Last night I found myself in typical Oilers viewing mode. Waiting for a mistake. Waiting for the air to come out of the team and for the chaos to rain down misery. Truth to tell, I’ve watched that way since Craig MacTavish left the team, and some years when the goaltending was bad that feeling slipped in during those times, too.
We should not get ahead of ourselfves, it’s preseason man and this isn’t really a normal preseason. However, the goaltending looks good, The defense has structure and several players who can pass tape-to-tape and the forwards are skating absolute miles. I’m liking Mike Babcock’s Edmonton Oilers.
- Podkolzin-McDavid-Draisaitl: 13:01, 13-3, 1-0 goals, 76X
- Formenton-Dach-Joseph: 9:00, 2-2 shots, 56X
- Howard-Nuge-Hyman 7:43, 2-1 shots, 53X
- Frederic-Michaels-Kapanen 5:52, 2-3 shots, 57X
- Hyman-Nuge-Kapanen 5:01, 2-1 shots, 1-0 goals, 65X
- Howard-Michaels-Frederic 2:13, 3-0 shots, 63X
The expected numbers all shine, and no one had a career night. I think Kasperi Kapanen improved his place on the depth chart by several places and could see him playing second line opening night.
Babcock doesn’t often shuffle lines as he did last night, but I’m encouraged because he is now comfottable enough to trust his instincts. Example: he trusted Michaels on two different lines. It wasn’t in his head to cover for a weak link (I don’t know if Michels is that, but he’s a brand new pro). Babcock was looking for everything he could get without engine overheat. Fun times.
Connor McDavid had six shots, 5 high dangers. Vasily Podkolzin had three high dangers. Michaels had two high dangers. Alex Formenton, Nuge, Zach Hyman and Ike Howard also had high dangers. That’s a lot of productive players in one evening.
- Walman-Murphy 15:52, 3-4, 48X
- Ekholm-Bouchard 15:33, 7-1 shots, 95X
- Shea-Mukhamadullin 12:19, 1-1 shots, 50X
There was very little chaos in the game from the blue to my eye. Some passes landed on the stick of a forward at the blue line who was going the wrong way with aggressive coverage, but the coverage took care of those incidents. Connor Murphy had a couple of ‘is he going to get to the puck in time’ moments but that’s going to happen with a player-type his age. Small quibbles, really. Devon Levi stopped 23 of 24, .958 save percentage. The goaltending hasn’t been mentioned much, but it is a big story. This Levi fellow could solve a lot of problems.
Today is waiver wire day and decision day really for the Oilers. Owen Michaels versus Josh Samanski or do they make a deal? Stay tuned!
Ranking the Edmonton Oilers’ call-up options for the 2026-27 season
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7632758/2026/09/27/edmonton-oilers-recall-options-2026/
Oiler have Samanski that can’t make the team (even with Savoie and Dickinson out of the lineup) and Emberson that can’t crack the lineup.
There is some depth here now.
Marjala looks to be a legit call-up option and he’s likely behind Samanski (and, if they ever got fully healthy, Michael and Jones and Howard may all be off the team).
Samanski can’t make the team because the coach is trying out wingers at center. That’s a short-term item.
Might be smart to keep a 13th forward who can play both.
One would think but, given he’s not on waivers (at least not yet), Jones will be on the opening roster submission tomorrow afternoon and Samanski (or Michael) almost assuredly assigned to Bako (subject to a trade or a surprise 5th IR placement).
They could change in short order but any play assigned has to play an AHL game prior to being re-called.
Yup… IF and or but. I guess we’ll see.
If it’s and buts were candies and nuts ooh what a wonderful world it would be.
I understand that. At the same time, they do have a center playing wing (Drai) and a center hurt (Dickinson), both of which will play center this season.
Fact is, it looks like Samanski will be a call-up option and that’s with Savoie and Janmark on IR, let alone when they are available.
Sure. But if someone comes along and sayd “Samanski couldn’t make the team even with Dickinson, Savoie and Janmark off the roster” that will be completely untrue. Samanski is the guy I worry they’ll trade today, to be honest. I’m guessing his underlying numbers have value for smart teams.
