I think we have this team surrounded. Yesterday I wrote “the turnovers bring sadness and sorrow. I think it will cost Edmonton eventually, hope I’m wrong” but it happened just that way. Lots of rage today from fans who don’t think the Oilers tried, but for me this is more inability to adapt more than lack of effort. The Oilers simply cannot beat the Panthers forecheck. Why? It would require a change of style. Please read this.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN MARCH
- At home to: OTT, CAR (Expected 1-1-0) 1-1-0
- On the road to: VEG, COL, DAL, STL (Expected 2-2-0) 2-1-1
- At home to: NAS, SJS, FLA, TBAY (Expected 2-1-1) 2-1-0
- 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: 5-3-1
- Season Record: 34-27-9, 77 points in 71 games
No one wants to win the Pacific, so the Oilers still have a chance and that’s good. I don’t think they’ll get far in the playoffs, but betting against Connor McDavid is a bad idea.
CRAIG MACTAVISH
In the spring of 2006, Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish deployed a different strategy in the first round playoff series against the Detroit Red Wings. MacT changed strategy enough to clog up the neutral zone and make progress difficult. It was a new look, and the heavily favoured Red Wings had a tough time with it. MacT got buy-in from everyone, and that was key. Shawn Horcoff blocking shots with his face, Chris Pronger punishing everything with a winged wheel while also scoring goals frequently, Ales Hemsky playing the best hockey of his life, Brad Winchester picking a grand time to score his first NHL goal. The Oilers worked hard and smart, giving Detroit a look they were not used to from the Edmonton side. It worked.
Years later, the Florida Panthers would give the Oilers a Rubik’s Cube they never could figure out. Why? It requires everyone to be mindful of what they are leaving on a play in terms of opportunity, and to cheat for defense.
This Oilers team has never learned that lesson. So, the lingering memory of Oilers-Panthers in this era is an Oilers sortie with promise, loose puck, jailbreak the other way, Panthers goal. Everyone got so excited for the scoring chance everyone forgot about a possible sequence after the Edmonton opportunity.
- Podkolzin-McDavid-Savoie 8:55, 7-5 shots, 62X, 5-1 HDSC
- Jones-Henrique-Frederic 3:52, 0-1 shots, 0X, 0-1 HDSC
- Hyman-Nuge-Roslovic 3:22, 0-2 shots, 13X
- Ekholm-Bouchard 17:10, 13-4 shots, 0-1 goals, 86X, 10-1 HDSC (!!)
- Nurse-Murphy 13:58, 2-6 shots, 54X, 3-1 HDSC
- Walman-Stastney 10:39, 1-6 shots, 7X, 0-4 HDSC
- Connor Ingram 19 of 23, .826
Matt Savoie had five HDSC’s at five-on-five, absolute brilliance. The top line and top pairing had clean air because they could outlet, but the Panthers used the forecheck to addle the Oilers when other lines were engaged.
I think Mr. Knoblauch should buy Mr. MacTavish a coffee and have a chat about overcoming the obstacle represented by the Panthers forecheck. Do you remember Game 6, one year ago? The first GA? Mattias Ekholm tries to get the puck out twice, and each time a Panther is in the way. How does Florida do it? I think it’s because they know the Oilers won’t adapt, so can clog up the lanes that Edmonton will use. The Oilers are too predictable.
I know there will be plenty of chatter about how the team didn’t show up, but for me they did show up but weren’t prepared for the test, the same one they’ve been taking for three years. That will define the Knoblauch era, I’m afraid. The Florida Panthers are this team’s Moby Dick. I think the coach sees the Florida Panthers in every team the Oilers play. The inability to devise a workaround really is quite something. The Edmonton Oilers of the McDavid era are apparently going to be defeated by a simple game plan. Suffocating forechecks only work when the opponents refuses to adapt.
Look there are smart hockey people who forget more than I will ever know about hockey by noon every day. I get that. However, the Oilers not having an answer to a dual forecheck is going on three years. You can blame effort and goaltending and luck and the ref not calling penalties all you want, but refusal to change the game plan is the primary issue. Lessen the gap between Edmonton forwards and defense, made short, quick passes out of the zone, always outnumber Florida’s forecheckers, use the middle of the ice for passing, carry speed through the neutral zone. I don’t believe the Oilers have enough defensemen who can pass the puck well enough anymore, that’s going to need addressing in the summer.
On the Lowdown today, we’ll talk about the Oilers, the Pacific division, March Madness and Blue Jays baseball. Steve Lansky will be our feature guest and we hit the airwaves at noon, Sports 1440 and You Tube. Talk soon!
How an Edmonton Oilers’ playoff run may dictate future of younger players
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7125601/2026/03/20/edmonton-oilers-stats-standings-playoffs-matt-savoie/
Summarizing!
Nicholl scored his 14th goal and had a team-high 5 SOG. He was named 3rd star for his efforts.
Lafreniere scored into a yawning cage for his 39th tally of the year.
Berry picked up an assist on St. Thomas’s only goal in a 4-1 loss. They will be on the bubble to be selected to the Frozen Four field.
Lewandowski was denied the gift of soup in a loss which cements them in 6th. The Blades will play Edmonton in Round 1.
Columbus with a new coach is nearly undefeated over 20 games, and people really telling me the Oilers season couldn’t have been salvaged by a better tactitian on the bench?
We’d be better with a new coach. For 2 years. Then we’d be done with them. We are a throw away society and the easiest way to work through challenges is to throw the coach away.
Colorado the first team to clinch a playoff spot and first to 100 points as they whip the Blackhawks 4-1 outshooting them 49-20.
MacKinnon with 3 points to pull even with Kucherov at 114 points, 1 behind McDavid with 2 games in hand.
And now you’ve cursed them again.
Lose in 7 in the first round, just like last year.
Howard from behind the net to the top of the circles where Petrov snaps home the Condors’ third goal (Howard’s third point). Down 4-3.
Howard to Leppanen and a wild spino-rama backhand pass to Hutson driving the net and he buries it for 2-2.
Hutson with a nice transition pass to Howard who shoots through the defender and rips one home off the rush.
No one may care, but apologies to LT, OP and the gang, for blowing a gasket the other night, with the OT loss to St Louis. Everyone was pissed.
With personal loss comes perspective, and I’ve come to realize these past few years have been incredible.
This team has always been far from perfect, such as all things in life. A thousand things to appreciate, and a thousand things to pick apart with this team/coaching/management.
From what I hear, Marchand and Weight are on Grier’s staff. Maybe a second team to cheer for in the future, but not yet… not yet.
I understand the frustration, but these will be the “good ol days” soon enough. Enjoy it while it lasts.
My wife has been right for three years in a row, post deadline guess of who makes the finals. Not an Edm fan. She said Oilers vs Lightning a few weeks back. Tomorrow’s game could be a final preview? Haha, not likely, but I’ve been saying that for years and I’ve been wrong for the last two.
In the end, I’ll appreciate every game I get to see McDavid, Nuge and Drai in Oilers silks.
No need to apologize to me – all good.
Hope all is well.
The Oilers at +13 with Bouchard on the ice and -30 with him off the ice (5 on 5).
