The Edmonton Oilers have played through some bad luck this season, so I don’t think most will complain when good luck landed wearing an Oilers logo against the Philadelphia Flyers. It looked for a time that Edmonton had lost the game 2-1 due to a late goal (less than 25 seconds on the clock) but it was called back. Some OT magic won the day, and these Oilers begin a difficult road trip with an earned double you.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN NOVEMBER
- At home to: Chicago (Expected 1-0) Actual 1-0
- Road: Blues, Stars (Expected 1-1-0) Actual 0-1-1
- At home to: Avalanche, Blue Jackets (1-0-1) Actual 1-1-0
- On the road to: Flyers, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes (1-2-0) Actual 1-0-0
- On the road to: Sabres, Capitals, Lightning, Panthers (1-2-1)
- At home to: Stars (1-0-0)
- On the road to: Kraken (0-0-1)
- Expected Record: 6-5-3, 15 points in 14 games
- Actual Record 3-2-1, seven points in six games
- Season Record: 8-6-4, 20 points in 18 games
This month is going to have some challenges, and I do think tonight qualifies. Back to back road games, Calvin Pickard hasn’t been his best so far this season, and the Oilers are spending too much time in the penalty box. On the other hand, some players are emerging and the CBJ special teams are not award winners.
Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Roslovic played 11:49, 4-8 shots, 52 pct expected and 2-3 HDSC. Roslovic was the only member of the line to post a point last night, but I thought the group did well. Vasily Podkolzin had a couple of good looks and leads the line with 1.65 pts-60 at five-on-five.
Mangiapane-McDavid-Savoie played 8:31 together, 1-0 goals, 8-1 shots, 87 pct expected and 3-1 HDSC. Man that’s alive! McDavid set up the first goal and now leads the Oilers with 1.74 pts-60 at five-on-five. Low for him, but he’s coming on. It was 1.07 a whisper ago. Matt Savoie is the player everyone will be talking about today, pure skill with two assists, one HDSC and 2-2 in the faceoff circle. Andrew Mangiapane had two HDSC and two giveaways, he is the top candidate based on performance to move off this line when Zach Hyman returns. Doesn’t mean it will happen that way.
Janmark-Henrique-Lazar played five minutes together, 2-1 shots, 60 percent expected and 1-1 HDSC. Vanilla numbers for a vanilla line, save Henrique who had a couple of chances. Janmark is irritating to the opposition, I’ll give him that much. Knoblauch needs to find Henrique his linemates.
Howard-Philp-Frederic didn’t play together much at all (less than a minute) but were 2-0 shots. Howard even had a HDSC, the guy played like six minutes. They’re going to send him down, sure as hell, but Howard is a fascinating prospect. He leads the team in five-on-five shots-60, and his shooting percentage is 10.5 so far in 2025-26. There’s an NHL player here.
Nurse-Walman played 17:10, 11-4 shots, 63 percent expected and 2-2 HDSC. The duo is 56 percent goals and 46 percent expected so far this season. Knoblauch’s trust in the duo is growing.
Ekholm-Bouchard played 14:57, going 10-4 shots, 1-0 goals, 70 pct expected and 4-2 HDSC. The expected goals numbers for this pairing predict regression, and the expected for the season (56 percent) still towers over actual (23.5 percent). This pairing has earned a 3-0 edge one of these nights. Bouchard’s goal got things going for the Oilers.
Kulak-Emberson played 14:46, going 5-5 shots, 48 percent expected goals and 1-2 HDSC. Emberson is having a bit of a time lately, suspect this pairing is faded tonight.
Stuart Skinner had an excellent game, I was most happy for him that the late goal didn’t count. His .898 save percentage at five-on-five ranks No. 26 among NHL goalies with 400+ minutes in the game state.
On the Lowdown today, Bagged Milk will be our feature guest and we’ll talk about what Kris Knoblauch might do when Zach Hyman returns. NFL talk, Grey Cup preview and more. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube!
