I have been waiting for exactly one forever and the day has finally arrived. Today, Edmonton Oilers fans will watch a team with a chance to win the Stanley Cup without the high anxiety of watching every shift through the lens of Connor McDavid’s legacy. Why? Because the post-McDavid roster is beginning to form. Please read this.
Now, one hopes the captain signs an extension before his current contract expires. However, the shorter deal he agreed to, along with the younger set arriving this year, allows fans to dream on a future that excludes McDavid while still offering hope.
This year’s roster is younger and if you project the group into the 2028-29 season, there is strength in important areas. Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Matt Savoie, Vasily Podkolzin, Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, Ike Howard, Josh Samanski and more.
There are feature players in prominent roles who are young. Savoie and Podkolzin lead the way, while others (Ike Howard, Josh Samanski) are pushing.
Let’s not bury the big story. The Oilers have McDavid through the spring of 2028. That means this spring, 2026, might be the last pure chance to watch the McDavid-Draisaitl-Bouchard Oilers win a Stanley Cup together without the worry of an exit. By next spring, everyone should be back, but there will be talk of moving on from the captain if a new contract doesn’t seem a viable option.
Enjoy this game. Nothing lasts forever. This Oilers team is splendid, all-world entertainment. Can the team find the discipline to play the postseason in the same goal suppression style we saw in the final 11 games of the season?
Just a reminder: In the final 11 games of the NHL season, the Oilers scored 37 and allowed 25 goals. That’ll play. Enjoy the game!
On the Lowdown today, we’ll set up the game and talk about an electric start to the playoffs across the NHL. Jason Gregor joins us at 1:20, Rachel Kryshak from Betalytics will be on at 1:40. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Testing
Just making sure, quiet in here today
Ingram made a couple of really nice saves when it was 3-2. Hopefully he tightens up the rebound control which is kinda is forte. Walman had one heck of a game. First time I’ve seen a player get penalized by getting slewfooted by the opposition. I can’t remember which other Oiler player was on the receiving end of another slewfoot I hope Walman and others took a number on the dirtiest play in hockey. All we can ask for are even penalties on home ice and you know the Ducks will get home ice reffing.
Does Samanski or Lazar get the next game? I have a feeling it’s Lazar and I’m ok with that decision as I believe Lazar will come up big time.
Oilers need to tighten it up this probably won’t happen till we play in Anaheim. I expect another track meet in game two. The Podkolzin pass to Kasper was Gretzky like. I can see why Podkolzin was drafted so high and why Leon so to speak took him under his wing.
Darnell Nurse has 0 offensive zone starts last night.
Yes, the penalty was unecessary (although a weak call), I thought he had a strong game.
I thought he played well and he almost scored on a nothing play. I love the fact that he was in deep pushing the play on more than one occasion.
At least it was one of those heart-in-the-right-place penalties defending your rookie tender, just went a little too far. Definitely a solid overall game from Nurse.
Yes. I agree. He’s so important for this teams success.
If he’s gonna play physical and mean I think we have to accept some penalties.
Update:
Dental equipment removed (thank you for words of encouragement)
Sadly, I had to endure most of the second period and missed the 3rd.
May not have the best hockey brain, but it was interesting that they went 0-3 during the period with the long change against a wheelin’ Ducks team, and 4-0 otherwise. Reminded me of when the fast young Oilers used to take advantage of situations like that. In the second it seemed like the Oil were forcing fast counterattacks without complete puck control, which instead ended up feeding the Ducks’ odd man rushes
Glad they pulled that out, and add another playoff GWG to Kapanen’s Oilers career.
Glad to hear you’re ok!
I was doing the removing 🙂
It went well. I told the family to give the dentist a hard time and to tell them that I had to miss the end of the game…
Glad you were taken care of.
Connor and Bouch have to trust their teammates more to contribute. Bouch will watch video and be better. Drai will get the trigger finger down and bury game 2. Wild win. Ducks have some youth.
