Oh, those Oilers. Talent as far as the eye can see married to a baffling sense of the moment. A decade of coaches, managers, complementary forces and millions and millions of dollars and we are here.
The funny thing about these Oilers is they too get mountains of offense from turning over opposition pucks and motoring down the ice with numbers. The play that lost the game is typical, unending and will guarantee that this group of players never wins a Stanley Cup. Wildly entertaining, like the Bobby Hull Blackhawks, but they simply cannot commit to a 200-foot game. It’s not in them. The greatest team to never win? 2025-26 Edmonton Oilers, meet the 1970-71 Chicago Blackhawks, the 1971-72 New York Rangers and dozens of other teams who could never climb the mountain. Shame. Damn shame.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OCTOBER
- At home to: Calgary, Vancouver (Expected 2-0) Actual 1-0-1
- Road: Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Detroit, Ottawa (Expected 2-2-1) Actual 2-3-0
- At home to: Montreal (1-0) Actual 1-0
- On the road to: Seattle, Vancouver (1-1-0) Actual 0-1-1
- At home to: Mammoth, Rangers (1-0-1) Actual 1-0-1
- Expected Record: 7-3-2, 16 points in 12 games
- Actual Record: 5-4-3, 13 points in 12 games
The Oilers end the month 2-1-2 in order to land just outside expectations. You can’t get too upset with the record based on how many auditions were taking place. Several defencemen took turns going walkabout or passabout, and that’s galling. However, the team itself will have no problem making the playoffs. I wish they were a little more afraid of missing the postseason. Fear is a thing. This team has none.
Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Roslovic played 11:51, going 7-9 shots, 1-0 goals, 24 pct expected goals and a ghastly 1-5 HDSC. I like Roslovic, but can’t see this team entering Game 1 of the playoffs with him on the second line. Draisaitl picked up an assist, as did Roslovic.
Nuge-McDavid-Mangiapane played 10:55, 0-1 goals, 5-14 shots, 19 pct expected and 0-3 HDSC. Poor performance by a strong and intelligent trio. McDavid is playing too much in these games. It’s silly.
Frederic-Henrique-Savoie played 6:33 and Henrique is playing the best hockey of his Oilers career. Congratulations on 1000 games, but double kudos for playing so damn well. My goodness. Nice to see Matt Savoie wcore his first NHL goal, and make several subtle but effective plays, he’s really quite good. Ike Howard picked up an assist, liking his game.
Darnell Nurse scored twice, Jake Walman had two assists, Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard were 0-2 goals five-on-five. Bouch was poor, his “also in photo” decision on the game-winning goal typical of what has been an indifferent performance for the veteran defender. I wrote about his being the second most tenured chaos defenseman in Oilers history this week, I’m not absolutely certain he’ll pass Paul Coffey in games played with Edmonton if he can’t do a little more defensively.
Stuart Skinner wasn’t the problem last night, but he also didn’t emerge as the man who saved the day. I understand the Oilers are a team that shreds goaltenders, but it’s impossible to believe Stan Bowman will enter the 2026 playoffs with Skinner as the starter.
CONDORS
Roby Jarventie is the best prospect when he plays, but you’ll want him in every game soon. Among the other forwards who can be counted prospects, I like Quinn Hutson the most, and Viljami Marjala keeps showing up although I’m not sure he’s built for the NHL. Josh Samanski is, need a little more offense.
Not all of the veteran defensmen have shown up yet, and that has allowed Luke Prokop to emerge. I think he might get an NHL deal. Josh Brown has settled in, credit where due and Cam Dineen is posting crooked numbers offensively.
Goaltending is not yet a strength, but Connor Ingram is a legit NHL option when he’s ready. I see there are fans who are already abandoning him online, don’t you dare. Give this fellow a chance, it was a long layoff and it was a smart acquisition.
On the Lowdown today, Sreve Lansky will be our feature guest, and we’ll talk Oilers and the World Series. NFL weekend predictions from Declan and more. Sports 1440 and YouTube.
Summarizing!
Park scored his 3rd of the season as Michigan won yet again.
Lewandowski, Fischer and Berry each recorded an apple. Lewandowski also had a game-high 5 SOG.
Wakely and Barnett were not resoupients.
Early to be huge factor but if slow start is a inevitable thing than some solace can be taken:
Oilers with 5th easiest ranked strength of schedule remaining.
Coming out of the first month lap and hopefully most of the siezed pistons starting to work themselves free again with above 500 record does mean they are in much better shaped than they have been in
PDO
——–
26th least “luck” @ 0.979
-> PIT 1.060 to STL 0.936
*maybe not shockingly FLA is right there with EDM*
Offensively
—————-
18th best GOALS/60 @ 3.12
-> expected 3.2 (16th)
-> CAR 3.83 to CGY 2.12 (jebus)
12th best shots/60 @ 28.77
-> COL 33.18 to PHI 22.45
-> shooting % @10.8 (20th)
5×5
——
4th best outshooting @ 53.89%
15th SF/gm @ 27.3
25th Shooting % @ 8.3
24th GF% @ 46.94%
28th High danger CF/60 @ 9.66
31st High danger GF% @ 33.3%
3rd best PP% @ 30.3
-> NJ – 32 3% to
So yeah, power play reliant. Garbage powder puff level offense 5×5. Matches eye test Perimeter play….outside counter rush one of least threatening teams in league. This is nasty looking and surely offensive systems/coaching should take some blame (run MCDRAI 40% of game and hope magic happens falling short. Sure even strength by PDO that will obviously improve a fair bit but like there’s 4 lines you need 3 functional lines the issues of pop gun perimeter are in the numbers and that’s gotta change)
Defensively
—————–
20th GA/60 @ 3.12
-> expected 2.87 (7th)
-> WSH 2.2 to SJS 4.31
2nd best shots against/60 @ 24.2
-> FLA 23.46 to CBJ 32.7
27th SV% @ 0.872
-> PIT 0.921 to STL 0.872
So appearingly pretty solid shot supression with current defense system…
5×5 defense & general
——-
3rd best SA/60 @ 23.3
24th SV% @ 0.893
6th best HDCA/60 9.66
12 best HIgh danger CF % @ 50%
There it is!
**30 High danger GF% @ 33%**
**32 High danger Shooting%@8.33**
20th High danger SV% 0.811
GA/60 2.56 XGA/60 2.38
So yeah. The out of playoffs save% definitely has some air inflated from brutal give away chances in such a small sample size as is. But i’d still say lower than it needs to be and not being asked for miracles relative. Probably bleeding about 1/3 of a goal for game 5×5 compared to “average” that on top of terrible giveaways probably amounts to 1/2 goal per game so far. 5.5 goals. 3-4 more points maybe?
Pk is fine.
10th PK% @ 83.3
-> BUF 89.5% to OTT 62.2% (jebus)
But although they recieve less penalties than they take. It’s shockingly minimal volume total. Their games are just surely shittily ref’d for league competitive bs. Which hugely impacts Mcdavid scoring 5 on 5. As everyone is getting away with way more shit than average to stupid degree.
Least penalty @ 62 mins
-> PHI – 156!!
So although outshooting it’s in ways that don’t amount to much impact
Below reasonable average in net
Horrendous give aways add to it.