Why Edmonton Oilers rookie Matt Savoie’s offensive struggles aren’t a major concern
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6798695/2025/11/13/edmonton-oilers-matt-savoie-stats-rookie/
A treat to watch his energy and enthusiasm, and to be trusted in all game states. Including 3 v 3 OT. I am loving what I’m seeing.
And to your point, no hurry. Patience. (You know, “keep your powder dry.) At least that’s how I read your article.
Savoie played that OT goal perfectly. Froze the goalie and a perfect and perfectly timed pass. Top 6 talent. We’ve seen a lot of flubbed 2 on 1’s from the team the last few years
Yes. I think that was in the back of my mind as I watched it happen: the fear that, here we go again… But no. They did it.
Connor & Leon couldn’t have done it better.
Gretzky and Kurri would of had his jockstrap.
Savoie and Howard speed-hunger-enthusiasm need to be displayed in feature rolls and maybe it will rub off on Podkolzin -Magpie-Frederic who now seems to have been awakened after getting bopped on the beak a few times by Olivier
I was yelling “put it in the net!” as he drove in, then to see him make the pass so many others have had tipped or blocked so that Roslovic could put it in the net was poetry.
Rosolvic can score. I had a flashback of Curtis Glencross the way he drives to the net.
Skinner isn’t a good NHL goalie, but he is an NHL goalie. Picks looks done.
Shocking considering how he could turn it on in the playoffs last year. Just 6 months ago and a world of difference.
Knee injuries are hard on Goalies especially 33 year-old borderline back-ups. It’s too bad for him that his contract wasn’t up last year as another team probably signs him for a couple of years at over a million. I wish Pickard all the best that was a magical 7 game win playoff streak I’ll never forget it. Bowman had his chance this Summer when your G.M goes on T.V and asks the public to quit picking on one of your Goalies you instantly know the Sharks are circling.
Picks:
.800, 762, .864, 852, .815, .818, .933
I do not know how anyone could defend that! No matter what you say about the team. No team can win consistently with that.
Skinner:
.952, .818, .692, .889, .931, 886, .870, 870, ..905, .875, .875, .1000, .864
So combined we have:
5 games over .900
13 games in the 800’s
1 in the 700’s
1 in the 600’s
Statistically this is the worst goaltending since the 2000’s including the decade of darkness and Jack Campbell. And I don’t care what anyone says this is definitely not the worst team in the last 25 years. GM saying we are getting average goaltending is a joke and better not be saying that behind the camera or he should be fired on the spot. I get you don’t trash your players on TV and also get that their may not be a ton out there but he took no chances on goalies like Silvos for fear of losing a career AHL goalie with a sub .900 sp… GM needs to fix the biggest hole which is goaltending and the rest will improve as well. I believe an Oiler poll in the off-season came at 90% on needing to improve goaltending; I don’t know how anyone could see different now.
Everyone, everywhere has been saying that the Oilers needed to prioritize goaltending. Instead Bowman decided to spend over 7 million on a couple of 3rd/4th line wingers.
Team has been bad but both goalies have been brutal. Oilers have the worst save percentage in the league. And it’s well earned.
What I’d give to have a goalie that can save a beach ball right now.
They need to pull the chute. I thought Ingram was brought in as insurance in case one or both Goalies faltered but I’ve been scolded on more than one occasion by the sheriff around these parts for thinking this is why they acquired Ingram. So silly of me to think the Oilers acquired in a trade a NHL Goalie to possibly play in the N.H.L.
They brought in Ingram with he hope he could get up to speed and back to the NHL within a few months – this remains true.
He was never going to be an option this early in the season.
You post here every day – you know this and you know what he’s been dealing with – you choose to ignore it and, my presumption, down play the off-ice stuff as weak.
That’s not what the scuttlebut was when they 1st acquired him. Especially around here there was lots of high-fiving how he could be a option if our Goaltending went South.
