I remember the WHA OIlers, a team that in many ways existed only because Bill Hunter had a massive imagination and zeal for the spotlight. Hunter brought the WHA Oilers to this city and he did it with words and energy. He also fired coach Ray Kinasewich on Saturday and hired him on Monday a few times in 1972. Even considering all the chaos, from the owners to the trade is one-for-one, I don’t recall a year as unusual as this one. Please read this.
If I had to pick one song to describe these Oilers it would be Strange Brew, by Cream. I also considered Strange Fruit by Billie Holliday, Always Crashing in the Same Car by David Bowie and Sweet Virginia by the Rolling Stones. Strange Brew it is.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN APRIL
- At home to: CHI, VEG (Expected 1-0-1) 1-1-0
- On the road to: UTA, SJS, LAK (Expected 2-1-0) 1-1-1
- At home to: COL, VAN (Expected 1-1-0) 1-0-1
- Expected Record: 4-2-1
- Actual Record: 3-2-2
- Season Record: 41-30-11, 93 points in 82 games
A team with more than one immortal talent does and should consider this to be less than satisfactory. The truth about the regular season, and it’s been this way since the league dissolved the original six, is the regular season doesn’t count unless you miss the playoffs. Oilers qualified, and the hockey Gods have given the team a clear path to daylight.
- Podkolzin-Nuge-Roslovic 11:31, 10-3 shots, 64X, 5-2 HDSC
- Savoie-McDavid-Hyman 11:31, 4-2 shots, 1-0 goals, 59X, 3-2 HDSC
- Dach-Samanski-Frederic 10:35, 4-2 shots, 2-0 goals, 67X, 5-2 HDSC
- Henrique-Lazar-Kapanen 8:43, 3-1 shots, 91X, 3-0 HDSC
My favourite part of the game was Matt Savoie getting the hat-trick, he finishes his rookie season 18-19-37 in 82 games. He’ll be a Dr. Feelgood story right up until the offer sheet—I kid, I kid. Connor McDavid had a chance at 50 goals, so of course he passed the puck all night long. The no-look to Savoie for a marker was splendid. I think that line is ready!
The Nuge line was wildly effective, I dream of a line like that one as the third unit. Holy hell, Batman, that could be a difference maker. The actual third line last night, was fire, with Dach going 1-1-2 and being a pain in the ass, Samanski scoring and Frederic playing well. I think the coach will fade Samanski in the playoffs, it will be a damn shame. Fourth line was solid, Kapanen needs to step it up, the team needs a Finn as a feature player to win the Stanley Cup.
- Nurse-Murphy 16:43, 6-4 shots, 1-0 goals, 58X, 6-5 HDSC
- Walman-Emberson 16:01, 10-3 shots, 0-1 goals, 84X, 8-1 HDSC
- Ekholm-Bouchard 14:52, 5-3 shots, 1-0 goals, 58X, 3-2 HDSC
- Connor Ingram, 11 of 12, .917, 1GA versus 1.65 expected
This area of the team looks set, a nice evening for the third pairing in feature minutes. Connor Ingram has found a hockey home and I’m thrilled for him. I don’t think Evan Bouchard wins the Norris, even through he earned it. My belief is that most hockey people of a certain age acknowledge the math in order to get rid of it and move on to what they really want to talk about, and that’s what they see. Evan Bouchard doesn’t rush the puck like Paul Coffey and he doesn’t hit like a freight train.
He’s not going to win the Norris. There’s a bias among voters. You’ll have to wait an entire generation for it to happen, Bouchard will be retired by then. Every once in a blue moon, you’ll see a writer question mental toughness, or wonder why he avoids getting hit, while also looking past the fact he stays healthy. No sir. Evan Bouchard is a litmus test for the Norris voters. I’m telling you the voters will fail the test. I know I’m right on this.
On the Lowdown today, our feature guest is Steve Lansky. We’ll talk Oilers-Ducks, the mess that is the Toronto Maple Leafs and playoff hockey. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Different player type — but I am getting Glencross vibes from Dach. It has been a minute since we’ve had an electrifying fourth line.
