The Edmonton Oilers are one win away from winning entry to the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Since 1979, when the team became part of the NHL, the league has played 45 regular seasons. The Oilers have five Stanley Cup victories, and eight ‘pennants’ reflecting Edmonton winning the west and earning the right to compete for the championship.
THE NUMBERS
Stuart Skinner is on a fantastic run, aided by good team defense in front of him. The big man is playing his best hockey now, and he’s not alone. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has entered the chat as a possible Conn Smythe candidate based on searing offense. His 2.65 points-60 at five-on-five ranks him No. 17 in the NHL playoffs among forwards who have played 100+ minutes in the discipline. Music! Connor McDavid is No. 3 (3.43) and Leon Draisaitl is No. 19 (2.56). Evan Bouchard (2.32 points-60) is No. 3 among NHL defensemen who qualify.
On the power play, Bouchard is No. 4 among defenders with 30+ minutes, he’s at 4.47 points-60. Among forwards, Draisaitl (8.64 points-game, No. 3), Nuge (8.4, No. 5) and Corey Perry (No. 16, 6.15) shine like diamonds. McDavid got off to a slow start in the metric, and sits No. 27 (3.28 points-60).
I wanted to take a moment to point out the importance of acquiring John Klingberg and Jake Walman. Talk about your late additions contributing in a big way, these two defenseman have been key components in the playoffs. Stan Bowman gets plenty of credit, and the coaching staff have recognized the talents of these two men. Most of the credit should go to the players. Walman and Klingberg should be the second pairing next year. The only reason they shouldn’t be the second pairing? If they are the top pairing.
Zach Hyman. In a world where ‘next man up’ is in the same word cloud as f**k and several thousand profanities, losing Hyman for any length of time adds one more word to the cloud. Irreplaceable. This is why coaches get gray hair, and why fans drink. Dammitallanyway! Corey Perry slid up last night, I expect we’ll see Viktor Arvidsson in a more prominent role, perhaps Trent Frederic too. I’m not sure Jeff Skinner sees feature minutes, but it might work in a ‘Petr Klima scores in overtime!’ kind of way. The absence of alternatives clears the mind.
Kevin McCurdy is our feature guest on the Lowdown today, we kickstart the show at high noon on Sports 1440. We’ll be reading plenty of your texts and trying to MacGyver a solution to the Hyman injury. You’re invited, and I hope you tune in. In the meantime, I have something up at The Athletic today about Stuart Skinner’s spring. I hope you get time to read it.
Just saw a clip of Gretz on offside podcast telling Kelce that he was the only TNT analyst to predict the Oilers to make the finals at the start of the playoffs. So for those of you wondering, he was in Dallas for another reason and was just being polite to their dressing room.
Yeah, anyone that thinks Gretzky doesn’t love the Oilers hasn’t been paying attention. Pearl clutching simpletons.
Except for Charles Barkley
And Shaq. The bball legends love the Oil. I think Gretzky was referring to the NHL analysts
As much as I hate seeing Florida in the Finals….I gain immense satisfaction from hearing Canes fans cheer for us in their own building.
I get the feeling the panthers may just be the villain in this prime time soap opera. Most teams (and their fans) I think see the level of douchebaggery being flaunted.
If we beat Dallas, can we beat these guys? I think Edmonton is much better than Carolina, but Florida basically scores at will…
The oilers have also been known to score at will when it has been needed
The Oilers are scoring at a higher rate per game than Florida.
You are ever the pessimist
So far the penalty ratio is -9 with 2 draws and +4 in 15 games. That is some bias reffing you could roll the dice a 100 times we are always taking more penalties than the opposition. Half our penalties have been phantom calls where’s the media. Instead of the 11-7 bullshit how about a story on the discrepancy in calls.
If Edmonton wins tomorrow, Stanley Cup Final starts June 4
If Dallas wins tomorrow, Stanley Cup Final starts June 7
https://x.com/friedgehnic/status/1927927870027960412?s=61
I was looking for that last night. Thanks
Over the last 6 seasons,teams that play in US states with no state income tax have been in the Stanley Cup final a whopping 8 times (Dallas would love to return and make it 9/12) Call me crazy but i think there may be a tiny competitive advantage here.
https://x.com/reporterchris/status/1927922857830473802?s=61
The NHL’s Prince of Wales Trophy 🏆 is basically a full-on snowbird now:
2025 – Florida Panthers
2024 – Florida Panthers
2023 – Florida Panthers
2022 – Tampa Bay Lightning
2021 – Tampa Bay Lightning
2020 – Tampa Bay Lightning
Mitch Marner reportedly wants to go to Vegas or Florida….gah!!
And how will either afford him? Would love to see them shed multiple useful pieces to pick him up
That would be great for us. No show Mitch doesn’t help at the key moments.
Stauff thinks we are Jeff Skinner in the lineup tomorrow.
No-brainer if they go with a 12th forward.
You’d think so.
But the fact that he isn’t in the lineup makes me wonder (this is pure speculation) if there are locker room issues at play. How else could he have been out so long? (I guess maybe you don’t mess with a winning formula?)
He’s a playoff rookie.
Her’s hoping he can bring some big Klima energy
Bennett with another elbow swipe at the head of the keeper. This guy is a pathological dirtbag that keeps injuring people and the league just continues to turn a blind eye.
