If the Edmonton Oilers third and fourth lines played versus Vancouver Canucks every night, the team would have six good men and true who beat the Canucks black and blue. The Glimmer Twins (together and apart) are 3-1 goals (75 percent) versus Van City and the rest of the forwards are 5-2 (71 percent). Can’t get enough of the Vancouver Canucks.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY
- At home to: Flyers, Preds (Expected 1-0-1) 1-1-0
- On the road to: Jets (Expected 1-0-0) 1-0-0
- At home to: Kings (Expected 1-0-0) 0-0-1
- On the road to: Blackhawks, Preds (Expected 1-1-0) 1-0-1
- At home to: NYI (Expected 0-0-1) 0-1-0
- On the road to: Canucks (Expected 1-0-0) 1-0-0
- At home to: Blues, Devils, Penguins, Caps (Expected 2-1-1)
- At home to: Ducks, Sharks, Wild (Expected 1-1-1)
- Expected Record: 8-3-4, 20 points in 15 games
- Actual Record: 4-2-2, 10 points in eight games
- Season Record: 24-17-8, 56 points in 49 games
The Oilers are in second place and it looks like the pirates of Vegas have figured out what is needed and are on a glorious winning streak. Edmonton is writing it’s own story and there are some good things happening. May not catch Vegas, though.
- Podkolzin-McDavid-Hyman 10:25, 3-8 shots, 1-0 goals, 58X, 3-2 HDSC
- Frederic-Nuge-Kapanen 10:06, 6-4 shots, 2-0 goals, 91X, 3-0 HDSC
- Howard-Roslovic-Savoie 9:51, 8-7 shots, 1-0 goals, 28X, 3-7 HDSC
- Mangiapane-Lazar-Janmark 7:33, 2-2 shots, 43X, 2-4 HDSC
Some terrific performances here, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins two assists were exceptional, and Ike Howard picked up a nice assist on a Roslovic goal (he had two goals). Kasperi Kapanen also had a pair and Vasily Podkolzin chimed in. I want to mention Curtis Lazar crashing the net on the first goal. He’s really coming on now, good to see. Suspect a similar lineup tonight, impressed by all of the forwards last night. I mean, it was Vancouver and that is a bad team (Orland Kurtenbach would have fought three times) but credit where due.
- Ekholm=Bouchard 14:16, 7-5 shots, 2-0 goals, 72X, 6-3 HDSC
- Nurse-Emberson 14:10, 5-7 shots, 1-0 goals, 53X, 1-2 HDSC
- Walman-Stastney 10:04, 4-9 shots, 26X, 3-10 HDSC
- Tristan Jarry 31 of 31, shutout, 11 HDSC
Tristan Jarry got his first shutout with the Oilers and was busy and impressive in the game. His save percentage is .907, matching Connor Ingram, and it appears Stan Bowman has solved the net issue. Too soon to know for sure, but it’s trending in a good direction.
Jarry’s five-on-five save percentage with Edmonton is .922 through five games. Small sample, and last night’s shutout really brings the room together, but Jarry is an established goaltender with a solid resume. Stuart Skinner is doing well in Pittsburgh, and there is some truth to the idea one can be too long at the fair. You can carry the weight a long time, but it can wear you down. Both men appear to be enjoying the new situation, and the Oilers are 8-3-2 with the new tandem, 16-14-6 with Skinner-Pickard.
What will come for Calvin Pickard? An injury could occur, but it’s more likely the team tries to find him a solid landing spot. It’s also possible the club carries him through the rest of the season. Stan Bowman’s Dad Scotty Bowman had a three-goalie system in St. Louis (Glenn Hall, Jacques Plante, Robbie Irons) and Montreal (Michel Larocque, Michell Plasse, Wayne Thomas) and both franchises are still here. Important to separate our discomfort, and the media talking about how it never works, from the current realty. The risk of injury is real.
