Today’s item is going to be mostly positive. It comes on the heels of a strong November finish and just before an inviting December schedule. Now, let’s make no promises about the days to come, there’s every chance you’ll be furious by midnight. That said, these Edmonton Oilers, the coaching staff and management had a pretty good run. Logic and reason suggests sustain.
The Athletic article today is about Edmonton’s top 20 prospects, featuring four at the top worth getting excited about for Oilers fans. The article is here.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN DECEMBER
- On the road to: VEG (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: CBJ, STL, TBAY (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: MIN (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: VEG, FLA, BOS, SJS, OTT (Expected 4-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: LAK, ANA (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: UTA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 9-4-0, 18 points in 13 games
- December results: 0-0-0
- Oilers in 2024-25: 13-9-2, 28 points in 24 games
If these Oilers match my expected record, the last day of December will see a 22-13-2 record, and the foundation of a 102-point season for Edmonton. A win tonight, in regulation, would put the club within three points of first place. That game against the Golden Knights later in the month could be a battle for first place.
JEFF SKINNER
Petr Klima is an important name in Oilers history. He scored a massive goal for the team, after sitting for several hours for sins real in coverage. Klima was regarded as a bit of a character, and had good quotes (“I don’t know what I like more, hockey or pizza”) and to this day people will give backhanded compliments about him.
It’s easy to poke holes in the reputation of flawed offensive hockey players, the damnable camera shows all. Jeff Skinner is such a player, and, like Klima in 1990, I do believe he could have a major positive impact on this season.
Skinner is the last person anyone should worry will go to Goose Loonies and get himself in trouble, all of his issues have taken place on the ice. I’ll say this: Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in hockey, and Skinner can do it like ringing a bell. That has value. He has more to give. Hopefully Kris Knoblauch lets him loose on a line with one of the Glimmer Twins. He is a high event player and that may hurt his chances, but he can help the Oilers given the opportunity. Maybe there’s a Murphy-Damphousse-Klima trio in there somewhere.
On the Lowdown today (noon at Sports 1440), we’ll talk about tonight’s game with Daniel Nugent-Bowman at The Athletic. We’ll also check in on the Elks, plus MLB free agency and reports that Juan Soto’s best offer might come from the Blue Jays. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio; Radioplayer Canada, we tweet out the show after it’s done and you can catch us on Apple and Spotify.
I guarantee the Oilers are circled on the calendar by every team. They seem to get everyone’s A-game.
Also, McDavid taking away a surefire garbage point/goal from Eichel was the highlight of the night for me. Great player, but Davo has always been in another strata
Oh buddy, it would have been absolutely beautiful had they put one in after that.
I know, it had Stefan/Hemsky vibes when it suddenly went the other way
That’s what I was thinking and hopeful for.
Certainly not a game to catastrophize over.
For all the credit Vegas got for their D tonight, the Oil limited that team to 16 shots. So whatever they did, we actually did better.
Two mistakes on one play determined the entire game. That is incredibly rare.
It’s a shame that it’s opened up a 7 point deficit in the standings that seems undeserved.
Tough to score when they just line up 5 guys plus a goalie in the crease. Man I loath Vegas!!
These games, Kane is really missed. They really don’t even think about stirring the pot. I kept thinking they should get into Hill’s grill and irritate him.
I haven’t been one to criticize Stu but that muffin was the difference. He didn’t have a lot of HDs to stop either. Hill was the other side of said difference. Exchange the goaltenders and I bet it’s a different result. Man, does Hill ever have McD’s number.
Also, that there were no penalties called in that game was ridiculous.
I mean, of course it was the difference, it was the only goal. He made the great stop on Hertl in the second. He was also the 2nd best goalie on the night, but the team didn’t score, either
Because the VGK are the saints of the NHL.
As someone pointed out in the replies: the goal is also unassisted. This must be the shortest “scorecard” possible…
I agree Skinner should have been out there late. He was looking dangerous. Felt a little like the Panthers series, carry the play but kept to the outside and can’t beat the goalie and the tight checking.
What A Game
Whew. I am tired just watching that…
Hill was the difference but we didn’t get many second chances. They’ve d was good blocking lanes and hacking sticks.
Not sure how they didn’t get called for hooks, slashes and interference multiple times.
Love our game, though. High effort and pace. Keep this up and we’ll win way more than we lose.
Agreed. Great game by two great teams. Oilers probably feel frustrated by that loss, but the season isn’t over and there’s another Vegas game just ahead.
Cult had it: Oilers with 12 Grade A shots, Vegas 5.
Skinner and Podkolzin should have been out there for part of the 6 on 5.
Way too long for the guys on the ice. Especially Hopkins and Henrique.
Agreed. They got closer to scoring and Pod created more helpful play than the other forwards I thought
That has a heck of an effort in the 3rd period. Team deserved a better fate. Inability to score is haunting us. How can such an offensive minded team have so much trouble finding twine????
As it stands only two are dangerous offensively and they both go down the rabbit hole when teams play how Vegas did and neutralize themselves
Ah frick! Boys played well, couldn’t catch a break. We’ll get em next time.
Deserved better, but Adin Hill has our number.
Damn, did the team not deserve better tonight.