The Oilers at +3 with McDavid on the ice and -21 with him off the ice (5 on 5).
This whole “you’ve got to take the bad with the good” narrative on Bouchard is absolutely wild given how much more he creates than he gives up – its like not even close.
Every 4-5 games when he makes a mistake like he did on goal 2 (#1 isn’t even on him, he help position in their offensive zone structure and McDavid made the primary mistake) this narrative comes up. Nurse could easily have recognized and covered on goal 2 as well.
Go watch Makar, Werenski , Hughes and all the others and see how often they are making mistakes on goals against.
On Ice Goal% 5V5
Makar – 65.4
Bouchard – 54.5
Do you have some evidence that refutes this?
What in the world does that have to do with anything – my post was comparing a team’s play with Bouchard on and off the ice.
On ice Goal% 5 on 5:
Bouchard: 54.5%, Oilers: 47.15%
Makar: 65.4%, Avs: 63.3%
Please tell me I don’t have to explain what this means to you.
You realize Makar is an integral part of the Avs massive advantage right?
So I do have to explain what those numbers show…. wow.
Avs with Makar – 65% goals. Avs withotu Makar 62% goals
Oilers with Bouchard – 54% goals. Oilers without Bouchard – 41% goals
You don’t. Everyone with a brain and eyes can understand the relative difference, even DSF
that’s the thing… you need a properly functionning brain 🙂
Things are getting thin for the Condors with Jones and Jarventie up (and Samanski).
Hutson back up to the 1st line with Howard and Marjala – Hutson had been on the third line for a while.
D’Amato at 2LW with Griffith and Hamblin.
Josh Brown still out but going 11/7 with Tomkins getting the start.
Not at all Oiler related but just went down the Jordan Stall rabbit hole after checking box scores. Unreal level of consistency for 20 years, similar to Crosby with basically a wash, rinse, repeat year over year.
Of course one putting up elite first line stats for 20 plus years and the other putting up elite 3rd line stats for 20 years… Sometimes I don’t communicate the important parts…
Staal played higher in the lineup for years before settling into a 3rd line 2 way role.
Kopitar another example.
Best not to read too much into last nights game, flush and move on. Just need to keep grinding down the stretch and hopefully make the dance in the best position possible.
Definitely.
If anything, this team is competent at moving on from a poor performance. Unlike us fans.
The Oilers playoffs are like mini versions of the regular season, highest of highs, lowest of lows.
Never been easy being Oilers fan. Jekyll and Hyde.
Agree – they lost to an Eastern conference team after two wins against Western conference teams.
The Oilers had already beaten the Panthers this year, post cup loss – this was just another game against an eastern opponent, no matter how much extra meaning Rishaug and Spector want to give it.
They didn’t even play that bad, to my eye.
Well stated LT. That 2006 series vs Detroit was a splendid example of a coach getting complete buy in for a system designed to defeat a superior skilled team. Maybe the most satisfying moment for an Oiler fan since 1990.
I don’t think the people with influence in the org are willing to depart far from the current system. This system supports winning scoring titles. Definatley does not support winning Vezinas or Selkes! I suspect KK does not have sufficient influence to change the system.
Gregor talking to Button about the game. I don’t always agree with Gregor, quite often not with Button, but some good points were raised
The 2 points were the most important thing, but because it was the panthers, the game was also a bell weather. About approaching the game as the greats have. MacT has told a lot of stories about playing with Messier and his fire to dominate. Button mentioned him and players like Lidstrom. He talked about MacT referring to gamesmanship, and Messier beating up a Capital that had been checking him at the end of a game. He said it wasn’t about the guy, it was about the rest of the players in the league. ‘Want some of that?’
The great players wanted to ‘beat your ass’ as he said. Not get two points, beat you and the points come with it. Never accept not winning, even if you can’t win them all
It’s a deeper level of desire. Peplinski talking about Messier – ‘I was playing a hockey game, he was on a mission’. It’s a pride thing about not taking crap, not letting your current greatest foe come into town, drink your beer, and take your 2 points, with very little push back. As Button said it wasn’t five years ago, it was last year, and the year before
I and they don’t mean fighting, it’s battle level and team pride. A couple of the panther guys took the Canucks off, I think we know why. Gregor doesn’t think it has much to do with the coach, I think it does more than him, or the coach should be trying to manage the group to be ready for important games, even if it’s symbolic
Protect and grow the group mentality. If the coach can’t help that much, the GM has to inject some of that mentality in to the team, players who are built like that. My issue with the coach isn’t this so much, more I don’t like his tactics
We lost a lot of depth guys that were like that.
Everybody flamed me for saying that we should have paid the 2nd to pick up Perry at the trade deadline. But Perry was (and is) a guy like that.
LT: Floridas Rubik’s cube was presented on HFboards by Oilerbear Apr 17-21, 2017 Theory #50 Final 4 Rosters. Stated. vk would likely be a Goal against cup final team. VGK would take100% matching in exp draft. mgmt It now requires greater depth.
We got A Nepo Baby (CHI roster in place when daddy fired Talon) who road Talons coattails (Roster) for gm.
Kept watching all the critical parts of theory be sent off by him.
But miracles happen!
But currently the def Math ain’t mathing!
15 GFR. Likely headed to Dialysis
Better see Mcdavid & Draisaitl agian before McDavid/Drai or I am gone!
Yeah, this team has been managed to death by seasoned professionals at managing teams to their demise.
I think this is bang on LT.
I remember watching last year’s Stanley Cup final and thinking… “they haven’t learned anything”. The will, the try. It was there. However, they just didn’t seem to be playing smart.
As a result. I wasn’t as sad last year. They never stood a chance, because they didn’t really adapt. I really don’t think adding Hyman gets them the Cup last year. They were out-matched.
Not out-classed. But out-matched. They had the talent, but they refused to take a different tact.
Last night was a reminder that they still haven’t learned and/or adapted.
Perhaps this is what Leon was alluding to ahead of the Olympics. Everyone needs to be better. Other teams are learning, adapting, improving. The Oilers seem… stuck.
Eklund is not a media person I have ever paid much attention to but this article about McDavid I found intriguing and I suggest worth the read.
https://www.hockeybuzz.com/2026/03/20/mcdavid-paradox-oilers-crosby-comparison
Conclusion: hockey is a team sport. One player alone can not win a Cup no matter how great they are, unlike in basketball or football, where a single dominant player can tilt outcomes. The Oilers have failed to surround McDavid with enough talent due to managerial incompetence.
Pretty sure that’s what we’ve all been saying for the past half decade.
Wow that site is like half ads now.
this is true this year, not really of 2022 through 2025. We had good depth. McDavid and Draisaitl were both only even at 5v5 last year in playoffs. The depth players – Podkolzin, Arvidsson , Janmark, Hyman, KAPANEN, Nuge all had goal shares over 60%.
The author talks about Kunitz – that is basically Hyman.
in 2024 i think we had the talent to win it just needed some better coaching and some bounces. 2025 i felt a lot less confident.
And less injuries in the final
The AI is strong with that one.