It certainly was the scuttlebutt – yes, a potential option after a few months.
Ingram is sporting a sub-0.850 sv% in the AHL. Yes, the Bakersfield defence is a tire fire, but the Oilers D is not much better.
That said – I agree, it’s time to pull the chute on Pickard. Great guy, but not a very good NHL goalie. They should have claimed DePietro when they had the chance to get him for free. Now they would have to send the Bruins an asset back … maybe they would take Frederic, lol?
If Ingram is going to be viable, then they should call him up and find out already. Send Pick down – he’s cooked. Have a backup plan to trade for a goalie, if Ingram fails his audition.
All three of Skinner, Pickard and Ingram are UFAs in the summer … they have this season to play well enough to secure their next contract.
Call him up and find out already?
It was always going to be a term project – there was never any thought he’d be ready any time soon.
You’re the only one who thinks that Ingram is a long-term project … if you squint a little harder than you’ll notice he’s 28 years old with 102 NHL games under his belt. He took a year off … which means he should be healthy. He’s been tuning his game up for several months in Bakersfield.
He’s an NHL vet … not a long term project. And his main issues have been between the ears; he doesn’t have any physical ailments. He either has the skill and physical attributes to be an NHL goalie still, or he doesn’t. Marinating him longer in the Bake isn’t going to make much difference at this point. His conditioning level should be back to game shape by now.
I don’t think anyone thought that Picks game would have fallen off a cliff so fast either.
Putting him between the pipes is basically an automatic loss now. Can Ingram be any worse? It’s time to find out … because if Ingram can’t get the job done, then the Oilers are going to have to spend the 2027 1st round pick to fix this unplayable goaltending tandem … or else, they’re going to miss the playoffs.
Life comes at you fast … hope you’re ready Connor Ingram, cause your Edmonton Oilers audition is coming soon.
I am absolutely not the only one.
He took over a year off but you clearly don’t understand how many mental health issues work if you think “should be healthy”.
I am very confident that he fights a daily battle.
He has certainly NOT been turning his game up in Bakersfield for several months.
He missed all of camp, all of Bakersfield’s camp and the first part of the season.
He’s played 4 games and his game is nowhere close to the NHL level. He hasn’t played in a couple of weeks now. I’ll be interested to see if he starts tonight.
He is a long term project this season in getting his off-ice where it needs to be if he’s going to be in the NHL – that also effects his on-ice.
I would highly encourage you to read, at the least, the article at The Athletic from a few weeks back.
I really hate that cannon.
Picks gave up 5 with 5 goal posts, and his pads have more spring than a pinball paddle.
We got lucky to get a point yesterday nevermind 2 points
The Oilers fully earned their two points yesterday.
Flyers were lucky to get one.
That offside had zero bearing on the Goal and you know it.
I missed the game, driving from Ottawa to Toronto for a hockey tournament. Did you say five goal posts? That’s wild.
Yep – and Pick was beaten clean on all them. CBJ could have been up 3-0 right off the bat. Pick had no idea where shots were coming from. Never seen an NHL goalie look so bewildered so many different times before.
His game has fallen off a cliff.
A loss. And that is a sustainable losing formula.
Not sustainable if they acquire a better back-up for these games – DiPietro / Daws.
Mangiapane currently sporting the green jacket at -4 for the night as per TSN
-15 in 19 games this season. 🙁
Nice signing……
Connor needs to go have a heated conversation with him in practice.
With Hyman back Saturday, Mangi moves down to the 3rd or 4th line.
Mangiapane is riding that magical 35 goal season for all it’s worth. I remember Stan Weir as a Centre scored 33 Goals for us Weir I bet wishes he was born in this era as his career earnings was around $62,000 US with Mangiapane closing in on 30 US Million. Even though Stan played in the WHA Mangiapane needs 10 more Goals to catch him career-wise.
Giddy-up, back in the Drai-saddle.