If he doesn’t get his, soon, karma has been debunked.
The guy had to play in Calgary for 7 yrs isn’t that enough counter Karma?
(jokes)
So a player on an opposing team should do something about it instead of just bemoaning it.
Hurt him. It isn’t rocket science.
He’s a Matt Cooke I know Kane just got back from injury and he doesn’t want to go through it again but if we’re beating Florida Kane needs to nueter Bennett in game 1 first shift.
Maybe we will go a couple weeks now without hearing about how amazing Tulsky is. I’m sure it will start up again if the Oilers lose.
Hey, have you heard how amazing Tulsky is? Just truly amazing.
Nah.
I would say getting to the final 4 in your first year as GM is a tidy bit of work.
So is going into the offseason with:
1) $28.5 million in cap space
2) No major players needing to be signed
3) No dead money
4) 6 picks in the upcoming draft including a first
5) A near monopoly on RD prospects (7!)
Sucks to be Tulsky 🙂
Tell us how good Dallas is, or Vancouver or LA.
He inherited an 111 point team and turned in in to a 99 point team that underperformed their expectations, regular season and playoffs.
Whose expectations?
Yours?
At no point in the season were the Hurricanes cup favourites in any model or betting odds that I saw.
When Tulsky took over the GM position on a team that finished 3rd in league standings, I suspect expectations internally (ownership and management itself) were not massive steps back.
Wrong again as usual. All year you have been genuflecting about the brilliance of Moneypuck. Here is just one post from them with Carolina as the cup favorites back in November.
https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/1gpsfrx/moneypuck_playoff_odds_as_of_nov_12_2024/
The New York Times even did an article on it referencing oddsmakers:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6340346/2025/05/08/hurricanes-stanley-cup-favorites-nhl-playoffs/
Another HH lie.
Happens when you have selective memory.
Well, I’m confident Edmonton is a better team than Carolina. For what it’s worth.
As am I.
If you can’t beat the champs you don’t deserve to win it.
3 goals on 6 shots in a period seems like poor goaltending, and fortune for the visitors
I hate Florida.
Carolina gave away the game.
On a penalty call on Carolina that was the same BS as the Podkolzin call BrindAmour comes unglued on the Refs for a good minute, our coach just shrugs it off. I like coach K.K but he’s definitely passive and doesn’t work the Refs hard enough. There’s a reason we out penalty the other team 3 out of every 4 games. You would think the lazy media would bring that up but ooh its Bouchard love tap that’s heard around the world instead.
You want our coach to become unhinged and whine and complain more???
So I was at a Nike Coaches clinic for basketball, and I believe it was Frank Martin, from Kansas State who discussed how different coaches hold themselves on the sidelines.
John Chaney from Temple, had his sleeves rolled up, and was hollering all game long. His boys were expected to go to war to win. They weren’t a top school and they had to fight for every inch. Roy Williams from UNC kept a calm demeanor, work hard, keep your composure. He listed all sorts of different coaches and how they held themselves differently according to the needs of the team. Sometimes they mirror the team, sometimes they are the opposite of the team, as a way of bringing some balance.
My take on the Oilers is that calm is good (coach KK is like a ranch dip to the spicy hot wings of expectation that the Oilers bring). We don’t need a Doboer, whining in the media, or a Maurice, or a brindamour. kK fits the emotional needs of our team quite well, in my opinion.
I would suggest this goes for all aspects of life. Berating someone publicly in front of their peers never gets desired results. That goes for work, leisure, home, etc. Not just in sports
Then why do we take more penalties then the opposition 75% of the time. Are we a dirty team are we a undisciplined team. Being a nice sometimes wins but it looks like the teams that set the narrative and lobby for penalties influence young Refs.
This team is a Veteran team as it gets yet we don’t get the respect we should from the Refs. Ask yourself why when you have the media and the Sportsnet crew putting a microscope on everything we do and the opposition gets a pass. In what world is a third liner that intentionally 2 hand cross checks someone directly in the face get no games and the best player gets 2 games for a cross checks not even in the same realm as the Roy one.
Sounds like your real gear grinder is Oilers management.
Management should be at the podium calling out the leagues officiating and judgements. I prefer the coach spending his time coaching the team then crying on the airwaves.
Bowman, Jackson and Co need to take lead vocally at the league, because yes, why is McDavid being treated more severely in a league that should be selling their talent with spotlights, instead of journalists microscopes.
I need Bowman at the podium saying “Phuck Dallas”
I wouldn’t expect a coach going unhinged on the officials will lead to more favorable calls in favor….
I’m with you bud. If you’re watching these playoffs and have been a hockey fan for decades….the US team bias is getting more and more obvious every year. The media backs it and the real stories are being ignored.
The glaringly obvious one for me this year? When the Kings got TWO 5on3s in the span of about 10 minutes. While leading in the game by multiple goals.
That doesn’t even really happen in the regular season…this is the playoffs.
If you can guarantee me that will happen to the Oilers in the next few games, I’ll gladly shut the hell up.
but his argument was that the opposition team gets more call because their coaches yell and scream at the officials more….
Lost in all the news is that Skinner has incredibly worked himself from the deep end of basic and advanced stats to upper end in a matter of 6 games.
