The 2022-23 Edmonton Oilers arrived at the All-Star break tearing down the blacktop and blasting through the bedrock. Some fans expressed disappointment in the break coming when it did, but those feelinigs will fade if this Oilers team motorvates over the Detroit Red Wings tonight. If Edmonton is going to win the Stanley Cup, these kinds of tests should be met with strong play and road double yous. Tonight the next chapter in this compelling story begins.
THE ATHLETIC!
- Lowetide: How the Oilers finally found the key to five-on-five outscoring
- DNB: With Kailer Yamamoto nearing a return, which Oilers could be salary-cap casualties?
- Lowetide: Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie turns a corner, now NHL-ready
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers are about to start a major makeover at right wing
- New DNB: How Oilers’ Stuart Skinner learned to be a pro — and an NHL All-Star
- Lowetide: Is Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft saving another season?
- DNB: Why Ryan Nugent-Hopkins matters more to the Oilers now than ever before
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers ride high-flying offence to strong January finish
- DNB: Are the Oilers actually good again or are they simply benefitting from an easy schedule?
- Lowetide: Are the Oilers getting enough out of their AHL prospect pipeline?
- DNB: Oilers give a third-string university goalie the experience of his lifetime
- Lowetide: Oilers rookies Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway arriving right on time
- DNB: Oilers trade target: Scouting Blue Jackets defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov
- Lowetide: 3 trades that could help the Oilers this season and beyond
- New DNB: Oilers’ Zach Hyman subscriber Q&A
- Lowetide: The 5 biggest reasons for Edmonton Oilers’ recent turnaround
- DNB: What I’m hearing on Oilers’ trade deadline plans
- Lowetide: Is Oilers’ Vincent Desharnais an NHL defenceman?
- DNB: Oilers must act at the trade deadline
- Lowetide: Oilers midseason review of 2022-23 reasonable expectations
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2022
WHAT TO EXPECT IN FEBRUARY
- On the road to: DET, PHI, OTT, MTL (Expected 3-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: DET, NYR (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: COL (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: PHI (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: PIT, CBJ (Expected 1-0-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: BOS (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- February expected result: 6-3-2, 14 points in 11 games
- February actual result: 0-0-0
- January actual result: 8-2-2, 18 points in 12 games
- December results: 7-6-2, 16 points in 15 games
- November results: 7-7-0, 14 points in 14 games
- October results: 6-3-0, 12 points in 9 games
- Oilers in 2022-23: 28-18-4, 60 points in 50 games
I have the Oilers winning six of 11 and picking up a two-pack of Bettmans for the weekend. The team would end the month 34-21-6, on a trajectory for 99 points and the playoffs. If the Oilers do go 6-3-2 this month, will the team pass Vegas or Los Angeles in the Pacific Division?
OILERS FORWARDS AND THEIR FIVE-ON-FIVE NUMBERS
Dylan Holloway getting zoomed on the Connor McDavid line is worth a 10-game look, maybe more. If he can emerge as a real option on the 97 line, it opens up all kinds of options and makes Warren Foegele a more likely trade piece. Check out the captain’s goals-60 at five-on-five. Career high is 1.34-60, so he has a great chance to post a higher total this season.
Evander Kane succeeding on Leon Draisaitl’s line is something to watch in the days to come. So far this season, the two men have played 162 minutes together at five-on-five. The duo has a 9-8 goal share, but 47 percent shots and 48 percent expected goal share. I can’t see moving Hyman down a line with the season he’s having, so Kane-29 seems a lock. I think Derek Ryan has done a fine job with Draisaitl but look forward to Kailer Yamamoto’s return.
The Nuge line’s continued success is huge. Klim Kostin hasn’t scored in five, needs to post a crooked number on this trip.
I think Jesse Puljujarvi won’t be on this list for much longer.
OILERS DEFENSE AND THEIR FIVE-ON-FIVE NUMBERS
The defense has strong goal share numbers after a struggling start for some in the group. I’d like to see the TOI totals increased for Philip Broberg, Evan Bouchard and Vincent Desharnais. The deadline is less than a month away, time to find out what these men can bring this spring.