I like the third line but there’s no chance in hell they’ll be together in the playoffs. I think the No. 3 center job may land with Jack Roslovic, and wouldn’t be surprised if one of the two rookies stays on that unit. The Oilers will want a big winger there in my opinion. Given the fact the Oilers pipeline has three smaller wingers (Savoie, Howard, Hutson) who are either in the NHL or NHL-ready, it’s possible one of them exits via trade. It’s worth mentioning Howard and Hutson were procured by Bowman.
Last spring, Stan Bowman signed Quinn Hutson, Josh Samanski, Damien Carfagna and several others as non-NHL free agents. It was a watershed spring signing season for the Oilers. Can Bowman do it again?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6978183/2026/01/18/edmonton-oilers-depth-charts-signings-2026/
Tj Hughes cmon down
I’ve been watching Terry-Jonathan for what seems like forever. I wonder if he eventually becomes Savoie’s successor ( if Savoie is traded).
Noted you mentioned Greg Pilling in your article.
He was a fixture around CFRN and am wondering if you now if the is still with us?
Stauff says at least 2-3 NCAA and European signings are coming.
Will they be as impactful in the AHL, and for the org, as Samanski, Hutson, Leppanan, Marjala and Carfagna?
We’ll find out in due course.
The game was 3-0 at the end of the first where 8 minutes was special teams. Score effects used to be a thing but not anymore.
Blame Nurse!
The bottom six forwards had six total shots all game. Nurse and Walman have five total.
Blame Nurse!
Nurse and Stastney lead in TOI for a PK that goes 4/4. Screw that the score effects impacted fancies tell the real story.
Blame Nurse! What a bum!
Evan Bouchard since Dec 1
24 – 7 – 19 – 26 – +8 with 61 shots
Cale Makar since Dec 1
21 – 5 – 16 – 21 – -2 with 48 shots.
but not Olympian.
Nor should he be.
Thought y’all would be interested in goals saved above expected/60 min (min. 8 GP, 71 goalies qualify)
2-Sorokin +0.799
4-Vasilevksy +0.541
6-Thompson +0.525
8-Ingram +0.510
13-Jarry +0.424
——————————
16-Wedgewood +0.316
19-Hellebuyck +0.280
20-Gustavsson +0.245
26-Skinner +0.188
28-Wallstedt +0.119
54-Pickard -0.243
It looks like your numbers are per Moneypuck, All Situations. I took note of what they were the day of the trade: Jarry 0.725, Skinner 0.314, Picks -0.164. So they have all dipped a bit, which is understandable for Skinner and Jarry as they transition to new teams and adjust after injury for Jarry. Ingram is quite the story coming in from the AHL and putting up those numbers in the NHL.
Yes, Moneypuck.
Ingram is a story. So happy to have been wrong so far about his ability to recover. It was definitely a leap of faith after watching his AHL work.
I think the bigger story is having two Oilers goalies in the top 20% of any metric. Yes, Jarry earned a lot of that as a Pen, but another example of how they have made upgrades on both Skinner and Pickard. We are so used to seeing mediocre goaltending that this has been refreshing.
Roli, a couple seasons of Dubnyk, and Talbot for a year or 2?
Doug Armstrong was in the building tonight. It is Hyman vs. Schieffle vs. Bedard if Point isn’t ready.
Hyman’s case is a super strong one. Hyman has also played with Marner.
2 other things I want to highlight:
1) Hyman was singled out as having 19 G in 31 games, as a 50 goal/82 GP pace. True. But he took 6 games to get going from injury where he had 0.
A more accurate reflection is that he has 19G in last 25 G, which is 62-goal season pace. If he kept that up, he would finish the season with 43 goals in 63 games including the aforementioned 6 game acclimation period.
2) Of players that have taken 45 mins or more of 4v5, McDavid is tied for first in on-ice Goals% (50), and first in xGF% (35.8).
I know there are likely better stats. But to play the equivalent of 22.5 full penalties short handed and come up even is pretty great. The best defense is a good offense, right?
So next time some Neanderthal tells you that McDavid stuffs PP points, you can tell them that he also neutralizes other teams PPs…
Per Gregor, coach on Kap:
“He won’t return immediately, but it won’t be long term like his last injury,” Knoblauch on Kapanen.