No way any of Samanski, Dach, Frederic are coming out. Lazar and Rico first, and then Kap.
Savoie’s goals were tremendous. What playmaking from 97 and Bouchard. I have had great faith in this player since day one, a belief that was solidified by his monthly splits. I didn’t foresee this level of offensive production. Wow.
It’s a very good team — I have said before, the best of the last three years. Part of the problem in recognizing it is Bouchard has gone from merely excellent to bananas supernova; another part of the problem is the pops from Podz and Savoie have largely been accomplished at evens. I value highly the additions of Murphy and Dickenson. Maybe there’s some wistfulness mixed in there for the dearly departed.
I prefer to look forward. What a team!
Interesting debates about using historical 1-8 seeding instead. Some people forget though that the 3 division winners got first 3 seeds locked up which would also create mismatched match-ups in standings although not as severe. This is what it would look like if using estimated division based off geography and past divisions
COL* (1) vs LAK (8)
DAL* (2) vs UTA (6)
ANH* (7)vs EDM (5)
MIN (3) vs VGK (4)
CAR* (1) vs PHI (8)
BUF* (2) vs OTT (6)
PIT* (7) vs BOS (5)
TB (3) vs MTL (4)
Kind of crazy to think that even if we have a healthy roster we have no idea what the forward lines are gonna be. Could be anything. would guess Knobby goes to his comfort zone and do
Nuge Mcdavid Hyman
Podkolzin Drai Roslovic
Savoie Dickinson Freddy
its not what I would do. But just very strange that after 82 games were still playing line swaps
Reason that Pick’s recall is “emergency” is that teams can add a 3G for the playoffs on emergency and it won’t count against the team’s 5 recall limit (in place until their AHL team is eliminated) – confirmed with Puckpedia
Oilers go 16-10 and finish the job. You heard it here first.
Fingers crossed
They need to win faster than that.
Only 1 champ in the past 10 has had that many losses. Short series are a big deal.
Wouldn’t it be beautiful if the Canucks hired Chiarelli…
I suggest it’s been a strange brew for many of us because we have expectations, but “we don’t know what we don’t know.”
Some months ago a voice here reminded us that GMSB cautioned against expectations early season. I believe he said it would be spring before we saw his vision for this team, realized. The “embarrassments” in Florida May have been the final alchemistry for the team he and the coaching staff have been brewing all season.
While it saddens me to see Allvin will no longer be responsible for running the Nucks into the ground; I have full faith in Jim Rutherford’s incompetence.
Wil be interested to see who gets that GM job. I don’t know what good candidate would want it when they are clearly just doing the grunt work for Rutherford
Yep, we’ve seen this script before.
Canucks would be wise to go full development mode, but the owners know how fickle the city is. McKenna may keep some enthusiasm going.
I’ll put up the Reg Season tracking I did for those that are interested for teams that made it in. I’ll break it into east and west to make it less of a WOT. This data is since Nov 29 for the Oilers, or the game after that for some teams, to keep it at 57 games for all. I picked this date as when the Oilers started playing decently. Having the terrible start in the data skews it I think
As I manually track this, it is accurate but there may be a few errors but that shouldn’t affect much over the 57 games. I’ll list the average for all of the teams as a comparable for the data. The goal with this is to look for team strength, taking out non-game state things like Shoot Out goals (luck), games that were won or lost dominating or getting dominated
Glossary:
W / L – Wins Losses Reg Time
PW – Power Wins, wins by 2 or more goals no empty net
CL – Clear Loss, loss by 2 or more no empty net