I wanted to remind myself about DeBoer and his coaching style. I came across quite a bit from when he took over the Stars from Bowness. Fairly different tactics, offense oriented
Knoblauch seems to be doing a hybrid of the two. Bowness was defense first, same focus in the O zone of wanting to prevent odd man rushes. Offense was not great, one player said he had nothing left for attack because of defending so much
DeBoer wants the D active in attack. The Oilers do that as well. One website showed a tactical breakdown of a DeBoer neutral zone attack and routes designed to create speed variations to cause defensive issues for the other guys
It seems Knob hasn’t figured out the offensive sophistication to go with D activation. 5v5 offense declining and point shots increasing. Keeping F3 high is pretty standard, but like it was mentioned about Bowness just assuming offense would occur, and it didn’t enough, that seems like the Oilers
DeBoer’s O zone has guys coming off the wall to get to the net or set up a seam shot from the D or open player. I think Florida does that as well. More direct and faster attack
They need to be more tactical in what they are doing in the O zone. Rimming the puck around and letting the talented guys figure it out and ending up with unscreened point shots and passes through a maze of players is less than they have the talent to do
Everytime Pete DeBoer plays the Oilers in the playoffs he brings in the overwhelming favorite roster and leaves that series a loser.
Why you keep citing him as some sort of sage, especially to rag Knoblauch, when KK’s team got him fired last year is beyond me.
Because he’s the most successful coach without a job and I don’t think Knoblauch is the right coach for the Oilers
I have considered him losing to the Oilers. But then everyone did except the panthers. I also don’t like the idea of another green coach
It took Jon Cooper eight season to win his first Cup.
When he took over Tampa they missed the playoffs, lost the first round, lost the SCF, lost the ECF, missed the playoffs, lost ECF and got swept by Columbus in the first after a record setting regular season.
Based on your KK criticism would you have fired Cooper in year 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 or year 7?
And it took Cooper until year 6 to win the division.
I’ve never said KK won’t get there, but the time frame doesn’t match the core, right? It could have if he was Connor’s first coach
Cooper starts 2012-2013
Hedman drafted 2009 starts 2009 1st Cup at 30
Kucherov 2011 starts 2013 1st Cup at 27
Vasilevskiy 2012 starts 2014 1st Cup at 26
Point 2014 starts 2016 1st Cup at 24
Draisaitl 31 next season
McDavid 30 next season
Bouchard 27 next season
Ekholm 36 next season
It’s fallout from the decisions they have made earlier of course. I’m not sure they will make a change even if they miss the playoffs. Bowman won with Quenneville and lost in the 1st round the next two seasons and kept him. If he likes Knoblauch he’s probably safe. If they do make a change they have to make the right choice at this point
Do you believe the Dallas Stars would have beat the Panthers either of the last 2 years if they made the final?
Probably not, but personnel is a part of that. The Oilers start out with a big advantage over most teams. Probably only the Avs and Lightning have a similar level of top talent in prime or thereabouts. The panthers and defensive teams with a strong fore check are there kryptonite
Very good news on Emberson, per Tony B:
While Buffalo did not make a coaching change when they went on a mad run to the top of the EC, Columbus did.
As of March 19, 2026, Rick Bowness has led the Columbus Blue Jackets to an impressive 16-2-4 record since taking over as interim head coach in mid-January.
Under his leadership, the team transformed into a playoff contender, producing one of the best records in the NHL in that span….16-2-4
He replaced Dean Evason to improve a team in last place, bringing them into the Eastern Conference wild card race.
I say we do it, these guys need a swift kick in the balls
I think that they just got one
They’ve had a few this year. The one on Nov 25 seemed to be effective. Otherwise, not so much.
One thing is abundantly clear: Oilerville hates the Rats, and we take every loss personally. Me too. But I’m trying to walk myself off the ledge.
I found last night’s game was hard to watch. It was, as LT and others, too familiar. Panthers slowly kept increasing their total; Oilers couldn’t score. But the score did not reflect what was happening on the ice, and I certainly was so focussed on the score I missed this: HDSF/A (as per NST) was dominated by Oilers, 9-5 64%. The Cult of Hockey “Grade A” shot score was Oilers 12-11 Panthers, more dangerous “5-alarm” shots even at 5-5. Despite my “eye test,” and the score, the numbers show a close game.
Generally, I’m reading “Maurice and the Panthers” have “KK and the Oilers” number. I get it. But that’s too simple.
KK&O have had some success against M&P. After losing three in 2024 they won three, and were a goal away from OT and winning in Game 7. The first four games of 2025 SCF were being described by some pundits as “possibly the best SCF ever.” In this season, KK&O, in Nov, a very wobbly part of their season, beat M&P 6-3 (HDSF/A O10 v P8, O56%). Bobrovsky, who may have been the difference in last night’s game (as he often was in SCFs 2024 and 2025), was relieved in the Nov 22 game after four goals against.
I don’t disagree w your analysis LT. But it looks to me that there is more to this story than meets the eye test or the score sheet. I’d say these two teams have proven themselves to be pretty even over the past couple of years, with M&P coming out on top in key moments. But that’s not because KK&O are abject failures, or that the goalies failed them. Sometimes bounces and Bob (who has not been stellar this season) can be the difference.
LT, from the Time Machine, the morning after Nov 22, 2025: “The Edmonton Oilers ended the long road trip with a victory over the Florida Panthers last night. The stars of the show were Jack Roslovic, Evan Bouchard, Matt Savoie and Stuart Skinner to my eye, your mileage may vary. The important discussion point today? Can these Oilers do that again?“
It seems that there are times when KK&O have M&P’s number. Maybe not every game. But not never.
Must of been a cousin to Stan Weir.
Today we lost an icon. A sad day. In memoriam:
The dinosaurs disrespected Chuck Norris once. Historians note this as the ‘Great Extinction’.
Since Chuck Norris was born in 1940, roundhouse kick deaths have increased by 13,000%
Chuck Norris attended a feminist rally… and returned with an ironed shirt and sandwich
Some kids pee their name in the snow. Chuck Norris can pee his name in concrete.
The fastest way to a man’s heart is Chuck Norris’s fist
When Chuck Norris does pushups, he pushes the Earth down
Chuck Norris told his wife to calm down… and she did
When Chuck Norris was born, he slapped the doctor
Couldn’t watch the game I’m in Mexico,
Playa del Carman. But it sounds like Knoblauch got out coached by Maurice AGAIN.
If you do want to watch:
https://onhockey.tv/
First time this season. KK&O did it to M&P on Nov 22, 6-3. Lest we forget that this matchup has been quite even over the years.
Oilers better figure it out PDQ.
I wonder what the plan is in Vegas. Roster is ageing out. Very aggressive management and owner. Should be interesting.
I would imagine it goes: trade out bad assets, damn the cost. Then sign new guys with a whack of cap space given it is a desired destination. Eschew the logic that you can’t build with FAs quickly. Of course you can.
Not quite the same as the Oilers.
Marner, Eichel and Dorofyev are still under 30 and the first 2 have been extended.
Stone is 33 but only one more season left on his deal.
Barbashev is 30 with 2 seasons left at $5 million.
Hertl is signed until he is 36 but his cap hit is only $6.75 million thanks to retention by San Jose. He has only a modified NTC so likely could be moved.
