The Edmonton Oilers are off to a fast start, and that allows the team room to breathe. There’s no need to hurry Zach Hyman back, coach Mike Babcock can experiment with Jason Dickinson’s linemates and as long as Ike Howard isn’t bleeding goals, he can play eight minutes a night. Is that a good idea, playing Howard on the fourth line?
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OCTOBER
- At home to: Vancouver (Expected 1-0) Actual 0-0-11
- On the road: Vancouver (Expected 1-0) Actual 1-0-0
- At home to: Seattle (Expected 1-0) Actual 1-0-0
- On the road to: Anaheim, San Jose, Los Angeles (1-1-1) Actual 1-0-0
- At home to: Mammoth (1-0)
- At home to: Minnesota, Carolina, Toronto, Detroit, Calgary (3-2)
- On the road to: New York Islanders (1-0)
- Expected Record: 9-4-1, 19 points in 14 games
- Actual Record: 3-0-1, seven points in four games
I hate to get biblical this early in the season, but Ike Howard on the fourth line with this much injury is kind of a ‘if you are not for me, you are against me’ moment.
Last season, through four games, Ike Howard averaged 8:47 per game and the only crooked number posted was in the giveaway column. This year, through four games, Howard averaged 8:04 per game at five-on-five, has an assist (1.86 pts-60), four shots on goal, a high-danger chance and of course a giveaway. That’s progress, but the Oilers are burning daylight with this player. What’s up?
Babcock’s depth wingers are mostly bigger, fast checkers and you can see that’s what we’re going to see in the bottom-six when the cull is done. I don’t see Howard on the fourth line long term.
His only real hope (in my opinion) is when Leon Draisaitl is on the second line. As I see it, Babcock might like Podkolzin-McDavid-Savoie enough to run that trio, and may also decide Nuge-Dickinson-Hyman can work. That would leave the second line for Howard-Draisaitl-Hallander or something similar. Otherwise, Howard is a square peg in a round hole. I like Howard. He has speed and can score from range. He needs to shoot more, but hell boys everyone does. He’s working hard, and if Jay Woodcroft were coach I believe he would have an Oilers career.
As it is, Howard needs to make something happen. If I knew him, I’d send him a Spotify song (Warren Zevon’s “Hit Somebody”) because that’s probably what it is going to take. This league is murder. Ever watch a former NHLer in his fifties walk across a room? Not good. That’s the ask. Howard has enough skill to thrive in the NHL, but like others before him, from Steven Rice to Kailer Yamamoto, chances are the things he’ll need to do will erode his natural abilities over the next five years.
The player to watch today is Filip Hallander. My article at The Athletic details some real offensive success over the last few years and maybe he’s a middle-six solution for Babcock. That’s what they are looking for, you know. I think Babcock has decided his skill wingers are Draisaitl, Podkolzin, Savoie and Hyman. I think he is undecided on Alex Formention and Mathieu Joseph. That means Hallander, Kapanen, Trent Frederic and someone for the third and fourth lines. As it stands, Howard would have to beat out Savoie or count on a string of injuries to get a chance on the second line.
If we’re honest, his best chance to make the second line is this afternoon. Instead, Babcock will run a new hire instrad. That’s a tell. Godspeed, Howard. Hit somebody.
BAKERSFIELD
I watched the Condors last night. Quinn Hutson scored again, he’s stone alone offensively (not quite true, Viljami Marjala is a brilliant passer) and the Bakersfield six are not scoring goals. I like the small blue (Carfagna, Cibulka, Akey) and I miss Atro Leppanen, but guys like Eduards Tralmaks might want to do something soon.
Feeling grateful for Vegas this morning. Their ridiculous handling of Cassidy led us to Babcock.
So impressed with Babcock. Seems to have a lock on the verbal needed to maximize effort from each individual player. Howard was the best player in the 1st last night and Babcock went out of his way to praise Howard’s line mates (with lesser praise for Howard). I think Mike knows what he’s doing.
I’ll post this again in the morning blog but Bouchard is the best defenceman in the world right now.
Maybe it’s maturity, he’s in his prime years; maybe it’s a chip on his shoulder from being ignored by the hoi palloi; maybe it’s Babcock and DJ Smith.
Whatever it is, this is the best Oilers D we’ve seen since Pronger.