That’s really good news
Former Oilers and soon to be Olympians on the Blues looked pretty average tonight. Nice to know most of the Oilers get a nice rest during the Olympics.
Ekholm made Broberg look like a boy against a man tonight. Just say it 🙂
Parayko on the Olympic team over Bouchard or Schaefer is egregious (Harley, Sanheim and Doughty as well).
Offence is doing it’s job, scoring timely goals…many of them. But big huge pats on the back to Mr. Bowman… got us 2 game changing/saving goalies. The play-making of the team’s skaters is increasingly impressive, as our 2 new tenders give them the confidence to play “their” game. So tonight I give high props to Stan.
I’ve been down on Oiler Gs since Roloson. I value shutouts more than most. G mostly responsible for the 2 points. H lundqvist would get 10+ shutouts in a season and I’d think you can count on 20 points banked just because of the G.
When is the last time Oilers have had back to back shutouts?
In May when they closed out Vegas, with Skinner.
Ah yes. How about Reg season?
OP recalled it was Campbell-Skinner a few seasons ago.
I’m not sure if that was the last back to back shutouts overall but the last by different goaltenders.
Looks like March 30 & April 1 2023, by Skinner & Campbell. Skinner 43 saves vs Kings and Campbell followed up with 36 saves vs Ducks
I remember a time when people, including some on this site, were lauding Landeskog for his durability and production and comparing him favourably to the Nuge.
At this point, it’s not even close, and I couldn’t be happier.
Next milestones for him are passing Lowe for 1037 games as Oiler, and gord willing, 1000 pts in the next 3-4 years in Oilers silks.
I was doing the rough calculations and if Nuge continues his 1pt/game pace to the end of the season, he’ll be around 820 career points. If he can average 60 pts over the next 3 years, he can pass 1000 points.
I’m not sure if he has a case for the Hall of Fame even if he goes past 1000, but he’s a shoe in for the Hall of Very Good. He’s always been underrated during his entire career but a Cup or two would go a long way to improving his chances.
His lack of hardware is going to be a factor. But I think he has the game that can allow him to play into late 30s with an IQ that will help him remain useful. And because he has always been humble and will accept any role, I think he can settle into a 3C with PK at some point. Although many here want him to do that now, he remains an excellent top 6 forward, as exhibited recently.
ON has a good piece with Ryan Jones – how many 1000 pt players can regularly PK?
Nuge has never scored 60 points in a season, so it will be tough 😁😁
Only one 50 pointer to his credit.
Two Stanley Cups would do it.
My feelings exactly, although when I said he was a shoe in for the Hall of Very Good earlier today at Oiler Nation the response wasn’t that positive.
Never ever. I’ve been team Nuge all the way and still feel he deserved the Calder.
Of course he did! He played like 20 games less than Landeskog and had the same number of points. Even back then he was counted on to play important minutes. To use GP as the deciding factor was absolute bullshit.
He was the best rookie that year – never understood why Landeskog got the nod over him.
3rd in Calder voting that year, BTW, was Adam Henrique
That’s a good trivia question 🙂
Ingram up to 0.917 SV% after his 27 save performance tonight. Tending the net in a rocking chair with lots of one and done chances. Doesn’t give out bad rebounds and very few scrambles needed. Positionally sound on every shot and tracking the puck well even if there’s traffic or not.
The mentality of the team is much calmer in front of him with no leaky or deflating goals.
If the duo can keep it up, Oilers are looking good.
Ingram, you sonofabitch.
Mentioned this earlier but lets not forget, there is no cap space to call anyone up if Kap can’t go next game (unless he goes on LTIR).
Oilers would have to play 11/7 and I they will not be able to avail themselves of an emergency recall unless they play short skaters for a game, not short by position.
The three goalies on the roster is not sustainable – they cannot live in fear of a potential injury – anyone can get hurt at any time.
They were comfortable with Tomkins as their 3G earlier and that’s before Ungar became at least part of the conversation.