Buy bouchard mcdavid unit is out there for offense. Overly relied on to make somethimg happen. If you could seperate out mcdrai minutes they are surely getting their heads kicked in offensively. Because yeah there is accountability for anyone not on the “GOSCORE AGAIN” unit. The rest of the team is being coached essentially to just not lose the game so god forbid don’t get scored on.
So yeah just mesningless minutes. Stifling any any chance you develop much of anything. And yes they have started to run lines a bit more kerping them together. But like this is nonsense. Like adding PK duties to there minutes as well. Just nonsense to team development. 2/3’s of the team needs to be given some breathijg room to find their offence in my dumb way of looking at this.
And here’s hoping Ingram rounds into form or keepers settle in a bit better with new goalie cosch adjustments. Otherwise deadline goalie they can’t really afford capwise coming in.
And who the hell knkws up front because there likely isn’t going to be the type of runway opportunity to see develop much of anything.
I don’t know how you explain that bottom of the 9th without realizing that the sporting gods are real and they absolutely despise canadians sports teams now.
It’s win win for G7 – we can celebrate the win if they pull it off, or we can celebrate the suffering of Toronto sports fans if they lose (who no doubt relished in the Oilers losing the SCF the last two years)
They’ll be alright I take Matt Scherzer-Bassett-Lauer-Hoffman to out pitch the Dodgers staff.
This fan can’t help but wonder what’s going with the same 7 defensemen that took us to the SCF and were ranked top 5 in the league at the beginning of the season .
The only thing that I can see that has changed is Coffey and Gulutzan are gone and McFarland and Stuart are in .Coffey is a HOF defensemen that was very respected by the players and Gulutzan was a very very good coach
The new coaches messages don’t seem to be resonating with the players These players are not rookies and if the coaches are not up to the talent level of the players we have a problem.
If KK anb SB have made a mistake in the hiring of one or both of these coaches then they better make a change and the sooner the better or they could cause long term damage
I think it has more to do with the “meh” attitude of the leadership group of the team.
Drai’s comment before the Utah game basically confirmed the attitude, at least his where he essentially said what Utah is doing now doesn’t really matter – it matter what a team can do down the stretch.
Combine the attitude with Bouchard having his traditional terrible start to the year and Nurse struggling and you get a tepid start.
Lets also not forget, this is the team’s best start in 3 years.
Funny that you confirm my take after your initial post of Leon’s comment and my initial observation. When I said his verbal was a red flag, you asked what it was that I specifically took from his comment. Well, I took what you just posted here as the red flag. Glad we have that established.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s more about how you finish than how you start… but the adage of begin how you mean to go along resonates strongly with me. Practice being the best early, so when it’s late you can default to a strong baseline.
I think both things can be true. Player’s do have a “meh” attitude – as you point out.
But I do think it’s fair to wonder if the removal of Coffey’s voice is having an impact as well. Are they being encouraged to take more chances. Why are they attempting more drop passes, etc.
Coffey and Gulutzan are very experienced knowledgeable coaches who were respected by the players. How do they feel about the new coaches ?? I am a little reluctant to say this is really all on the players for their errors .Are the mistakes created by a flaw in a new system or by the new coach’s direction as to player positioning.
Their exit system from our own zone seems very disjointed compared to last year and seems to depend far too much on the old dump it up the boards method which the opposition is waiting for far too often .Last year the defence used the middle of the ice with short passes to the forwards. This year there seems to be far too much space between the forwards and D.
— double jack and Diet Coke ordered up at skydome. Commencing comeback now.
LT: I sense a few barbs at the team this year that I haven’t heard before. Do you think this team can’t win the Cup? or are you frustrated with repeat mistakes year over year.
or am I mis reading your blog?
No, I’m generally onboard with this roster and am well pleased with Stan Bowman’s moves. I do think we’ll see changes next summer with some of the key positions (goalie, defense) being tweaked. I’ve said forever that one of Bouchard or Nurse will get moved, and suspect it is Nurse in 2027 summer.
Frustrations include not playing Noah Philp, gaps between the defense and forwards on outlets (they don’t move along as a five-man unit) and I cheer for Stuart Skinner and wish he was better. He isn’t. They’ll replace him. I’ve been cheering for goalies on this McDavid team since Cam Talbot, and would like one of them to succeed.
Jays are 2-0 in World Series Game 6’s.
Now 2-1 as the series is going to Game 7 on the morrow.
Jays left too many runners stranded, especially in the bottom of the 9th. 2nd & 3rd with none out, but Clement pops out on the first pitch he sees, then Gimenez lines out and Barger gets doubled off at 2nd, having strayed too far from the base. Terrible way to kill a rally and lose the game.
On to the next.
Also, on what dimension was it not a double minor at the end of the game last night?
Roslovic was clearly bleeding before he even left the ice.
Bouchard is the whipping boy today, usually it’s Skinner or Nurse.
It should be KK, McDavid and Drai.
When the top dogs seem disinterested and the coach is out to lunch, everything else seems a bit trivial.
Starting to think Godot is right on Bouchard. Maybe Larry Murphy is actually a high bar, more like Zarley Zaslapski if we’re going with that era. Nice player to have but not for !0.5 million.
I hope Buffalo falters again. I’d like a Dahlin Bouchard swap. Adams is a really bad GM.
Is beau akey injured, any info appreciated.
When isn’t he?
Did he get injured on the plane back to backersfield?😂
He’s been injured since camp but accounts are that he’s very close – I am hopeful to see him this weekend.
Nothing from the team but I’ve heard rumblings that is a core issue.
I was excited for the Euro signings, especially for the top scorers from Liiga & the SHL, but it is clear that both are out of their elements. I think deployment is a part of it and both could probably find more success in other organizations, but the Oilers are not a good fit.
I’ve stated this previously, but I think Tomasek as a net front presence is not the role for him on the PP. In the SHL, he was producing at the Left blueline position. I think Noah Philp would be a much better net front PP forward, for example.
Leppanen is such unique player, not sure what NHL organization would be best for him, though. Perhaps Carolina?
Anyway, with healthy players coming back, I expect Tomasek’s time with the team to be over soon. He just does not have the boots. He seems to be 2 or 3, steps behind in every play.
Its been like a couple of weeks and, what, 6 or 7 games.
Keith Gretzky keeps talking about giving him (and the other Euro arrivals) about 6 weeks to start to feel comfortable.
This summer I agreed to take on a contract for work after a conversation. When the details of the work came in, I was not very interested in it anymore. Didn’t quite live up to that conversation. So when we decided to talk money and hours I talked him way down on both, such that at least my summer was easy if it had to also be lame and uninteresting. Why would I post this now?
You talked someone down on the amount of money you wanted to be paid?
It’s a tongue and cheek allegory of McDavid’s contract negotiations.
Was also being tongue in cheek. Matching energy.
I talked him down in hours, accepting the pay decrease as a result, because I didn’t like the job.
That would have been a better way of putting it but anyway it is neither here nor there.
I hope everything is going well for you otherwise.
— I’m going to Game 6. Under my jays gear I have an Oilers tee shirt : to give it the karma for Oilers eventual Cup victory
— I only have a Super Bowl to attend to have Ben at final game of all 4 professional sports
Some other finals on my bucket list :
— Kentucky Derby
— US Open Tennis
— Masters
— World Cup
— Grey Cup
— Hope I get to all of them. I’ve been to Wimbledon, Roland Garros, Ryder Cup, Olympics, PGA Championship, F1 in Monaco , Open Championships. Wish I could have seen a big time heavyweight title fight.