Especially Bouchard, who I think is a little vulnerable entering summer as a restricted free agent and probably looking long term. The Oilers as an organization have been willing to gnaw their own arm off to avoid signing a long deal with a gifted puck mover going all the way back to Paul Coffey.
SHANE LACHANCE
I rarely mention Shane Lachance, despite his powerful offensive numbers in the USHL this season. Why? He’s 19. Lachance did not post huge offensive numbers in his draft or draft plus one seasons, and now that he’s 19 dominating a junior league doesn’t have the same impact based on hundreds of past prospects.
Still, 24 goals in 37 USHL games is an impressive total even at 19. He’s about three weeks older than Reid Schaefer, who has 19 goals in 35 WHL games. So, despite being 19 and blossoming later, Lachance should be recognized as a player who brings valuable assets as a prospect.
NOTES
- James Hamblin hasn’t scored a point in the NHL but does have a 9.0 shots-60 rate at five-on-five. He also has 4.5 HDSC per 60 and 1.74 TK-per-60. I don’t know that he’ll ever deliver enough to play an NHL season, but those nine games are interesting.
- Mike Kesselring is averaging 3.1 shots-game in Bakersfield.
- Justin Bailey is averaging 2.7 per game and he looks good. Will we see him? I don’t think so, but RW is fluid for this team.
- Raphael Lavoie is averaging 2.78 and scoring on 13.5 percent of his shots. What a fascinating two months for this player.
LOWETIDE AND JAMIESON
10-2 today, TSN1260. We’ll preview the Oilers-Red Wings with Tom Gazzola, find out what he’s hearing on the trade deadline, plus Max Bultman from The Athletic Detroit. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Talk soon!
Friends. We all want the cup.
I’m convinced that the answer is Walman plus Gostisbehere (double retention) plus Bjugstad.
Nurse – Ceci
Walman – Bouch
Gostisbehere – Barrie/ Desharnais
Broberg
Last year they went shopping in the bargain bin for Kulak. He couldn’t stay in the lineup in Montreal. Bounced around during their Finals run. Now he’s a lock for 15 serviceable minutes in a mid/low Comp role, in the heart of his prime years, for $2.75. Are we sure we want to get out of that?
Kulak is found money. Nice contract, local Edmonton-ish guy with family around, wife and a new kid. Playing well, I’d say above expectations when acquired. Has never had any issues with his coaches and plays in enough situations for us to know that they trust him back.
I think the odds he’s traded are low.
Nurse, Bro, Bouch and Barrie can all bring the offense. I counted four headman passes from Nurse last night that led directly to odd man rushes for the Oilers. Broberg’s assist on the McLeod goal was wonderful. Drove wide, drew two, tape to tape drop pass into the slot in stride. Music. Bouch too had a wonderful toe drag that gave him a controlled zone entry and a lot of space to work with.
I feel like the gains we’re seeing internally on the backend are being discounted pretty heavily by portions of the fanbase. They are going to continue to improve through the trade deadline.
We’ll be picking up injury depth, not key pieces me thinks.
I would add that due to any deal having to be “cap in, cap out” the draft capital we would have to give up for double retention is too much. It would lay bare the cupboards for when a more significant piece becomes available. This becomes more apparent when one realizes that almost all deals shown here will still currently leave us short of this year’s Boston Bruins. I doubt that mortgaging our future for a berth in the finals will help in keeping Connor and Leon here down the road. and some of the moves proposed here would eliminate any chances of adding next year if the team falls short this year. A piece like Walman would be nice if the price is right, but without it this is still an improved defense from last year. I suspect the players are more focused on the team as it stands and improving internally going into the playoffs than they are about who can help improve them.
If one wants the Cup, Broberg and Desharnais and Nurse all have to be in the lineup. All have unique abilities that your run-of-the-mill NHL defenseman does not have.
Only quick thoughts from the nether hours tonight…
1) Campbell probably didn’t outright steal it, the Oilers were better than that, and DET lacked some finish (as did we), but he definitely outplayed the guy at the other end of the ice. Excellent game.
2) Broberg has settled in. He’s more comfortable and confident offensively. Enjoy the ride, it’s going to be fun.