They could make a move, but playing to the Olympic break with three goalies makes sense. One guesses the extent of the Kapanen injury may have an impact.
May I ask why it makes sense?
I mean, what changes after the Olympic break?
The Oilers might be down to 11 forward without cap space to call one up and have 3 goalies with one a clear 3rd to the other two.
From Sportsnet: “After the game, head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters that Kapanen’s injury seems more day-to-day rather than long-term.”
I agree. Tompkins has some NHL experience, an .892 sv% over six games with Tampa two years ago. I don’t think he’d be such a disaster playing a few games that the Oilers need to hang on to Pickard in case Ingram or Jarry get hurt.
In the mean time, the decision to keep Pickard around is depriving a guy like Samanski, a natural center excelling in the AHL, the opportunity to see how close he is to NHL duty.
Hell of a game! 11-0, bringing their goal differential to the highest it’s been all season with an exclamation point.
Love seeing Broberg and Holloway -2 each with another reminder of what they have been missing out on, punctuated by watching the celebration of an Oiler who just exudes commitment and team
honour.
Beautiful. Elbow delivered.
I mean, do you think Blues’ fans will be chanting Holloway and Broberg’s names at their 1000 game celebrations? Both will have signed big $ long-term contacts by end of year, and likely be onto the highest bigger thereafter
He’ll always be Baby Nuge to me. What a baby faced class act.
Janmark and co. making Nuge take another spin for the crowd at the end of the game was a great touch.
Its the kinda thing that, as a longtime Oiler fan, made me kinda choke up a bit.
The obvious support he has from his teammates shows just how respected he is by other players.
What a weekend!
From being shutout to back-to-back shutouts, well done Oilers! A great weekend and congrats again RNH!
11-0 goals across two wins is a pretty tidy weekend.
Go back one game further and that’s one goal given up on three games and they deserved that win against the Isles too.
Sidebar: 6-1 goals over two wins for the Condors as well.
27-save whitewash for Imperial Oil. Nice.
Back-to-back shutouts, outscoring 11-0. Very nice.
And both games without Draisaitl. Nice, nice, very nice.
Of course, it should be noted that neither team they beat is relevant.
And they did it with McDavid getting points on only 3 of the 11 goals.
Back to back shut outs! Who saw that coming? Wonder when it last happened??
Skinner in the last playoffs.
Ha ha short memory I guess!!
With different goaltenders, Skinner/Campbell did go back to back shutouts a few years back…
Great effort. Nice shutout by Ingram.
Jack doing his best to jinx Ingram.SMH
No Jack, they’re chanting Brogert Raggerkins.
I don’t know how he didn’t get that. There was also the big clue of someone’s 1000th game tonight….
Completely nullifying what should of been a celebratory moment with a low hockey iq call, amateur hour.
Perhaps he was still thinking about the music he was listening to in 1982.
They should team him up with Remenda in San Jose, 3 hrs of Jumbo Joe stories and early 80’s pop radio.
5th game in 7 nights, down a forward – gut out these last 10 minutes boys.
Oh, that did not look good for Sundqvist. Never a good sign when they have to rush a player off like that. Louie keeps saying he’s cut, I think to the leg or maybe foot above the skate?
Reading it was a cut above the ankle but thankfully did not cut the Achilles tendon
By my eye, the third line is getting quite a bit of ice with the Ek/Bouchard pairing and I like it – good offensive zone pressure most shifts.
Maybe HH can remind us of all the forwards Vancouver chose over Podkolzin
Don’t think you will hear from peckerwood tonight….
A coward and a liar
It doesn’t matter. Forwards will be lining up to play on Vancouver so they get a chance to play with the greatest defenseman in NHL history, Quinn Hughes.
Oh wait nm..
No, they were lining up to play with Leo Carlsson last time he weighed in on the matter.
Hard to see Binnigton playing any games in Olympics??
Jack making the broadcast about himself again.
No one cares what he listened to in 1982.
He is a glorified Steve Dangle.