— what other championships are on people’s bucket list?
LFG JAYS!!!
That’s awesome. Hope you get a great memory!
World Cup Final would be insane in a European country. Latin America is an intensity I don’t think my heart could handle.
When you do Grey Cup go for the whole weekend. I’ve done 3 and the host cities all make it a really fun multi-day event.
More sentimentally, I’d love to see the Blades win a WHL championship for the first time ever.
Is that because you played for them, or hail from Kamloops?
Blades of Saskatoon. Was raised in Saskatchewan. They are 0-5 in championships since the inception of what is now the WHL and only sniffed the 3rd round for the first time in 30 years 2 years ago. Darn Moose Jaw. Oilers eat your heart out.
It’s a great hockey city that many of my much more talented hockey friends and family played against.
Man, I’m misreading like crazy today. I read Blazers… m’bad.
That’s really cool (in a personal way, not for the club, they deserve better). ‘Stoon is a gem of a city. I enjoy when I get to pass through for work. High Key Brewing was an awesome find.
Left about 6 years ago but if Prairie Sun is still there its a cool spot.
If you’re a gin man and have the time, Black Fox is excellent.
Stoked is a fun place if you have kids.
Stoked was confirmed by my local friend as being top tier (especially for family outings). Officially on the list.
Will look into the other two (both appear to be currently operating) on my trips through town, thank you for the recommendations. Going to check out the taco place he has his eye on first — Fiesta Tacos and Tequila.
I really appreciate that most things in Saskatoon are 15 minutes from the airport. Makes it easy to explore new venues on a short timeframe.
Some of us would say that the Grey Cup is the one that would complete the 4 professional sports.
No Lacrosse. No Sumo. And nary a mention of the Bandy World Championship.
Gold medal game in Milan. We hand the us an ass whipping they’ll never forget.
you have been lucky. good for you. I have 3 Olympics. Gretzky’s last game as an Oiler. 2002 & 2010 Gold Medal. 2006 World Cup. 2010 US Open Golf. – then I got divorced 🙂
Believe it or not; game 6 clincher against Dallas was my 2nd favorite ever (behind Golden Goal). Oilers crowd was INSANE.
Bucket list for me: MASTERS. and to see Oilers win another cup – not live. Just to see it would be wonderful
The constant drumbeat of:
“Bouchard always sucks early, don’t worry…”
In tandem with the other go-to querry of:
“Why does this team always dig a hole and need to exhaust itself down the stretch?”
…makes me feel like we are really close to figuring it out!
Evan “Baffling Sense of the Moment” Bouchard is like a weight on Grace Kelly’s ankle. Forget balance, we’re drowning, here.
What advanced stat can isolate the goals against Bouchard is responsible for in October and November as a causal relationship to needing to go on win streaks in January and February?
While not “advanced” yjr Cult of Hockey is tracking them.
https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/evan-bouchard-edmonton-oilers-benching
The Cult regularly undercounts Bouchards blunders, because they blame most of his lost-in-the-supermarket moments on others.
No-one is harder on Bouchard the Leavins.
I love that you intentionally misused a hyphen, just like Leavins is wont to do all the damn time.
OP has hardly “ever misused” punctuation.
took my Chevy to the Leavins but the Leavins was dry.
Hard to believe, but Bouchard has not yet played 400 NHL regular season games.
He is the goods and will turn it around!!
Agreed. Additionally, I hold the same line of thinking towards Skinner. 182 NHL games played is barely the beginning to what is likely a long career.
Skinner: third-fastest goalie to 100 wins in franchise history; .555 career Win% (third-best in franchise history); .905 career SV% (again, third-best in franchise history).
Goaltending is NOT the problem with this club. If nothing else, the D&F’s generosity in turnovers leading to breakaways and odd-man rushes in recent games only underlines this as a fact. Skinner has repeatedly saved the day when others have given up.
Game inflation. 200 games is the marker for defensemen to reveal themselves. 400 games is already a long career.
The Nuge is looking STRONG to start the year. He is not getting pushed off pucks and still looks quick. He may be in for a career year when McDavid really takes off.
Seeing the same. His big brain is on full display, aided greatly by his burgeoning old man strength. That Sakic-lite wrister of his rookie era is back too, which is a treat to see (I says it, Munny, and I means it.).
Savoie left practice favouring his leg.
Regula, Hyman, Janmark all practicing.
Per Nugent Bowman.
Savoie!!! Why can’t we have nice things?
Was Philp anywhere to be seen or did our valiant coach send him to the AHL, because they need his offence?
Philp was on of the 12 skaters on the ice today.
Giving the coach the “Oilers always start slow” get out of jail free card is awful.
This is his 3rd season, he’s running the guys that start slow twice as much as anyone else at his disposal.
Guys are scoring and being scratched, given 9mins a night, given no role on the club.
All the markings of a toxic situation are showing themselves.
Nobody likes a couple of ice-hogs. Role players have that name for a reason K.K needs to get everyone involved.
This is the Oilers best start in four seasons, the only non-catastrophic one.
This is true.
But (speaking as one of the guilty), that doesn’t mean we can’t still catastrophize!!
Depends on your measurement, right?
Yep. Grading on a scale. The last three were so horrific, that this year’s bad start seems not so bad.
This is the least amount of diarrhea I’ve started a day off with this week..
They’ve pissed multiple games away, they’re lucky if one line is going on any given night.
Their #5 defenseman is usually their most dependable.
They’re developing no one for any role other then to slap the stars of the team into all the roles.
It’s a awful start, comparing it to past starts is a simple and lazy way to lose an argument.
I think defensive coach Stewart has to be on the hot seat. The D play has been awful. Nurse and Bouch taking turns giving up easy goals on horrendous plays. Ek struggling as well. Could be age has caught up to him or simply not fully healed from injury? Pretty sure running 7D not the long term solution. On paper our D should be one of the best. In reality it is anything but. Coaching??????
I was never fully sold on Stuart when Woody brought him aboard. Surprised they kept him at the helm to take over for Coffey after the stark PK regression (Stuart’s specific purview) from 2023/24’s miracle.
Having said that, I’m still willing to offer afford rope while he gets up to speed in the full time role. Having had Manson and Coffey as his mentors at the NHL level, I hope he’s a quick study.
I like what he’s done with the PK system.
I don’t like them overplaying 97 & 29 though.
And I wonder if either the message has changed to Bouchard and it’s a bad message, it’s not landing or if the money has changed Bouchard. This is much more than “October Bouchard” because the volume is enormous.
And I’d say he wasn’t the only one last night making terrible puck decisions.
And yes, it could also be that they’re just not engaged – which does happen over an 82 game season.
Knives out for Bouchard.
https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/evan-bouchard-edmonton-oilers-benching
By the guy who goes wherever the wind blows (unless it is a political issue, then he’s always blowing right). I don’t put much stock in that.
Still, if 2 lost some ice time when Regula is back, it could not hurt.
So you didn’t notice that Jason Strudwick and Rob Brown are calling for Bouchard to be either benched or taken off the power play?