He’s dominating defensively – its not just only 1 goal against all season because they have the puck the entire time – he’s breaking up plays and creating instant offence out of them, consistently.
Oilers 4-0-1, 9 points
Flames 0-5-0, 0 points
Can the Flames have a worse season than the ’92 Oilers? I hope so.
Followed by losing the draft lottery … cause they suck at that too.
This is the key, no top pick.
DuPont aside, the draft is supposed to be not very good.
My preference is for the flames to miss the playoffs in 9th place after trading away their first round pick of Oli Jokinen every season.
The tears of Flames fans nurish my soul.
It’s hard to envision a scenario where they draft lower than 3rd unless Wolf and Cooley really start to do a Hasek impression.
Summarizing!
For the third time already this season, Lewandowski had 1 + 1, along with a game-high six SOG. He was named 1st star for his efforts.
Robinson extended his point streak too with an apple. Wakely and Berzkalns also each drew an assist.
Cameron was yanked eight minutes in after allowing two goals on nine shots.
Berry, Harvey, and Barnett incurred no soup.
Park did not dress.
Prospecting takes a break until Turkey Day.
Found it interesting the Xavier Bourgault scored the game winner against Syracuse with about 30 seconds left – SOR taking a minus. He is at one assist and -2 through 4 games as he adjusts to pro hockey.
The hype around SOR reminds me of Ryan O’Marra … a big shot prospect right until the moment he was traded to the Oilers.
The NHL is a hard league; 20 year olds who didn’t dominant the OHL until the third season are not going to have an impact right away after jumping to pro.
I have used Ryan O’Mara as the exact comparison multiple times – good pull.
Not that I think SOR will bust, I don’t, I think he’ll have a very good, maybe even great, career.
I just note him as a “style-type” that gets over-rated with this “can’t miss” mantra coming out of junior.
We don’t know what we don’t know.
Sam O’Reilly could wind up being Ryan McLeod, he scored a little better in Junior. Best case scenario might be Ryan O’Reilly. I don’t see any reason to be dismissive of his potential. He seems like a hardworking player with top 9 potential. There are 32 teams that can use that kind of player.
Rooting for someone to fail is never a good look
unless its Cowtown.
OPs pointing out that the hype for SOR was over the top.
I didn’t root, I noted.
I’m sure Podz will cool off in due time, but it’s been a great start. Maybe one of the best we’ve seen play with the glimmer twins. The Oilers may not have drafted him but I feel he’s been an adopted project. What a player and what a contract.
The work that Podz did in the offseason to improve his shot is really showing.
I’ve been pounding the systems drum ad nauseum since dec ’23 pretty much, and now that we have arrived, i feel its important to frame it proper:
The Oilers need to be able to play systems hockey.
Also, importantly, they know, and are very good at, not playing systems hockey.
That makes them a big problem.
Danny. When the Oilers hired Dave Tippet, I thought, finally!
I had thought, finally, the Oilers will have the bottom two lines play Yotes hockey, and shut it down. Sadly, it never happened .
I didn’t know what to expect when you’re expecting Mike Babcock hockey, but the early returns have been astounding.
Lots of account that the much less experienced and mature core were not ready to be coached like that at that time……
The Oilers are the only team who has yet to lose in regulation.
https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/s/x0DlQQ2D8e
Lol
Nurse was invisible tonight – 0 hits, 0 blocks, 0 points, -1, 5 muffins on net.
Shakir had 3 hits and was +1 in 11 minutes by comparison.
Nurse’s wheels will keep in the league, but he is no longer hard to play against.
I thought he played quite well
And yet he got nothing accomplished. Low IQ player … there I said it.
Hope that made you feel better Spec.🤣🤣🤣
Additional by subtraction.
Shea is better for half the cost.
I thought everyone on both teams looked hard to play against. That kind of a game. Sort of a hard checking, ‘I need my afternoon nap’ sort of systems game. Winning hockey if done correctly. Slightly less than inspiring to watch for 84 games a year. Maybe I needed my nap, too.
I know coach praised Samanski but at the same time he only gave him six minutes toi. I think he comes out of the lineup in LA. Hoping the lines are
Podz McDavid Hyman
Hallander Draisaitl Kapanen
Formentton Dickinson Joseph
Frederic Michaels Howard
Going to get pretty crowded up front if they ever get healthy. Who sits when Dach, RNH, and Savoie come back barring more injuries?