Overtakes Jake for 5th in SV% with .910 (wow!), 5th in GAA at 2.47, but also now 6th in goals saved above expected (+2.7) behind Jake.
If his play continues in any form close to what it is now, is he in consideration for MVP?
— Meh. The team just has been playing great hockey mostly since being down 2-0 vs LA
— Maybe he’s on a heater to be sure. Glad for this version of Skinner. They have to be the better team play to win. Never the better goalie.
— The difference between Skinner in games 2-4 vs game 1 is mostly the team just playing awesome IMO. They lost the plot in game 1 amplified by Skinner.
— I think the team mostly bailed the goalies. Team just playing way better. Makes the job of the goalie easier and he’s responding well
Game 2 was domination. Games 3-4 had periods of time just like the 3rd period of game 1
This is such a bad take. Skinner was a huge part of the wins in game 3 and 4.
The Oilers got shelled for long stretches of games 3 and 4. Only reason they held on was Skinner.
I am no Skinner fanboy but give the guy some credit. He is playing quality hockey.
— I mean it’s just my take. I’m giving him the credit that I see : which is the team played a lot better to be where they are and the goalies played better when the team did.
— assignment of attribution to this 11-2 run since being down 2-0 to L.A : I go with 85% the team buckling down and 15 divided between Picard and Skinner. And their 15 doesn’t come without the 85.
— Nothing wrong with that. I’m just way more impressed with how the team structure has changed. Far less so goalie performances
On the flip side those 5 and 6 goal games in LA the d was terrible. Skinner was never as bad as everyone made him to be. And now yes Oilers are back checking like madmen, and Skinner looks better. Crazy, it’s not just about goalie!
I’ve been too gutted all day to post about Hyman. Not because I’ve lost belief in the club, but because life isn’t fair for him or for us Oiler fans. When he was recovering post concussion earlier this year, he came down during the intermission of the Rangers game to make my son (and wife’s) night. Absolute pillar of the community and that’s before we get to the material loss of a top line winger who was performing in all situations. His chance of shattering that hits record is gone. And winning it all is undoubtedly a harder task now than it was 24 hrs ago.
I think the most charitable and fair estimation of Marchment’s hit was that it was late and meant to catch Hyman unsuspecting, and thus an interference. I don’t think he was trying to end Hyman’s playoffs, despite the fact that his comments after the Hintz injury are fair to be used in a court of law as evidence for premeditation. Frankly, I don’t think he’s smart enough to have planned that. His penalty will be ongoing karma with mediocre play.
I have had the misfortune of reading comments by absolute knuckle-dragging fans of Dallas, Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto making light of the injury, and may they all burn in the depths of whatever purgatory you believe in. Absolute classless folk, and it makes me hate the fan bases of those franchises even more. Don’t any of us spare a thought for the Dallas Stars or their pathetic fanbase. I want blood and I want it in the face of a crushing defeat in their own rink.
I also agree that if you told me Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson were our extra forwards to insert in case of emergency this time last year, I would have considered our team blessed with good management and fortune. I hope everyone delivers tomorrow, and if not, I will be there in person to witness it on Saturday
Ya, same. It’s hitting harder knowing that Hyman as somewhat of the heart and soul of this team and doesn’t have the opportunity to play in the SCF or hopefully raise the cup with both hands, is a deeper cut. We’ll manage just fine without him, as the next man up will get the job done. Maybe that would have been harder to believe if it weren’t the fact that the most ridiculous thing to believe prior to the playoffs was being up 3-1 on Dallas in the third round despite Ekholm never playing a playoff game.
If Toronto fans are making light of Hyman’s injury….
well, it’s proof that they never deserved him.
Pretty cool…
https://x.com/NHL/status/1927867209956655182?t=82AISq12hKMExwARJIlTKg&s=19
Amazing!
Ok so I watched this like 10 times. Did Brownie emerge from inside a cabinet?
Like consider that this is an NHL team with high expectations before game time, pulling a stunt like this. KK is exactly the best coach for this team.
What I’m considering is how long was Brownie in that cabinet for it to be a surprise? Like was he there for 2 hrs?
1-0 Carolina
2-0 at the end of one.
I’m thinking its time for Trent Frederic to step up in the absence of Hyman – there are some stylistic similarities and I think this player has much more to give than what we’ve seen.
Gosh that’s asking a lot for someone who hasn’t pissed a drop offensively
All I said was that I think he should step up not that he should replace Hyman’s offensive production.
I also like Podz in that spot. While lacking the offensiveness. Podz is that wrecking ball on the forecheck that Hyman is. He’s defensively sound. And can skate.
he also did his best Hyman impression with 8 hits last night.
He should? Playing through an ankle sprain through the playoffs is a tough ask, even for non-mortals like Draisaitl. I think we know what we’re getting from him the rest of the playoffs, and the productivity is unlikely to spike
Connor Brown travelled with the team to Dallas……
In the cabin, or underneath with all the gear? (I just watched his lineup read)… 🙂
Ha! I thought he had emerged from the cabinet!
There is no ideal option about who to replace Hyman with tomorrow.
I would lean to going 11 and 7 for one game. If the Oilers win, there will be a few days off for overplayed forwards to recover.