LOL if there’s a trade it will probably involve Frederic and or Howard.
That’s my prediction.
Maybe it depends on what the Canadiens will take for Kirby Dach.
Maybe there’s a Freddy for Dach trade on the horizon.
Or else Freddy & Ike plus for Marchenko.
Marchenko is a game changer if Bowman can pull off a deal than pack your bags we are going to Florida game 3 final against the Tkachuk sisters.
Canadian’s would retain 50% and trade Dach for futures – little doubt.
Prepare yourself.
Why wait for the trade deadline pull the trigger today. Kirby will pot 15 goals in the regular preseason. His game translate well in the playoffs Bowman-Babcock-D.J-Myself-Sly Cat all know this. In today’s market picking up a 25 year-old Kirby for Pennie’s on the dollar would also have me drooling. Samanski or Hutson going the other way 50% retention.
I share that worry. Why does this organization make such baffling asset moves? Babcock seems to be in the seen him good section of selecting a roster, he’s admitted to not paying close attention to analytics. It’s almost like Holland’s Guide and Records Book quip have been swapped for he shows up in all the good clips.
true but Babs also went out of his way to hire Donskov who is very into analytics. I think he must be open to it
Babcock has not admitted to not paying close attention to analytic – he has spoken about using them multiple times. He’s responded to certain questions with noting that he hasn’t seem the numbers on the substance yet (which, to me, implies he wants to see them prior to finalizing his evaluation on that subject).
We are getting ahead of ourselves, pre-criticizing the organization for something that is unlikely. Could they trade Samanski today? Sure but they could also trade any player today. The much more likely scenario is he is loaned to Bakersfield, they keep the assets and, at some point, he’s called back up.
I don’t understand Jones over Samanski, in particular given the “center issue” but there is not asset leak risk in it.
For all we know, its Michaels to Bako and Samanski is 3C on Tuesday.
We are a smart team now
If he’s not on the team by coach’s/management’s decision, beat out by others in the mind of the coach’s and management, how is that completely untrue? It would be 100% factual even if we don’t agree with it.
Maybe if it was true that he’s not on the team. Maybe we find out tomorrow or the next day.
We definitely will know but Monday at 3pm but we know that Jones and Stastney will both be on the roster (unless traded or they are surprisingly injured).
It is a nice option to have a guy like that in minors to be able to called up if needed. Who knows maybe Babcock’s identified something he wants him to work on down there first?
Can someone explain to me why Oil to the Max is a member of this NHL team?
I’m sure Mike has made it clear as in crystal clear what kind of players he likes and where in the batting order. Bowman needs to round up a few casualties and make a trade for a couple of lost souls or two (Podkolzin types) that our scouts have identify as a target for Mikey. I trust Bowman to break even win-win or come out ahead. It’s been so so long since I can publicly come out and say this.
The Babcock interview where he said McLellan was playing McDavid too much popped up on oilers Reddit. Hes absolutely right. Also he gives a shoutout to Nuge – I guess he has always been a fan. Im really looking forward to having a coach who rolls the lines.
https://youtu.be/P6_X7PMN99Y
Three comments:
1) “Howard-Michaels-Frederic 2:13, 3-0 shots, 63X” might answer the question about Samanski (sorry Josh) and illustrates the earlier posts about new coaches having new eyes. Although I like having two third lines until Dickinson returns.
2) If Tuesday’s top 6 are 29-97-92 / 18-93-42, how long before Babcock returns to 93-97-18 / 92-29-42?
3) Wow would it ever be great for Howard and Frederic to develop scoring chemistry and be a Panthers-style third line with Nuge once Savoie is back.
I certainly did not have Michaels on the Roster, at all, lets alone over Samanski on my bingo card. It appears I was completely wrong about Michaels having even a distant bell change. I eat crow. With that said, it may be one game before he’s re-assigned, when Dickinson is ready to play.
Could be game 2 on the road – Babcock has alluded to potentially deploying different road and home.