McNabb is their only senior citizen (35) on D but his cap hit is a reasonable $3.65 million for another 2 seasons.
Their goaltending is set for next season although they may want to upgrade on Carter Hart who is signed for another season at $2 million.
They have only $3.8 million in can space in the offseason but can place Pietrangelo and Karlsson on SELTIR and recoup another $14 million.
Eichel, Marner and Stone hold their only NMCs.
Like the Oilers, they are pretty much bereft of draft picks and Wheeler’s latest rankings have their prospect pool pegged at #22 while the Oilers sit at #29.
I imagine both teams will be very active in signing undrafted NCAA grads and Europeans.
Yes. Very.
Does Vegas has much of a prospect pipeline? Or is everything they do cash-based?
The Whitecloud trade was worse than the Jarry trade IMO. Whitecloud might be better than Anderson and is on a cheap contract for two more yeArs. And Calgary got picks and a prospect too. Oof.
Andersson is on an expiring contract.
Jarry has 2 more seasons left.
Whitecloud has two seasons left, I meant
Why don’t you pick one team instead of using any of the other 31 teams to try and argue against the Oilers.
I know you’re a Flames fan, but too much of a coward to admit it.
Frederic don’t come out to the third and was not on the ice for practice today. Bummer as he was starting his to play better.
Emberson still skating as 7D which is disappointing – he’ll be a massive upgrade over Stastney.
They need to give Ingram a night off and it doesn’t look like it will be tomorrow. Should have been last night.
Practice per Stauff:
Savoie-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-RNH-Kapanen
Jones-Dickinson-Roslovic
Samanski-Henrique-Jarventie
Lazar (LTIR)
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Murphy
Walman-Stastney
Emberson
Ingram
Jarry
Nice except not sure why Jones is on the third line. I would rather Samanski there
Agreed, unless the coach likes that Jones is banging bodies (had 8 hits last night, more than double anyone else).
Samanski is essentially 60% expected goals away from Dickinson – he should be playing 3C.
Knoblauch sure talks about analytics a lot to not realize this
Fans want blood and coach didn’t give them blood so lets fire him.
Ask for your money back for the game by all means for the effort as a paying fan. A coach burying his guys isn’t gonna do anything for a single game.
Aim the cannons at the effort imo. Coach is way too easy a target here.
Why can’t it be both? I sense your point is – and correct me if I’m wrong – the issues are not not on the coach alone, and I acknowledge that. There were certainly, and will always be, player errors, silly mistakes etc….but darn it anyways, that will always be the case. Finding a system for your personnel, which is a tad different than when KK got here, is on him. I also acknowledge that it may go higher than him, but he’s what we get post game as being the face of the “structure”. And, I’m resisting getting into the accountability piece as it may go higher than KK, but who is running this ship if the coach can’t staple some butts to the bench or sit them out a game or two. I know when I played competitive sports, this was every players worst fear. Now we weren’t millionaire players…..that’s another story.
Yeah you’re on it.
I think the press conference rubbed fans the wrong way (totally fair) and it adds to a growing narrative where the coach is now responsible for every action on the ice.
I think there is a gameplan to beat Florida, and I don’t think the Oil have the people to execute it. Florida has been a bad matchup for everyone the last 2 years. Nobody has the personnel and the Oil are the only one’s who have been actually close. eg. Tampa got cleaned up by them handily. Last night they should’ve got up and won with them shorthanded but played right into their hands.
I just think it’s become tunnel vision on the coach when there’s real and spectacular failures happening by the players (collectively, not just Nurse and Jarry). Everyone deserves a share of accountability and putting that all on KK, who time and again has shown he wont take the bait on burying his guys, and isn’t a rah rah guy, is too much imo.
Fair, as in life, it’s rarely an either or situation. Any type of tunnel vision can/will lead to ineffective results….a measured approach is the best. There may also be a correlation between the players failures and the.coaching, gm’ing, the president of hockey operations etc…..nuanced to be sure. What do they say, you can’t fire all the players, and much easier to get rid of the coach. And system play would be in the hands of a cohesive coaching staff (are they cohesive or is upper management chirping in?)….getting player buy in is another thing, but as LT said during his show today, he highly doubts 97 would resist structural changes as he simply wants to hoist the Cup. I agree, as 97 is that kind of player.
Find the solution that brings the best out of the players and team…and if that means a coaching change, so be it. If that means overhauling the players over the summer….or management changes…..so be it. I just know that wasting more of the few years the Oilers have left with 97 is incredibly foolish. Or maybe the water here is indeed bad.
I would tend to normally agree with you, but man that presser Knob had last night was so bad. Did you watch it? If so, and honest question, not being Jerry in any way, but do can you see that man being capable of playing his part inspiring this team to glory going forward?
One thing is for certain, 97 and 29 don’t have to answer to the press every single day. The coach does.
He’s not a camera guy and I certainly wouldn’t have him as my MC at my wedding.
I don’t think that has a lick to do with coaching other than optics.
The effort ties to the coach, the team the coach roles out typically looks unprepared and disinterested.
I didn’t want the coach to give me blood, I wanted a honest assessment and an explanation as to why the team he’s coaching looked like they had no idea what to do.
This.
Also, To the point about wanting blood, they say teams take on the personality of their coaches, and after years now of observing Knoblauch it feels that way. Sometimes his monotone and “even keeled-ness” can be downright annoying. I’m not saying hire a loudmouth bluster bomb like torts or Keenan, but but some kind of semblance of passion and energy behind the bench I feel could go a long way.
Gather up Nurse, Ekholm, Walman, Murphy and light a fire, get them hyped to dish out some legal punishment.
Also, this team has the skill, but I also believe e have to horses to punish on the forecheck of deployed properly with some actual energy, light a fire under Freddie’s ass Drai, Podzie and Hyman, we know can, Dickinson and Samanski are no shrinking violets, even McDavid, toss in Some Jones, Dach, Clattenburg and get Roslovic, Savoie and Kapanen buzzing around with a little bit of attitude and chippiness and this team could be so much more than the dipsy doodle, pass happy, easy to play against awww shucks I can’t believe the other team scored more goals than is team that they currently are.
Imo when they don’t play an even keel game, they get schooled. They can’t match Florida’s emotion and when they do, they get goaded into stupidity because the rulebook isn’t the same and Kane isn’t a saint. Knobs is gone if they flame out but I know his candour isn’t appreciated when we were spoiled by the likes of Hitch, Woody, and MacT behind the mic.
This team is built to school you methodically. When they commit to the cycle you can feel the life squeeze out of the teams. That’s coached, and that’s spectacular.
The starts have been a theme since Tippet. That might mean they just haven’t found the right guy yet, it might also mean it’s something between the ears.
The coach doesn’t have to be hard on mistakes. He has to be hard on repeated mistakes.
Its not about this single game, you don’t fire a coach for losing a game. Its about a repeated patterns of uncorrected mistakes.
I could not see a change this year, even with hindsight. The addition of Paul Coffey had an effect and will still have an effect. He does not have magic, he is simply seeing some low hanging fruit that can be corrected. It often takes another set of eyes, another voice.
I love my kids more than I love McDavid. Mistakes and life happens. But repeated mistakes need corrected for their long term well being. Its not being mean, my job is to coach them to success.