One thing at a time – lets get through the next game with Hyman in and no more injuries.
Maybe Dach doesn’t make it back in right away. We know coach loves him but, truth be told, he was 0 points and 0-4 goals and isn’t a PK or PP guy.
I never really see Formenton all that good. Of course, his speed is noticeable but I see him weak on the boards and not great at getting the puck deep but, at the same time, it seems good things happen – a goal, 3 blocks, 4 hits tonight.
Depth is a wonderful thing, yeah.
I don’t think the coach is chainging the overall structure of the lines on a 4 game winning streak where they’ve given up one goal at ES over the last 3 games so Samanaski stays in to play center and likely Howard comes out even though he had a solid/good game.
I’m starting to think that Babcock might be a good coach and the Columbis Blue Jackets are a Mickey Mouse organization where the players show up for camp out if shape
This – the BJs have always been a dysfunctional organization. And the media in Toronto is in love with manufacturing headlines. Combine that will cancel culture and you get one of the best coaches in hockey being banished from the league. Same thing happened to coach Q.
Winning shuts a lot of people up.
I see the cancel culture thrives here .. thankfully Oilers management and players learned to ignore it.
I love that every game in his media Babs goes out of his way to praise the depth players that were good and it’s always honest praise – Samanski, Howard and Freddi today. And for those that aren’t on Twitter theyve been showing these great dressing room clips after the games https://x.com/edmontonoilers/status/2109068376547197177?s=46
Great clips. Thx.
For sure.
Question is, who comes out for Hyman on Tuesday…..?
Don’t think its Samanski with Dach still out for center reasons…….
Don’t think its Frederic for big man reasons.
Its not going to be any on the third line despite leaking the goal.
Tough to see it not being Howard even after his really nice game.
24:22 played.., No not McDavid, not Draisaitl, and not even Bouchard.
Connior Murphy is Oilers toi leader? 😂😀🤣
Babcock says he thinks Hyman is playing best game.
Lots of praise for the fourth line – in particular Samanski, heaps of praise for his game today.
Was Jones sent down? Who comes out for Hyman??? Nuge? Savoie? Lots of competition for bottom 6 spots coming up.
He wasn’t but he can be waived tomorrow or Monday to prior to activating Hyman on Tuesday – Samanski can be transitioned to regular recall at that time.
Hyman???
next game
Hyman was solid defensively. Not a scoring chance against. 😉
THAT one was a phone typo – Babcock says he thinks he’s playing NEXT game.
Like I’ve said before OP, your (obviously phone) typos are consistently epic.
I wonder how your phone would respond to Woodguy if he were operating it?
Samanski praise!!! You love to see it
3 straight games with a quality start with 2 different goalies. It probably hasn’t been awhile, but it certainly feels like it.
Back to back 3-1 wins on the road while missing a full 2nd line!
???
The upvotes and the downvotes for a factually incorrect post suggest more than OP has been drinking early on Saturday.
Maybe it is a prediction. 😀
He’s definitely off his game today. There’s Oilers fans and then there’s OP fans.
Phone keyboards.
Cant trust ‘em.
No phone keyboard issue, definitely no drinking (its been over 14 years), just plain old approaching 50 dementia – thinking the game prior was the 3-1 Kraken win…..
Simple understanding of community must be beyond you. Factually not correct, but a positive statement from OP.
Three question marks with no actual statement about a simple mistake, comes off smug and negative.
OP does not drink.
Really big confidence boosting win and performance for Jarry, and the overall game in front of him was predictable by the Oiler skaters. Good to see.
System win. Any group of schmucks will do. No hero hockey.
Can’t ask for much more from Jarry, but the d played very well in front of him. Only good news though.
Man, is Cellebrini scary. They shut him down all game, then out of nowhere, a shot like that.
This must be as close as it can be for other teams watching Connor.
These Sharks remind me of an Oilers from 7-8 years ago and young McD.
Micheals establishing himself as a solid NHL centre on this team. Impressive in the face off circle. Looking like that elusive right shot, bottom 6 centre team has been looking for. Obviously long ways to go but have to like what he has done so far.