3) The stars didn’t have tonight, too much on the schedule. 97 & 29 were worried if they weren’t at the practices, the team would take them off so they hustled back but looks like thy bit off more than they could chew. the great thing was, the bottom 6 had their backs and played a helluva game for them in return.
4) Warren Foegele would really like to not be traded.
5) Nurse’s failed clear off the glass early in the game was funny. Everyone gets fooled from time-to-time by the boards in Detroit. They’re so much stiffer than most other arenas,… pucks come off them different, sharper, more active.
6) Moose and Chelios were quite enjoyable. Closer to Ferraro than Debrusk in their content.
7) A win means Puljujarvi likely sits again. I would imagine we see Skinner next in net though. That start for Soup tonight kind of struck me as Manwood declaring their starter. No?
8) I hate to say this because I love him, but after Jesse really Barrie is the logical guy to move. Switch him for a stalwart good skating and passing RD on an expiring contract, who can PK and munch middle minutes.
Night all.
Was thinking the same thing w/Broberg. Had a really nice game, moved the puck under duress with no panic in his game. You can see it coming for him – and that’s a great thing.
I agree with most of this.
——
Yup, Oilers had the better tender on the night and that always helps. Good job Jack.
I said before that game to Tyler and Liam, they probably split Det/Phi and Ott/Mtl but the guy who starts tonight probably sends a message. I wouldn’t be overly surprised if they go back to Campbell on Thursday as well and then split the weekend – that would send a real message on “the plan”.
——-
A couple tough shifts for Broberg in the d-zone, not on him but the group got running around a few times but, overall, yup, ANOTHER strong game and he got tougher minutes. He had about 5 minutes against Larkin/Bertuzzi and most of the rest against the Raymond line
Woodcroft wants Skinner vs. Hart.
Late to comment on LT’s post about Lavoie, but in his last 17 games he has 65 shots, that is 3.83 shots per game. He is also averaging 6 shots per game over his last 4 games. His shooting percentage is 13.8 % during this 17 game stretch.
I can see him getting some games in the near future. I watched both of his games vs Wranglers, he is looking very very good.
5v5 pts/60 rates and rankings for Oilers amongst the top 384 FW’s (32×12)
Hyman 2.74 Highest 3rd of Line 1 players – ranked 16
McDavid 2.57 High Line 1 – 27
Draisaitl 2.25 Mid L1
————
Kostin 1.95 H2
McLeod 1.9 M2
RNH 1.88 M2
————–
Foegele 1.57 H3
Ryan 1.56 H3
Yamamoto 1.54 H3
Janmark 1.44 M3
Holloway 1.31 L3
—————
Puljujarvi .95 M4
Did not qualify
Kane 2.29 M1
Shore .76 L4
Kostin sh% a team high 21.95
Shore team low 0%
Defence 4v5 PK time
Nurse 5:22
Ceci 5:13
Vinny 2:34
Kulak 2:25
Broberg 2:13
they use all 3 Lefties and 2 of 4 Righties
they may continue the 11-7 lineup if they prefer this PK deployment
Great to see 3 depth goals
Larkin, Bertuzzi, Raymond crushed our top pair
Not great N+C struggled with the forecheck
They also crushed McDavid, Leon and Kane – it wasn’t just the D-pair, but the entire top of the roster, that struggled against the top wings last night.
I just want to point out that there are people out there who are going to have an unreasonable take on Jesse no matter what happens to him on his next team. To those like Lonnberg, the Oilers will be blamed irrespective of his future performance. He does well, Oilers were holding him back. If he’s the next Anton Lander, the Oilers didn’t develop him properly. It’s lose-lose from an organizational perspective to such individuals, and absolves Jesse of not producing points
The Finnish GM of Columbus passed on him first…
JP turns up at the draft interview clueless and the CBJ GM saw through this top 5 pick.
You have to wonder what player Oilers might have picked up who went after a spot or two later..
Oilers tried everything. JP wasn’t developed properly in the same way as a failed Broadway actor spends the rest of his life blaming NYC instead of looking in the mirror.
Oilers move into sole possession of 2nd place in regulation wins.
