The Edmonton Oilers woes can be described ably by looking at the goal differentials (five-on-five) over the first three games of the season. The Top pairing is 1-2 in 35:46 (Nurse-Ceci) with an expected goal percentage of 59.3. The second pairing (Ryan Murray and Evan Bouchard) are 0-4 in 24 minutes with an expected goal percentage of 34.5 so far. Brett Kulak and Tyson Barrie are 0-0 goals in 26:37 with a 40.e expected goal percentage. Early days, but the only pairing that can be counted on today is Nurse-Ceci. That’s a problem for the Oilers.
THE ATHLETIC!
- Lowetide: Did the Oilers find the right fit for winger Zach Hyman?
- DNB: Another Oilers loss isn’t ideal, but it shows why they have little to be worried about
- DNB: How the Oilers can manage Connor McDavid and star players’ workloads
- Lowetide: 6 Edmonton Oilers positives from an uneven start
- Lowetide: Can the Oilers’ AHL affiliate sustain a productive prospect pipeline?
- DNB: Oilers need Jakob Chychrun or another top-4 defender, as loss to Flames shows
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers early impressions from season-opening win
- DNB: Oilers must adapt to short-handed lineup because it’s coming again
- DNB: Oilers goalie Jack Campbell enters season intent on exceeding expectations
- Lowetide: Why Oilers’ Evan Bouchard will be a key to 2022-23 season
- New DNB: 11 bold predictions for 2022-23 season
- Lowetide: What’s Oilers prospect Reid Schaefer’s NHL ETA?
- DNB: Oilers’ missing pieces? Trade strategy? Breakout player? Mailbag
- Jonathan Willis: Jakob Chychrun would look good on the Oilers, but is there a deal to be had?
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers reasonable expectations for every player in 2022-23
- Lowetide: Oilers top-20 prospects, summer 2022
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OCTOBER
- At home to: VAN, CGY, BUF, CAR, STL, PIT (Expected 4-1-1) (Actual 1-2-0)
- On the road to: STL, CHI, CGY (Expected 1-1-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 5-2-2, 12 points in 9 games
- Actual October results: 1-2-0, 2 points in 3 games
- Oilers in 2022-23: 1-2-0, 2 points in 3 games
Carolina is 3-0-0, St. Louis is 2-0-0 and Pittsburgh is 2-0-1 this season. The easy games were Vancouver and Buffalo, Edmonton going 1-1-0. Anything is possible, but I think Oilers fans would be thrilled with something like 2-3-1 coming out of this homestand. It’s been a ride.
POSSIBLE OILERS LINEUP
- Evander Kane [0-2-2]—Connor McDavid [4-2-6]—Kailer Yamamoto [0-1-1]
- Zach Hyman [0-2-2]—Leon Draisaitl [1-5-6]—Jesse Puljujarvi [0-0-0]
- Ryan McLeod [1-0-1]—Nuge [1-0-1]—Warren Foegele [0-0-0]
- Devin Shore [0-0-0]—Derek Ryan [0-0-0]
- Darnell Nurse [2-1-3]—Cody Ceci [1-1-2]
- Ryan Murray [0-1-1]—Evan Bouchard [0-0-0]
- Brett Kulak [0-0-0]—Tyson Barrie [0-1-1]
- Markus Niemelainen [0-0-0]
- Jack Campbell [1-1-0] [5.98] [.851]
- Stuart Skinner [0-1-0] [1.69] [.944]
BAKERSFIELD CONDORS
There are good things on the farm and last night several of Edmonton’s AHL prospects delivered against the Henderson Silver Knights. Mike Kesselring scored twice and has three goals in the first three games of the season. Xavier Bourgault had a nice assist on one of the goals, it was his first point in pro hockey. He is performing well in the early days with the Condors. James Hamblin had a pair of assists, and Klim Kostin scored a nice goal on a feed from him. Kostin is an excellent passer and he sure can take penalties, I think we’ll see him in Edmonton this winter. I thought Tyler Tullio played well, he doesn’t play as much as Bourgault but he’s noticeable in his own way.