I dunno. Spector is usually pretty team-friendly. For him to call a guy out either shows guts or shows that the team is getting awfully frustrated with Bouch.
Stauffer was leading the charge
I gave it some time but I really don’t like Mangy on that McDavid line, at least not the way it is now. McDavid needs someone that can and will take it to the slot/net and Mangy just doesn’t do that. 9 shots in 12 games is unacceptable. Maybe he can be the third wheel to McHyman, but he’s probably the first guy I drop down the depth chart.
While I like him building on his success down the lineup, Howard may be coming on at just the right time to earn a real chance up there.
Howard McDavid Hyman
Pod Draisaitl Roslovic
Frederic Nuge Savoie
Mangy Henrique *alternate*
Some highlights from an article in McKeen’s 2020 Draft Guide that considered Roby Jarventie the most polarizing prospect for the 2020 draft from Finland:
I am looking forward to the day he is ready to play at the NHL level.
im looking forward to a non-GPT response.
You just read one. I typed that out referencing a pdf version of the Draft guide I have on my computer; it’s not even copy and pasted. I have never even once in my life copied from a GPT version of anything.
My apologies, the change in font over a few posts made me wary and the vague points (imo) about the player made me think that (every prospect ever drafted has a defensive game in progress).
That’s why I’m thankfully not a detective, just a shmuck on the internet.
Perhaps the worst play of the game for a goal last night was make by Jake Walman who made a terrible blue line decision for a fast break against and absolutely lolly-gagged on the backtrack in a situation where effort likely prevents the goal……
At the same time, Walman has been very good this season (and accounts are he’s not 100% yet) and he has 7 points in 6 games.
Ignoring Bochards plays won’t stop them from continuing, Walman made a poor decision, sure. The real issue is the 5 -7 that Bouchard makes per game.
his decisions are repeating which means he’s ignoring them, doesn’t care or isn’t processing them in real time.
A Pee-Wee hockey player knows not to make that pass…..That was indefensible.
I’m not ignoring anything.
Without having read through the comments, I presume 80% of them are on Bouchard and my first post of the day started with “Bouchard sucks right now”.
Other things are happening on the ice other than Bouchard that can be talked about.
I fully expect the Oilers to sh$t the bed to start the season that I cannot get too riled up about it. It is who they are.
One of these years, the rebound might not happen.
With Florida decimated by injury, it would be a shame if the Oilers missed the opportunity that has presented itself.
Knoblauch makes it really hard for depth players with his dual set of rules and deployment.
I believe teams should rely on systematic play to build a high floor, but the Oilers play hero hockey, and when there is kryptonite around, the floor is very low.
All teams allow their high end guys more rope to create offence.
McDavid’s bad start still has him on pace for 96 points lol. Leon 55 goals.
I put the slow start of the season on the coach. He has lots of good players at his disposal but he insists on running McDavid, Leon and Bouchard into the ground. If a player isn’t playing well then cut down his minutes and get other players involved.
They still have 13 out of a possible 24 points. They’ve had slower starts & there are 60 games to go. They gave that game away last night, mustn’t be doing that but they will learn from that. I’m trying to be positive.
They have had slow starts under pretty much every coach they have had. This is four seasons in a row. Tippett’s last season. Woodcroft’s, and both of Knoblauch’s.
Yes he has to be held accountable for sure . The blender is an issue with me, but it has ca limed a bit . Play Philp ffs. But the big thing is he has to make Bouchard accountable and either bench him as he did with Nurse or sit him a game . Bouchard right now is the worse defensively and in the giveaway department as he ever has.
Beyond silly.
Time on Ice (vs last night)
McDavid – 24:55
Draisaitl – 25:14
Bouchard – 22:34
Nurse – 21:00
RNH – 20:29
Roslovic – 19:00
Walman – 18:42
Kulak – 17:57
Podkolzin – 17:53
Mangiapane – 16:37
Henrique – 16:14
Ekholm – 15:59
Emberson – 14:04
Savoie – 13:10
Frederic – 12:32
Tomasek – 11:43
Howard – 9:36
Stecher – 8:47
Those numbers should be a fire-able offense. Not an exaggeration… playing 2x near 30 year old forwards more than any of your blueliners is just stupid. Overplaying will wear them out, potentially burn them out, potentially increase chances of injury – during an Olympic-condensed season.
I wonder how open the owner will be about paying yet another coach to not coach here anymore. Unsavory though it is, the Oilers should have grabbed a new coach in the 2025 offseason.
And yes, they should have done this after making the finals twice with the Coach K. I still believe the Oilers made it to the finales *despite* him as head coach and not because of. I’m also wondering how critical were the previous assistant coaches (like Coffey) at steering the ship the right way.
Every player below Bouchard in TOI had a good game. In fact the top three players had a hand in the lose. That says something.
This is a problem. I am hopeful that Nurse’s 16:49 of ice time in the Mammoth game was the start of KK cutting back on ice time for players who aren’t getting it done.
5v5 TOI:
Darnell Nurse D 19:22
Jack Roslovic C 18:10
Vasily Podkolzin R 17:10
Leon Draisaitl C 17:00
Brett Kulak D 16:33
Andrew Mangiapane L 16:04
Jake Walman D 15:55
Connor McDavid C 15:52
Evan Bouchard D 15:15
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins C 14:30
Mattias Ekholm D 14:28
Adam Henrique C 13:58
Trent Frederic C 12:31
Ty Emberson D 12:04
Matt Savoie C 10:31
Isaac Howard L 8:49
Troy Stecher D 8:46
David Tomasek R 8:22
Looks pretty on merit to me. Kids are sheltered per coaches MO.
Roslovic was playing well, Nurse deserved the push.
97’s 5v5 down. Is it worth wondering if the goal for the year was to give 97 paradoxically more clean air by putting him on the PK? Better chance at an odd-man rush, sometimes 5 forwards so no one is qualified to defend him.
Makes ya think.
On Miller’s GWG, you may have seen it differently but I saw that as only on Draisaitl. Bouchard may be “also in photo” but he’s actually covering his man, being wary of overcommiting to the puck and thus opening up the pass to an incredibly open Ranger he was previously covering.
It ended in a goal because two other Oilers (Draisaitl, Skinner) couldn’t handle their assignments.
Disagree entirely. When Miller beats Draisaitl, Miller becomes Bouchard’s man.
100%.
When a player is rushing towards the net with the puck clearly attempting to score, he’s anyone in his near vicinity man.
Miller was never passing that puck, Draisaitl and Bouchard both should of been doing everything in their power to stop him. They didn’t.
McDavid still not producing.
And a team that should be an automatic win in OT now is garbage at it.
These are problems.
Yeah, the 5v5/60 is wild. 1.17 points per hour at 5/5 is half his career average. Maybe less. I doubt he has a similar 12 game stretch previously.