Is this the first Oilers win this season that McD didn’t get a point?
Yes
McDavid has been carrying the team for the last couple of weeks it was nice to see the 2nd line doing the heavy lifting and winning the game for us. How about playoff Walman?
Oh btw, no one will use this headline but “Happy 420 Kappy Day! Let’s get high!“
Kudos to Jack Michaels for calling it out….
Jeffrey Viel
Tim Washe
Ian Moore
Not just 4th plumbers casually covering our top line….
A couple of them apparently are San Diego….I mean Anaheim rookies.
Meanwhile…..Ducks 1st line …
Leo Carlsson had 10 shots
Terry had 3 points.
Ducks are going to be spicy….but not with Gudas, Trouba and the ancient John Carlson.
They need Nurse next year
Stan Bowman spent our first round picks wisely.
Walman and Dickinson paired well on those two goals.
Dach is a critical player for a playoff series. Replaces what Reid Schaefer was drafted to become as an Oiler.
To me this is utterly ridiculous. You sign these player types in free agency. If you’re intent on spending all your first round picks package a couple and acquire a young vet on a cheap contract like a Robert Thomas.
That’s what is needed to supplement and maybe keep McDavid. Recency bias doesn’t change anything.
Maybe I’m the only one that would prefer this over all the picks traded and cap hits like Fred, Rico and others.
Its ridiculous to not think that trading futures, including first round picks, to potentially short term adds of older players at the deadline is not a highly common practice among managers of contenders.
St. Louis is not trading Robert Thomas for a likely 24-32 pick plus Beau Akey and the Oilers would require a divestriture of Nurse to fit that contract in.
The premise of the post is correct, in that value for the 1st round pick was received in three assests: Dickinson at half retained (potentially re-signed if he’s will to discount), Dach and $4MM of cap space (used for Murphy his season) including next season.
I feel lucky that we won that one.
Drai’s shooting looks rusty as can be expected. Bouch had too many giveaways and bad passes. McDavid is trying to hard to do it solo. Instead of fighting thru 2-3 Ducks, he needs send area passes to his wingers when they collapse to him. Nuge was gliding a step behind on the 3rd goal and it was his man who scored.
Even if Henrique says he’s okay, let him rest and reunite the Samanski-Dach-Frederic bash brothers. I want them to cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war!
I don’t fault Ingram on any of the goals. He made all the saves he was supposed to and a few of the really dangerous ones too.
Ingram. Shots fired at Mullet Arena. Great interview.
Ingram with some massive saves after the Ducks took the lead.
He did his job!
I’ve never seen a player that can play quite poor and end up with multiple points – time and time again (not playing poor time and time again but racking up points when he does) anywhere near Leon Draisail. He had one of he worst games I’ve ever seen him play earlier this season and he had four points.
Its an incredible trait.
Tavares said of Nylander, something to the effect of, it doesn’t matter how the game is going, he believes he will make the next great play.
Draisaitl has that in spades. It’s as though he bends the game to his own will. He’s the kid with the spoons in the Matrix.
There is no spoon.
A pretty poor showing outside of the A+ first, especially from the top guys. Ingram had a few huge saves. Ducks have been advised to swarm McDavid and to pressure Bouch and it worked more than once.
Winning without your best showing is what good teams do, though. Hopefully they show better in Game 2. McDavid, Drai, Bouch have a habit of picking teams apart once they see the game plan, I suspect that carries the remainder of the series.
kapanen and drai have chemistry
Walman was absolutely terrific. Draisaitl was rusty and magnificent.
Wore my Draisaitl jersey today instead of the go-to McDavid one. Good choice!
I like Playoff Kapanen very very much.
Podkolzyn was strong all night
That second line could be the difference in the series
It could have gone either way there at the end. But Edmonton prevails. KAPANEN AND DICKINSON. Who woulda thunk.
