The Western Conference playoff race is fraught with danger. There’s a chance the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche are the wildcard teams, something that should strike fear in the hearts of both division leaders. The Oilers would do well to finish second or third in the Pacific, as the Los Angeles Kings look like the only thing close to safe harbour in the angry Pacific. Plenty of work for all involved, Edmonton has a mountain to climb this evening. The Dallas Stars are in town! Oh, joy!
THE ATHLETIC!
- Lowetide: Is Oilers AGM Brad Holland having an impact on trade success?
- DNB: Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl shows he’s more than Connor McDavid’s sidekick
- Lowetide: Are the Oilers carrying too much youth to win the Stanley Cup?
- DNB and Dom: Why Connor McDavid should be the unanimous Hart Trophy winner — again
- Lowetide: What to expect from the Oilers’ 2023 NHL Draft after trading first-round pick
- DNB: Blunders hurt Oilers in loss to Maple Leafs
- Lowetide: Making the call on the Edmonton Oilers’ 2023 RFAs
- DNB: The Oilers and Stuart Skinner can use their comeback over the Bruins as a springboard
- DNB: For new Oilers Mattias Ekholm and Nick Bjugstad, family matters most after a trade
- Lowetide: How unique is Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins career season?
- DNB: Connor McDavid’s importance to the Oilers keeps showing no bounds
- Lowetide: Oilers finally commit to Evan Bouchard. How much will it cost?
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers prospect Tyler Tullio is outplaying the high picks
- DNB: Why more vintage Kailer Yamamoto outings could solve Oilers’ right wing woes
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers spring signing season preview
- DNB: Why Mattias Ekholm is a big addition for an Oilers team that needs to win now
- Lowetide: Oilers’ mediocre February shows importance of protecting the puck
- DNB: Inside Brad Holland’s scouting process
- Lowetide: Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie turns a corner, now NHL-ready
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2022
WHAT TO EXPECT IN MARCH
- At home to: TOR, WPG (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 2-0-0)
- On the road to: WPG, BUF, BOS, TOR (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 2-2-0)
- At home to: OTT, DAL (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: SEA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: SJS, ARI, VGK (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: ARI, VGK (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: LAK (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- March expected result: 9-6-0, 18 points in 15 games
- March actual result: 5-2-0, 10 points in seven games
- February actual result: 4-3-4, 12 points in 11 games
- 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: 37-23-8, 82 points in 68 games
I have tonight as a loss, mostly because the Stars are a damn good team and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Dallas has also won 20 of 34 road games this season, earning a Bettman in five of the losses. Edmonton has been strong of late on home ice.
This is an excellent test for the new Oilers, who have added pieces as well as found new chem among the established players. I think we’re seeing a changing of the guard at right wing, something anticipated for several months. I think Kailer Yamamoto is in a little danger here, and part of it comes from players like Warren Foegele and Klim Kostin. Here are Oilers forwards this season, ranked by pts-60. I also have their NHL rank among regular forwards and the production delivered (first line means one of the 96 most productive players this season).
OILERS FORWARDS FIVE-ON-FIVE PTS-60 (RANK) (LINE)
- Connor McDavid 2.79 (14) (1st line)
- Zach Hyman 2.45 (29) (1st line)
- Klim Kostin 2.3 (49) (1st line)
- Leon Draisaitl 2.16 (79) (1st line)
- Evander Kane 2.02 (104) (2nd line)
- Warren Foegele 1.96 (116) (2nd line)
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 1.92 (127) (2nd line)
- Ryan McLeod 1.83 (145) (2nd line)
- Derek Ryan 1.52 (231) (3rd line)
- Mattias Janmark 1.46 (249) (3rd line)
- Kailer Yamamoto 1.46 (249) (3rd line)
- Dylan Holloway 1.2 (322) (4th line)
Yamamoto plays more with Draisaitl (236 minutes) and McDavid (159) than Warren Foegele (132 and 59, respectively). Hell, Klim Kostin (22 and 47) plays far less than either man. Edmonton will be looking to offload cap this summer, there are some candidates on this list. One of the interesting items to look at with this group of wingers surrounds their individual on-ice numbers five-on-five when isolated from McDavid. This is going to be fascinating in summer when big decisions are made on what to do with the roster.