Connor McDavid – 5v5 Possession Stats (Through 12 Games)
GP 12 | TOI 205.5 min | TOI/GP 17:07
CF/60 57.5 | CA/60 46.7 | CF% 55.2
FF/60 42.0 | FA/60 33.0 | FF% 56.0
SF/60 29.5 | SA/60 23.1 | SF% 56.1
GF/60 2.04 | GA/60 2.63 | GF% 43.8
xGF/60 2.84 | xGA/60 1.94 | xGF% 59.4
SCF/60 26.3 | SCA/60 23.9 | SCF% 52.3
HDCF/60 11.1 | HDCA/60 5.8 | HDCF% 65.5
On-Ice SH% 6.9 | SV% 88.6 | PDO 0.955
O-Zone Starts/60 9.9 | N-Zone 9.9 | D-Zone 4.7 | On-the-Fly 6.9 | O-Zone Start % 40 | O-Zone Faceoff % 65.8
GP 12 | TOI 205.5 min | TOI/GP 17:07
Goals/60 0.29 | Assists/60 0.88 (Primary 0.58 / Secondary 0.29) | Points/60 1.17
IPP 57.1 | Shots/60 6.7 | SH% 4.35
ixG/60 0.82 | iCF/60 12.6 | iFF/60 10.8
iSCF/60 7.6 | iHDCF/60 3.5
Rush Attempts/60 0.29 | Rebounds Created/60 0.88
Giveaways/60 4.1 | Takeaways/60 0.6
Hits/60 0.6 | Hits Taken/60 4.1 | Shots Blocked/60 0.6
Faceoffs Won/60 14.6 | Lost/60 19.3 | FO % 12.6
The Avs are 0-4 in extra time too.
Most of the difference is PP scoring when looking at league leaders.
Not transcending time and space does not mean not producing.
All of this current car wreck is at the fault of the head coach, I’m not sure he’s aware the Oilers need him to be the head coach and not the reinventor of the wheel.
Is this the new curse? The Eakins haunt? The Belanger triangle for coaches?
Skinner almost looks like his inner Mike Smith is about to break out and put Bouchard into the ether.
Skinner gave up 3 goals on 11 shots in the 3rd period & OT.
Need a goalie who can save the Raddysh & Miller shots.
Besides Bouchard, this will be the reason the Oilers reason don’t make the playoffs
They’ll make the playoffs, in part thanks to Bouchard!
And they’ll start performing better in the W column when their main goaltender is of average NHL ability (Ingram).
Would behoove SB to acquire another goalie in addition to Ingram.
Once Ingram is up on the Conditioning front he needs to be test driven hopefully the sooner the better. This team will never win with erratic below average Goaltending and Bowman knows it.
Ingram is a long way away from being an actual legit option, it’s a complete mistake for anyone to think he’s going to save the day.
They’re not paying him for shits and giggles I’m sure they did their due diligence on his playing status. I would hope to see him by Christmas
In no world is Connor Ingram viewed as a 1A on a cup contending team, they took a flyer on him.
Bowman I can guarantee you is not thinking he’s going to come in and save the day. At best, replace Pickard. As his pay would suggest.
Doesn’t matter who the tender is, the turnovers with the lack of effort will sink most goaltenders.
I’d love Stan to grab Saros.
Saros is a fine target. I think he’s better than his recent numbers (largely due to QoT); but that contract is gordawful. And the acquisition cost would be enough to make one wretch.
I see the better target as something along the lines of Jones for Knight.
At times I wonder about UPL from BUF, or similar. Dostal would have been a coup if possible, for instance.
How can his contract be god awful, yet what the cost you’d have to spend to acquire be wretched?
The cap will be jumping, Saros contract will be mid tier once it does.
Imo Saros’ stats would greatly improve on a quality team.
Doesn’t seem Stan is too interest in young cheap options as they’ve been available all over and all he’s done is bring in a cheap contract on a gamble. So I’ve kinda just moved on in looking at young options like that as I don’t believe the Oilers are looking at any of that type of tender.
Imo the veteran team will get a boost with a veteran tender with some cache brought in. Ekholm will be very familiar with him and good vibes will be had all around.
Gordawful because of how long into his career it takes him. Do you see him being an elite, or nearly so, goaltender into his late 30s? With a full NMC, no less.
Wretched acquisition cost because Bowman the Younger is less likely to catch Trotz asleep at the wheel mid-tenure than Old Dutch somehow managed to play Poile on his way out in the Ekholm deal.
For veteran goalies, I have questions about Elvis’ apparent resurgence. Is it a mirage, or has he got his early career mojo back?
Also need forwards and defenders to play all aspects of the game, Skinner needs to make saves I completely agree.
Oilers deserved the majority of the goals against last night, no puck care, no urgency to fix mistakes, it’s not just Skinner.
Laying that game at Skinners feet is dishonest.
Lol, a shot coming straight-on by Taylor Raddysh from 25′ out shouldn’t be going through an NHL goalie and finding the back of the net.
Stewie makes that routine save, the Oilers win.
The goalie is there to make saves. The shot from Raddysh had no business going in and to suggest otherwise is dishonest.
Bowman is trying to get Skinner value at a positive return. So far unfortunately everyone outside of Northern Alberta knows exactly what our weakest link is. Skinner-Pickard-Ingram are all in contract years each one needs to pick up the pace if they are to stay in the cut throat NHL.
Agreed.
The time for SB to move him out is nigh. Stewie is just going to get worse from here.
This is another goal that it would have been nice for Skinner to have made, but it wasn’t as simple of a save to make as you seem to think it is. One, it’s taken from inside the high danger zone. Two, Raddysh does have an excellent shot and release. Three, there was little backswing that would indicate a shot was forthcoming, and the backswing there was looked pretty much like a standard stickhandle manoeuvre. Four, Raddysh is on a heater.
Five, Raddysh is has a 20 goal season (co-team lead, with… *checks notes, Andreas Athanasiou) under his belt on a bad CHI team with both Kane and Toews. It’s not like he isn’t a threat to score.
No, a shot coming straight on from a career 11% shooter (who scored over 1/2 his career goals in one season) from 25′ out is a simple save.
The shot hit him & went through him!
If you remove Stewies’s SO from the first game against NYR, where NYR hit the post three times, his SV% is .877.
He’s stopped less than 90% of the shots in all but two games this season.
How do you excuse this lack of capability at a key position on a team trying to win a cup?
The Rangers tender allowed Nurse to beat him twice, your argument is weak.
Last night is a perfect exampe of how Stewie’s performance literally wipes wins of the board for the team.
You can’t contend with the fact that Stewie being the team’s #1 goalie is the fundamental problem for the Oilers. So you resort to a strawman regarding Nurse & Shesterkin.
Even though Nurse may have already scored more NHL goals than Raddysh ever will. (I like Raddysh- I would have liked for the Oilers to sign him)
And Shesterkin’s worst NHL season was an equivalent performance to Stewie’s 2nd best NHL season.
Lol, talk about weak!
They say Skinner is number 1 Goalie for not allowing rebounds. Seriously I’ve never seen a Goalie get burned so cleanly in shots it’s like the puck goes right through him. I haven’t heard one word about a extension contract for Skinner or Pickard, Bowman needs to find a sleeper Netminder soon as we are pissing away points.
I would also note that Josh Samanski continues to look good. His length is noticeable out there, he’s involved in offensive plays and the coaching staff is locked in at developing his 2-way game – a mainstay on the PK and been used in defensive situations.
I think the org might be trying to develop him as a 3C going forward.
We’ll see where we get to.
I think the Olympics may be a boon for his development.
Oilers have a young 3C badly needing development that the coach is refusing to play, good luck Samanski.
As far as demotions go, Lazar/Stecher aside, I see Howard as more effective and impactful in the NHL lineup as Tomasek right now…..