If the Oilers lose, Knoblauch will have more information about how and who to deploy for game 6, and the start of the final will likely be delayed to towards the end of next week.
Where do you want to risk Ekblom’s first game? Do you want to risk it against Dallas up 3-1, or do you want to risk it in a game against Florida in the SC finals?
I prefer 12-6 but this is well reasoned.
The play is Ek and Skinner. You ask where you want to risk their first game? Where is there perhaps some forgiveness for rust? For readjustment? That’s tomorrow.
If they hate it, better to hate it tomorrow.
I mean Ekholm. I haven’t been posting much. My fingers are beyond my control.
Ekholm Klefbom Klefbom Ekholm Ekblom….geez.
Play Nurse in Hyman’s spot and see what happens…
My thoughts exactly.
But ease him in. Go 11/7.
When Brown is back is he the best, or most likely, candidate to move up and play with RNH and McDavid? They had some chemistry going for a short stretch toward the end of the regular season.
They ran Frederic in that spot for several shifts in the 2nd yesterday but it didn’t seem to generate much, think TF mobility might still be restricted, and moved away from it in the third.
Perry will get some shifts there but 15min is likely his max.
RNH McD Brown
Pod Drai Arvi
Kane Hen Kap
Fred Jan Perry
If it’s a rematch in the SCF, can that third line keep their head above water against Lusto/Lundell/Marchand. That be the match up I’d be most concerned about…
However, they should decide to proceed, it’s best to dispose of the Stars in five games. Prolonging this series wouldn’t be wise.
Bummed out by the Hyman news so looking for a ray of sunshine.
Travel will always be an issue for the teams in the Pacific. Thought I would look at playoff travel / games played and see if the Oilers are in a better position this year.
Assumption
Prior to GM 7 2024 Playoffs
Prior to GM 1 2025 Playoffs
If the assumptions hold, the Oilers are in a better position this year with a better team (even with Hyman out). Oilers need to finish Stars off before any more Oiler injuries hit.
GOG
Devastating news for Hyman. I hope he fully recovers and is 100% for next season. I doubt we see him anywhere close to that hit/game pace ever again. The hit by Marchment was not dirty but was unfortunately the straw that broke the camels back. A 32yr old leading shoulder cannot give 10-12 hits/game and receive another 4-5. That pace was simply unsustainable and was eventually going to pop. It’s just too bad it didn’t hold up for another 6-7 games then have time to heal over the summer.
He was a huge part of why they are where they are today, now go finish this thing for him!!
It’s a wrist injury and not shoulder. Not sure whether that is good or bad.
Has anyone confirmed that? I don’t think so. After rewatching the replay, where he took that hit, and the way he went down the tunnel it screams shoulder to me.
Oilers Nation said he had surgery to repair his wrist.
Thanks for confirming, I hadn’t read that yet. Agree, not sure whether that is better or worse.
John Shannon and a couple others I think.
It appeared Marchment hits the stick, which acts as a lever against Hyman’s right hand. The force of the actual hit was minimal, but the leverage created by the stick looks like it caused a scaphoid or radial fracture. Common injury for an ‘extended wrist’ meets ‘opposite force’ situation.
Scaphoids can take much longer to heal than other bones as they have limited blood supply. But in some situations, players can play with the fracture if stable and pain free.
Good theory JJS. It’s very difficult to see from the replay, in at least one of the angles it appears as though the shoulder took the brunt but could be an optical illusion.
Scaphoid fits seeing as how he had surgery so quickly. Like you said lack of blood flow, and the speed of getting a screw in place and letting the bone start fuse as quickly as possible is crucial. It also fits in the fact that they say may be out for rest of play offs. After my scaphoid surgery I was in a cast for 2 weeks and that was it. After the screw is in place the bone is stable and almost pain free. Now with mine (24 yrs later) the bone actually never fused ( I didn’t get surgery for 9 month, because I didn’t know I had broken my wrist, because I broke 3 ribs at the same time) and I have recently had to have a scaphoidectomy and partial fusion of the wrist.
I disagree that it wasn’t dirty. He was tracking him up for a charge, leaps up from the blindside, and straightens his leg prepping for a knee-on-knee. Unfortunate that it still had negative repercussions from a miss. All this after the Stars said they’d be doing stuff like this.
Sounds like Jay Woodcroft is on the shortlist for both Boston and Pittsburgh’s open head coaching positions.
Awesome. I love Woodcroft. Great coach. I think he will be even better with a new team.
He was the architect of the Oilers glorious win over the Phlegms in 2022. He will always be an Oiler hero.
Woodcroft waiting sassily by the Flames bench for Sutter to come off has lived in my head for years now.
Zach Hymans replacement is sitting right there. He’s been sitting there all playoffs long, just sitting there. We can all see it.
I DO NOT have faith in our coach to do the right thing and replace his top 6 winger with the other top six winger he’s been scratching all year long.
Coach is about to insert an AHL level player into his championship lineup and I for one will be extremely upset about it.
Come on Knoblauch, do the right thing here.
1 He’s actually been telegraphing Skinner being ready for some time now.
2 Any coach knows they are (among other things) one Jeff Skinner scoring streak from hoisting the big trophy right damn quick. There are very few guys you can say that about.
