 22 saves through two as the Condors will take a 1-0 lead to the third (Attard on a clapper from the point).
Some mayhem as the 2nd period ends – Hunter Drew, some 6’2/215 pounder drops them and starts throwing them on Caggiula – he ate at least one hard one.
“Clown Move” – Ryan Holt.
Condors take advantage on the PP, Griffith and Dineen with some nice skill up high and Hamblin bangs home the rebound of a Dineen shot for a 2-0 lead.
Dineen with a bad blueline play on the PP and the shortie breakaway cuts the lead and a few minutes later Brochu with a tough one as he is beaten clean from the point.
Summarizing!
Yet another multi-point game for Wakely with 1 + 1 as Barrie closed out the series with a 6-3 win.
Akey was not a resoupient.
Dermott is sick which is why he’s not on the trip.
Holt says there have been a couple of arrivals that have joined the team – won’t “leak” who though……
Imagine Damien Carfagna is one. He mentioned to Bob earlier this week the plan is for him to sign an ATO and get over to Bako for the rest of the season.
I’m hoping Connor Clattenburg is another.
I’ve given up on Munzenburger joining this year (and maybe ever).
Lots of great teams to beat to win the SC. Looking like the Oilers are going to be 3rd place in the Pacific so I would prefer the Oilers get Vegas in the first round. Time for a first round change up and, like the Flames in 86, crazier things have happened.
Brochu with his 4th straigth start tonight.
Massive back to backs in Tuscon starting at 8.
Lineup as decimated as ever. Dermott did join the team but it seems is no longer with the – Kemp, Brown still out as well.
Serious question + statement that will be taken by some as inflammatory:
How do people watch basketball and take it seriously?
The end of a game is the most gimmicky non-sport BS you could ever have the misfortune to watch.
I am a basketball fan, coach, former player. I assume you refer to the fouls done at the end? Or in the NBA all the fouls and never ending timeouts?
I guess every sport has oddities that kind of just normalize when you are in it, or watch it for long enough.
For what it’s worth, FIBA doesn’t have as many timeouts available for end of game tactics. Also in NBA, guys are allowed an extra foul.
Fouls and timeouts and the game essentially being a different sport at the end.
Absurd way to decide a wonderful game. A classic, fast paced, strategic battle turns into gimmicky junk. It is sad.
Foul with enough shot clock to end the game should end the game. And under a minute should first lead to extra shots, then automatic points.
And maybe 1 TO per half that must be used before the final 2 minutes.
I gave up watching it when I realized the outcome of the games is so often decided in the last 5 minutes.
The rest of the game was a waste of time.
The 3 pointers and foul calls for breathing on someone have wrecked the game. It used to be players fighting tooth and nail to get to the basket now you see more contact in Curling.
I don’t watch NBA so much anymore… Who has time!? But lots of people think three pointers and analytics have made the game less exciting and too predictable.
I love watching guys drive to the basket, dishes, run through 10 screens to get open… I loved the days of Jordan, Kobe, Reggie Miller.
I even love guys like Steph Curry. But I think the problem is that everyone has become the same player. There’s not nearly the same diversity.
Given the magnitude of the players the Oilers will be getting back (McDavid, Drai, Ekholm, Kane – all expected back healthy before the playoffs, except Kane, for the playoffs), I’m not positive a 2-0 win at home is an encouraging result for the Kings.
Oilers did not generate much but they also didn’t give up much.
Officiating seems a bit…. off.
L.A will have home ice and will be lucky to break even on the penalty calls.
Doughty left the game. Frederic took his pound of flesh. They’re not resting him like we’re resting Ekholm.
LA 4-1 PP chances. Typical.
Don’t recall many shifts for Frederic in the third. 7 minutes total ice time in the game. He was laboring out there most of his shifts, skating stride didn’t look right. He’s obviously as tough as they come, but it’s a nasty injury to come back from.
Yea he looked far from 100%. Wonder if they take him back out or let him keep playing through it????
It’s a tough spot now I think. It’s not likely to get better without resting it, but we are running out of time. I like Frederic plenty and hope he resigns. I also wish that the Oilers would have traded for a healthy player at the deadline.
If the ankle is not good yet, then he should not have been playing! Granted, there’s degrees of “good”.
He played 2 shifts earlier in the third.
https://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20242025&game=21213&view=limited#lbshiftchart
Thanks. Hopefully they just shut him down as a precaution
Oh well. I kind of expected this result.
Oilers go down to 6-3-1 in their last 10 games with 6 games left in the season to grab 7 more points to enter the playoffs on a positive note.
You can’t win them all.
The only thing we can judge is the penalty kill vs LA PP (even without Ekholm) – safe to say Oilers will have a distinct special teams advantage for the series
ffs. You guys celebrate that hard for an empty netter? Can’t wait to face these guys with a full lineup and paste em.