POTW / POTL – Playoff team win or loss, based on standings the previous day of the game
LL / CB – Leads Lost – Comebacks = down or up by 2 goals to start a game
GF-SO – Goals For minus Shootout
GA-SO – Goals Against minus Shootout
G Diff – Goal Diff based on the above
Average
W / L – 32 / 25
PW/CL – 13 / 10
POTW/POTL – 14 / 12
LL/CB – 2 / 2
GF-SO/GA-SO/G DIFF – 185 / 166 / 20
West
Oilers
W /L – 31 / 26
PW/CL – 18 / 12
POTW/POTL – 11 / 14
LL/CB – 1 / 1
GF-SO/GA-SO/G DIFF – 206 / 171 / 35
Avs
W / L – 37 / 20
PW/CL – 18 / 6
POTW/POTL – 14 / 8
LL/CB – 0 / 1
GF-SO/GA-SO/G DIFF – 195 / 145 / 50
Knights
W / L – 29 / 28
PW/CL – 14 / 10
POTW/POTL – 8 / 17
LL/CB – 1 / 3
GF-SO/GA-SO/G DIFF – 183 / 173 / 10
Stars
W / L – 34 / 23
PW/CL – 13 / 6
POTW/POTL – 18 / 13
LL/CB – 1 / 3
GF-SO/GA-SO/G DIFF – 193 / 149 / 44
Wild
W / L – 32 / 25
PW/CL – 15 / 9
POTW/POTL – 17 / 11
LL/CB – 1 / 1
GF-SO/GA-SO/G DIFF – 198 / 164 / 34
Ducks
W / L – 29 / 28
PW/CL – 9 / 14
POTW/POTL – 14 / 12
LL/CB – 1 / 4
GF-SO/GA-SO/G DIFF – 178 / 202 / -24
Kings
W / L – 24 / 33
PW/CL – 6 / 10
POTW/POTL – 12 / 19
LL/CB – 1 / 1
GF-SO/GA-SO/G DIFF – 160 / 167 / -7
The Oilers are pretty strong based on Power Wins, GF-SO, G Diff. Their weakness with D play shows in Clear Losses, POTL, and GA-SO compared to the top teams. If they can keep going as they have been and are healthy enough, I don’t see how they are in a different place than last playoffs, and possibly, fingers crossed with better ‘tending
The Ducks have had defensive issues, but like the younger version of this Oiler group they can be dangerous. Their POTW is strong, and their 4 Comebacks is the most – they are going to push no matter what. The Oilers need to dominate them and the puck, and not try to sit on a lead, which has never worked really, especially since 2005 and the league calling more obstruction penalties
Thanks. I’d love to see this broken down by quarters. I’m sure the Oilers aren’t the only team with “strange brewing” going on, brewing that only seems to make sense in the final 20 or so games of the regular season.
I can break down the Oilers and perhaps the Avs for the last quarter. It would take too long for me to do much more. Or anyone can do Natural Statrick by dates if straight goal data is fine with them
Even just the Oilers last quarter would be instructive for me.
Other teams will have their seasonal development patterns, but how this team does its “strange brewing” interests me most of all.
Thank you.
For the entire season, the Ducks came back from trailing 2-0 in the third period to win 9 games.
As you say, they never stop pushing.
Given your decision to base these comparables on when the Oilers started to play better, it does not capture the sheer dominance of the Avalanche early in the season nor giving sufficient weight to the VGK surge after the coaching change.
After indifferent play most of the season, since the coaching change, the Knights went 7-0-1 while outscoring the opposition 31-16.
5 of those wins were Power Wins and they didn’t have a Clear Loss.
6 of those 8 games were against the Canucks, Flames, Kraken or Jets
I don’t think the Ducks should be taken lightly. They won’t be an easy out.
True, but you don’t win the Cup at the start of the season. They have cooled off a fair bit as the season wound down. A very good team for sure, but much closer to the rest of the good teams at this point
Maybe next season if I have time to make a spread sheet for it I’ll split the season in two instead of using an artificial start date
Much of the “cool down” can be attributed to injury and a lack of urgency once the division was clearly won. However, it is important to also acknowledge the AVs finished the season with a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 GP.
Perhaps, breaking the season down into quarters would be more revealing.