That 5th goal all started with a horrible rebound by Pickard. Everything is bouncing off him like he is made of rubber Absolutely no rebound control. Should have been pulled after the first period. He is costing us points in real time.Very disappointing are goaltending problems haven’t been addressed. Very deflating for the team getting below average goaltending game after game.
Not surprised at all – he’s been poor all season. This games was a guaranteed loss with Picks in net. I doubt he’s still with the team by December.
I guarantee noone will pick him up on waivers.
Remember when we were all concerned about that? Good times.
Based on his prior career history, it was a concern in October – concern is gone.
Time to acquire DiPietro or Daws
What would we have to trade to Boston for Dipietro? And what makes you think that Daws is even available?
When you’re drowning, the other GMs are only going to throw you anvils. And right now Bowman is drowning. Instead of signing Mangiapane and Frederic, he could have used that cap space on Gibson in the summer. And missing out on Silovs was asinine.
Instead of worrying about Pick’s importance in the room, he should have claimed Dipietro off waivers when he was available for free. Now he’s going to send out an asset to acquire an AHL goalie who can’t beat out Korpisalo for a job?
If we’re going to go after an AHL goalie, then I’d prefer to go hard after Joel Blomqvist. The Pens have Jarry and Silovs in the NHL and Murashov as their future star. The Oilers are going to have to spend that 2027 1st round pick on a goalie, so they should aim higher than a 26 year old AHL goalie who couldn’t get an NHL job with his second organization.
Both this goalies are blocked in their organization and were available to the entire league for free on waivers.
Their value likely has increased a bit since they’ve cleared assets but they should be available for a fairly nominal cost.
They’re going to need to repaint the pipes before the next game.
Need more Pod-GOAL-zin, keep at it boys.
Fans can keep defending the goaltending but we do not even have AHL goaltending. Keep your head in the sandbox and hope for the best?
Agree re: Pickard. He’s no longer capable. Team doesn’t make it easy on him, but he’s not looked good. With another B2B next week, what are the chances something is done before then (even if it means bringing up Tomkins)?
That’s what they get for playing a forward on defence…
Can the Oilers find their legs in the third? Apparently Columbus sucks in the third.
Has a team left so many forwards uncovered and untouched in front of their own net in NHL history?
Bowman should send Mangiapane to the Bake, not Howard. Figures that when we get an ex-Flames player, he sucks something fierce.
Add a late penalty
I will put this out there again.
You can’t get thoroughly outplayed and expect to win, even with Helleybuck in net.
The Oilers have an expected goals right now of 0.84 compared to 3.52 for Columbus in all situations.
Yes, Pickard is bad this year. Yes, a better goalie will have let in 3 and maybe 2 to this point. But with this performance by the rest of the group, they are lucky to have the 2 that they do.
All goalie replacement solutions need to be explored. But none of that matters if this team can’t play a whole lot better in front, right effing now, and we all know that. That frustrates me more than watching Pickard let in a weak one
High danger chances are 13-2 for CBJ all situations
Expected goals are 78% CBJ 5v5.
Maybe we’re watching a different game but I am not pinning this L on Pickard. It is a cop out for a much bigger and concerning team problem
Those numbers don’t line up even one iota on what I’ve watched.
Its been a much more even game both ways.
The magic has run out for Cal Pickard.
Regression to the meat after going 7-1 in the playoffs.
He wasn’t good in the playoffs despite the record.
Not bad like he has been this season.
You lack appreciation for a guy who was stellar for 6 straight games against LA and Vegas.
Yes he got a lot of run support, but his sv% was marred by one bad game against FLA.
Pickard was like 24-8-3 this calendar year before the current season began.
Hes turning into a pumpkin tho
I watched the games – he has one great game and was meh in all the rest leaking bad goals every game.
He also made some big saves but he leaked bad goals.
He got the wins, I give him credit, he was very meh.
Stole at least 1 in Vegas-LA and absolutely was the reason we won game 4 in Florida.