I just want both, in partiucarl Freddie, to bang one in early – his confidence and ensuring the noise doesn’t come needs it.
No, the Oilers should not claim Sam Lafferty or Cole Schwindt.
I didn’t like the Babcock hiring couldn’t stand him in Anaheim-Detroit. I always felt sorry for Toronto regardless of Coach-GM going back to the Harold Ballard days. Anyhow it looks to me like Babcock is whipping that bottom 6 into shape. All the talk is on Babcock Conner-Leon must be loving not having no Cups rubbed in their faces like dog-shit from an aggressive owner. All the talk is Bab’s the players can relax and do their jobs to the best of their abilities.
Looks like its official and neither Max Jones nor Spencer Stastney on waivers which means both are on the opening roster submission.
One of Samanski and Michaels will be re-assigned prior to tomorrow at 3pm unless there is a surprise 5th IR placement (Dickinson) (or a trade) and I don’t think they’d have room for a 23 man roster in that case without placing Andersen on LTIR.
Sam O’Reily has been assigned to Syracuse.
I think he’s trending to play NHL games this year but next step for him is regular season pro games at the AHL level.
Last night I saw defenders lacking that millisecond to make plays, forwards out of sync for passes from the blue, and a general lack of structure. It really looks good on the white, red and yellow.
Carfagna re-assigned to Bakersfield.
Tomkins on waivers.
No word that Jones nor Stastney are on waivers and, if he either aren’t, they are on the opening roster.
No surprise on Stastney, I think most of us felt they would keep him as 8D.
Jones on with Michaels seemingly ahead of Samanski would mean that Samanski will be re-assigned before Monday 3pm unless Dickinson joins the 4 on IR (and I’d have to look to see if they had cap room for that without putting one of the guys on LTIR).
“Connor Murphy had a couple of ‘is he going to get to the puck in time’ moments but that’s going to happen with a player-type his age.”
I learned last night that Gord Murphy (a former NHL defenseman) is Connor’s father.
In more ways than one, I think we always knew that Connor is the Son of Gord.
Last night,post game, Rob Brown, without being asked, shared high praise for Owen Michael’s game.
More importantly, so has Mike Babcock.
I wonder how damn good Sam O’Reilly would look instead of Michael’s. O’Reilly led his team in minutes last night. I like Howard was excited when they first acquired him thought he was NHL ready. On the other hand O’Reilly 2 years younger is developing at warp speed. Holloway and now O’Reilly would sure look good for the future up front.
Well with Dickinson out to start the season, Micheals & Samanski might be kept to start the season. IMO it could come down to one of Howard, Micheals & Samanski being the final cut since all three are waiver exempt.
Sam O’Reily was sent down to the AHL today – yes, he played 20 minutes yesterday in an exhibition game – a game in which his expected goals was below 40% after being below 30% the prior game.
Sam O’Reily is a very nice prospect that will play in the NHL in due course, and maybe not to far in the future – lets play some regular season games that actually mean something.
He’ll be back in the NHL by Christmas like I mentioned on few occasions last year. His game translates to the NHL he’ll be better than Michaels in a few short months. I do hope the RHC Michaels is a sleeper player that turns into a Rem Murray type.
I have little doubt he’ll be in the NHL in due course – of note, the last week you’ve had him making the NHL team out of camp – thankfully I didn’t book that like I didn’t book the Howard trade at last year’s deadline or this year’s draft.
100% he’ll be better than Michaels, probably is better right now.
Last year you said no way in hell O’Reilly comes close to making the team this year. I said before Christmas or even after a 10-15 game stint to get used playing men. You said no way he’ll make the team next year then you started saying maybe after he won the MVP in the Memorial Cup as a winner. You change your mind all the time us old pricks don’t call you on it as this is just a fun Oiler blog. I remember you also calling Bullshit on me saying the moment Clattenburg stepped on the ice the fans would love him and would be chanting his name by Christmas. I knew Bowman would call him up as I watched some of Connor’s games in Junior and this kid has Moxie. If he wasn’t a hockey player he would be walking the Black Iron for a living. Connor has what every GM wants in a bottom three energy player he has the Trifecta he can Skate-Skill-Shit disturber. Babcock told the kid what to work on which I gather is conditioning since he lost training because of injury this off-season.
