When we last left our heroes, the puck was demonized, or so it seemed. The Oilers ask a lot of their defense, and the gaps between the blue and the forwards seem to be at Robert Nilsson levels this season. Not always, but enough for me to wonder if there are two offensive minds behind the bench fighting for the right to party. When the Oilers play their brand of hockey, the music soars like Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries. When the Oilers are out of time, it’s the Ramones I Wanna Be Sedated. What, friend, will we see tonight?
WHAT TO EXPECT IN MARCH
- At home to: OTT, CAR (Expected 1-1-0) 1-0-0
- On the road to: VEG, COL, DAL, STL (Expected 2-2-0)
- At home to: NAS, SJS, FLA, TBAY (Expected 2-1-1)
- On the road to: UTA, VEG (Expected 1-1-0)
- At home to: ANA, SEA (Expected 1-1-0)
- Expected Record: 7-6-1, 15 points in 14 games
- Actual Record: 1-0-0
- Season Record: 30-24-8, 68 points in 62 games
I have the Oilers grabbing 15 points this month, but the team needs 20. That February run was the early distant warning line that tells us the Oilers aren’t going to contend for the division title and have no interest in making it easy on themselves with postseason matchups. In a way, it’s noble, but mostly it’s wasteful.
A CONVERSATION
How do these two teams compare? Hurricanes have 85 points after 61 games, Edmonton has 68 points after 62 games. Hurricanes score 2.78 goals-60 at five-on-five, Edmonton 2.6 goals-60. Carolina allows 2.3 GA-60, the Oilers 2.85. Edmonton owns a blistering power play (13 GF-60, Hurricanes 8.36).
The Hurricanes don’t have the Oilers top end talent. There is no McDavid, Draisaitl or even Evan Bouchard on the roster, but the team is balanced and plays a strong game across 200 feet. Plus the Hurricanes appear to have solved the goalie problems. They did it inexpensively, too. On the team’s 70th goalie waiver claim of the last five seasons, Carolina struck gold with Brendan Bussi.
Why are they so successful? Hurricanes have some key players who are not as famous as they should be. Jaccob Slavin plays 22 minutes a night, 44 percent of the five-on-five minutes are against elites, and he delivers a 58 percent Fenwick against the NHL’s best. That’s outstanding. Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal give the team strength at center, and there’s exceptional talent on the wings. This is a deep team.
Is this about the Oilers at the draft? Actually, yes. The original sin for the Oilers in the McDavid era was the trade for Griffin Reinhart in 2015. Peter Chiarelli’s first job was to convince ownership that a quick rebuild by trading draft picks and signing free agents needed a velvet glove and not a hammer. The second thing he needed to do is understand what he had bubbling under. The Reinhart trade was unnecessary, because Oscar Klefbom, Darnell Nurse and Brandon Davidson were NHL-ready (Klefbom had already played a full season-ish), and he signed Andrej Sekera in free agency a few days later. Foolish to trade for Reinhart.
You endorsed Chiarelli. Said good things. Misled people. Sad. I did. That is true. I genuinely believed he could get the Oilers a Stanley. Wrong as wrong can be.
You should feel shame. Sure. There were clues, too. I just didn’t read them properly.
What do you mean? In April 2015, Joe Haggarty wrote this for Comcast Sportsnet: “Top draft choice Connor McDavid is heading to Edmonton, and there’s a good chance the Oilers will make Jordan Eberle or Taylor Hall available this summer. And a team like Edmonton will be in the market for a number of things to upgrade its flawed roster. They’ve long appreciated Milan Lucic’s game in Edmonton, and the Oilers need Lucic’s type of toughness, size and snarl among their top six forwards. Lucic is good friends with ex-Bruin and current Oilers captain Andrew Ference, and Edmonton is exactly the kind of offensive setting where the left winger could put together a gaudy contract year with free agency looming.” That was over a year before Hall was dealt and Lucic was signed.