- Warren Foegele 54.1 pct expected goals in 552 minutes
- Jesse Puljujarvi 53.4 pct expected goals in 461 minutes
- Dylan Holloway 51 pct expected goals in 401 minutes
- Zach Hyman 50.8 pct expected goals in 377 minutes
- Kailer Yamamoto 49.8 pct expected goals iin 458 minutes
- Devin Shore 49.6 pct expected goals in 328 minutes
- Mattias Janmark 49 pct expected goals in 489 minutes
- Klim Kostin 47 pct expected goals in 395 minutes
- Evander Kane 46.2 pct expected goals in 230 minutes
This exercise shows Foegele to be well clear of both Yamamoto and Kostin. One other curio: Despite not scoring much five-on-five this season, Holloway was helping send the puck in a good direction. Evander Kane’s numbers can be at least partly explained by injury/working his way back from injury.
LOWETIDE AND JAMIESON
A busy day as we get ready for one of the pivotal games of this month for the Oilers. We’re on 10-2, and will have plenty of coverage from James Duthie, Daniel Nugent-Bowman, Saad Yousuf from The Athletic Dallas and more. Plus, plenty of distracted comments during March Madness. Join the fun, TSN1260. Reach me via text at 10-1260 or on twitter @lowetide. Talk soon!
Great game by the good guys tonight! We played a very strong defensive game and finally had a bit of puck luck go our way. Stu is just a stud and Drai is starting to round into playoff form. Yes yes yesssssssss.
How long until we see Kane playing at full potential? By my eye…he’s been struggling to find his game and underperforming. I know he missed like 2/3 of the season, but we need this guy at the top of his game for this last stretch and playoffs. Hope he finds his game….like now.
Kings keep rolling.
Second best record in the league since the All Star break.
2 points out of the division lead.
Copley .967
Unfortunately they still have to play 2 regular season games against the Oilers. Beware the Ekholm.
Should be fun.
I was worried going into playoffs with the weakest goalies…not worried anymore.
Skinner/Campbell makes Copley/Korpisalo look like an AHL tandem. Yikes.
I can guarantee you that tandem will be good for two softies per game in the playoffs. And 2 is generally all you need to win in the post-season. LA is in trouble.
Skinner .912
Campbell .882
Korpisalo .929
Copley .904
One of these teams has goaltending issues and it is not the Kings.
korpisalo at .914 from every site I see
are you new here 😉 ?
Haha! Show me a GM in this league that takes Copley/Korpisalo over Skinner/Campbell. No chance.
Oh and just in case you missed the game tonight…
Skinner .962 vs 3rd best team in the West.
Copley .962 vs the worst team in the East.
LA definitely has the worst goalies in the west out of playoff teams. Hands down. Getting Korpisalo at the trade deadline and trading away Quick was a massive downgrade. And I couldn’t be happier about it.
100% Should be a great series if it happens again. Great series last year. Probably the 2 largest deadline (deadzone this year) splashes in the west. I’ll still take Oilers in 6 though.
Krak win in OT.
I’m not happy about it either.
Looks like the Flames are doing us a solid tonight. If they can beat Vegas again next week and take the two against LA, I will call it even for that free draft pick they got from us a couple of years ago (Thanks a lot, Gary) 🙁
I might not call it even… depends who they drafted!
Which 3rd round pick was it?
2021 3rd. Flames traded down to La for a 3rd (Cameron whynot) and a 6th (jack Beck). La used the pick on Kirill kirsanov.
Never, never, never! Contract terms were not fulfilled. Buttman outright stole an Oiler asset. #becauseoilers
Just as long as the Flames lose all other games and miss the playoffs.
Rookie Eklund scores on a penalty shot to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead early in 3rd.
Go Sharks, Go!! Do us a solid…
McLeod is not heading to Seattle with the team.
Shit. He’s quietly super important to the bottom 6. I hope it’s just illness
Damn. Highlander has become a massive part of this team. Hope it’s nothing serious.
I think that we played our most complete game of the season tonight. Our goaling was superb… our D cleared pucks, made some fine outlet passes, used their size to win battles and hit hard… our F’s played their best 2-way game yet, advanced the puck very effectively, in the O-zone showed their creative capabilities to the max. Nice to see our big boys knocking over Stars players, for a change.
Great game. Now repeat, repeat, repeat. GO OILERS!!!