Soon there will be 5 forwards on the team at a point per game pace or greater.
With Broberg emerging as we speak – I don’t think we need to do anything about LHD except maybe pick up some cheap injury insurance on that side.
An upgrade at RHD could be possible pending a decision on Bouchard’s upside. The offense is obvious but can he play defense against elites at a high enough level to be on the top pair?
Nurse is a very good dman but we win a SC when we can copy what STL did with Pietro (play him on a killer 2nd pair and leave the toughs to Parayko and JBo). Broberg is turning into JBo and now we need the Parayko clone. Desharnais is a poor-man’s version of Parayko and his skill set perfectly matches the RHD holes caused by Barrie and Bouchard. No surprise that the PK is suddenly very good with Big D replacing Barrie/Bouchard.
You can see our defense rounding into shape through the internal development of Broberg, Bouchard and Deharnais. But you can make the case that trading Barrie for a better rounded dman is the right play. Barrie for Jensen would be nice. Toss in JP for Eller and call it a day.
Except Washington has Carlson and no need for Barrie. Need two trades.
Chalk up another one . The boys bend but they don’t break . It was impressive how they held it together. They certainly aren’t push overs.Oiler hockey is a sight to behold.Amen.
Not sure what kind of Soup was served tonight, but it was delicious! More please!
Did he steal one? I think he did.
That would be mulligatawny.
“No More goals, Jerry, No More For Any Of Us.”
With the core now all being vets with no more excuses personally- they have all the experience they need or anyone does – I’m very concerned with Nurse’s play
He’s been unthinking all season. Losing possession battles everywhere and chasing again. Awful with the puck regularly
The coaches need to get him playing the best game for him. He’s a limited player, and if he’s on the team he has to play like a 9M+ player. This won’t work in Cup terms without a lot of luck. I’d rather they win because of dominance, appropriate levels of luck always needed, but a flukey one off would be sad for a Connor team
Regardless of his salary he needs help. No real #2 on the team to take his minutes against top competition
That doesn’t excuse his poor decision making, passing, chasing and not winning battles at the lines
On the first goal he easily could have challenged the puck at the line middle ice but did a fly by stick wave while way out of position
IF it was getting beat by top players making high skill plays, playing against them a lot, that would be different. But that’s not what I’m talking about. Playing poorly too often is on the player. ‘Players’ in the Oiler’s case
They have a ton of skill and that drives things, they can win games. But they still fall apart defensively way too easily and go into extended periods where they lose flow and pace. That’s what sunk them last playoffs along with injuries. But being healthy won’t cover the disorganization and weak individual play when it counts
Woody did mention player’s individual play and team play yesterday I think as areas they want or improve. I hope they can push and convince them to get/play better
Hey, I hate his contract. He and the oilers need help on D at the top end. Who’s a legit 2 on the back end?
I don’t know who. I think it needs to be a player type like Larsson but with better passing skills and ideally more mobile. They don’t need another offensive type for sure, more leather than bat
I’d encourage all to take a look at Nurse’s numbers without Ceci – which sparkle and continue to spark without Ceci and without McDavid.
Nurse/Bouchard is worth a real try – good underlying metrics last year (but ran bad luck) and good metrics this year.
Agreed the stats show some good things. I’m getting at the single moment mental mistakes that stats don’t show bcs they’re aggregated. The best over all players don’t make them often, especially at critical times, I feel that’s the difference between top teams and the Oilers who are trying to be one and stay there
Numbers are awesome but C’mon OP, you really think Nurse/Bouch is a legit cup run top D? I’m a fan of the team too but that’s not good enough.
Bouch looked very poor a lot of times tonight. We’ve seen a lot of this from him this season. I would keep him away from top pairing; he is the DCorps version of Jesse this season.
He has it in him, but he sure is not showing it. He is probably being considered as trade bait, although his current salary gives him an advantage over Barrie….
I believe in this player, but I am concerned that his confidence is at an all time low.
In other news…Erik Karlsson sets up Timo Meier for the Sharks OT win over TBL.
https://www.nhl.com/video/meier-tallies-the-ot-winner/t-336213264/c-15157392
Karlsson finishes the game 1G 2A and now has 17G and 52A on the season.