There are system issues when the Oilers play the Pantherrs. I do not disagree.
But Bouchard gave the game away in the first period last night, cheating for offense on the first goal against letting a 4th line chump sneak behind him for a breakaway. And a half-hearted chase. That is literally the Panthers game plan against Bouchard for three years now…catch him cheating, because he always cheats.
And then not following his man, the goalscorer, from behind the net to the front, on his own side of the ice, and instead wandering off into the corner on Nurse’s side of the ice, on the 2nd goal against.
Nah man it’s Knoblauch’s job to sense the danger for Bouch and change the hearts and minds of the men paid millions to do the job.
Lead a horse to water and make him drink these players are just marionettes that Knobs has connected to his Xbox anyway.
I know that you are a dog with a bone when discussing Bouchard, but you should take a look at Bouchard’s playoff numbers against Florida. He was one of the few with a positive goal share.
Yeah I saw many online fawning over his 80% xGF. I said it doesn’t really matter when youre -2 in the first period…
The 1st goal against was all Hyman imo, his linemates changed and he was going to aswell then saw a chance to turn around and go to the net instead of doing the smart option and finish the line change.
Hyman goes to the bench, Podz comes out, McDavid and the rest probably aren’t in a frantic to make something happen if Hyman isnt standing net front. Even if so, Podz is either in the middle of the ozone where the puck squirted out or still in the neutral zone and able to cut off the rush.
Everything fell apart when Hyman got greedy.
The present assessment of Bouchard is “we have to take the bad with the good”
Why?
Hes an awesome player, he is. But awesome players got that way by being smart and learning. While creating offense which is his job, there will always be risk, but this risk can be brought down a level.
And if you are coaching this guy and want him to do his thing, perhaps encourage his partner to cover.
The Panthers game plan to me is not target Bouchard specifically, but it is patience. Forecheck, pressure and wait, wait wait, because opportunity will present.
#2 giveth and taketh…..he’s like that friend who can sometimes be great to hang with, and then other times is so annoying you can’t stand being in their presence. And, seriously, can’t his mental sharpness/awareness/focus be worked on outside the rink, like maybe hypnotherapy, sports psychology…he just seems so dazed and unfocused at times I need to wonder where his head is at. Interestingly, this might also be his secret power, his zen like appearance 🙂
That game felt like the death knell for the season. They’ll still make the playoffs, but I can’t see them doing any damage. Home game against the team that ruined your Summer two years in a row (and rubbed it in your face both times), and that’s the gameplan the coach comes up with? Yeesh.
It is not a death knell. The Pacific sucks. They have a free ride to the Conference finals, where they are likely to face a beatup survivor of the central.
And then no Florida.
The Oiler suck, but they still have a good chance of winning the Stanley Cup.
These Oilers could easily lose a 1st or 2nd round series to VGK, Anaheim or Utah. They don’t have it this year.
Define damage in the playoffs?
Western Conference Final appearance is baked in so I’m guessing SCF or bust for you?
I’d say yes because they have the 3 best players I’ll ever see on this team in my lifetime playing at the same time. It has to be cup or bust.
Damage meaning cup or bust?
At least your negativity (unlike Oil effort and dzone coverage) is consistent and honest. We got people agreeing with Fib in the comments we’re so down bad.
The bigger the bust the bigger the cup.
Finally someone talking some sense around here
Managing expectations is tough eh?! This is going to be tough (a) to get in the playoffs (I think they will) and (b) getting through other teams who, for sure, will be also be up to the task….so let’s start small and focus on the first round, again assuming they make the dance. The life of a fan can be varied and colourful
Look if Rod the Bod and the Whizzes around Tulsky haven’t managed to solve the Florida dilemma over the last seven seasons I dunno what sorta hope a backwater franchise like the Oilers has.
Rod is 1-6-2 against the Cats in two series.
He‘s 1-4 against the Bolts.
For a franchise, coach and GM whom are deeply respected in these parts they sure do get creamed by Florida teams. They also stub their toe against very mediocre Rangers teams.
The Canes management don’t know how to build a champ calibre team, and the owner for years was hesitant to spend. This year they are doing well but their annual cap hit is 87.455M, 8M in cap open
Tampa figured it out before they won. They had a nice team, played a nice game, but smaller key forwards, the MO in playoffs was rough them up and it worked. When they brought in functional toughness they won
Carolina doesn’t have elite players except maybe Slavin and he had last season 8 PIM in 80 games and 27 points. They play hard but aren’t hard to play against, like the Oilers
Lots of good debate about the Oilers where they are at, and where they could be, but the reality was from the very start. This was never going to be the Oilers season. They are cash-strapped to the hilt. They’re at the cap and very little opportunity to make any movement I think Stan bouman is doing what he can with what he has the real move for the Oilers comes this summer. They’ll have approximately 20 million to fill some holes I would say the one regrettable move was getting Jerry… he had a very good stsrt to the yesr and presented a possible improvement in net but has failed ….yes Skinner had to go, but maybe the correct move was wait till the summer. If he did not improve you use that money saved to get a goalie that could play better for the Oilers. There’s been a lot of criticism of KK and justifiably so he had a good initial run but now seems to be at a standstill as to how to move the Oilers forward on a consistent basis. There is a great coach in the wings who will be snapped up before the summer’s over if the Oilers are smart and they do have some smart people, but their hands are tied grab Pete de Boer he is a proven winner and he’s a straight talker and he has no problem telling players who are not playing to their full ability that they need to smarten up and get going. Just look at the change. Buffalo Sabres made this year the first quarter of the year they had no hope of making the playoffs they changed their coach and now the same players are the hottest team in the league. I’m not saying the Oilers with the coaching change would be the hottest team in the league, but I do believe with the right coach they would be very cl formidable team
Buffalo did NOT change their coach.they booted their GM.
Lindy Ruff was hired to coach in April 2024 and remains on the job.
Our xGF by game state:
overall: 9th (51.49%)
tied: 21st (48.63%)
Down 1: 27th (49.1%)
trailing: 12th (55%)
Leading: 3rd (51%)
I think this team is a bit of a mirage. We spent a lot of time trailing (right behind the devils and flames) and have good stats when trailing so we rank higher in xGF overall.
note: this is very interesting too – we are 8th in the league in xGF tied since February. But 31st (!!!) when down 1 at 36%? Canucks scorched earth are at 36% as well…. Wtf is wrong with this team..? Is that the statistical impact of the Knoblauch panic button when down a goal? Please, smarter systems hockey people than me, comment
A bit more:
mcDavid goal share
when tied – 43%
down 1 – 29%
leading – 65%
All pretty big samples
it seems like they panic when they go down and maybe start cheating for offense? It all seems like a coaching issue and over reliance on McDavid to me.
Hey LT, please keep writing pieces like this recognizing persistent failures!
Post-Olympics, for the first time in one forever, it really seemed like management and coaching were making a concerted effort to fix prolonged errors – acquiring and playing players in roles they can succeed in, trusting kids, spreading out the minutes etc.
I think there is a guardian angel in the Oilers org reading this blog 😉
Unfortunate result, but I don’t think they were terrible.