Good Christ. What did you say at the time? I wrote “The trades Mr. Haggerty is discussing above are very expensive for Edmonton. Milan Lucic’s one season in Edmonton would cost five seasons of Taylor Hall (under contract) or four seasons of Jordan Eberle. Hall’s worst season in the last three years (2014-15) is a match for Lucic’s best year in the same three-year period. Hall during the two healthy seasons is among the very best LW’s in the game offensively. Unless you place enormous value on the enforcer role, these two players don’t belong in the same conversation. Lucic is down in 5×5/60 season over season and his Corsi for 5×5 % is trending downward as well. NHL history is absolutely full of players who are physically dominant in their 20’s and injury prone after establishing themselves. Al Secord was done by his 30th birthday, that sort of thing.”
You got it right! No I didn’t! I got it wrong. Way wrong. I was saying Chiarelli would never do something so reckless and then he did! In fact, he did it two months after I wrote that piece reacting to the Haggerty verbal by trading for Reinhart.
Boy you suck. Well, yeah, had that wrong. I think I was more measured with Ken Holland and now with Stan Bowman. I guess my generation was spoiled by Glen Sather.
And maybe you’re no damn good at reading the numbers. I had the numbers right. It’s people that elude me.
People, they’re the worst. Which brings us to today. Taylor Hall’s Carolina Hurricanes play the Oilers tonight, and I’ll confess some worry about what Stan Bowman will do. He says he’s done, but general managers are always fibbing around the deadline.
What has your gonch in a knot? Kevin Weekes this morning on twitter: Early morning Rumblings ;
Per sources – Bobrovsky, Wallstedt, Ingram, Binnington, Stolarz and Skinner. Have been discussed in different potential trade scenarios. Goalie Market is intriguing.
Oh God. Yes.
On the Lowdown today, it’s trade deadline day. Steve Lansky will drop in and I’ll be part of the Fantasy Frenzy crew at 11, plus hang around for the fist hour of the Gregor show. All happening at Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Edmonton Oilers 2026 trade deadline report card: Grading GM Stan Bowman’s moves
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7082699/2026/03/06/oilers-2026-nhl-trade-deadline-grades/
Summarizing! (Part Dos)
Lafreniere scored goals 34 and 35 and tacked on an assist. He also had a game-high 6 SOG and was named 1st star for his efforts.
Of all the crappy deals I think Bowman made, I remain convinced that the Jarry trade was a reasonable thing to do at the time.
I am going to point out a few facts:
I am literally baffled at those who defended Skinner’s annual decline (there were people here who were still asking for a larger sample size), while writing off Jarry after these TWELVE games as an Oiler.
I am willing to say that the doubters may end up being right about Jarry. But you’re definitely not giving him enough rope for the reason that the team has not been good enough to compensate for his play. In Skinner’s case, having a team xGF% near the top of the league covered for his flaws.
So, for anyone who thinks this was a “horrible” trade and trying to compare this to Skinner’s current form is definitely wrong. We had years of data staring us in the face, and Skinner is literally continuing to produce that data for Pittsburgh in spite of lower workload and pressure. And if Skinner does somehow manage to improve his play, and it is sustained year over year, it would have been unpredictable to anyone other than the voodoo practitioners themselves
I heartily agree with this. The main problem on our team is NOT the goalies. Not saying they could do with a good bit of improvement, but it’s a team game. This team isn’t playing as a team at the moment
I thought it was terrible. They should have removed one of Pickard or Stu and started taking flyers on guys sometime last season or prior.
Wasting assets the way the Oilers do and especially our 3 most recent failed up gms is a recipe for disaster.
I can’t find a reason to convince myself that it isn’t over for this team. I think it was over before Holland left. Bowman is an unmitigated disaster and doesn’t deserve the job he has. I’m guessing he’s never held one he deserved.