It was such a treat to have that broadcast team yesterday
Huh? Shorthouse is the most homer of them sll
Ferraro is the goods.
Of course he’s a homer. Still, I like how Shorthouse calls the game.
I’m now watching the games w no sound. Or in Punjabi (which I don’t understand, but then I still get the audience noise).
Jack’s stock used to be on the rise with a bullet. He’s talked himself right out of it. Last night he was telling stories during two goals… usually it’s more.
Another whack a mole game. Loving it!
I posted the morning that, despite he goal, I don’t love Podz with McDavid – styles don’t seem to mesh to me.
Well, goals in back to back games by Podz set up by McDavid……
Why? He’s about as close to a Patrick maroon that we have
The young Russian Hyman is definitely a favorable match, drive to the net with your stick on the ice.
Actually I was thinking Connor might just be requesting that the young Russian continues to line up with him. Connor likely would be appreciating a hard working, physically engaged line mate… he goes to the net, he passes, and he shoots, seems like a match to me.
I think Draisaitl would have something to say about that.
How does McDavid concentrate enough to make that play? Amazing.
Terrible call.
Both this game and last Oilers have had offense going so they don’t seem like strong goalie games but Jarry last night and Ingram so far tonight have had strong calm nights in net. I don’t remember feeling this calm about Oiler goalies for a while and I’m a big Skinner and Picks fan.
Ingram makes saves because he is exactly where he is supposed to be. No extraneous movement.
Agreed. Very efficient in his movements and he swallows pucks.
rite?
Just speaking for myself here but there’s a couple things that make me calmer now. They are both playing well but since they are also new to the Oilers, they’ll get the benefit of the doubt when they allow goals. There have been some shaky moments, but fans are more accepting and less critical of those moments. I hope it continues for the Oilers, and I also hope Skinner continues to play well and that a good solution is found for Picks.
Is it just my old eyes or does Frederic look like he’s put together a few improved games in a row?
As Leon would say. It’s coming
It honestly seems that way. Here’s hoping. That would be a huge positive for the team.
I’m not seeing it. Plays still dying with him.
That might have been offside so the hockey gods have evened things out
Hyman from the hinterlands!
How many goals does Hyman have since the Olympic roster was announced? And does anyone on TC have as many in that span?
So that was his 8th goal since the Team Canada roster was announced. This is the Oilers’ 10th game since.
Think Hyman’s a little motivated?
EDIT: Looks like Matthews and Zibanejad have 9 since Jan. 1 (the day after TC was announced. Neither is Canadian though.)
Since Dec 1
McDavid 19
Hyman, Mackinnon, Nelson 16
Stamkos 15.
Hyman should be the first injury replacement call up imo.
Like, it doesn’t make sense that you would take Horvat over him. He is a natural fit to play as a pair with McDavid. Doesn’t kill penalties, though.
Savoie to me is a Nuge light. He seldom makes the wrong play and is excellent on the pk. He just isn’t the pp witch.. and needs to work on his wrister!
Any Kapanen sightings?
Not sure if they gave any updates but he hasn’t played since that shift.
Update from Stauffer. LBI for Kap, will not return. Crap.
Crap indeed
McDavid better start scoring in bunches soon or we’re going to start hearing how he’s lost it all over again
Iain McIntyre gave us some passive aggressive canuck commentary earlier today even. Aw Iain are you sad?
Bush league.
Is this a prime examples of the refs being fair on both ends of.the ice. By whistling and nulling the play?
Frederic will never score again.
Bad call. That was a goal.
Isn’t that then a penalty shot as it was covered in the crease by a player???
This is not Nam, this is bowling. There are rules!
Has to be the hand.
I thought he did scoop it with his hand.
Did KK actually raise his voice at the refs? Don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.
Nice to see Roslovic clear the crease area assertively. More please.
That was a confident save by Ingram – aggressive and confident.
Love that shot from Ekholm from the blue line, perfect for the deflection by Hyman.
Broberg sure spent a lot of that 1st period starring at the rafters…