TONIGHT
I believe this is a loss for Edmonton. The Carolina Hurricanes have a five-on-five goal share of 9-2 over three games. Edmonton probably gets more than one goal at five-on-five, but there’s much work to do. The Oilers have looked less prepared in each of their games and that’s extremely unlikely to change tonight.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
A busy day, 10-2 on TSN 1260. We’ll have James Duthie to talk all manner of what’s happening, Tom Gazzola will give us a preview from the rink, and your comments are welcome at 10-1260, or on twitter @Lowetide. Talk soon!
A bit of an NFL tangent here (been following Chuba Hubbard career very closely), but can anyone remotely fathom picking up Chychrun (a “comparable” due to injury history of McCafferty, although I am not familiar with the NFL cap structure or how non-guaranteed contracts actually work) for a 2023 2nd, 3rd & 4th + a 2024 5th?
I guess not then, lol
I thought the ask for Chychrun was a for a lot more than a list of picks. So guess I can’t fathom it.
As a rare Panthers fan, I’m disappointed to hear from you of the trade! I can’t say I’ve been following the NFL close at all this year. How is Hubbard doing?
“October hockey”. Connor mentioned this 4 times in his post game interview. Skill teams are at a disadvantage vs grinding teams early in the season…scramble play, rust, timing off, I think the oil will be just fine when they settle into mid season form
Just coming out of the beautiful Vegas T-Mobil arena. Jets are terrible looked like they were more interested in Gambling and the Foxy woman in this part of the world.
Looks like Vegas might be what they were supposed to be last season with Eichel getting a fresh season start.
The Jets looked like a ECHL team in the first 15 minutes 4-0 and zero response. Actually quite a few Jet fans here met 2 young fellas from Atlanta that are still diehard Thrashers fans. $19 American bucks for a tall boy beer. Vegas is hopping no rooms anywhere wall to wall people on the strip.
Jason Gregor
@JasonGregor
·
2m
Injury updates…
Holloway won’t play next two home games, but likely to go on road trip.
Benson has started skating on his own and is a few weeks away.
Broberg won’t play until next weekend in Bakersfield. #Oilers #Condors
And Manson goes to work.
Murray plays 8 minutes, Barrie just 13 minutes at evens. That’s ideal deployment right there. Pretty sure Broberg is already a better player than Murray, but he’ll have to get healthy first.
Murray looks baad…hope we can jettison him in short order
Hahaha. Sabers crush the flames .
Always heartening to see how strongly the Flames start season after season, then by playoffs they’re exhausted.
Flames are all fluff just like there fans if Stan Smyl scores on the breakaway in game 7 OT they have zero cups.
ha ha thats the spirit!
Phlegms lose
Two undefeated teams bite the dust in Alberta tonight.
Tip of the cap to RNH!
Great game
possible final season:
TIME IS RUNNING OUT …THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION
THE CONTEST now known as – HUNTER1909’S OILERS DYNASTY MARCH™
Here is how it works.
Same rules same everything and all of the previous records will be retained for posterity. Here is how to play: Predict the total points that Oilers finish the season with.
Tie breakers: a) – How many points Connor McDavid gets b) – how many goals Leon Draisaitl scores c) – Where Oilers finish(1-16th in the West)
To Recap: 1 – Predict Oilers final regular season point total 2 – Connormcdavid points 3 – leondraisatl goals 4 – oilers finish in the West(1-16)
deadline – Penguins game 6 @ start of game.
Could my eyes but did it seem Ryan Murray got less ice in the last half of the game?
Ryan Murray only 8 mins of ice time.
I am pretty sure very few of that occurred in the 3rd period….
Key to the victory imo.
No room to hide Murray and Niemo against a team like Carolina.