His regular season behavior gives pause, and I get it, but I’m quite sure he rightly goes to #53.
LMHF I hope you’re right. Please let it be true!
I would position that Hyman’s impact on games has been more about his physical play than his goal scoring. So the answer isn’t that straight forward.
Philip, Savoie, Jones all bring elements that could benefit the team. Especially if Brown is out for a few more games and we lose his physicality.
I’d vote for Skinner – but other variables are in play
Based on what?
The coach was fine with Derek Ryan off the team all season long.
The coach played Skinner over Jones in game 1 of the playoffs.
Has the coach ever scratched Skinner and played Jones?
There’re multiple options to consider based on winning game 5 in Dallas.
Coach did make Skinner a healthy scratch after just one game against LA. I wonder why?
I think the thing to keep in mind is Skinner played 72 games and was 4th on the team in EV goals. He came out so Kane (and Frederic in a way) could go in. It’s Skinner or Ekholm because no other player available played ahead of Skinner this year.
The coach did make Jeff Skinner a healthy scratch after game 1 but he did not do so in favor of a player he was fine with being waived and off the roster all season long (Ryan) or in favor of Max Jones (a player that’s main attribute is his size and aggression but he failed to show that when it could have been used in the regular season.
I’ll be shocked if another forward is in over Jeff Skinner.
No worries they’ll probably just go 11&7.
I’m not sure OP, I guess I don’t really have anything tangible to base it on. So I guess I’ll just call it gut feeling. Maybe I need to step back from the ledge but I just get the feeling Knob doesn’t want to see Skinner in his playoff lineup.
He will insert either Ryan or Jones and it will, of course, be a mistake.
I would LOVE to be wrong on this.
** I suppose one thing would be he talks about wanting more speed, especially when he put Kapanen in. He has mentioned a couple times now that he wants more team speed so I could see that being an endorsement for Jones**
Who knows? Noah Philp might be the right choice. He’s a sound defensive center to play on the fourth line with good size & speed. Janmark could then be used elsewhere on either wing. There’s so much depth available. It won’t quite be the same without Hyman though.
I understand where your feeling comes from – we saw how much trouble Skinner had staying in the lineup this season, even when, at least to us, his treatment seemed unwarranted.
I can’t see Derek Ryan being an option – he was a liability in both the NHL and AHL this season.
I guess I can see a scenario where Max Jones gets the call due to “truculence” but I really think its a long long long shot. The coach is smart .
Skinner is in. He just is. No need to spend energy worrying about it
It’s reasonable that the hockey world outside of Edmonton can overlook the capabilities and contributions of Nuge on this team. They see the brilliance of McDavid and Leon and from their limited perspective Nuge is not as noticeable. They are taking more notice this series.
I am sure a significant majority of the Oiler fan base who are not vocal really appreciate his contributions, but there has been a lot of chatter on Oiler sites about how Nuge doesn’t pull his weight in the playoffs.Yes he is having a standout series against Dallas leading the team with 9 points, but a lot of that performance has been there all along.
Since the current playoff run started in 2020, so far over 6 playoffs runs Nuge has 75 points in 74 games, sitting 7th in total points league wide and 10th in PPG (min 50 games played or 16th if you drop the minimum to 30). Even taking away this current season, he was 57 points in 61 games, above his career average in ppg.
On almost any other team he would be a major star, but he happily took the third fiddle role here behind Connor and Leon and a major home town discount at $5.1 million to stick it out here. Up front it has never been just Connor and Leon. Nuge has always been important.
It just looked like that way back when they would load up Leon and Connor generally with another top winger (eg Hyman) and the best puck moving defensive pair, while asking Nuge to hold the fort behind them sometimes with not the best supporting cast.
Great post!
The numbers for the PP and PK are both waaayyyy down when Nuge is not on them. Thankfully he has been healthy the last 3 years.
Just something I came across last night to help support this
RNH career play off stats
GP:89. G: 22. A: 57 P: 79
Barkov career play off stats
GP: 87 G: 25. A: 49 P 74
Just as I believed Stu Skinner would provide capable goaltending when Pickard went down, so do I believe that Jeff Skinner will ascend to the opportunity and show the league his playoff chops.
I agree here. Jeff Skinner was fourth on the team with 16 Even strength goals (1 behind McDavid’s 17 and 1 more than Perry’s 15) and he has decent expected goals numbers (52.45%). I think we’ll see some offence and some chaos from him but would be very surprised if he didn’t score a couple.
Just a reminder – “A lot of that stuff, you just keep in the back of your mind, and if the opportunity presents itself, then you take your chance.” Mason Marchment quote after Game 2.
What kind of depth is it when you can lose a top line 30 goal scorer and replace him with another 30 goal scorer off the bench?
I hate losing Hyman, but I’m fully invested in watching a Jeff Skinner redemption arc unfold starting tomorrow. Here’s hoping KK doesn’t decide Derek Ryan or someone of that ilk is a better replacement, cuz we’ve already got the ferrari idling in the driveway ready to go
It’d be great for Carolina to play a physically punishing game and take this to a Game 6 right?
Yes, absolutely. I don’t think they have it in them, though. They are small and diminutive and often shy away from contact.