I agree Jarry deserves more time to prove himself as an Oiler, especially with the Oilers recent play and his injury, and I believe he will get that time. I also agree his cap hit is going to end up being less than Skinner’s starting next season, and that was part of the decision Bowman made.
However, you seem to be trying to boost your defence of Jarry by continuing to discredit Skinner’s play in Pittsburgh. I’ve noticed it a few times. People around here were saying Skinner was best in a tandem or 1A/1B situation and it’s being proven in PIT right now, but now being used against him by Oiler fans. Jarry and Ingram as a tandem in EDM has had a few bright spots but overall has not adjusted to what is needed. The playoffs, if the Oilers get there, are unknown, but you may want to look at Jarry’s results and hope he’s better with the Oilers.
You brought up Skinners sv% in PIT. Ok. He took 3 games to settle in before ending 2025 with a 1 GA .964 win vs the Canes. In 2026 he has gone 8-2-2 with GAA 2.25, sv% .907, 5v5 sv% .921. He had a couple 5 GA games before the break (1 W, 1 OTL), and he gave up 5 GA in his first game vs the Oilers. Overall, in his 15 games with the Pens, he’s had 9 games with a sv% above .900, 11 games 3 or less GA, and 8 games 2 or less GA.
I’m not going to be bringing up every time Skinner has a good or bad game with the Pens, because he’s no longer an Oiler. However, the positive difference in his play has been very noticeable. There’s more communication with the skaters, confidence, timely saves and fewer bad goals against. We need Jarry to be able to get to that point with the Oilers, because while it started off well, it’s not a good situation right now.
I was honestly expecting vegas deal. He could do well with ths
At type of team
And yet, you just did bring up the good and the bad games. That is Skinner. Always has been. He’s the Ricky Bobby of goalies. People were praising him during the good play streak in Pittsburgh. I was thinking it would even out with him, because it ALWAYS does (see ON article I posted).
Jarry was the starting goalie for several years, and again, because it needs to be said, 12 games since returning from injury behind the worst version of Oilers D that I have seen in years.
Skinner wasn’t the answer, unless he was going to accept 1A/B prices on another show me deal, rather than starter salary for long-term. Jarry may not be the answer, as I said, but the commitment is less concerning.
I’m not going to bring up Skinner unless it’s in response to a comment that I feel warrants an explanation. It’s that simple and that is the case this morning.
Back to Jarry, he does need more time, and I feel he will get it, however, we do also need to realize he is older, has had more non-contact injuries in the past couple of seasons, has not found success in the playoffs and may not be the answer. Ingram may not be either. Buying into team defense would certainly help the goalies become the answer though, individually or in tandem.
-Stu had a better save % in each of the three years before this season. I believe he had better GSAA 2 of three seasons as well. Jarry was waived last year. Jarry has also been in decline in save % the last three years except for 14 games this year that Bowman bought high on.
-we would kill for an .893 right now. Hes doing very well in Pittsburgh at 5v5 (better than Jarry was there). Not as good on the PK.
-Stu was inconsistent. I think he just needed a better partner here. He was never meant to be the starter, and was paid like a 1B or backup. Him and Ingram could have worked or him and DiPietro, etc. anything to not take on Jarry’s contract especially with giving up additional valuable assets.
-Stu’s playoff experience is very valuable. Yes he had bad starts, which is why he needed a good partner. But he also stole us some games. We have zero clue how Jarry or Pickard will be in the playoffs. They could very well be worse.
it was a horrendous trade right from the start
Like Tkachuk, I think that I “can do math good”.
Since January 1, the Oilers have scored 86 goals.
They have given up 22 goals within 3 minutes of these goals (25.6%, so roughly a 1/4 chance you will be cursing at the screen shortly after celebrating a goal).