Savoie – McDavid chem is/was real and spectacular. If Savoie can improve his finishing ability, he can be a 1 LW. Big if, but I never really thought that of him.
It was mentioned, but having Podz up with 97 was a waste. Let him drive things from the second line.
I think a big factor last night was the third pair getting trounced. The other pairs were great and good. Get well, Emberson.
It always seems as though the FLA bottom six outcompetes ours.
Proir to last nights game I would not have seen Knoblauch being fired this season.
After watching his post game interview I have done an about face. Will have to go to the highlights to see if he was on the bench watching the same game. Seems by some of his comments that he has no answer for this teams issues. Maybe in over his head at this point.
I may be exagerating a bit or maybe I’m completely off base. However time has run out on this coach.
If they miss the playoffs they’ll can him but at least Friedman was saying Knobs chose to not put gas on the fire. Everyone is pissed today, telling the players they suck or screaming at them only works so often. I think he chose to park it and move on.
Time will tell if that was he right call. Being reactionary is rarely the way to go.
If I was a fan I’d ask for my money back though. Not good enough for that ticket cost.
Wise of KK to not throw gas on the fire when the team/coach refuses to change break-out tactics against Florida. Kind of like revealing how little he/they know.
That’s an interesting reframing.
I highly doubt KK went into the dressing room, went ‘I dunno’ and then left it at that.
The players play the game. If they can’t execute, then it’s on the coach and GM for personnel. I for one am tired of giving players an excuse because they absolutely should beat a broken Florida team after seeing them so much.
Why do they get a pass on tactics when they’re the ones having it happen against them all the time? I’ve been a player. If all my passes are getting picked off or my sorties die, I do something different or talk it through with my line. It’s not that simple and nowhere near that level but to put it all on the X’s and O’s is overblown imo. ‘Coach why do I suck it’s your fault’ isn’t reality.
Agreed
To add to the issue though was his pregame presser which had him saying the wrong message also (in my opinion). This is just another game in which we need to win, not a grudge game (my words). The fact he implyed that makes me wonder how much emotion he took out of the players.
I was concerned when they hired him he doesn’t have the right personality for this core. I tried to get on board, but have always gone back to that
The 80s Oilers started out as a bunch wild hellions with insane talent. Sather was genius in how he directed and formed that group. He wasn’t a hot head, but he had a temper and an ego. A strong personality. Absolutely in charge, but a player’s coach. He reigned in behavior and lead them to a more mature game
The key was never trying to make them be something they weren’t, never killing that drive and hyper competitive fire, just focusing it. That’s what I think these Oilers need
Connor has that same wildness. He doesn’t need calm coaching him, he needs a leader that can help him channel all of that fire and direct it. Get it out of his system in games so he’s not seething and trying to stay calm later if they don’t play well. According to things his Mom has said about him, that’s not what you want, it’s not a great place for him to be in
They need a coach who can get Connor and the others to do what they need to. But that starts with having the right plan, and then having the personality to get them doing it – all of the time. I have no idea who that coach is, but Bowman needs to find his next Q
Knobs was absolutely what they needed at the time. This team was an immature rollercoaster prone to highest highs and lowest lows with a serious lack of structure when things weren’t going their way.
He calmed them down and gave them something steady and consistent and taught them an actual zone defence which we praised over Woody’s which had both defencemen way too far apart leaving the middle wide open.
Maybe they need to move to a rah rah guy for this teams stage of development.
He was maybe a better fit than Woody. I don’t recall who was available then. The middle is still wide open
Last night sucked. Oilers got beat in pretty much all areas of the game. Oh well, it’s one game, we move on and presume a better team game in Sat.
I look for Jarry to start and another opportunity for him to change his narrative.
This Oilers team certainly doesn’t look like they will go far. I agree. At the same time, neither do Vegas, LA, SJS or Anaheim. I put my money on this shitty Oilers team over any of them in the playoffs any day.
It’s not really just one game. That was pivotal because it was Florida. They either use it like that was the last straw, get pissed off as a team, and choose to refuse to be beat, or they will be demoralized. That was humiliating
Tampa Bay with Kucherov firing on all cylinders should be quite a test.
19 points in his last 10 games.
The fact is was Florida is essentially meaningless and over-blown.
The last game against San Jose was a much bigger game.
Humiliated is such an over-blown response as well – any team can beat any other team on any given night. I suppose the Wild fans should be embarrassed losing to the lottery Hawks and the Avs fans should be embarrassed getting blow out by 5 goals to Pit..
Maybe they don’t care. I have my doubts though. They did win the first game
Never Lose Again!
Considerations/Order preference of Pacific opponents (partly assuming Utah #7 crossover team)
A. Prefer to avoid potential beat by goalie factor or team defence collapse best so fancy dangle pass into net not ideal 5v5:
1. Dostal
2. VGK (Team defence)
3. Keumper/LA defensive forwards
4. Utah
5. Sharks
Simply put this is probably largest concern in my head. can’t see much chance Mcdavid actually 100% as they need him just to get in….and 75% mcdavid while still close to the individual best player in league he can and has been neutralized when injured to degree he clearly is telegraphing 90% going to pass because not curently real shooting threat.
B. Game breakers that can counter attack rush dagger in heart dangerous if/when oilers over turnover when over commit horse blinded to offensive minded gambles or just poor as any team in league overextending shift lengths
1.kempe with a bullet & panarin likely most dangerous
2. ANH
3. SjS
4. VGK
5. Utah
C Team depth advantage bottom 6 scoring potential advantages
1. VGK
->Best 4 line deep
-> 3rd saad hertl kolesar
GF 48.2% SF 51.2%
– > 4th smith dowd scissons
GF 54.1%, SF 50.8%
2. UTAH
-> 3rd But Mcbain carcone
GF 52.8%, SF 51.2%
-> 4th kerfoot stenlund yamamoto
GF 47.3%, SF 48.9%
3. SJS
-> 3rd line eklund misa toffoli
GF 49.1%, SF 53.1%
-> 4th is tire fire GF 35.5%, SF 42.8%
4. ANH
Has guys in bottom 6 like gauthier RW 3rd line and vatrano 4th line LW….but they bleed goals so bad they aren’t close to outscoring what they give up.
5. LAK had best 3rd line for playoff damage but traded perry…mushy bottom 6 all things comsidered post deadline
ANH 7
LAK 9
SJS 11
VGK 7
Utah 11
So if oilers control destiny win enough to not wild card way in best guess is there is an advantage worth a lot in 1st in division
Playing utah over VGK or ANH…in guess ranking things…
SJS/utah
LaK
ANH
VGK
Like Woody saying to Manson after the Sharks loss that was probably it, I wonder if this game is that for this coaching group. Talk about not what you want to see, what a kick in the junk. I don’t mean a move now, but a decision to move on
Chuck Norris died 20 years ago. Death finally had the courage to tell him. RIP to a legend.
He lived an amazing life. RIP
The Oil rely on puck transporters to break through the neutral zone. This is successful when you have McD, Drias, McLeod all capable of swinging low and beating the first check. Once the puck carrier crosses the red line, the options increase.
When two of these players are not available, the strategies become muddier as we have no internal replacements. Roslovic may be the only other player who consistently beats the first guy.