Do you think Nuge and Nurse are texting Hall telling him and his team to hurt the other team?
I dream of this happening.
That’s not what I was getting at at all. I’m just dreaming in technicolour that they can extract another game to push the series further while also laying the body on them.
I think Jeff Skinner is a passable replacement against Dallas. However if/when the Oilers make the Finals, I don’t believe he’s a strong candidate to make an impact against a team like the Panthers. He would have to show me that he can play like a dog and not get pushed around. I have trouble seeing that happen. As usual, I could be wrong.
5 hits in the game he actually played.
An assist.
One shot scorer.
More than enough.
Gutted to think Hyman will need assistance to lift the cup 🙁
Gonna make a sick photo, though.
All of Florida’s injured players are back in for tonight’s game. Assuming both teams close out their series, major advantage Florida. Sigh.
The Oilers will wax the Panthers.
The perpetually sad/pessimistic character is really growing on me. What good is sunshine without a little rain?
Finally! Nothing to smile about in my life.
Maybe you got it backwards. Try smiling, and see if that brings something good about!
Why is the media so hell-bent on this 11-7 narrative? In the last 2 games Brown-RNH-Perry-Hyman-Kane have all gone down the tunnel Frederic also didn’t look the greatest getting up from crashing in the net. We have the depth roll 4 lines do not burnout Connor-Leon to the point of injury. 11-7 should only be used in a pinch.
100%.
Also, Stetcher has performed admirably but he started to fade last game. Same with Kling.
I mean, forty goal man Jeff Skinner is sitting right there.
The last Oiler coach to champion that lineup has not coached in the NHL since.
The last fired coach didn’t know what to do with Broberg so he babied him. Woody thought he was smarter than the game and thought double shifting Connor-Leon night in night out back to backs would unlock some new coaching wizardry. Woody then wonders why he’s canned when the Stanley Cup favourites or 2-9-1 and look like shit.
I think that the 11 – 7 idea bounding around in the media isn’t meant to be a long-term solution, rather just what to do if / when Ekholm rejoins the team.
It better allows the coaches to ease him in minutes-wise as well as ensure there are still six defenders available if he’s unable to complete the game.
I know you don’t insert him unless you believe he’s close to 100% but until he suits up for a game you just can’t be certain.
@Pixel-bender – 100%
I get the premise Ekholm has been around a long time if he’s ready you can ease him on the 3rd pairing. Rolling 4 lines is the answer look back at previous Cup winners if you have a decent 3-C and minute munching 4th line your chances greatly increase.
It’s because the Oilers have really obvious replacements right now and the media needs a “story”. Replacing Brown with Arvidsson seems pretty obvious. Replacing Hyman with Skinner, also obvious. There aren’t any other forwards with more than 1 goal on the season. However, the media needs a “story” not just a story and so they talk 11-7 because Jeff Skinner returning is kinda boring.
Or maybe it isn’t a clear-cut decision, plenty of options and it’s important to get it right.
Is Derek Ryan an option to come in? It gives us a RH center, and we’re getting killed on the draws, especially #19. I know Ryan’s not speedy, but how much ice time would 53 get if he was dressed? And he’s not exactly the 4th line type.
I agree but at the same time acknowledge this isn’t going to happen…I think the 5-8 mins one of either Ryan or skinner will get are better replaced by a Right shot center that can PK. Esspically since another right handed player is out in brown. I’m not convinced that scoring is our issue as much skinner might add to that. In my opinion if we are looking for a true balance picture of a line up, we need deeper defensive conscious players and even more specifically right handed ones.
I don’t know that 38 year old barely played this year, -10 in 13 AHL games, Derek Ryan is the right shot center that can PK that you remember him being.
Hard to imagine Jeff Skinner in 2025 can’t contribute more than Derek Ryan.
An option, technically yes.
Realistically, no.
There is a reason why he was off the roster for most of the season – the cliff came and he’s well down the other side.
He can win faceoffs, that’s all.
He can no longer play a solid defensive game as he can’t keep up.
Jeff Skinner is a superior defensive player.
Lots of talk about how hard the playoffs are physically (thank you Bettman and Campbell) and how many guys are playing injured or are out for the duration this year.
At 40 years old, Corey Freakin Perry has played 112 PLAYOFF games in the last 6 years!
Keep it going Corey and win your 2nd cup this year!
He’s a workhorse. If he stays healthy he’s guaranteed to finish in the top 5 all time for playoff games played, and likely finishes his season in the top-3.
Chelios: 266Lidstrom: 263Messier: 236C Lemieux: 234Stevens: 233Carbonneau: 231Perry: 230
I liked the graphic from last night’s game where they showed that Perry has played 230 playoff games and that’s more than any NHL team has since the year 2000
I thought we owned the first 2 games these last 2 Dallas could of easily of won them. Captain obvious says we need to close this out tomorrow and don’t allow Florida time to heal up on their injuries.
It is so funny to me that when other team’s goalies play well, it just seems to be par for the course, but when our goalie plays well (above .900) we are said to have stolen the game. Although I know you didn’t say exactly that, it is often the narrative for the Oilers.