The NHL IS a development league. Young players with NHL abilities can play in the NHL and have their all-around game develop while playing in the NHL
Would his development “without the puck”, getting pucks out on the defensive boards, ensuring he gets pucks deep, developing the mind-set of making the “right decision” at the blue line, etc. be better served in the NHL or at the slower speed and non-structure of the AHL?
K.K gets a extension from his boss yet they do not always seem on the same page. Same could be said with Holland (Broberg etc) and the coaches he had.
Once Hyman, Regula, Kapanen & Janmark return, unless there’s a trade of some kind, I can certainly see Lazar & Stecher being waived. The good thing is Howard & Savoie are both waiver exempt. I can see a world where all four players play in Bakersfield get plenty of ice time to further develop, in the case of Howard & Savoie, and get called up at a later date whenever they are required. That would make the Bakersfield Condors an even more exciting team to watch. I’m sure not many would agree, that’s just me. Because the NHL ISN’T a developmental league, never has been and never will be.
Adding one of Stech or Lazar would create a “veteran issue” for the Condors let alone two.
With that said, that should not be a primary factor in the NHL roster decision.
The NHL is 100% a development league – of course, you have to have certain attributes that permit you to play at the level but most players, and all young players, continue to develop while playing in the NHL.
There’s also the possibility of Stecher getting claimed. I see Lazar on the roster as the 13th forward.. I could see your point about developing young players in the NHL, but the Oilers are a cup contender & not a rebuilding club. It would be a luxury having Savoie & Howard on the farm furthering development and quite possibly tearing up the league at the AHL level. Depth in Bakersfield is valuable. Tomasek could wind up there too. An mbarrassment of riches.
Yes, the Oilers are a cup contender that I am confident will make the playoffs.
Having someone like Howard develop in the National Hockey League could lead to the situation where he’s ready to be more of an impact player contributing to a Cup run with the coach’s trust to play him in leverage, right?
Is Howard making plays out there costing the team points? I see that coming from the highest paid players on the team more than the likes of Howard.
I’m not saying, 100%, no, don’t send him to the AHL but its not like he’s stagnating in the NHL – at least to my eye, from behind my computer and on my couch, he’s been progressing very nicely in the first 3 weeks of the season- coach’s verbal is the same.
Sure, the NHL is sort of a development league, when your team out of a playoff spot or running out the season, not when the expectation is winning a cup.
one rookie fine, possible two, but you have basically 4 or is it 5 on the Oilers.
i
Maybe this is true but, based on what we’ve seen on the ice, is this statement not more apt for Mangiapane than Roslovic?
I think Roslovic has been much more of a fit on the 2nd line than Mangiapane the first and, when Hyman is back, it should be Mangiapane moved out of the top six, not Roslovic.
Mangiapane has a two-year deal with some no-trade language. Roslovic was signed three weeks ago to an inexpensive one-year deal. Roslovic’s history is as a journeyman. I don’t think he’s going to last, not because of Hyman but because the deadline target is a big RW with skill.
The only trade target should be a goalie.
Sure, fair enough.
For me, I hope (and presume), that their contracts have absolutely nothing to do with how Knob deploys his lineup.
Roslovic’s inexpensive contract could also serve to keep him here, in addition to a potential upgrade at RW.
Frederic/Nuge/Mangiapane should be the third line right now.
Henrique-McDavid-Hyman
Podz-Leon-Roslovic
Mangapane-Nuge-Freddy
Janmark-Philp-Kapanen
Lazar
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Walman
Kulak-Emberson/ Regula
Stu & Cal
There’s a veteran lineup.
Nuge is having a great offensive season to this point and I keep him in the top six.
Your third line would have both Savoie and Howard on McDavid’s wings?
Henrique/McDavid/Hyman
Podkolzin/Draisaitl/Roslovic
Frederic/Nuge/Mangiapane
Howard/Philp/Savoie
I haven’t changed my view much on how the forwards should be deployed.
If the coach can’t find the kid line soft ice time, then the coach is seeing things badly.
Coaches like their vets.
Is Rod Brind’Amour ever wrong about a player that Carolina can afford to pay? Admittedly there is more room for flawed players on the Oilers than on Carolina, since system play is optional in Edmonton, and McDavid and Draisaitl can do a lot with flawed players.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Kotkaniemi goal share last 5 seasons.
25/26 – 60%
24/25 – 56.3%
23/24 – 50.7%
22/23 – 57.3%
21.22 – 54.1%
Brind’Amour insists on his team playing a lockdown defensive game.
With the acquisition of Logan Stankhoven at 2C, Kotkaniemi has been moved to 4C where he is doing fine if a bit expensive.
Considering the Hurricanes currently have $8.3 million in cap space they can certainly afford to pay him that.
But I thought they were the most efficient team who doesn’t make those mistakes?
Last year, Kotka was supplanted by, you guessed it, Jack Roslovic.
Brind’Amour is not the GM, nor the pro scouting department.
The GM made him untradeable.
Isn’t it crazy they gave him a long term deal in spite of Rod pounding the table saying ‘don’t pay this guy I hate him!’ after having him for a year.
By all accounts Brind’Amour has more say in decision-making than almost any other coach out there.
Well, they sure missed the boat on Necas.
Vor identified Necas from distance, years ago.
No.
Necas didn’t want to play in Carolina (asked for a trade) and was eventually granted his wish when Rantanen became available.
Necas always wanted a bigger role and it’s no surprise he signed for 8 years in Colorado.
His average ice time in Colorado is about 3 minutes more with the Avalanche.
Then that’s an organizational failing for not identifying primary talent ready for a bigger role. Tulsky (spreadsheets) and Brind’amour (eye test) both eat crow on that.
“spreadsheets”
Not at all.
Tulsky signed him to a 2 year extension and he responded.
https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/eric-tulsky-s-decision-to-keep-martin-necas-a-key-to-hurricanes-success-this-season-1.2207164
However Rantanen became available.
They identified a player who didn’t want to be there, to replace a player… who didn’t want to be there. Sent him away to the context he requested, and big surprise — he flourished.
Net gain = magic beans, and (at best) a deferred timeline for on-ice impact. Some solid work… horse trading aside.
No.
CAR hasn’t seriously contended since ’06. Merely mired in mediocrity. Good, but not good enough.
McDavid and Draisaitl would both be under 21 minutes per game under Brind’Amour and told to play hard all the time instead of conserving energy on the ice.
The same Brind’Amour that can’t get his team in in to the SCF?
Why is his coaching practices the gold standard? Is the goal to finish top of standings in the regular season and have OK playoff success but never come really close?
Agreed.
But.
That’s not about being wrong on identifying players worth paying their market/team value, as you initially posed the question.
Necas had asked to be traded. Did not like his role. He was traded because it was likely he would not sign a new contract.
That’s the point — there was a player there, easily identified by blog savant VOR from a distance. That Rod the Bod wouldn’t give him a role is telling. It’s one of the glaring mistakes you’re overlooking in your original question within this thread (as below).
In addition to Skyler?
Tough loss last night. This team just doesn’t lock it down and play the 200 foot game when things are on the line. And even if they do, you never know when Stu is going to let one in he shouldn’t or fail to make a big save when it’s needed (e.g., Reinhart goal Game 7 in SCF two yrs ago or early FL goals in game 6 last year).