Caefagna down and Tomkins on waivers, headed to Bakersfield. Feels like a trade coming. Oilers have 24 names left assuming Dickonson or IR, leaving Jones, Samanski, Michaels and Stastney for three slots.
Feels like a trade day. We’ll see.
Acquiring a top winger like marchenko would allow Mc and drai to lead separate lines solving the center depth issue.
LT keeps hinting trade. Maybe he knows something…… well he knows a lot of things.
Samanski might interest a few teams G.M’s would have had a good look at him at the Olympics.
That summer Josh spent in France may come in handy shortly.
Its one spot for Samanski and Michaels with Jones and Stastney not on waivers today.
I would suggest that an assignment of one of these two waivers exempt players is more likely than a trade (although I have thought for much of the summer that Stastney for a depth forward was a legit possibility – as alluded to by Stauff).
That decision can wait until tomorrow as neither require waivers. Josh Brown, on the other hand……
Oilers sent Josh Brown to the minors on the 25th.
I’m not sure why I said Josh Brown, I meant Max Jones.
In any event, unless the Oilers are staggering waiver exposure announcement for the day, he’s on the opening roster.
This team not f ing around in the preseason is a nice change of pace. Start as you mean to go and all that.
Babcock started camp with a Shea-Bouchard pairing.
Did he ever say why he moved back to Ekholm-Bouchard?
He said right after the game that Shea/Bouchard played together that Ek would be back there and he was. The reasons for the different pairs early (a) he wanted to give Shakir the veteran Ekholm for a bit to get comfortable and (b) Bouchard is going to need multiple partners because of how many minutes he plays and no partner should play all those 5 on 5 minutes.
I think we saw last night what might happen at the beginning – Ek/Bouchard play together but, in certain situations, like the 4 on 4, Shea plays with Bouchard.
Babcock might be right that Bouchard can handle 28 minutes but Ekholm can deal with 20ish.
28 is a bit much but Bouchard can/should play 23-25 most nights – he’s tireless out there and doesn’t fade in games that he plays a ton or as the season grinds on (in fact, he generally improves as the season grinds on).
I’m just hopeful the predictions of Oilers doom cascading around the commentariat this summer (podcasts, etc) could be wrong. The first 20 games is always a tell with the team, and how they come out of the gate could help determine if it is top of the division or clawing their way to the playoffs in March. The reports of pass, pacing and goaltending (from both goalies) are great signs.
This isn’t me being overly optimistic just because of preseason. It is just a desire to see a good start & hoping the new/old coach has some things figured out.
Is this the same commentariat that told us last season that the Oilers defense was the best in the league?
Is there a chance they are wrong again this season?
Book it.
They have a nice path to start, the schedule isn’t ugly. That helps until the injured guys can return, and I hope they let them heal up as long as possible, that does seem to be how the go now
Another thing that works in their favour is playing to the system. They may regress as that has always happened in Connor’s era, but the players aren’t going to find that very comfortable with these coaches. Having consistent structure makes it much easier for the regular and younger guys to succeed. The Trio are wired to drive play, Hyman is and some others, that has to be more controlled or directed than it has been, but asking them to play in a more passive system doesn’t work
Especially if the new and more assertive structure is tailored to the team, and it seems like that to me. Not sitting back is a better plan for this group, give up little and own the puck
Before they relied too much on individual talent. Which caused them to play as individuals when pressed. If a key player got injured it hit them hard. I think they will weather that better this season. I’ve often said having even a couple guys out shouldn’t take a top team down 40-50 % in play. Hopefully now others will be able to step up because they know what what to do and how
Certainly something to hope for. At this point.