The past two games, Dallas has outplayed the Oilers for one period each game, and although there were some chances, they were not outrageous, and the Oil played on par or better for the other two periods. They put on a clinic in lockdown hockey last night in the third, and they have pretty much completely shut down Dallas’ rush chances this series, outside of game 1. This team deserves to be having the success they are enjoying. Full stop!
Exactly! Dallas has won 3 periods this series and that’s it. 3rd period in game one was refs interjecting themselves into the game to affect the outcome as well.
The tale of the tape after the first says Dallas should have had at least one or two goals coming out of the first. Maybe Skinner didn’t steal the game, but I think he deserves a lot of credit for helping the team weather the storm early.
I don’t think that he’s taking anything away from Skinner’s performance.
Having any kind of nuanced discussion of goaltending is difficult even when emotions are not running hot — and a playoff run is definitely not a time of a cool emotional states.
But I agree with perfonmich that the Oilers’ recent history of massive swings in goaltending performances has resulted in too many fans’ belief that any game in which our goaltender even comes close to outplaying the competition is inherently a sign of luck, unsustainability, or illegitimate wins.
It’s okay if the Oilers are outplayed for a period. And it’s okay if the goaltender has to make a few difficult stops. Stopping scoring chances when there is a defensive break-down is literally the job of NHL goaltenders.
Now, obviously, there are unstoppable pucks — back door plays, cross crease passes, wide-open shots from in close — and if the volume of lesser scoring chances — pucks put on net with bodies battling in front — gets out of hand, then yes that’s unsustainable.
The Stars largely dominated in game 3’s second and yesterday’s 1st by firing a lot of pucks at the net while trying to create as much chaos as possible in front. Largely, especially against good teams, that’s unavoidable for short spans of time. A period say.
That’s okay. The Oilers adjusted and played a tight game the rest of the way.
Skinner is a solid to very, very good NHL goalie. Pickard looks to be as well. And either of them being great here and there along the way is what any teams needs to go deep in the playoffs.
And that’s okay.
Terrible news this morning and I feel back for Zack – he must be devastated.
Of course, no doubt, this is a huge hole and it will hurt, materially.
At the same time it is clearly not prohibitive of THIS TEAM winning Stanley.
Zack left 10 minutes in to the game last night and look how the Oilers played the last 30 minutes of that game – that third period was LOCKED DOWN.
The Oilers didn’t have Hyman and outhit the Stars 50-24 – they will remain a highly physical team.
The Oilers have Ekholm coming back on defence at some point in the next few games (it seems) and they have Jeff Freaking Skinner to come in to the lineup – Jeff Skinner who, in the 2025 calendar year, was 4th among forwards in 5 on 5 points and led the entire team in goal share – over 60%.
Skinner has proven to be a passable (at least) defensive player and we know his battle level and commitment will increase like it has for everyone else on the roster.
He doesn’t replace Hyman but he’s a great piece to add to the lineup where the likes of Arvy and Brown (when back soon) and Perry and Podz all do a little more. Not to mention, Brown will be back in a few games and, if nothing else, Skinner is back out.
We’re good.
This is the deepest team in the NHL.
Agreed, and said as much in an earlier post. I think it’s critical that this team finishes the Stars in the next game and heals up.
Brown will need some time, and the more we have of it the better. Kane is a little banged up, and Drai is starting to skate like the old Drai again, but more rest is more better!
I’m sure practicing with the revamped pairings, using Ekholm, will be important too.
Oil must keep all focus on playing their best game of the series next game.
In Stu we trust, but hopefully we won’t have to rely on him, solely!
What’s the scuttlebutt on Brown?
Just that he is in concussion protocol and out at least this series. No guarantees he will be back at all, is my guess, but one can hope for a finals return if he is at full health- hard to know with the brain, and you do not want to mess around with rushing back from a concussion..
I think the intel is solely concussion protocol, not even that he’s out for the full series (although hopefully its only one more game).
Sounds like he’s doing well and its just protocol with its timelines.
Agreed. They can overcome this. It won’t be easy, but even looking at last night – who stepped up to hit the Stars? Frederic with 5 hits, Kapanen with 6, Kane with 5, Podz with 8. The physicality can and will be brought.
Perry can more than cover on the PP for Hyman. What we will desperately miss is that opportune scoring which Hyman is so good at. But, Kane is healthier than last year and is getting lots of good looks. He can and will score more. McDavid can and will score more as his shooting percentage corrects. Would love to see the likes of Brown, Henrique, Skinner, or Arvy get hot for a set of games as well.
Point being, no one can individually replace Hyman, but much like Ekholm, as a group, his impact can be covered for.
I believe in Jeff Skinner!
Tape Hyman’s arm/shoulder in place, let him play one handed and have him continue his physical play.
Hit record in the playoffs is still in play!!
What should they do with his broken wrist…..?
2009 Stanley Cup Final G7: DET vs PIT
PIT lost to DET in the previous SCF and in ’09 found themselves down 2-0 and 3-2 in the series.
Crosby injured after a hit by Johan Franzén.
12 shifts and 9:59 TOI for Sid.
Penguins would go on to win 2-1, as a result of depth and goaltending.
Despite Hyman’s injury, the Oilers will persevere.
Zach will be there when it matters most. To lift Stanley when the clock hits zero.