CALL UP CHARLIE HUDDY!!!!
why not dammit!
Maurice is obviously a great coach with a coaching staff that does the homework that got them to 3 cup appearances in a row by studying film and applying their knowledge on what they see to their systems. This year they were decimated by injury and probably Burnt out a bit after playing so much hockey in 3 years and it showed with a depleted team. They have one of the best GM’s in the game and a great tax system for him to work with.
The Oilers are a very easy team to read obviously with the same break outs and same offensive zone style lacking a net front presence thus letting teams force them to the outside where they pass way too much. A well coached team like Florida picks up on this and voila, you get last night more often than you get a loss.
I also don’t think Florida or Maurice have any respect for the Oilers period and do hate this team thus making it even easier to get up for the games against them.
Last night the Oilers came out strong but then fizzled a bit under a heavy heavy forecheck .
Goalie Bob had a very good game in what seems like a poor season for him. The Oilers pp was gawd awful and in the O zone played perimeter hockey all night. I think the Oilers needed a couple more saves than they got, but the D sucked in front of our own net as well. They are lucky the rest of the Pacific stunk last night as well.
That pp is much easier to play against w/o Drai as they seem to attack McD quicker and no one else can fend off guys like the big German when he has the puck. Gotta work on that for sure.
So they regroup and now get another big, fast hard forechecking team on Saturday that never seem to quit and are on you as soon as you get the puck. So will Knobby and his crew watch some film and maybe change up the breakouts or system to try and beat Tampa’s systems. I doubt it. His way of dealing with systems just seems to be shuffling the lines and hoping that does it.
I do think Tampa Curb Stomps the Oil on Saturday. Hope I am wrong, but that coach seems to have his guys always ready to go when we play and I don’t see us changing much except lines.
Sucks Freddy got hurt last night. He was playing very well over the last bunch of games.
Florida, like the Flames of old against us, are built to deal with Tampa. Tampa had 2 Cups when Zito was hired, and he built an aggressive high pressure team to counter their high pressure game hard working game
I think aggressive because while Florida has Barkov and some good players, they don’t have a Hedman or Kucherov, that’s the counter
Bowman is changing the make up of the team to be able to play a style more like those two teams. He was clear about it talking about Dickinson and Murphy. The playbook is sitting in his office and it was written in house in the 80’s. That team was so dominant because they had more top players, and were as mean and dirty as they came. There was no way to counter them. It’s not that complaicated
I tip my hat to both your comment Shamus23 and to Scungilli’s. Nothing I can add
There’s really only one hope remaining and that’s the proverbial switch-flip. Well two; the Pacific division waltz followed by a punchers chance.
But it would be good to remind ourselves that it’s been a few years since this team was dominant. In 2023-24 they were 57% xG best in the league.
By the time we get to last years playoff run they were down to only 52% vs the Panthers 55%.
If you just look at the series’s from afar it looks dominant but it really was quite fortunate.
Byfield had the worst play I’d say of the decade on the Bouchard keep or we’re likely done in 5. Full marks for Vegas. But Dallas was the most bizarre game script I can remember. Iirc Dallas never led once. They roared back to win game 1 but the rest of the way the Oilers struck first and were exceptional at managing games. And of course we were outclassed by the Panthers.
And now we’re squeezed between Pittsburgh and CBus in xG% at 52%. Not terrible but nothing screams contender.
Borrowing from the Multiverse concept there are hundreds of ways this ends. One is that Hyman becomes that guy again, Leon and Connor find their 200 foot playoff gear and become a dominant team. Another is that the shitty Pacific allows the Oilers to wait for Dallas or Colorado far more rested and find a way. But there are dozens that end the way this season feels it should; with the opportunity to rest and recover with full clarity that major changes are needed.
I enjoy the write up today LT.
This failure to adapt and failure to execute an effective game plan is the reason they lost the last 2 years and im pissed it just has never been addressed. And they were so dang close!
I have heard many in the Press say “Florida was simply the better team” it is much too broad and lazy of a statement.
Even other teams, when they deploy the Florida strategy, do not have trouble beating the Oilers.
Im also fond of saying they don’t have enough jam. Could also be too broad, but that means your pride, your give a dam factor, your refusal to get beat one-on-one. That alone stops turnovers and sloppy play.
Then no accountability from the coach. Same problems. same mistakes over and over.
There was and still is a glimmer of hope. Post Olympics we seen, or at least I thought we could see, at least the recognition on the problem. And some adaptations to address the problem. Some displays of adaptation and better play. Maybe not enough and too late.
I think the roster IS good enough in a lot of ways. This because they are doing quite well despite the issues. They are always good enough to soldier on and kick the can (problems)down the road.
Any new hire coach would come in here and do the same thing. Demand a game plan and demand performance to that game plan. You don’t like it? You don’t put in the required effort? We have plenty of players who will, and then play them.
Echoes my feelings very well. To my eyes this sums up the general foundational concerns that are preventing this team from being more effective. It’s plain to see. And it’s also plain to see that nothing will change, because whoever is in charge isn’t seeing this or is doubling down on a flawed system. If good objective eyes were brought to the performance last night, you could use it as a positive and you’d be told to be in a boardroom at 8am this morning with good and experienced hockey people (yah invite MacT, Woodley, Pronger even) and order lunch in and stay there until a system was devised to end this piece meal approach the coaching staff is serving up. Then work on the sell to the players. I bet the sell would be the easiest part. And if KK is going to stick around, someone needs to tell him leaders lead and it’s okay to go off every now and then, as players gotta want to go through the wall for you. To be sure, he seems like a very nice man, but maybe better suited for assistant coaching duties
Agreed, I kinda thought that since the first press conference to be honest.
Yup. You could see that the team really has not learned how to play against an aggressive forecheck – and that is on the coach for his refusal to adapt. It’s as if he’s hoping he could just ignore it and slip on by, but nope, same as it ever was.
I had doubts about this year, primarily because some players – notably 29 and 97 – have played a lot of hockey in a different time zone in a condescend time period. Plus factor in the human factors of excitement, distraction and energy the Olympics brought for these two, and the past 2 long runs, and viola you get 2 mentally and physically exhausted individuals. They are not machines
To Lowetides’s point. There is no hint of blame in his piece, but I would say objectively this rests on the coaching. I mean talk about not adjusting and doing the same thing and expecting a different result…..this can only be attributed to the system and not the players. Sure, some criticism can be laid on the players, but for my money it is a systems issue. And conveniently, I agree with LT, KK should buy MacT a coffee….awhile ago I suggested MacT take over behind the bench right now, and I was reminded that may not be wise. Bottom line, MacT did a lot more with less it seems to me, as he adjusted the systems, beat a very skilled Red Wings team and convinced the group to play that system. I am guessing KK will not be doing this.
Bingo, LT. Bingo. You wrote my jumbled thoughts.
Good write up LT. The one thing I would say is that this D group has more ability than we’ve seen in years
The issues with passing is that Knoblauch & Co can’t get them organized. They played disconnected, and that makes it hard for regular players to play as well as they have the ability to. Adam Oates has said that the spread out way some teams plays neuters normal players
As evidence I submit Troy Stecher. When asked about helping Toronto right off the bat he mentioned puck support and outlet options. A poke at the Oilers coaches, having been claimed off waivers but clearly still a useful NHL player
Prospectorque!