This team would not have gotten to the SCF last year without some solid goaltending from Pickard. Full stop.
I don’t agree with solid goaltending – he had one great game.
He was AWFUL in game 3 against the Kings – just as “bad” as Skinner was in the 1st two games.
The big offseason signing Mangiapane is dash 4 tonight.
How does KK send him over the boards? Why is Howard going down with this happening?
he is -4 in 8 1/2 minutes with 0 hits 0 blocks and 1 shot on goal. He is not the little dog on the puck that he was made out to be, he needs to discover his game in bakersfield
Tomasek did the reach and flyby on the 4th his time is over as well.
Why send him out when he’s finally getting the Oil system down?
Yea, Fork, you are right. Rant over.
At least we don’t have him signed for 8 years
Any chance Grier would be willing to swap him for Skinner?
If only….
So much danger could be avoided with a little rebound control.
Fun to watch the acrobatic saves but having played D, those pucks off big popping rebounds make it so hard to keep your man and position yourself.
Im starting to think teams f up the ice on purpose to bring the skill down to their level. I remember San Jose did it in 2017 and Florida in 23 so this isnt a new idea.
Quick, someone get rag-dolled by Olivier
dammit oilers…
The Oilers are a team in the NHL.
Savoie and Roslovic emerging as 2 players that can take a top 6 role may save this season. Adding in Hyman, Podkolzin, RNH gives 5 options for top 4 wingers, moves Mangiapane down to where he belongs, and gives the team time to figure out whatever the heck they can to fix the bottom 6.
Mangypan is -3 today and that takes him to -11 and on pace to be what -55. Why is he getting so much time WTF is going on. The 3rd goal the left winger dman float down to take the shot and the winger there is left covering the blue line. Now if the blue line could take shots thats a good move.
Check that Mangypan is now -4. There was a reason he was a 4th liner for the Capitals
That -11 was before tonight. I believe he is now -15 in 19 games. Let that sink in.
This remains true.
The McDavid/Drai/Bouchard/Savoie tetrad you mean, right?
That would be the foursome but Bouchard has been material in both goals (Savoie in the 3rd that didn’t count, along with the first).
Bouchard has two even strength assists, but is zero on plus/minus. What he giveth, he also taketh away.
McDavid and Pickard taketh away.
Yes, Pickard is average AHL tender who got on a good run but his time is up. they need to find a decent backup.
Pickard needs to be removed.He is not reacting very well. Also as a side note , I’m waiting to see what Ryan writes about Savoie. Numerous people have been clamouring for him to play with skill.Amazing when you play skill with skill what happens. Ryan was slagging Savoie for not producing. Interesting to see how he spins Savoie’s success the last two games. Probably going to say he is just lucky and 100% benefiting from playing with Macdavid and Draisaitl and nothing to do with his own play.
DiPietro or Daws should be acquired and the back-up before Saturday.
It should be very easy.
100% agree with you.
Even if this is offside, Savoie is making his arrival in the league now with an exclamation mark.
Short side – Pickard is awful.
Going to be tough to outscore him tonight but CBJ also can’t handle the McDavid/Drai/Bouchard trio tonight.
Ha! We’ve got them right where we want them.
Wait …?
Bouchard, McDavid, Drai drag the team back to even.
Doesn’t last long…..
I don’t think Bouchard has played great tonight. He has been ok ,but also was in the picture for the third goal as well as having his typical brain cramp moments. He did make a great pass on the Draisaitl goal. Give credit where it is deserved. I give Savoie more credit on the tip then I do Bouchard as the shot was waist high. Good on him for recognizing Savoie calling for the shot at the net. I still think Bouchard has to play a lot better and with more urgency.
McDavid was just as bad as Bouchard was for goals against.
Bouchard has been just as important on goals for.
Agreed,but I just think Bouchard needs to be better and more intense and engaged when playing in his own end. To me it’s been a typical game from him. Some really good and some absolutely horseshit defending and puck management.