In the 10 wins during that span, they have given up 7 goals within 3 minutes of the 55 goals scored, for a 12.7% rate (5.5 G/game in the wins)
In the 12 losses during that span, they have given up 15 goals within 3 minutes of the 31 goals they have scored, for an spectacularly bad 48.4% rate of an immediate setback.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. This is a team that sustain momentum after a goal. In the Dickinson-Murphy era they gave up 2 goals within the first 3 minutes of their first goal. Coach gots to go…
With the Sharks point tonight, the Oilers no longer “control their own destiny”
Is this team any better this year after we blew all these futures?
Stan needs to go
They gave up two futures, one being a 2nd round pick 3 drafts away.
No need to exaggerate the spend.
You’re missing the point OP … this year’s team sucks. Like missing the playoffs bad.
And even if they somehow manage to get into the playoffs as a wildcard, they are going to get waxed by the Avs in the first round.
Spending those futures on this year’s team leaves them with less ammunition to trade to make next year’s team better. Instead, they used those picks to trade for two soon-to-be UFAs in a misguided attempt to save face.
They should’ve acknowledged that the team they put together was not close to be a contender this season, and kept their powder dry.
I’m not missing the point, I’m not agreeing with the point and I don’t agree they will get waxed in any round before three (unless they are WC2).
They also gave up a first round pick for a defensive depth center essentially locking themselves from lotto protection. Are we certain we don’t need lotto protection?
There was more to the deal that acquiring Dickinson – that trade also opened up $3.6MM of cap space for next season and brought in another forward with a certain skill set who could have some upside.
I also don’t agree that they “could have traded Mang in the summer for an asset” – I don’t see his value changing while in the org down the stretch.
Does the coach have control of the bench or do McDavid and Draisaitl go on when they want?
The evidence is there
Coach KK has zero answers. No idea why McDavid and Drai are not as effective together but still putting them out there in desperation. Nurse has been better last few games but Walman continues to be awful. He had a huge role to play on at least 3 goals against tonight.
Are you referring to Gregor asking him about why he keeps putting them together when they are only +1? It was a great question. And I didn’t really understand the answer. Roll the damn lines!
Doesnt look like its his choice to make
I don’t think we were ever Stanley Cup contenders this year – maybe we should have just kept our powder dry?
Why not call up Ungar and give him a shot? What’s the worst that could happen, he gives up 5 goals and we lose the game?
ECHL right to the big time!
Maybe we should give Tomkins a run?
He had a good run while in the AHL. He has been hot all year so why not roll the dice on him.
because he had 3 increasingly bad games in the AHL, was sent to the ECHL and continued with 3 more bad games…
Ok, I stand corrected
Can’t be any worse than Tristan Jarry’s most recent stretch:
6-3 loss to the Canes
6-5 loss to the Ducks (got pulled)
7-3 loss to the Wild (got pulled)
Yes, it can.
We could miss the playoffs
A team with no structure will go nowhere even if they make it
I said this back in Nov, but games in Oct Nov have never had much meaning to this org
I do wonder if we see a new coach after this game. More likely they wait to see how the road trip goes. They won’t tolerate more games like this after just giving up a first to go all in though.
This thought has been on and off all season so dont see it happening now. Im not sure KK has much influence anyway
I think this is exactly what the team needed.
Under one minute in the first period decided this game, personal performances aside. Carolina definitely looks better, which is scary. The bar has been set before going on the road, I’d expect the team to rise to the occasion and put together some good 60min efforts.
Imagine going on a typical Oilers heater just in time for playoffs? Whoa.
Imagine not making the playoffs? Oh…
If anyone is scoreboard watching, if the Sharks come back against the Blues (as likely as it not happening), they could be out of a playoff spot as soon as tomorrow night, with SJ and SEA wins. Both those teams have multiple games in hand.
To reach 96 points, they can only afford four more losses. 3 could easily come in the next 3 games.
Very bleak times.
Ducks blew 4-2 and 5-4 leads and are in OT with the Habs.
Vegas is down 3-0.
Sharks are down 2-1
96 points won’t be needed to make the playoffs in the West.
Ducks win 6-5 in a shootout.
Now 5 points ahead of the Oilers with one game in hand.