Broberg only played 8 minutes at evens (Vinny 10) but Broberg outplayed Vinny by eye an by number – and he did it almost exclusively on the right side.
I’m not disagreeing that Broberg should potentially be getting bigger minutes and has more talent than Vinny, but they’re very different player types in very different roles….I get being a proponent of Broberg, but I’m not sure why you always have to hold it against Vinny, like it’s his fault?
yeah I’m gonna have to side with Jay on this one
2 things from sit down with marek and elliott:
11-7 was done out of necessity not strat
desharnais was the in-house solution that was filling a necessary need
LAK up 2-0 now in the 2nd
Still no score in the SEA game
Flames heading the 3rd periond up 3-2 against Vegas
The good thing about the Stars losing tonight is they’ll go on to play Calgary and it’s not a back to back.
They hit for the cycle! Even strength goal, power play goal, short handed goal and an empty net! Cool.
Mario Lemieux did all that–plus a goal on a penalty shot--in one game.
A healthy Mario was unstoppable.
Ya know… the only opponent I’m slightly nervous facing, and it’s cause they get under Oil skins nothing about their actual play, is L.A.
Everyone else in the West are pushover pansies.
Those babies in Colorado will be a nice easy tune up this year. Get Kane to punch MacKinnon in the mouth in the first period of game one and they’ll roll over like a perogie coming off the boil. Cale will be too scared to go into a corner after all his concussions… so many concussions for a young man. Any team with a dude named Bo on their roster is nothing but a sad waste of American Pretty Boy skin. He should be rowing not playing in the NHL lol.
I agrée. The Kings are a pain in the ass. They’re happy to hit to injure and they’re dirty on top of that. Pure scumbags that manage to keep any game close.
I like it when it’s late at night and you have been drinking! You are funny as hell!
Should be rowing. Bloody classic!
Great game. Watching that mcdavid powerplay goal again, man that was just clinical. It was like he knew what was going to happen before he even passed the puck to Drai. He really is something.
Also damn shame a momentary brain fart ruined Stu’s shutout. It was there and they were gunning for it.
Link you’re back!
Every hundred years or so!
Like Halley’s Comet!
Defenceman was doing a pirouette in front of the net! But a good win.
Well that was nice.
Quality game by the Oilers against a quality opponent.
That was a strong win
Very,very strong
That win smells of freshly sawn wood and Old Spice.
I’m going to sleep so well tonight.
As a fan, this is the oilers I’ve waited for all year!!!
Bjugstad deftly works his way to the empty net, working his ass off the whole way, then rings it off the post from 6 feet LOL
Rebound to Janmark and 4-1 game over
Woot..!!
The dagger…..gg boys
Janmark finishes what Bjugstad couldn’t.
Poor Tall Derek Ryan…
God the flames are useless. And to think some people thought Treliving did a good job this offseason 😂
3-2 Flames now, late in the 2nd
Give it time. Sutter will want to protect the lead by rolling out Lucic so he can growl over the puck.
Oh yes.
The game will go to overtime, no doubt about it
The crazy thing? I actually like watching Calgary play… they’re sorta fun to watch.
But the lack of high end skill anywhere in their lineup is soooooo apparent that well… it sucks to suck 😂
Did Skinner just pass the puck, from behind of the net, through traffic in front of the net?
cheeky monkey
Draisaitl’s play the last couple of games as they gear up for the playoffs has been most encouraging.
About freaking time! Dudes are writing articles about seeing his peak and now he’s on the decline.
He’ll finish 2nd in the NHL in scoring and he’s sucked this year. Future is bright for the Oilers.
Stu could stop giving up rebounds from shots that hit him in the chest and then nobody would need to tie up a stick?
His rebound control has been erratic all year
Oh god you people that was a terrible fricken rebound lol come now.
I was a little young to truly appreciate Gretzky…..glad I can bask in the glory that is McDavid.
I grew up in BC ambivalent about the Canucks so I was a NYI fan. I went from hating the glory day oilers to a fan during the DOD. Glad I can finally bask in some glory too
You did play the Islanders in the final when King Richard finally ran out of gas. Kanuck fans have been fairweather since you booed Team Canada off the ice in 1972.
Wooot Wooot!!
McDavid on the PP!