Now 6th in overall league scoring and has 51 EVP to lead the league…4 more than Jack Hughes.
Oh my…what a season.
Thank GOODNESS that Oilers game is over. Sheesh.
I watched it.
The Oilers we’re very lucky not to be down 3-0 after the first and a couple of wild deflections settled it.
Meanwhile, Colorado-Pittsburgh featured high tempo playoff style hockey and Erik Karlsson is just playing sublime hockey.
Interesting you say that. Chelios and Messier were remarking to one another how much the DET vs EDM game resembled playoff hockey.
Yet you were left wanting.
Curious.
Don’t you remember? Messier once had an encounter with HH that turned HH into the mess that he is. Of course HH is going to give the impression he was left wanting. He can’t side with the guy that traumatized him so long ago.
If you haven’t enjoyed the Oilers watching the Oilers 8-0-1 as of late while McDavid is on Super Mario levels, Draisaitl stamping himself as 2nd best in the league, while Nugent Hopkins and Hyman both battle for top 10 scoring.. Then why are you even here?
There’s plenty of sublime hockey being played all over the league on a nightly basis, thank you for stating the obvious Captain Kelly Hrudey.
I’m not popular this evening either, but it was not a strong game for the Oilers, who should dismantle a team like Detroit at this point, and won relying on luck far too much for a team with ambitions
Oilers weren’t as sharp as we’d like, granted… but so many times in years past, heck, even 2 months ago, they would not have come back in this game or would have folded in the 3rd when the Wings were pressing. I thought the Oilers goals were quality – Detroit gave up some pretty soft looks in the high slot and Woody exploited that. Am also grateful Holland signed Campbell rather than Husso. Onto Philly.
You can slice it anyway you want, but both Kane and Foegele also missed open nets. This all part of the game; the bounces, the misses, the posts, the deflections, the penalties, bad bounces, bad goalies, and bad decisions. It is variously called luck, momentum, playing right way, all these things.
In the end the Oilers scored 5 goals and Detroit 2 without major contributions from all of 97, 29 or 18. This was a team win. This is something we have not seen enough of this season, perhaps it makes you uncomfortable?
Personally I’ll take this kind of game, all day everyday. The end result is what matters the most and there have been far too many blown opportunities already this year. We need more. The real Jack Campbell has appeared in 2023!
Dude, the first paragraph was awesome. Second is some passive aggressive trolling. You know what you’re doing. We know what you’re doing.
And when you see any upvotes it’s me. Keep the fans honest but avoid being cheap. We see the formula so you’d be better off sticking to the numbers instead of including other teams in your posts. It’s repetitive and you can get the same downvotes just by pointing out the obvious negative numbers for certain players each game.
You think the Oilers haven’t lost because of bad bounces? Or the Avs haven’t won because of lucky bounces? Happens to every team in every league. Grow up.
Shame it’s being wasted on a team as bad as Vancouver.
It seems our Oilers aren’t the push overs they once were. We’ve heard many times “how easy it is (physically) to play the Oilers”. IMO…not any more. That was a pretty rough and tumble, physical game…love our skill advantage, but now we seem to be competing in a stronger fashion, with a hint of edge. Just like a top-level, real NHL team.
LET’S GO OILERS, LET’S GO!!!
Kostin with the face washing and talk downing was the chef’s kiss, teams definitely need to catch their scouting reports up. Oilers don’t seem to be a team you want to bite anymore, they punch you in the face and score powerplay goals at a rate the league has never seen.
One of my new favourite things is Vinny D. rag-dolling two opposition players at the same time in scrums.
Could he develop into “our Chara”…I recall he took quite a while to develop. So far so good…Oh to dream.
Desharnais will soon turn 27, Chara was playing 22 minutes a night when he was 22. In the same season Desharnais is in now, Chara played 25 minutes a night and finished 2nd in Norris trophy voting.
Vincent is a great story and admits he plays Chara’s style because of his size and reach, but his path and Chara’s path are not at all similar.
Oilers played a “bad” game according to some yet they won 5-2 on the road.
I’ll take bad games like that.