1st in the Pacific in points pending the Vegas game.
Sharks tie it up with 6:34 to go.
Kiefer Sherwood with the goal.
Going to OT.
Blues win in OT but Sharks get a point.
By percentage, they are out.
Come tomorrow, they could still be in by total points, but the story has already been written folks.
I maintain, that loss to the ducks was the most consequential regular season loss in the McDavid era. Just a point in that game would have meant so much.
Two more years! Dick-Dach, Dick-Dach, Dick-Dach.
Dach with a -3 and seemed to be standing still on the goals against
Ya, Dach should not play another game
The Oilers got schooled tonight by a disciplined team that considers itself a cup contender. I would say it’s something for the players and management to think about but tonight was not the first time that happened this season.
Got schooled is a bit rich.
Disciplined? First penalty, against Oilers, Miller grabs Hymans stick and takes it for a run.
Secondly, Cup contender? Yes they looked good but I’ll believe it when I see it. Same sh*t, different year with that team. Got rolled 4-0 last year’s ECF.
It ain’t happening people.
The trade for Dickinson is a such a desperation move, and an understated, slow motion car wreck.
It is now an unprotected 26 pick to San Jose for Walman. So the Sharks not only have the motivation to make the playoffs as is, but can also earn themselves a decent pick the further the Oilers fall.
And for what? 18 games of not Mangepaine? He couldn’t have been moved in the offseason? Was it worth a first to move him, just to get smoked by the Avs in four at best?
One game. Dickenson has played one game for the Oil. Step off the ledge.
I’m not blaming the player. Dickinson is who he is, and in theory, he’s a fine pickup for a playoff going team.
But this team is far from having that secured, and just gave the team trying to chase them even more of a reason to catch up.
It was far too risky to trade the 27 pick to get out of a second year of Mangepaine, when frankly, the difference between him and Dickinson will be negligible at best, especially as Dickson is a UFA
100% this. They could have traded Mang to the flames in the off-season and got a 5th round pick
you know this because…..?
Same reason they traded for Strome. They need players and contracts on short term deals. They are in a rebuild and won’t be attracting any big ticket free agents this summer. Mang has sentimental value in Calgary
Because they got rid of Arvidsson in the same manner this past off-season.
Before the game, excitement for the new guys was subdued because there is still no answer in net.
What is it now? 4 of the last 19 games they’ve had a sv% over .900?
Don’t trust either of them. Atleast Stu n Pic got hot once in a while. I’ve yet to see either come close.
They are certainly not committed to being hard to play against. McDrai out for minute and a half. Change. Off ice for 20 seconds and hop back over the boards. KK needs to be more in control of his bench.
He’s the one sending them back over the boards.
Maybe he is in control of his bench. Would explain a lot.
Dont think he has as much influence as a typical nhl coach on who’s going over the boards or how they play
It might be just as well that they don’t make the playoffs.
Mcdavid is definitely not shooting the puck. Like not a single real shot of any wind up or snap since olympics
So glad we traded away a first and a second for 2 fringe players in a non competitive year…
I feel they cant have McDavid carry it in all the time they got to switch that strategy up
Carolina plays how I wish the Oilers would. Fast and everyone is committed to their system. Good team.
But that may mean no scoring titles
Or conference titles or SCF appearances.
we could barely get the puck up to centre ice towards the end there. Hate the C*nes, but they play their system to a T
It looks like we’re going to need 7 to win tonight
Lol
They need to get rid of Knoblauch. This is a terribly coached team. That EN goal sequence was just a umpteenth example of it.
The Oilers have been mashing teams 6 on 5 lately. Yes, they didn’t tonight, had a bad 6 on 5 shift but I’m not sure how that is, all of a sudden a sign the coach should be fired given how great they’ve been in that game state recently.
The first segment is true, but the rationale is not
How long was that shift? How long was Bouchard how there? Why did that first powerplay do nothing? Tired players aren’t good players. Yet we keep going back to the same well.