B-B-B-Berry and the Tommies of St. Thomas are in today’s CCHA final vs. Minnesota State. The winner gets an automatic bid for the Frozen Four field, but even the losers get lucky sometimes because a loss wouldn’t necessarily end the season for the vanquished. (Whoever does lose will be on the bubble for Selection Sunday this weekend though.) Considering he’s not relied upon for offense, he’s still 3rd amongst STT d-men with 13 points (3 G) in 36 GP.
Meanwhile, it’s the final weekend of the regular season in the CHL. Nicholl’s Londoners are certain to battle the Soo in Round 1, but home ice remains uncertain. The Knights are a point up with two games left each, and owns the first tiebreaker outright (reg/OT wins).
Lafreniere’s Blazers too are jockeying for position, sitting 6th in the WHL Western Conference and tied in points with 5th-place Spokane, who has a game in hand and would win a tiebreaker. A win tonight (or tomorrow) vs. lowly Vancouver would guarantee at least 6th. Lafreniere has gone soupless his last three games, but is only one off the team lead in goals.
Lewandowski and the Blades are Alberta-bound for Round 1. Unless the Blades win out — and they finish with a home-&-home vs. East-leading PA — and Brandon loses out, S’toon will face Edmonton. If the Blades can leapfrog Brandon, S’toon will head to Calgary. Lewandowski is coming off a 1 + 2, 2nd star performance on Wednesday.
London (Nicholl) @ 5 p.m.
St. Thomas (Berry) @ 6 p.m.
Saskatoon (Lewandowski) @ 7 p.m.
Kamloops (Lafreniere) @ 8 p.m.
All times, at all times are St. Walburg (SK) time.
The London match vs. Windsor will be shown on TSN+. Check your local listings.
I agree with your take LT. I commented last week that the Oilers, when behind, seem to “try harder” to do the same things they were doing that got them behind in the game. As if more effort would turn the tide, while refusing to change tactics. At the end of the day, it’s on the coach. It’s a primary part of his job, so he will have to get the team to do it, or he will be gone. Just a matter of time
“Dig up, stupid!”
On a day when the team played a stinker like that many fans received the bill for their playoff tickets. A $180 ticket during the season will cost this in the playoffs:
Round 1: $499
Round 2: $626
Round 3: $870
Round 4: $1507.
A kick in the nuts to the every day fan that supports this team in good times or bad.
Nearly 10x for round 4. Clowns.
When money becomes the primary objective, it’s often the first step in things declining. The Oilers are fortunate to have so many diehard fans and can probably get away with it
Bettman doubled down on that at the meetings. Nobody likes the playoff format, except him and some owners, because ‘the first round is more competitive’ and ‘it’s the best playoffs in sports’ or the like
Punishing 8 of the best teams and their fans, rewarding mediocrity for other teams, is not a concern apparently. To me it comes across as having low ethics because it’s not right, and is a turn off. Like a dozen other things they choose to do. It’s not a ‘no good choice’ scenario
Here’s the thing about the Oilers – I believe the objective since the McDavid draft has been primarily to increase franchise value. I wouldn’t worry too much about that if I was already wealthy enough to buy a team and not have it need to fund other things…but even if this is indeed the goal, they’re doing that wrong too.
In sports when you have a generational player, that player can either give temporary value inflation, or be part of building a massive legacy and brand that lasts well beyond their time playing and their life. Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle are long gone…but that matters very little in this context. They loom large and still drive things. They will as long as baseball is played.
What do you have to do? Not milk every ticket dollar and bit of concession revenue out of the locals. This is short sighted idiocy.
You build a brand. You take your number of fans from a million to millions to tens of millions. It’s been done. And the Oilers geography is not a limitation on this.
How do you do that? Championships. Excellence in how you deal with people. Building fierce loyalty and pride that people want to be a part of.
If you build that…the money rolls in for generations, not a decade or two.
Pocklington almost had this – but he was a tad early perhaps and did the dumbest thing imaginable – selling his best asset.
The current crew is going to throw away their shot too. Not many teams get two shots. Almost none get three.
It is damn sad. And we all pay the price.
Superb analysis.
There was a time when the fan experience was a top priority for the Oilers but now an extortionist mentality may rupture the relationship
Not really, pretty sure fans are going to buy the tickets. It is just a matter of who profits from it. Should it be the Oilers or the fans who are wanting to resell their tickets at a profit?
lol, yup. A big swift one to the peas.
Mixed emotions about this. Would it be better to see the franchise get this to reinvest in the team or Joe Blow season ticket holder to scalp his ticket to buy next years season tickets…
LT, if everything you say is correct, then that means:
Some (but not all) of the statements are mutually exclusive, but damn if any of this is close to the truth the Oilers are not a serious organization
The Oilers did not recognize the problem in 2024. The Oilers did not recognize the problem in 2025. The Oilers may be recognizing the problem in 2026.
If you can’t see the problem, then you can’t fix it. They kept changing the roster looking for more goals. “If we could just get a couple more goals we would have won.” Again, too captain obvious. That wasn’t the problem.
What was the problem?
Unfortunately it’s always been a coaching issue, but it goes hand in hand with players who won’t adapt when asked. It was Woodcrofts downfall, and it will be Knoblauchs too.
Who knows anymore. We have no net front presence on Offense and Defense on most nights. Is that on the players or the systems?
The players don’t want to lose. I think it’s what the coaches are trying to get them to do. Only a handful of NHL players get leeway with play, most have to do what they are asked to whether they like it or not
Watching that post game presser.. Just fire the coach and be done with it.
Yes that was a pathetic presser with some really odd answers. I doubt wonder if the loss of Gully really hurt this team a lot in the coaching dept.
I agree, that was brutal. I was never on team fire the coach, not man that was ugly and painful to watch and honestly reflected this team perfectly. No emotion, no anger at losing, the same answer over and over again. Just a monotone almost endorsement of, “well, we tried but they scored and we didn’t”…aww shucks, we’ll do better next time!
When I look at our healthy roster I believe we have a much talent and depth and potential team makeup re: size/skill/grit but it seems clearer to my by the day it’s a coaching/ intensity issue.
One of the most impacting plays last night IMHO was Max Jones on the forecheck hammering the D, lead to him being croschecked several times which any other team but FL would have lead to a PP for us, but nonetheless still lead to a grade A scoring chance because THAT’S how you play FL. You don’t try and dipsy doodle your way in every damn time.
I feel this team needs a coach that can adapt strategies on the fly but also be a bit of a hype machine, bring some energy, get them buzzing a bit and want to be a bit of a menace and cause some havoc.
This is how I see it. It’s not a mystery how to play a suffocating team. It’s based on getting traffic and matching them battle for battle. You keep pushing until something breaks or an elite player does something
The Oilers cycle doesn’t produce enough attack. The rush doesn’t have enough puck support. They can hold the puck, but if you aren’t making plays to the net, don’t do the things to increase the odds of scoring, and refuse to shoot high on a goalie that focuses on the bottom half of the net, well you aren’t going to score enough. Or at all