Lots of up arrows over the last number of weeks:
1) overall team commitment to structure, defence and puck management
2) Connor Ingram playing lots and playing very well (he’s .930 over the last 8 games or so)
3) Connor Murphy really playing like a legit 2RD and Darnell Nurse playing his best hockey in a long time beside him
4) Colton Dach looking like an impactful bottom six player and, seemingly, having a major effect on Trent Fredric
5) Josh Samanski looking like a legit bottom six center – offence will come but he is locked down defensively
6) Overall team depth – I mean, Lazar comes out for Drai but, when Dickinson is ready, one of Dach, Henrique, Samanski have to come out (or Kap) and that’s in addition to Jones. This team has 3 extra legit NHL players to insert (plus Howard).
7) Matt Savoie’s development – not only is he a top defensive forward on the team and PK guy but now he’s solidifying himself as a legit top 6 complimentary player – oh, he’s a rookie with another year left on his ELC.
8) The team’s record without Drai – they did very very well (and without Hyman for much of it).
These are solid up arrows, especially, in my mind, #’s 2 and 5. Ingram is so sneaky scrappy and is fighting for space like a hyena, and watch out for his stick work, it’s effective. Samanski is ready, hoping coaches don’t fade him. As an aside, did anyone see his interview that led to Stauffer’s comment about Germans not having a sense of humour. He seemed downright pissed when Gene told him he got credit for a goal. I’m still chuckling. Who does that? An intense and team first player does 🙂
I’m still snickering about this. Per Stauffer between periods last night in saying Draisaitl would be back in round one: he has the pain threshold of a cadaver. Classic and true
The Norris field is so deep that it increases the probability that Evan Bouchard will win it because the “anti-Bouchard” vote will be split.
Makar, Werenski, Dahlin, Hughes, Hutson, Seider, Bouchard, Heiskanen, Shaefer, Sanderson
(conceivably, Broberg could be on some ballots).
Bouchard’s vote will have him on the ballot. The “anti-Bouchard” vote will be split amongst the other eight guys.
He should also win it because he’s been the best d-man in the league this season – his overall positive impact to outscoring is top of the league – looking at how his team does with and without him on the ice (the numbers show a larger impact than McDavid).
Bouchard should be in the mix and would be a worthy winner. But perception, bias and reality are beyond the vaunted voters. It’s all skewed in their minds
Don’t discount the Buffalo-love factor.
Easy to throw down Dahlin as your pick after he captained the Sabres back to the playoffs.
Good point. He’s definitely in the mix and there has been a buffalo surge
BROBERG on ballots?!?!?
i think not.
Watching the Athletic’s Western Conference playoff preview, and boy oh boy, it’s the greatest hits of Oilers narratives so far. (although i guess that’s what you get when your series analyst for the hit covers the Nucks).
Go ahead, bet against us.
Oilers at +1300 to win the cup seems high. I’ll probably bite on that action.
Drance can be entertaining at times but often dispenses with actual analysis in favour of narratives and perceived clever quips – for example “Connor McDavid is John Wick and the Panthers killed his dog”.
Kind of hard to take seriously when he calls the Oilers “unserious”.
This morning’s “preview” of the Oilers/Ducks is highlighted by a full-on roast of the Oilers after a very brief discussion about the series.
The John Wick line was good, the rest was just lazy.
Norris will probably be: Werenski (Dahlin, Bouchard)
Hart will be: Mackinnon (Kucherov, McDavid)
This is like Doughty winning over Erik Karlsson for the Norris.
Ah well, I complain about Samanski not playing center, good thing Knoblauch reads this blog! 😉
Please keep him on center!
Savoie-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-Nuge-Roslovic
Henrique-Lazar-Kapanen
Dach-Samanski-Frederic
Once the lineup is healthy, I think I’d favour keeping the lines pretty much as-is but inserting Draisaitl in the 2C spot which would push Nuge down to where Henrique played and Dickinson in over Lazar. Like this:
Savoie-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Roslovic
Nuge–Dickinson-Kapanen
Dach-Samanski-Frederic
I believe KK will give Henrique the start in GM1 over Samanski. Samanski in as injury replacement or Henrique or Kapanen not playing well.
Dickinson won’t be ready for game 1 and probably Draisatl too, so there’s room for both in the lineup. The top set is likely the G1 lineup, the bottom is the “healthy” lineup.
This is the exact lines that should happen. I’d hope the Samanski line ends up as a third line on merit not because the Dickinson line is failing.