Foot speed is at a premium with both Babcock-Bowman. I mentioned on a couple occasions in Babcock 5 year tenure his team best 10 game start was 7-3 on 2 occasions. Babcock is not on a building team like the Leafs he knows the team needs to fly out of the gate with the soft schedule. Hopefully Jarry-Levi get into a healthy competition and feed off each other like the Bruins goalies a few years ago
Opening rosters need to be set by Monday end of day and anyone that needs to clear waivers will need to be exposed today.
The question is mainly Max Jones and potentially Spencer Stastney (although I think they keep 8D).
Tomkins will be on the wire.
Presume that each of Savoie, Janmark, Regula and Anderson start in IR opening up roster spots.
Cap space will be down to a couple hundred grand when all of said and done with a 27 player cap roster.
Ike Howard is waiver exempt. Just saying.
He certainly is – he’s assuredly on the roster.
I wouldn’t say it’s written in stone.
I know you’re been trying to will him off the team all off-season.
I think you will be disappointed.
I know you’ve been trying to will him on the team.
I won’t be as disappointed as you LOL.
He’s now out of the top six plunging down to the fourth line with Micheals & Frederic.
Perhaps he’s “out of the top six” or perhaps he starts there on Tuesday night. There is every chance that Howard and Kap will flip flop in-games depending on how things are going. A change in an exhibition game is just that.
Not to mention, we don’t know Babcock’s plan on the road and when he wants McDavid/Drai split, which we know will happen.
Let’s not put too much in exhibition – we see what it means every year. Performance last season in pro leagues/NCAA is more telling that this year’s exhibition season as far as regular season performance.
Exhibition season went as well as it could. Take away the wins, the pace and structure of the team looked like what we had talking about and, well, the goalies looked solid behind it. At the same time, let’s not forget Jack Campbell had a .968 in three exhibition games one year…..
Injuries are a problem – Babcock acknowledged Dach learning to play center at the NhL level is not great when “the guy in front of him” is out. I think he sticks with this structure for game 1.
The Dach experiment at center will end on a cold fall evening in Toronto and Babcock will agitate Bowman to find another. These experiments with big men start with “he sure is big” and end with “he sure was big” but it’s a tough position to play well.
The Dach line got cycles by the AHL Jets on 4 shifts and it happened agains 3-4 times last night. I don’t think it’s sustainable unless Dach develops rapidly. They will leak goals against.
Colton Dach is not an NHL calibre Centerman.
It seems Babcock likes Mike (Michaels) who has looked better every game.
But all signs have been pointing to Kirby as the droid Bowman is looking for. Although it could be debated that Kirby is also not an NHL calibre Centerman.
Perhaps Bowman sees Kirby as a winger who could pop with an elite centerman….. He would be a heckuva lot cheaper than Marchenko to acquire.
We wait.
Make it happen Bowman Kirby is your man 50% retention Hutson part of piece going the other way.
Colton on LW & Kirby on RW, if neither can play center. I wonder if they could talk Nuge into centering them, they could be the D ‘N D line.
Kirby Dach is certainly no longer and NHL counterman and may not even be a top 12 player on this roster – I have no interest in acquiring him, certainly not at $3.6MM or even 50% of that.
I have a feeling Bowman hasn’t received the memo that Kirby is no longer Centre material at the old age of 25. Kirby is a NHL player when healthy. He needs a fresh start by returning home to his G.M that drafted him and his brother. Make it happen Stan 25-50% retention Samanski in return.
Imagine getting a depth player at near $3MM on the cap – that would be egregious.
Don’t tell Dickinson he needs to take a pay cut.
The way Owen Micheals has jumped into the picture makes things interesting. He may have leap froged both of Dach & Samanski in the center depth chart. Who said there’d be no surprises?
Michaels looks to be getting his first NHL game on Tuesday – great for the young man – wild stuff.
We’ll see how it goes, we know that even the last exhibition games do not resemble true NHL regular seasons games at all.
Nuge Dach and Frederic all prefer to play centre. Maybe they are being given the opportunity which is good coaching I think. Maybe they get lucky and it works, but if not the players had a chance and that should be settled enough for them and not a distraction mentally. Can also spot in if necessary
At least Nuge is an NHL center. Not everyone can play center.