Boom
57 for McD
Yammo has been very suspect since his return. Weak turnovers, weak penalties, weak finishing. Hopefully it’s just a case of rust.
He didn’t take a penalty earlier.
The referee fucked up 🤷♂️
Yup call that chintzy shit on Yamo but not the bear hug on Drai lol.
Zebras gonna zebra 😂
More evidence of sickening “game management”.
Double turds
And Yamamoto doesn’t tie up the stick
Rhubarb
Johnston kind worked his way through the whole Oilers team that way though. Yamamoto/Nurse just happened to be the last.
Damnit
Jinx you owe me a beer
Dammit
Flames up 2-0 on Vegas
No score(s) in the LA or SEA games
The rest of the OOT scoreboard has been kind to us tonight
What are those things called a gut shout ? Or whatever those things the Oilers haven’t had one this year . I can’t remember what they’re called . Anyway it sure would be nice to see one tonight. Let’s get one of those things.
Gut check?
Pot shot?
Shot put?
Yeah one of those.
I think “belly scream” is what you are thinking of, either that or “tummy yell”
I guess even a play on the words still jinxes them. They will never get a shutout again…
A what ??
Good: We’re on every puck like dogs on raw meat. This has been a fun game.
Bad: If the NHL actually cared about protecting players, Robertson would be getting a suspension call, but that’s never going to happen
Oh wow. Predators lose to Chicago.
Hockey is hard.
Good for the Oilers playoff certainty though.
Edit: Jets also lose. They are really struggling.
I thought they were turning it around when they beat both Florida teams but, that’s a tough road trip.
Former Oiler Alex Stalock doing us a solid
Doing Calgary a solid.
Cool, didn’t notice that. Thanks for pointing it out.
Good hockey is hard
Bad hockey is easy as we know
Summarizing!
Lachance picked up an assist in a victory.
Petrov did not dress for tonight’s game, reason unknown.
Another solid period. Good to see.
Look at that little tough guy sticking his knee out.
Need Nurse to staple his teeth to the back of his throat for that sorta shit.
No talent pansies are resorting to dirts dirty. Shouldn’t be surprised when the Arch-wimp is their captain lol
2014/15 when that putz Benn won the Art Ross should forever go down as the most pathetic season in NHL history.
Winning the Art Ross with 87 points is embarrassing for the league.
That was peak Bully Worship with goons like Babcock sucking the creativity and life out of their players to “play the right way.” That dick was gifted nothing but all start teams and managed to make literally everyone hate him. No talent loser bringing everyone down to his level.
Thank Gord the McDeity came to rescue us all from that race toward mediocrity. Thank Gord Draisaitl was matriculating just waiting to show us what a real power forward looks like. Thank Gord we banished that shit to the doldrums of history haha
You always get an “A” for sheer rhetoric 😂
A 3rd goal for the good guys wouldn’t suck right about now
That would make it the dreaded 3-goal lead though…
I’ll take my chances
Oh yea!! A rare Edmonton power play.
Very lucky there off the poor Nurse pass.
Big question is whether Ek and Bouch can start to pick up tougher minutes successfully which eases up the load and Nurse and Ceci. Sems like they already are and if this can continue then no need to do much except trade Kulak. Ek has taken his spot and Broberg is ready. I’d still like to get a 3RD like Gudas as UFA for injury depth and push Desharnais down to #7. We lose a top 4 RHD and Desharnais is not able to elevate short-term – Broberg might be able next year to play top 4 short-term.
Same deal with Yamo – you trade him. We have Hyman and lots of guys who can handle bottom 6 minutes (Kostin, Ryan, Lavoie, Bourg) but could use another good top 6 vet short-term to give the young guys another season. A guy like Perron would be perfect.
….and get a best goalie coach money can buy to fix Campbell. This is the last open sore on the management/coaching side that continues to cause problems.
That’s pretty decent penalty killing.
No, Yams. DRAW penalties.
You know this.
Officials need to make an impact – keep the game close!
Jerks
That was a nice sequence around 16:00 of the 2nd. Total Draisaitl “pace control”.
Kostin STRUGGLING this period.
So far, so good.
Evan Bouchard is a wonderful hockey player with the puck on his stick – that skate keep and quick shot-pass was beautiful.
Bouchard and Broberg are the future – Broberg showed in his 2:10 of ice in that period what he’s going to bring shift after shift…..