Depends what you want as the end goal
Many fans are interested in more than there being games on TV, that they win by the skin if their teeth against weak teams, because they play less than a team with two players voted the top in the league should
Like when do the excuses end? Shedding them is the next step. You can’t play shitty more than rarely in the best league, and have expectations
Talk is cheap
They played shitty and won – in their previous 8 games they have 15 points and played very well for most of it – one shitty game.
ALL teams play shitty every once in a while and it seems the Oilers are doing it no more than other top teams recently (except maybe the Bruins).
I wonder how shitty TBL played last night when they lost 7-1 to a rival or tonight when they lost to a lottery team…?
Hyman was as meh as you ever see him. McDavid was poor tonight. Drai was a non-factor. The Oilers won. This is a good thing.
Yes it’s good they won
If our top players played like Tampa or the injury riddled Avs or the Bruins or the Kraken or Devils this year I’d be happy
But they haven’t and don’t even if they can score. Leo and Connor aren’t dominating 5v5 and they should destroy. What’s happening is not going to win far in the playoffs is my concern
The Oilers are within 1 point of Seattle and 3 of Tampa. They’re tied with the Devils for the best record in the last 10.
The situation isn’t as dire as you want it to be.
They’re rolling now. Enjoy the ride 👍
Hurricanes 9-0-1
Oilers winning the cup sooner or never takes a boost when you see how the players are starting to understand and play off of each other.
Championship NHL teams can all do that.
Campbell played really well just like advertised he is going to be fine as will be Skinner – now Oilers have 2 NHL goaltenders – talk about the very best news going forward into February.
Summarizing!
Chiasson did not figure in the scoring and had only 2 SOG as the Blades shut out the Kings of Oil.
Glad for the win of course but this has not been a good game for a team with Cup aspirations
The highest paid players did not do what the team needs. Sloppy undisciplined plays at both ends. Yes top players have more turnovers, but that isn’t the same as consistently making dangerous plays everywhere and getting lost in the D zone
To me the issue is there are still to many players that struggle with basic good play. Foggy got 2 but he is at the moment playing like a 4th line player. He is fast and when ‘completely’ open has quite a shot. He also has really poor puck skills and likes to skate himself into coverage and turn the puck over. He’s inconsistent defensively. I’m afraid he doesn’t think the game well or even ok
Nurse is playing second pair quality right now. Ceci maybe second pair. Kulak is a third pair and like Foegele very puck and smarts challenged, another great skater with a good shot if completely open and unchallenged
I could go on about that. What I do like is for one Bro. Excellent player already. He didn’t necessarily deserve a penalty there as he played it perfectly and didn’t really hook. Smart with the puck at least comparatively and recovers well. He does things right and the puck goes where it should. Absolute keeper
I like that they have team toughness. They could even dial it back in a week or two, but are setting the tone that if you want to play chippy or go there are now multiple players that are game and no cake walk
Kenny needs to make some moves this summer, I hope he sees it and isn’t sentimental about it or who are friends. I think they’d all rather win a Cup and there are some guys that aren’t helping enough for me
Woody blowing sunshine up Warren’s. His job, but it isn’t a confidence issue at this point
I agree the top guys were quiet tonight and McDavid was pathetic on that first goal. You can’t make that soft spin on the wall hoping the puck will bounce in your favour. No excuse for that garbage. I make that play in beer league and feel shame. The top line was an eyelash of going down 2-0 early.
Foggy hasn’t had a great season but he was good tonight. Hard to complain when he gets two big goals.
Loved that pass from Broberg.
Foggy got two and they were timely. He finished nicely on the first but was set up and wide open with time. The other was going in already and happened to glance off him. Kudos he went to the net but the goal really had nothing to do with him
Other than that did he do much other than turn over the puck at times and nothing much else? After years of this type of game and snake bitten guys getting goals but still not really playing that well, I think it should be called out for what it was
The kind of game that should be worrying because it is a level of play that won’t beat a good team in a series and it’s getting closer to that time
I always enjoy wins but am worried that they can’t tighten things up still
Sure, the team as a whole wasn’t greta and certain individual players were not at their best.