McD . . . I know single events make it hard to rely on the eye test for this failed dangle or that loss of the puck, but it sure seems like McD has had a lot more of those cumulatively over the past two. I’ve not heard anything to this effect, but I wonder if he sustained some kind of injury to his hands some time after the 64 goal season. The simplest explanation is the aging curve and peak McD is gone, but how much of that is based on outdated data? With everything teams now know about the science of training, recovery, nutrition, and sleep, wouldn’t that push the peak out a little longer than 25 or 26? I mean, look at what McKinnon (peak seasons 27-29), Kucherov (peaks at 26 & 30-31 and Leon (27-29) have done into their late 20s and early 30s.
Finally, Love the Roxy Music reference! One of my favorite 70s band, just below the giants of the decades. All Oiler losses stink, but LT’s musical references the morning after never fail to bring a smile to my face.
Bouchard sucks right now.
Of course, he sucks every October. Last year he sucked until after the calendar turned.
Every year Bouchard sucks early, gets better as the season goes on and dominates the playoffs.
He sucked last October, had a pretty meh year overall, finished 11th in Norris and dominated the playoffs.
Two years ago he sucked for the first two months, ended up 6th in Norris voting and dominated the playoffs.
if there is one thing we can be fairly certain of, is what we see now from Bouchard is not going to resemble what we see in March and May-June.
It’s highly frustrating and I’m not making excuses for him or saying “it’s OK” but just noting history and what it tells us. Over the course of the season and playoffs he is going to be well worth his cap hit.
Bouchard and Ekholm were poor in the final two games of the Final, Those games were not in October.
With due respect (and that’s a ton of respect), I feel like Bouchard and Ekholm weren’t their best in the finals earlier this year since Ekholm was playing his way back from a major injury. I do believe Bouchard was playing better before Ekholm got paired with him in the playoffs, and bringing back Ekholm maybe a bit early set Bouchard back.
But I also remember McDavid playing really well in the 2024 finals against Florida but hear a lot of smart people pointing out how poorly he played, so I’m open to being painfully wrong about remembering things properly.
Should they try Walman with Bouchard?? I wonder how that would work?
Regardless it’s difficult not seeing Bouchard on the top pair.
Ekholm was injured and being played too much/too high up in the order, and Bouchard had company in the parade of premier players playing poorly (hello Connor and Leon).
Really? A 2-game sample. One where Bouchard was carrying around the corpse of Mattias Ekholm and dealing with egregious errors from Connor McDavid (directly leading to 4-5 goals against)?
Sorry Bud – it’s absolutly unexceptable for this to go on year after year. A team wins the cup every year so far without Connor and Leon (and the Elephant – as Spec put it) I think it’s time for a team that doesn’t require a best after date label. It’s old and only getting worse, the good plays are NOT superseding the mistakes.
Bud?
OK, ignore.
lol
Would you say the response was Unacceptable?
Except Ekholm sucks this year too and he is 35. Ekholm was a rock in previous seasons which enabled Bouchard to stabilize his game. But if age and wear and tear has truly got up to Ekholm….
Of course, Bouchard being the best d-man in the playoffs away from Ekholm……
Numbers show that Bouchard has been just as important to Ekholm as the other way around over the last little while.
The trick with games like last night is to go to bed early. I needed to be up at the crack of dawn, so when it began to look like the Oilers were losing the plot (at the 3-2 goal) I turned it off and went to bed. Waking up in the morning to see the inevitable OT loss was much more soothing than watching another early season misadventure.
I agree with LT that there will be some roster surgery before the spring. I don’t think Roslovic makes it to the deadline, maybe not to Christmas. I like Tomasek plenty, but he is not going to be there, while Savoie and Howard will definitely bat higher. One of them will end up on the 2nd line, while the other is playing no lower than 3rd, once Hyman is back. And I have always and will always be a Skinner booster, but it is clear he is on the way out of town, more shame to that. I hope his replacement can help this team reach their potential, may the gords help him.
I started watching at the start of the third. They had a 3 – 1 lead with a PP to start the period. The PP surrendered 2 – 2 on 1s in 90 seconds and then another very shortly after.
I get up at the ass crack of dawn every day and I know an incoming loss when I see it. At least they made it to OT.
The OT was the positive I drew as well
Shesterkin kept them in OT while Edmonton had the PP.
Yes it’s always about the other Goalie playing better except for that one time in Madison Square Gardens where our Goalie performance will live on in our hearts and minds for years to come.
If we hadn’t lost in OT we likely would have lost in the shoot out. Stu rarely stops break aways and our “studs” seem to struggle to score on break aways.
Gosh the league struggle to evaluate value. How does one have both Trent Frederic and Vasily Podkolzin on the roster, both in the same bucket of play styles and sign them both in the summer and choose to give the former 30 million and the latter <9.
Is there one thing Freddy does better? Maybe he could finish better but who would know since I don’t remember a single scoring chance since the breakaway goal.
Thank goodness McDavid signed at a huge discount… the amount McDavid gave up is essentially what the GM wasted on Frederic. :\
Lessons need to be learned . Early and often dont throw the puck to your partners feet at the blueline. 10.5 million dollar adjustments will be made
If you a good player in the NHL, there is no excuse for such highs and lows. You can skate, shoot, read plays, check…ect. Its near impossible to be only good one way. Its all about effort and application.
There are players who play flat out every time the gate opens. They don’t know any other way to play. Others will float.
NHL players are very smart when it comes to hockey. They have been exposed to numerous coaches, systems, and players. The can “see” And when they watch these mistakes, lack of engagement, weak plays, they are silently shaking their heads and question whats going on.
Derick Ryan spoke up a couple years ago. What do you want me to do from the bench? How shall I contribute without a given role and ice time?
Derek Ryan, the guy who gave up on his team after they let him eat popcorn from the rafters for a year getting the NHL treatment and refused to go mentor the young guys for 2 months in Bakersfield?
That Derek Ryan?
and then bitched publicly about how his time ended…….
I have great respect for Derek Ryan, and I see you show him none. He knows more about hockey than you or I will, and you cannot throw stones on situations where you do not know the real story.
His comments hit the nail on the head.
You try and discredit him and thus his findings. Which were right by the way. Every time this team gets in trouble overplaying stars for short term gain, the way out has always been team play and team engagement.
You appeal to authority without knowing anything about Derek Ryan the person.
I don’t disparage the point I disparage the player’s actions, who by all accounts internally and publicly, went out like a chump. He wanted to coach after and received crickets from Oil management for that stunt. So I take his comments with a grain of salt.
I agree players need a role. I think the stars are being asked to carry the mail early while the younger guys get up to speed. Similar to how the AHL works. By new year, those players hopefully have their feet under them and tell the coaching staff who they are.
Pigeon-holing into a role early is something I don’t agree with and something many young players resent in getting typecast. That said, getting this coach’s trust is hard, so I’m not sure what the dialogue is like behind the scenes. Kalle Larsson has a say and I believe he is heavily involved in the process.
Other players like Podz and Hyman know their role. Who is being left behind here? Tomasek got a push and did nothing, Roslovic getting those minutes, Freddy is getting the minutes he deserves, Nurse got punished the game before.