Neon Leon, says “keep me on” coach.
Holy hell what a pass and shot.
I think that was a set face-off play!
Savoie got that dog in him.
Savoie-faire on ice.
The Oilers are playing like shiitake, this happens more than I’d like.
That said I notice this is CBJ’s 25th season in the NHL. They have one playoff series win.
It can always be worse …
Oh look we just scored!
SAVOIE.
Atta boy!!!
Think you mean, “Atta boie”.
Bouchard shot for that tip.
Big goal Matt Savoie!
The kid is a player.
In time we’ll win this trade.
I am hoping that the Oilers get the result that they deserve tonight, and that changes in coaching are made. Painful to watch, yet again
Lol, Bouchey was back but didnt cover either guy in front of the net. Baby steps i guess
This team is brutal.
No 29?
Sorry I downvoted by mistake! Found him 🙂
That entire shift was a cluster-you-know-what.
Washington Generals of hockey
Whoa, $22.5MM worth of turnovers….
UGLY!!!!
Wait, $23MM
Lucky not to be down by 3 or 4 already. Team looks terrible after 1. Ice is brutal.
Pickard stinks , he looks shell shocked already . Sure not the goalie this that he was last
He wasn’t all that special last year either. The team was better than most teams and they gave him allot of run support. We didn’t get to the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row because of our goaltending stealing the show like Hill did for Vegas
And know that we have a team that is receding we need a rock in Net. Neither Skinner or Pickard need to apply.
Pete DeBoer begs to differ. Skinner vs. Dallas twice.
This may be nothing, but Picks was stretching when the play went down the ice very early into the game, and after one of the puck bouncing/post sequences he seemed to be down and hunched over longer than usual. Just wondering if he tweaked something.
Tomorrow morning he may be a candidate for IR. I would guess it’s the same injury as last year. Tompkins to the rescue.
I said that they should pull Pickard at 0-0 when a puck went right through him.
I’ve seen Pickard bad in the AHL and he’s in that mode tonight – low danger shots going through him.
He’s ECHL level tonight.
Oilers can’t win if they give up more than 15 shots.
oilers have 4 shots on goal against CBJ in 25+ mins, pretty sure that’s the problem so far
Yes, I watched the first 10 minutes and so did the team in front of him.
I also, never said it was the only problem – do I need to submit a complete list every time I comment on one aspect?
Yes It would be the gentlemanly thing to do.
No, but that has been the bulk of your comments so far this game, including 3x where you said Pickard should be pulled. Was it not safe to assume that was your main concern tonight?
You know I am a big fan of your work. I just don’t see the goalies this year as being the reason they are sitting at a mediocre mark. They are no doubt what will keep this team from being a contender, but right now I am just looking for solid play. Like these last 5 mins!
and he should have been – 3 goals on him (two fully, one partially) and a bunch of other pucks through him – at least two.
I’m not talking about the goalie this year – I’m talking about tonight’s game.
I’ve watched Pickard more than anyone else here probably given I watched him play in Bako – I know what it looks like when he’s really off and its really bad (and I saw it on the first few shots).
When the ice is shit we just gotta fire pucks . Cant play a crazy high passing skill game, pucks deep, pucks on net.
Goalposts are part of the goalies equipment. Right?
Yikes. Lucky to only be down by one. Pretty pathetic period by the Oil.
Should have pulled Pickard at 0-0 like I suggested.
When Pickard is bad he leaks low danger shot goals and he’s bad – ECHL bad when he’s bad.
Oilers won’t be able to win unless they hold Columbus to 16 shots.
The expected goals as per Money Puck right now is 2.2-0.4. so a GSAA of +-0.2 is ECHL level?
I’ll analyze Pickard’s play with my own eyes.
I don’t need Money Puck to show me anything in a one-game sample that I watch.
Woo-hoo Pickard is keeping them in the game.
Maybe not.
Its sad to say but Pickards numbers are better than he deserves