Yep, too easy. Rim it around the boards and no one picks up Stall
Details. Habits. That’s the difference.
That is what they’ll tell is in the post-game media….. again.
Coaching.
Culture
Hyman scored but he’s had a brutal game puck play wise.
He’s got plenty of company on that
Hyman, nice shot!
Hyman keeping the lights on
We’re not done yet
Shine on you crazy Hyman!
Lucy in the the sky with Hyman!
There goes Rhymin’ Hyman…
So it is possible to call a penalty on Carolina. How about that.
Sometimes the other team is just better
There’s alot of better teams
And sometimes the better team doesn’t win.
Yes
Hope those of you who wanted forwards that can’t score and D who don’t attack are enjoying the sort of game you asked for.
Are you salty that fans want Oilers to play defence?
Suddenly! Dickenson and Murphy are responsible for the lack of offense.
Sounds like a Spector headline.
Not sure what your point is. If you think we’ll always play from behind I suppose you’re right. But having a defensive conscience on the team is exactly what we need now.
You don’t defend by deploying forwards who can’t score and D who don’t move the puck.
The idea that attacking hockey isn’t defensively strong hockey, and that players who score can’t defend is absurdity. Yet, it is what a bunch of people believe.
The idea that playing attacking hockey means the players don’t have to play defensive hockey is what’s absurd.
What sport did these refs come from?
Bettman sunblelt diva hockey.
That’s a weak call on Ekholm.
The real mistake was thinking that this team should have been buyers this year. No playoffs and no good picks for years and a boatload of bad contracts. Doom and gloom is real
Walman is going to be a long term problem it seems. Standing on the goalie for the first goal. Standing around doing nothing on that goal.
Please remind me why we needed to pay 7×7? Wild.
So next year Nurse and Wallman combined will cost over $16 million!! That’s some cap management for two struggling D men.
I’ll reserve judgment for a non-injury, non-KK year.
farg
Summarizing! (Part the First)
Fischer netted his 6th goal and added an assist.
Nicholl and Lewandowski each had an apple.
Berry was denied soup but St. Thomas won Game 1 in OT.
Lafreniere’s match is in progress, and he is already a resoupient.
Man, they need this kill
Oilers need to rally vs. Raleigh.
Quick, call Roli’ out of retirement.
Ptsd just kicked in
Jarventie draws a PP right away, they go back to work and a great pass from the corner to the front of the net which Hutson jams in. Howard with the beautiful pass. 2-1.
Great puck retrieval on the PP, Hutson with a beautiful in-zone skill rush, around the net, out to Marjala who shoots one in off Howard to the the game. Tuscon goal was on a 5 on 4 second after the Condors had killed 1:41 of 5 on 3.
Big third period – lets go!
Random thought… saw Bouchard make some smart, strong defensive plays. It’s far fetched but in 4 years, I could see him nearing Pronger territory.
Continue his growth as an overall defenseman, watch a ton of Chuck Norris movies and grow his beard to look like Ekholm’s.
Al MacInnis. Big Al went from a mainly offensive d-man to a Norris trophy winner.
Al definitely had that patience on his stick, tough but not mudersome like Pronger. One can hope, but a damn good floor.
Hopefully Jarry didn’t tweak whatever kept him out earlier. He was full marks in the 2nd period
If McDavid never wins a Cup, Oilers management will be first to blame.
Second, the NHL. How the f*ck can you play through that crap and get called on the retaliation. I just had a conversation with a daycare worker, they always see the retaliation. Bless them, and blast the refs!
In McDavid’s case, everyone’s eyes are on him and the interference is so bloody blatant. Woof. Not even playoffs and it makes the blood boil.
Canes full marks for the 3-2 lead after 2
Outshot 17-9 in the second period
The good news is we’re still in this
Oilers have to get more shots on goal.
Jarry seems to have put the lid back on the jar ry