Dallas all but said they were going to intentionally injure the Oilers after Nurse gave Hintz’s big toe a slash and they followed through swimmingly with 2 significant blows in only 2 games. Welcome to Gary Bettman & Colin Campbell’s NHL! They’re probably laughing it up at NHL headquarters in Manhattan today even as the WNBA passes them in tv ratings and relevancy.
My friend’s company was doing an interview for a new candidate yesterday. They have Canadian and American employees. The candidate was wearing a Stars jersey. My friend says “ooh, bold choice considering we’re in Edmonton!”. The American guy doing the interview didn’t even know who the Dallas Stars were.
To be honest, the Hyman injury to me looked like a freak injury. All I saw was his hand getting hit. We know he was injured late in the year – maybe this just aggravated it?
Who’s coming in next game I would say Skinner who’s as fresh as a daisy. The way Dallas is resorting to thuggery could Mad Max get a game.
Max Jones checking into the lineup for added physicality would be an unconscionably bone-headed error by the coaching staff.
Jones had the chance to prove he was ready and willing during the regular season. He took zero pounds of flesh. He’s got to be behind Skinner, Ryan, Savoie, and probably others in terms of who is next man up.
I thought Jones was a wrecking ball in I believe his first or second game. If he can step in and pull a Kapanen for one game where he hits everything in sight his presence will be beneficial. I can’t wait to see Clattenburg take healthy runs at the Marchments of the league.
Not to be rude, but I think you’ll be waiting a long time before that happens.
As I recall Knoblauch put a fourth line together of Jones-Philp-Kapanen which proved very effective. There’s absolutely no reason a fourth line of Jones-Janmark-Kapanen can’t be equally effective in the playoffs or even better. I’m just saying that coach Knoblauch has a good memory for lines he put together during the regular season that clicked for use at a later date. There’re plenty of options at his disposal, you’ll all be pleasantly surprised with whatever he comes up with. Laugh all you like ha-ha.
Max Jones was outscored by 9 goals in 174 minutes with the Oilers this regular season.
Jones’ Corsi was -7 from rel, Fenwick was -11 from rel.
With Dallas headhunting it’ll be imperative to close out the series as healthy as possible. Florida is just as, if not more filthy.
More and better at it!
Knock Knock Jeff Skinner. That’s opportunity. Next man up, rewrite the narrative.
Gutted for Hyms. What a warrior, worst possible result of a dirty play.
I didn’t see it as a dirty play. Unlucky more than anything. There are far more egregious things happening all over the ice
That’s how I saw it too. Didn’t look dirty at all to me. Just random and flukey. Still chapped about it though. Hyman is so likeable and was having such a great postseason.
If Marchment was an Oiler, everyone would love him. He’s playing alot like what people thought we were going to get with Frederic.
It may very well be Jeff Skinner. But where is he best suited to be inserted into the line up?
He’s a LW, Hyman has been playing RW. IMO Podkolzin might be a good choice to replace Hyman on the top line with McDavid & Nuge. Maybe Podz & Perry could do it by committee situationally. Kane can move up to play with Leon & Arvidsson and try Skinner with Henrique & Frederic. No doubt there will be some experimentation to establish the best fit or possibly something from way out in left field none of us had ever considered works perfectly well.
I would put him with Henrique’s line that’s getting caved. Move Kane up. Slide over a Podz or Perry as needed. If Kane can be half the forechecker he needs to be, you’re fine. I don’t particularly care about handedness or preferred side given the talent gap with Max Jones.
Boost one line without ‘taking away’ from the others. Fully open to a left field play with Knobby, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt.
Did Kane go to the dressing room early towards the end of the first?
He did, they were showing on the replay the trainer sort of moving his neck (and maybe shoulder?) in different ways on the bench before he went down the tunnel. Didn’t seem any worse for wear, might have tweaked something that they re-adjusted or something during the intermission.
Feel so bad for Hyman. But this team has faced plenty of adversity. They are definitely battle hardened and have a few pretty good skaters waiting in the wings. Remember that we thought Ekholm, arguably our top dman, was irreplaceable and now the team is playing so well that it is difficult to think about where to put him back in.
Have to trust KK to make a strong decision for next game, then go from there. No one will replace what Hyman brings on their own, but they can, as a collective. This collective approach is truly a difference in this year’s team.
The Oilers are in a position to replace Hyman with someone who is a whole one year older than he is and has nearly 150 more career goals than he does.
Depth for days.
Will just be missing the extremely physical game (and aggression) he’s been providing these playoffs. Fingers crossed for a positive solution (maybe Philp?).
The rest of the squad picked that up and can continue to do so.
It is the talent that you need.
Oilers out-hit Dallas 50-24 without Hyman.
The coach should insert the NHL player.
“The Edmonton Oilers head into their third straight Stanley Cup Finals and this time they are completely healthy, which must be terrifying for their opposition, seeing as how they finally broke through and won a Cup in 24-25 after not icing a full roster the entire season.”
Time travel is real. I knew it!!!
I’m bummed aht.
I would say Ekholm was a bigger blow due to him being a D-man. No need to panic Perry has done a hell of a job as front net presence on the PP. Time to give Frederic-Kane some of the Hyman minutes 5 on 5 Bowman went deep on the forward depth and with Hyman-Brown out we are going to see it play out.
I’m still bummed aht.