By far the better team the last 40 minutes (and the first period was a draw as far as flow of play).
There have been sticks in the hands all night. This was reffed like some of the Florida series.
Someone mentioned going 33% on the PP as a key to success. That implies 3 PPs, an exceedingly rare occurrence. Near the bottom of the league in PPOs for a team that spends a lot of time attacking.
Reffing by reputation, instead of what’s actually happening in-game
Geez – what a save by Hill on Nuge – he was even able to get that off the ice a bit with no leverage.
Oilers have played well but Hill has seen most shots and had a chance to get set. Vegas very good with sticks in low and high slot helps their G get set.
To be clear:
Letting them play = will ignore clear penalties moving forward
Refs being paid to be fans tonight
They sure get shutout alot for an alleged offensive powerhouse with loose defense.
I can’t recall a game I’ve seen where there were zero penalties called, either direction – not even a coincidental – zero calls.
It’s been a good game. Definitely missing a few quality wingers. Some stone hands out there
Best defence I’ve seen Skinner display. Maybe he’s gotten the memo?
Skinner’s best game as an Oiler.
Skinner nice back check than sets up chance at other end. More please
Nurse having a good game, but could do without those long shots on goal with no traffic in front.
Coming in waves. Any minute now…
Amazing play at the offensive blue line by Bouchard there – only a handful of players in the league can make that play.
Oilers just not sharp around the Knights’ net so far – Bouchard, Brown, Kapanen….
Our shooters definitely “not clutch” tonight….
Oilers had the bulk of the high danger looks in that period – should be at least even if not ahead if it wasn’t for their own fumbling of 5-alarm tap ins.
Should be able to get a few good looks to at least tie the game this period.
A little off topic here, but the closer we get to the four nations cup the more feel some sadness that the Draisaitls, Pasternaks, Kaprisovs Josis and Kopitars of the world won’t be participating…I get not having a Russian team, but having an international all star team could have been fun but then a five team tourney complicates the round robin…It just bugs me that so many of the world’s best players can’t participate because of their birth certificates.
Just wanted to vent a little on that and hear what you all think of it?
It’s hard to take the series as anything more then some sort of weird money grab. Should in the least be a 6 preferably 8 team tournie with Russia as one of the entrants, the Russians have too much history in the sport to exclude them imo.
There are really 6 strong countries historically, and still 6 today. Sure, there are lots of good individual players from “Team Europe”, but none of those individual countries are nearly good enough to hang with the Top 6.
For evidence, take the number of Top-4 finishes at the IIHF championships since 2011. There’s a clear separation:
Canada 9
Finland 9
US 7
Russia 7
Czechia 7
Sweden 6
Switzerland 3
Germany 1
Slovakia 1
Latvia 1
Just every time we play these clowns, it somehow just doesn’t seem fair. I can’t stand them, either or without Stone.
Henrique line has been the best, most aggressive on the forecheck. One dangerous shift with Draisaitl and McDavid.
Don’t change the effort. Gotta get pucks to net more and muck it up. These guys are gonna break soon, if we can keep it up.
Vegas playing the trap?
We had a couple of great chances to score (Brown + Bouch) but didn’t. Both teams playing tight D. Always at least one guy on Connor and often two. Pretty much like a playoff game. Have to find a way to score two in the third.
Think if Rico sees Janmark a split second earlier he’s got a grade A chance. Just a tad off again
Brown and Nuge in 1st not able to get good wood on shots. Bouch had a chance in close too but pass may have gotten to him a tad late from Drai. Boys are close.
Wow!!! Having things ever opened up! Weirdly there is good defence being played, too. Can’t believe Brownie missed that…
Did Ekholm miss a couple shifts? Or was Nurse just with Bouchard because of a line change?
He blocked that shot like an absolute mad man
Holy hell, how to Bouchard and Brown miss those chances?
How the fuk was that not a hooking penalty on Skinner???
Oilers getting Vezina’d again.
Not many actually good chances
Or finish
Quite few real good chances in the 2nd period including 2 5-alarm tap ins they missed……
Giving up a lot of odd mans this game
Because they’re behind and getting frustrated. Taking more risks. That 1st goal set the tone for this one
Henrique has really been skating alot better lately
Drai’s having a night
Less hero, more smart
He’s the one talking about respecting the puck a few days ago
Pretty sure Eks got hooked by two guys, there…
Nuge not getting it done so far.
The Nuge heater seems to have lasted two games (plays are dying on his stick tonight – McDavid/Kapanen were wonderful on that O-zone shift).
What kind of crap organization just gives Kapanen away for free
One that got Holloway and Broberg for a bargain basement price.
No idea why for downvotes
Is this basement in Saudi Arabia covered in 24kt gold?
Blues are loaded with young forward talent, a lot of which has not arrived yet.
Basically, Bolduc, rookie scoring forward from the Q and 1 season in the AHL, was playing as well or better than Kapanen took his job. Joseph brings physicality to the 3rd line. Toropchenko and Walker deliver consistently in their 4th line roles.
The Blues basically did Kapanen a favor. He had a decent start to the season, but his days on the Blues were numbered.
Great save Stu
Oilers going to need to find a way to generate at least a couple dangerous scoring chances….
There was one on the clapper by Kapanen!