I feel the way Kap has been playing that revised third line will be where offense goes to die. Maybe put Kap back w his Kaptain Drai and let Roslo help Nuge score points?
The Nuge-Dickinson-Kapanen line will be where ALL offense goes to die – for and against. With the right deployment this could be very beneficial for the Oilers.
Podz & Kapanen have always been good with Leon as well. Roslovic could slide down with Nuge & Dickinson so the third line might have more offensive punch.
I think the best line deployment would be literally dropping Drai in for Lazar
Hyman-McDavid-Savoie
Henrique-Drai-Kapanen
Podz-RNH-Roslovic
Dach-Samanski-Fred
Lots of minutes for line 1
16 minutes as Drai comes back where you can spot others in Henriques place periodically 16 minutes RNH while giving the support he needs to be effective
Res to an effective/energy 4th line
What would your line up look like if Dickinson was back?
Good Q. This is a tough lineup to build that maintains bottom 6 scoring with Dickinson in the line-up. Him & Henrique are identical skillsets and blackholes for offence so ideally Coack KK gets comfortable enough with only have 1 of them in the lineup.
I’d likely go:
Hyman- McDavid-Savoie
Podz-Drai-Kapanen
RNH-Samanski-Roslovic
Dach-Dickinson-Fred
The key in any lineup hopefully being giving RNH enough support to have a 3rd outscoring line and trusting Drai to be able to carry anyone
Playing Henrique with Draisaitl over Podzgoalman is certainly a choice.
And a choice I would love not to make. The calculated bet is giving RNH the most ideal support to create a 3rd outscoring line so keeping that line together from last night. If we also keep Samanski line together, then the hope is the Drai can continue to carry anyone on his line and outscore. Henrique may still have enough hands and front net presence to add more than expected offence
Personally I see Henrique & Lazar as extra forwards.
Me too but trying to be realistic that coach KK will have him in the line up, especially if Dickinson is out
A bad choice.
The Canucks were left on the cutting room floor, way over matched. Well done
Bobblehead hyperbole Button on TSN saying the series won’t even be close. Ready for it. His excellency is saying the Oilers will dominate, primarily because the Ducks PK and defence are terrible. His riding partner for the bit Cameron Gaunce is also picking the Oil but more measured, calmly saying the Ducks goalie is good but Oil have the advantage. Has Button always been a goof?
Darn I dislike over the top predictions. Play the games – while I dislike the Ducks for past sins (and don’t love their current uniforms, hurts the eyes) they are scrappy, have good skill and will/can be a handful. I gotta say the Oilers should win playing the defence we’ve seen since the Panther debacle, and the offence will look after itself. Ingram will also be part of the story, he’s focused
“Has Button always been a goof?” This is quite unfair. Button has always been a doofus.
Good description!
Pickard recalled on an emergency basis.
It would appear that it’s so a 3rd goalie is readily available for playoffs.
They’ve got their dressing room vibes guy back. A good choice IMO.
Fun game last night, loved the first period hatty by Savoie, especially the Opposite-Leon third goal. Bouchard proved once again why he’s worthy of the Norris, although like LT I don’t think he gets it. 11, 2-14-16 +10 down the stretch, ramping up at exactly the right time.
Anecdotally, I remember McDavid starting out the season slowly and not looking like his dominant self at all. I presumed it was due to a hangover from another heartbreaking Stanley Cup Finals loss. Maybe there’s a faster way, but I went back now to count his points manually from the first 10 games of the season. He went 2, 1 (EN assist), 1 (EN assist), 1 (PP assist), 2, 0, 1 (first goal of season), 3, 0, 1. (The Oilers went 4-4-2 during that span.)
Surprisingly, it still adds up to 12 points (1 goal, 11 assists) in 10 games, a pace at which an average NHL player would die for. But McDavid didn’t look like the best player in the game, scratching out EN assists only to get points and not scoring until game 7.
And then my favourite hockey player goes out and wins the Art Ross, with no suspense in game 82, even though Kucherov was playing out of his mind for months and MacKinnon was producing at his usual high rate. McDavid has looked unreal for a while now, especially since Leon has been sidelined.