Didn’t see the ice again in the 2nd after the Cane PP that Highlander got his shortie on.. Had two shifts at the start of the 3rd: one short, one long.
That might indicate injury, but who knows.
Gotta love how the camera crew kept cutting to the guy slamming a pint after every goal.
That guy must be rich…and loaded…
Great game by the boys….let’s give Campbell some credit as well….some clutch saves.
Buffalo strangling Calgary ha ha go Sabres.
Sabres probably handed the Russian Soviet era hockey its worst on ice scoreboard curb stomping in the 70’s.
Bruce McCurdy no doubt has the full story.
so much for Carolina’s spotless GA stat. Good game boys!
…well, mostly.
Still a bit loose out there defensively.
Thought all the forward lines were moving their feet. Don’t have a real bad thing to say about any forward actually. Just need a few guys to get on the score sheet.
I’ll take a W in a track meet with Carolina.
Bring on the Blues!
Who has had a bigger night, Nuge, Connor or the guy chugging beers after each goal?
I vote Guy Chugging Beers After Each Goals’ liver.
How many did he have stashed???
Maxed out his credit card.
When was the last time you enjoyed watching a guy chug draft beer as much as this?
Oilers are undefeated this season when scoring first.
👍
Somebody call the bearded guy a cab
So satisfying…
Sweet victory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
McDavid.
Aho just tried to score 5-ho.
And GazpacHo said “No way Ho-zay.”
Biggest save of the game.
Holy Hell Ceci!
Jesse was out there with the net empty – with Nuge.
That’s not a pick – he was just there.
Just like the McLeod one. He was in his spot.
And Staal was skating backwards!
Why does Kane have to move…..absurd call.
Good lord what in the hell is this reffing?
Soccer level crap today yeesh
Guess what – that was the even up call to make it 5 penalties each. Classic nhl
Canes like to dive, when behind.
Yammo with his specialty! Drawing penalties. Hard working lil guy.
Now to use it for some insurance.
Smart plyby Yams there to draw that one
Has Jesse been taken out of the forward rotation?
That third line was dominant tonight but I think Shore/Ryan have been elevated.
JP missed a shift before the last one. Drai got double-shifted in
Summarizing!
Petrov and Wanner each pick up an assist tonight: Petrov’s in a loss, Wanner’s for the winners.
Niems nearly launched himself into the end boards, there. Hope the game slows down for him soon…He’s gonna be needed this season…
Nurse is just not smart enough defensively
Geez. No chance, there. Split like butter and fishing it outta the net..,
That was some terrible, horrible, coverage.
Wake the hell up Ceci and Nurse holy crap was that pathetic.
Not sure Ceci played that well……
nope
Wth was nurse doing leaving the center lane for free?
That shouldn’t happen in this league
Ceci, no?
Nurse left ceci on his own for an easy 2 on 1.
Nurse figured he needed to shade to the guy on the wall for no good reason
That McLeod goalie thing is a penalty but that shot to the back of the head isn’t and that hold is?
Geez.
Watching NHL officials helps my officiating game….more in a “what not to do/call” way
This game requires an empty net point for Nuge (although I also want Puljujarvi to get off the snide, he deserves it, and he won’t be out with the net empty likely…..
Holy crap does Hyman ever have a motor. Guy doesn’t give up one single ounce. Basically worked three guys to get a shot…on his own…beauty.
Just think:
This game means HH has to stfu about Carolina for the rest of the season.
B-b-but they had a 1.00 GA per game an hour ago!
Holy Hell Hyman!
He’s doing it all
Needed that save
Draisaitl.
I was just going to post that I think that Kane is the 3rd best option (after Hyman and Jesse) and the PP scores.
4th point for Nuge.
BOOM!!! Drai with the dagger!!! All day thanks to Nuge and McD!!!
Yes!!!! Needed that one!
Interesting that Bouch and Kane start this PP.
Poor officiating tonight. As usual….
Sheesh. That’s not a penalty…
Refs get an assist?