A right-handed centre who can win draws has a lot of value to this team.
Can we finally put to bed the narrative that winning FO don’t matter. As Owen cleanly winning two draws are perfect examples of how huge certain draws can be.
(tap, tap – is this thing working? I’m back!)
Clean win.
So, what’s the consensus on Babcock?
4-0-1 missing the second line.
Whats the down vote for? The fact that I’m back? Or that the Oil are 4-0-1 with no line 2?
Goaltending isn’t an issue with this club.
Solid game Oilers. Not dazzling, but a good repeatable style of winning play is a nice thing to have.
Great win. That’s a very professional hockey game by the Oilers.
I’m really enjoying watching Babcock actually coach during the game.
Jarry played very well.
Indeed, especially the Jarry part, great game to build from and start getting his confidence back.
Oil goalies feeding off each other, you gotta love it.
Win!
Wow nice game by our team. Jarry was solid. Impressive win.
Does Jarry have a special mask to go with these creme unis or is that his everyday mask?
The mask he wore today is the special mask for the creme/alternate jerseys. He also has a “Tom & Jerry (Jarry)” cartoon themed mask (which includes cartoons of his dogs) for the regular jerseys. I haven’t seen a third mask but he may have one.
McDavid owes Mikey a SH assist (and likely a huge kudos from the coach for the Faceoff win that iced the game).
Two penalties on that McDavid rush. Nothing.
No excuse for 97 to not score though. Weird game from him.
Kalshi or Polymarket probably don’t allow betting on late game NHL even-up game management penalties – too guaranteed.
McDavid just can’t miss that
Sure he can, and he did.
He does all the time if he was a dog on a bone with the open net like Gretzky he would have 30 more career points.
Did you hear that story circulating from Hull, during the Blues days, that Gretz had him line up on a o zone faceoff with an empty net up at least a couple and ordered him to one time it?
Podz could not have played that better. Terrible call.
Atta boy Mikey.
Oh, come on Connor………..
That’s not slashing.
This is great, because the Oilers are scrambly now and Babcock called a time out. Well done! I swear to you this Oilers crew would find a way to get this to overtime in previous seasons. I like the timeout by Babcock here.
Coaches should coach. And be aware enough in the absolute toughest moments to make decisions. He does. It is refreshing.
KK would stand there like a statue with a blank look on his face. Woody would be preening at the refs. Babs is focused on his team and his bench.
We seem to be getting less ticky-tacky penalty calls against under the veteran Mike.
Because he is preaching the basics of forechecking and angling properly
The timeout is very underutilized in pro hockey.
Every other sport uses it to slow momentum shifts, give their best players a breather, get everyone on the same play etc.
There is an instance in almost every game where it would be useful imo
Terrible call!!! Shame on the official.
lol, that’s a weak call. Brutal
Why ice that? Mental mistake there – Kap I think.
That was a great back check by McDavid to break up the pass in front of the net, going end to end to force the icing
I haven’t watched Celebrini close-enough to tell, but has he had some games where he messes-up by trying to do too much?
Fair comment but, at the same time, so does Connor McDavid and he’s about to turn 30……..
Samanski needs more offensive pizzazz. That play won’t wow the coaches.
It’s true.
True, for that play but, overall, seems like Babcock loved Samanski’s game tonight – raved about it a couple of times post-game.
I really don’t like Murphy. Especially not with Shea.
Classic “defensive” defenceman who in reality just isn’t that good. That gap and backing off Celebrini was brutal.
Which is a shame because when he first came over it was refreshing to see an Oil Dman again dumping guys on their ass.
Celebrini basically never gets penalties. He really wanted to do something positive.
Weak shift by Michaels and then by Formenton
This is why we don’t say shutout during a game. What a snipe.
Sorry.
I am kidding 🙂 but, it always seems to happen lol
Giving up one goal to Celebrini is no crime. He’s such a sweet kid.
That’s too bad – snipe.
So I haven’t noticed Shaky much and thats likely a good thing (except when Trouba thumped him) We know when healthy Walman can be a capable top 4 LD. Problem is he has trouble staying healthy. If Shaky can give him cover at 3LD that will be huge.
Solid net drive by Frederic – would have LOVED if he banged one in there.
He’s playing well. The fourth line has played well today.
They’re a mature team.