The Oilers had three players with 7 or more hits tonight. I think they’re shy on Nurse by two or three.
Great game, great team. Enjoying this.
Never in doubt!
I wouldn’t say that. This is good because now the Oilers won’t take the Ducks lightly.
These were Bruce’s words after an unlikely victory, said to both honor him, and simultaneously express that we most certainly were in a tight spot, but pulled through.
I don’t think you realize the whole point of his post.
#ripbruce
#verymissed
#madrespect
#gonetoosoon
#greattribute
All of these things.
❤️
#neverindoubt
That’s a veteran team win. Taking advantage of defensive breakdowns and steadily chipping away.
Ducks fell apart with the game on the line.
Gufas fell down with the game on the line
Loved it so much!
He’s still injured the bash brothers need to target this area. The Ulf Samuelsson hit on Matthew’s is as dirty as it gets. With his past history he should have received 10 games. Make Gudas pay and while there at it start pounding Trouba.
W is a W but man that better be this team’s top dogs worst game of the playoffs. 97, 2, 93, 18 very poor.
Ingram very good to keep them in it
Let’s consider it a freebie, then.
Considering my blood pressure, an expensive freebie, but a freebie nevertheless.
If I were the ducks, losing when the top dogs don’t play well would be a worry
29 was good considering the injury he had
Being a former goalie, and one of Ingram’s biggest supporters, I think he stood tall when it counted. But positionally it was his weakest in a long time.
His rebound control is among the best we’ve seen among Oilers goalies in a long time. Koskinen was pretty good at it. And then you’re probably going all the way back to Ranford.
That first goal was a horrendous rebound and recovery. The second goal a bad rebound. And all night he was floundering in the crease, over correcting, and out of position.
I hope it was just a bit of nerves and some really sloppy Oilers defense.
Because the Ingram we’ve seen for the past month wasn’t between the pipes tonight. That guy is consistent, low event, and extremely economical in his crease movement. Fantastic angles.
I had Kap on my ‘close to scratch’ list and would have been fine if Dickinson needed a few more games….
That’s why you gotta love the NHL Playoffs
A game that bad from 97 AND win??????
Music!
Rock and roll music!
Ingram needs to watch that slide to the right.
Lol, ya yikes.
Oilers’ grizzled vets out comeback the comeback kids for the win.
Going to be a helluva series. Glad they pulled it out but a few things to work on.
I’m just relieved they didn’t spot the other side a win this time.
There’s always something to work on.
What a crazy finish! First game they won with no McDavid points. I like it!
CLASSIC OILERS HOCKEY
Never in doubt!
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED????
Now that was FUN!
How did the Ducks lose? They are bigger, heavier, Killorn has 2 rings, and they always win when coming from behind?
Jack and Louis heartbroken…..
15 to go.
thats how you bury this ducks team, cycle it, create openings, keep the puck, let them make mistakes instread of breakout off your turnover
I was thinking all game we weren’t playing enough in their end. But just enough for the win
There are some that complain about perimeter play. It has its merits, extended Ozone time, defending is hard. Especially over the long haul.
Lovely backhand pass by 92 after Leon showed that you skate through the double team rather than stop up.
Just run that clip over and over.
That was a beautiful power move by Drai, for sure. Totally broke down Ducks defense
Kasperi haunting Dostal’s dreams this evening with his second.
Draisaitl suddenly getting on his horse and making things happen! Beautiful pass by Podz to Kap
When the big man is feelin’ it on the possession game, he’s unstoppable.
who had Dickinson and Kapanen with 2 each on their bingo card..?
What a pass by Podkolzin.
Vasily “Joe Thornton” Podkolzin
That was goddamn poetry.
KAPTACULAR!!
BOOM!!! Hard work pays off!!! Podz to Kappy!!!
YESSSSSS KASPERI!!!!
Podzilla!!!
Holy crap. Twins for Kap and Dicky! Who called that?????
What a play by podkolzin
Kapanen!!!