What am I missing? Howard isn’t blocking shots on the PK?
Ryan essentially confirmed publicly that he didn’t think he should have been waived and was not happy about it.
We don’t know what we don’t know but it does seem like there wasn’t any pressing reason why he couldn’t report other than he didn’t want to leave his family (which he is away from on the road half the time for 6-8 months per year in any event).
Of course, no-one wants to go and leave their family in that context but, then again, I’m sure he was happy collected the $1MM.
Also, of course:
1) its not like the Condors couldn’t have used him BIG TIME – not only could he have shown what its like to be a pro but they were absolutely decimated, half the team was ECHL re-calls and they were legit battling for a playoff spot; and
2) not going meant he was not doing to keep in shape in case the Oilers called. He was not permitted to practice or skate with the Oilers while assigned to the AHL.
I have a ton of respect for Ryan and his career but, well, that situation was not good.
“allowed Josh Prokop to emerge”
*Luke
I’m always so close to writing Skip Prokop when I write his name. Ah, the brain.
Fun game. I’m not concerned.
Bouchard / Ekholm will turn it around. McDrai will turn it around, but you can see the fatigue. They are conserving energy — it isn’t laziness, it’s survival when being asked to play 25 minutes a game.
Really, really liking Henrique. Best stretch of games as an Oiler.
Podkolzin — if he could finish he would make a lot of money. How many dandy scoring chances did he have?
How long before Ike Howard and Matt Savoie start eating the lunch of veteran players? Both are smart and making heady plays. Their production is not far off Mangiapane’s or Tomasek’s, despite the difference in experience and opportunity. Both have already surpassed Frederic, is that fair? A deeper question is does that really mean anything? 🙂
29/97 will be absolutely burned out by the playoffs if deployment continues as it is.
Oh and add the Olympics in on top of that.
Thank you!
It was truly a Halloween of a game – many, many generous treats given away to the Rangers, with very few tricks played (except the many by D & F on their own goalie – I trust he received them in the spirit of the season!). The most generous treat (& biggest trick) was getting out of the way at the last minute so JTM could have his way with a surprised Skinner. So playful, these Oilers!
ps. It’s entertainment. Last night was about 20-30 minutes of hockey from the Oilers, the rest, comedy. Or, the new game: how many giveaways/60 are possible? In all cases, popcorn and perspective are helpful. We had Chinese. It was very tasty.
Prospectween!
Lafreniere is the only healthy NAmateur eligible to go Halloweening tonight. Everyone else toils.
It’s prospect-and-prospect-vs.-prospect as the Michiganders visit Fischer and Notre Dame. The Hugh Jackmen have climbed to #2 in the Div-1 rankings with a 7-1 record.
Wakely and Berry both tallied their first NCAA goals last weekend. Will they bag more this weekend? We wait.
Lewandowski and the Blades continue their American adventure in Seattle.
Michigan (Park, Barnett) @ 5 p.m.
Notre Dame (Fischer) @ 5 p.m.
UMass-Lowell (Wakely) @ 5 p.m.
St. Thomas (Berry) @ 6 p.m.
Saskatoon (Lewandowski) @ 8 p.m.
All times, at all times, are Penhold time.
That McDavid extention is looking more and more like a fair deal every game.
Poor result.
Bouchard is always poor defensively to start the season… I would be freaking out except he’s turned it around for the past 3 playoffs to near-MVP levels of excellence and I’m confident he’ll turn it around in the 2026 playoffs too.
Nurse with 2 goals… speed, strength, durability, size, and offensive instincts. Partnered with defensive gaffs and I *still* want to see him tried out as a winger (since we’re stuck with him for this season and next).
Someone noted Nurse would then be a $9M winger… but I think he could be closer to being a successful high end winger than being a $9M defenseman whom you can trust in the playoffs.
Oh man, could this team ever use peak Klefbom-Larsson again. :\
If I had a nickel for every Nurse should be a winger post, I’d have many nickels! I don’t believe it will ever happen. I do believe he’ll be a better defenseman in his 30’s. He won’t make as much, though.
Sorry Lowetide, I sure owe you a bunch of nickels. 🙂
That’s really too bad if you don’t believe they’ll even try it out, but you’ve been sharing wisdom and insights for years now so I do trust you.
Do you really believe Nurse will be better in his 30s? I’m not so optimistic. I view Nurse as someone with incredible physical attributes, which has allowed him to be a pretty good defenseman despite not being particularly strong at knowing what the right defensive move would be. As Nurse ages, I’m worried he won’t be as quick or as fast or have the same durability, all contributing to him becoming a much worse defensemen in the next couple of years.
Both Byfuglien & Burns had completely different circumstances. Buf was drafted as a Dman and played forward from ages 23 to 25, then after being traded to the Thrashers, he reverted to D.
Burns was drafted as a forward, then in his first NHL training camp was converted to D where he made the Wild and remained at D for the rest of his career.
Interestingly, both were born in March 1985.
The other notable NHL players to do this that I could find who played in the last 30 seasons:
Mathieu Dandenault (converted from D to RW),
Nicholas Deslauriers (D to LW),
Scott Walker (D to RW) &
Mike Peluso (D to LW).
Of note, like Buf & Burns, they were all in their early 20’s when they converted to D.
*from D
Considering he turns 31 in three months and his contract pays him until he’s 35, are you expecting that he gets another contract?
I don’t. D-men who specialize in positioning rather than skating/physicality can get better in their 30s. Nurse is the opposite of that. He is big and can skate really well, but he has never had good hockey sense. Once the physical tools start to desert him, he is done.
Will we ever find a happy medium between playing a 200ft game and letting the horses run?
I believe the coach could find this medium, but he’s too quiet. He is following instead of leading.
I’m more worried about McDavid than Bouchard. Bouchard is what he is, McDavid is a generational talent and supposedly a leader. His defensive indifference is contagious. If he brought the extremely high level of defence he can play to every shift he’d be a Selke winner. Of course, that would be easier if the coach didn’t overplay him.
This is where we miss Mike Babock coached Team Canada teams, where one did not play if one did not commit 110% to systematic defensive play and error free hockey. Hero hockey not allowed. Zero freelancing allowed. Machine hockey.
Zero mistakes meant Canadian inevitability because of talent disparity, even if it was only 2-1.
McDavid repeatedly attempting to go 1v4 is not working out. I don’t want him to be a machine, but he can play responsibly without impacting his offence.
Babcock Coached teams were boring to watch.
Do you want to win or do you to lose.
My point is McDavid would have been forced to learn about the importance of systematic hockey as a backstop to everything else that is done.
And when he returned to the Oilers, one can play systematic hockey with heroic elements which would stress McDavid and Draisaitl less in terms of playing time and pressure to produce on demand, because the systematic backstop sets a high floor.
This take is so funny because there is a strong sentiment on Twitter that the Oilers early struggles are being perpetuated by their sticking to the play style of KKs system.
It’s a system that would work a lot better with a two goalies of average NHL talent.
One should always fade the strong sentiment on Twitter. The crowd is usually wrong.
Machine hockey is the antithesis to Oilers hockey DNA. They’re incompatible.
The balance to strike is finding room to wheel where solid fundamental play creates gaps in the opponent that can be exploited by high skill heroics.
Break them down then demoralize them with shock and awe.