Of course, no team, not even top cup contending teams are at their best every night. I didn’t see the TBL lose 7-1 yesterday but I’m guessing that team, with cup aspirations, was worse than the Oilers tonight. Probably in their loss to SJS today as well, right?
The lunch pail gang is starting to bond Captain Jack huge saves against a scrappy ,hungry playoff chasing Wings.
Hunter1909 Season in a Season Update
Tonight’s win makes Oilers 10-3-2 at the mid point of the 30 game season in a season that ends with the biggest game of the regular season in Boston.
Not exactly a Picasso tonight but an important win, nonetheless. When the top players get going, this team will do damage.
McDavid+Draisaitl both looked like they had a busy All Star break.
Yep, both weren’t very sharp. Connor won’t be happy with that; expect him to explode before the end of the weekend.
Although I get that they needed to return to Edmonton or else they’d be gone for like almost over two weeks (by the time Sunday comes around) – they have dogs and other home stuff I’m sure – but flying across the continent, from Florida to Edmonton on Saturday and then back to the east in Detroit on Monday, well, that’s not ideal for elite professional sport performances.
ESPN three stars of the game:
I liked our feed giving Bro a star. He was really good
Yessir. Some really good looks.
For what it’s worth, nhl66 dot ir or onhockey dot tv will have the out of market broadcasts if you want to avoid the WWE play by play.
No J.P no Yamo no Problem.
Divest from both and give Lavoie a chance next season
I’m secretly thinking Holloway takes the post season like the fresh start it is; then scores 10 goals during the playoffs up to the finals.
No missed chances for goals, JP is finished as an Oilers prospect.
JP will be happy and successful in the Swedish League.
Foegele missed the best chance for an Oiler all night…..
Foegele scored two goals tonight. Take off the JP blinders. Results matter.
I didn’t say anything about Puljujarvi – I responded to a post about no missed chances for goals.
Scrappy game. Pretty fun. Got the W.
Killer Kulak drops the gloves again at the buzzer
Some bad blood in this game
Great start to the road trip and the stretch drive
May as well call him the Kulak Archipelago, as there is no escaping him.
Alcatraz.
Next game is against Philadelphia
Philadelphia pride themselves on playing dirtbag hockey vs Oilers.
Regulation win number 27.
Goal differential up to +28.
It’s like the 2 refs are battling eachother for control of the narrative.
Kane is a stone cold killer on the empty netters.
Kane is a stone cold killer period.
Nice. Kane takes Foegele’s EN goal, but I’ll take that.
Looks like a McDavid assist too FWIW.
27 rather than 97.
Hey, he donated one at the start of the year to get the captain going, so things are just evening out for him when he needs to get back up to speed. #karma
Waste no time Evander – his presence was felt tonight.
Campbell has to be a star along with Foegele.
Sportsnet has it
-Foegele
-Broberg
-Campbell
.
I hope Jay puts Foegele out there with the open net.
Thank you Detroit 27
Golden Nugget makes a deposit.
Very happy to see that PP goal and a little bit of breathing room.
Nuge with his second point – huge goal.
Think McDavid get the secondary on that.
THAT’S the stuff
Nuge!!!
Detroit 27, has no brains.
I liked how Hronek was trying to be the guy and looked off Klimdros, and later skated away from Kane who was on the bench. It looked like Kane was saying ‘where you going?’
Teammates enjoyed that takedown by Nurse.
I appreciate Nurse’s physicality this evening.
Great clear by Ceci there….
I’m not sure they got the right guy(s) in the box but it’s a DET PP with 8 min remaining
Tip of Broberg’s stick hit the puck before anything.
I hope Woody starts “using his eyes” and sees that his trusted third line is getting killed…..
Has Foegele ever had a hat trick? He won’t get a better chance than that last one (nice Nurse and McLeod passes set it up).
Big save after by Campbell there to keep it even as well.
50-50 chance he buries an empty netter………
That very true.
If they get there…….
I thought I heard Jack/Louie say he has not had a hat trick in his career but I could be mistaken
Well – THAT was a large glove save by Campbell………
Great pass by Nurse but no cash by Foegele.
Fine pass by Foegele.
That pass was as good as his subsequent finish was bad…..