Trying to win with a strategy that produces low scoring games with 29 and 97 in is unintelligent.
Trying to do so without them is insane.
Focusing on solid defensive structure is insane?
What strategy are you advocating for without McDrai? I don’t see the Oil having the horses w/o McDrai to try to win high scoring games.
Pickard looks confident and plays the puck very well. He’s also made some saves I’m not sure Skinner would have made.
Agreed Picks with a strong game but Kuemper the better tender, advantage Kings.
We could have had Kuemper instead of Jack Campbell…
Picks played well, unfortunate to not get some goal support. Probably how Kuemper felt when Stu posted his 1-0 shutout vs the Kings in January.
Apparently Kane is off to Bakersfield for a conditioning stint. That is great news as he would have had to agree to going. Good for him.
Add him, McD, Drai, Viking with this Frederic kid for the series with LA ( if Vegas doesn’t let them catch them). And I think the Oil beat them in 5 or 6. They just are not impressing in this game.
Oilers with 29 and/or 97 win this one.
Apparently according to who?
This may happen in due course but I would be surprised if it was now.
Spector addressed the rumour and said it is not happening.
It wouldn’t make sense now – it would need to be right at the end of the season.
Awful call
Evergreen post.
Gotta muck it up, fellas. Get to the net and get pucks to the net. We’re not gonna get back into this game by a highlight reel goal. Defencemen are gonna have to cheat for some offence. Be smart and make it count.
Very little offensive push by the Oilers. It’s almost like we could use a couple of superstars….
How much better can the Kings play?
Not at all. Kuzmenko is going to be a liability on the top line against McDavid or Draisaitl’s line
Nice save Picks.
That will be all she wrote for this one. Not enough offensive talent on the ice to come back vs this team and Im sure the Oilers will not get more than 1 more PP.
I am not looking forward to this series the way this league prefers their games be” managed”
That was Nurse’s man who scored.
How is that not a crosschecking call on Doughty?
Terrible effort by both #27 and #49. Should’ve been a nothing play.
That was a hell of a rush by Fiala.
I look forward to reviving McDavid PP zone entries next week.
Quite the shift by Stech – solid rub out behind the net and draws the PP.
Holy hell, Stech!!! Great finish, buddy!!!
Even though Arvidsson gets knocked down whenever the wind changes direction, I do like that he shoots first and asks questions later.
That was one of the prettiest non-first NHL goals I’ve seen, but the Oilers challenge was better.
How we gonna score if we can’t hit the damn net?
Well executed bail out by #2 there. Impressive to avoid all contact
Well he did waive his stick…..
Janmark has really become efficient at transporting the puck through the neutral zone.
Actually Louie, I do care about taking someone’s 1st goal taken off the board if it’s an opposition player.
Dumbass.
And it’s off the board.
Sure didn’t like Perry’s snow angel, there…Bouch has to eat that puck, there.
If that was a valid first goal it was impressive. Being contested.
When I worked at Cornell I was in Mallott Hall for a few years. I wonder if Jeff is a descendent of that moneyed donor.
That’s the most impressive recalled 1st goal I think I’ve ever seen.
Good save, Picks. Bouch getting back did just enough to limit the shooters options. Effort counts.
After 1 period, Canucks up 5-1 versus the Ducks.
Statement game: “We’re not making the playoffs”
I expect another 2 PK this period before we see our 1st PP. The boys need to kill them off and then strike on our 1st PP
Oilers down a few players, namely:
1 – The best player in the world…
2 – Arguably the second best player in the world…
3 – Oilers version of Nik Lidstrom…
4 – Their toughest player by a country mile in Evander Kane.
Add all of this to the mix and Oilers stomp all over LA in any series. LA look like they would be the first to agree lol
Smart, low even period. Without McDrai, this is the perfect game type we need to play. Really happy with our defensive awareness, as shown by Janny on the backtrack. Suffocate these guys and keep up the physical play. We’ll get our chances.
Oilers will physically beat the Kings into submission in a series.
This is the kings top lineup and they’re getting smacked around by our “B” team. Freddy and Jonesy being hard on them seems to make our less physical players step up. When we get Kaner and Eks back, it’s not gonna be fun for anyone we face.
I would consider that a somewhat strong road period, in particular given the circumstances.
Oilers had the best chance (Hyman) and a couple others (Nuge rush down the wing, Frederick wrap) and didn’t give up much and killed the only penalty.
Decent road period. Forcing turnovers, excellent.
Arvy throwing his weight around. Love it!
Seems Freddy wants to get into a fight to test that ankle, eh?
Fredrick now impactful on his 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th shifts.
Nice quick wrap, hanging around the net.
Great awareness by Janny! That’s what I wanna see!
Wouldn’t have minded Nuge shooting that coming down his offwing.