Go to the NHL stats page and click “By Game” then select the dates.
https://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?reportType=game&dateFrom=2025-10-07&dateTo=2025-10-27&gameType=2&playerPlayedFor=franchise.25&sort=points,goals,assists&page=0&pageSize=50
Imagine putting a right handed shooter on your PP in the Nuge (Letestu/Ovechkin) position….who’d a thunk ..— now put Leon on the other side…..man….
I thought the same thing on Savoie’s 3rd goal last night. I hate to take Nuge off the PP, but with Hyman net-front and Bouchard on the blue line, McDavid would have more options as he roves around the offensive zone.
A few items that have me feeling hopeful this playoffs, despite a turbulent season:
I think you’re right and Bouchard doesn’t even crack the top three.
I would have picked ‘won’t be fooled again’ for the Oilers, hits on many levels.
I do think Dahlin has a good case for the Norris. Wouldn’t complain if they gave it to him.
Would have guessed you would be picking makar.
Why? I would pick Bouchard but don’t have a problem with Dahlin.
I think Bouchard will be top-3, but honestly there’s a whole bunch of guys who are going to get votes from their local writers. Bouchard, Werenski, Makar, Hutson, Hughes, Seider, Dahlin, Sanderson, Karlsson and Schaeffer could all end up with 1st place votes.
Yes Bouchard will be the token addition to the 3 finalists since he’s scored the most – NHL can’t deny that.
Maybe, I think the Oilers suffer from a nostalgia factor.
The same reason all the old popular stuff from the 80,/90s is popular again or at least brought to our attention again is the people of that vintage make those decisions today.
Problem is most people outside of Edmonton and especially the east hated those Oilers.
I think Drai should have won the Hart last year and if he played anywhere else he probably would have.
For that reason Bouchard comes in 4th or 5th.
Beyond excited for a first round series against the Drakes, and hopeful to see the good guys serve some long overdue retribution. Love that there are still four Oilers who played in that series still with the club (should be 5, missin’ ya Klef). Nobody from that 2017 HEIM squad is left, believe Cam Fowler was the last man standing before they shipped him off to STL last season.
Duck Season!
Playoffs baby! And a nice little break until Monday.
Win it all or lose in game 7 of round 1 so the men get a summer of rest after a couple of long hard years.
Not Strange Brew, the movie?
What a hoser!
Oilers success will depend on how quickly they remove Rico from the lineup
Success will depend on how healthy Drai is.
Yes I was assuming his presumed mcl sprain will be healed in near future
He has the pain threshold of a cadaver.
Vancouver’s AHL team was the right team for the Oilers to meet right before the playoffs! Lowetide, I think your Ingram numbers are from another game.. I don’t think Van got 24 shots, and he only let in one!
right you are and I thank yoU!
I’m appreciating the xGA numbers! We’re starting to get a better mathematical sense of what’s happening in the crease. I’d suggest adding WIN%. My favourite goalie stat.
Ummmm… Ingram allowed one goal on twelve shots
Set some lofty goals for last night’s game, maybe I’ll go grab a lotto and see if the Patty Dach Supremacy can spread some wealth.
Glad the boys showed up and trounced a team that they should. I watched some of the Ducks’ game and they can play really well. Q has them playing a lot like the panthers – they overload and pressure the puck and were keeping structure, at least against the Preds. They also attack with support, and that’s why I think they had the season they did. Also some dangerous forwards and dinks on the blue line
They are considered a young team but do have veteran players. The Oilers should beat them, but if they mess around the Ducks can make you pay. Can’t wait until Monday
They are very dangerous on both ends of the ice. Expect some exciting high scoring games which will be buried in very late start times
If the Oilers play like they did last night, they have another long playoff run in store. Not discounting Anaheim but thats a very lucky first round draw. Very lucky to get in giving up 288 goals
Grateful for a change from LA; although I was looking forward to Dach crushing Mickey Mouse Anderson
Wouldn’t it be something if LA knock off the Avs? LOL.