The Edmonton Oilers need to find traction, consistency in cup search

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We’re leaving.

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The Edmonton Oilers will end the regular season in the regular season and where they may face in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is unclear. It seems possible to meet La Kings though.

The bigger question is the roster that the explosion oilers were able to freeze at that time and what kind of playoff form they might be in.

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More in this version…

9 Things

9. If you are looking for a way to express condolences to the McCarthy family, one of their wishes is to donate to the Ben Stelter Foundation: benstelterfoundation.crowdchange.ca/53889, given the death of our colleague Bruce.

8. Seth Griffith has always been a good soldier in Bakersfield. In a season where the Condors fought injuries and absences, the AHL captain led the league with a 46 shot and had nine straight wins.

7. Another veteran, Cam Dineen, also did a lot of heavy lifting for baking. The veteran D-Man set a franchise record with 42 points, a single season for D-Man. Dineen also performed well in the emergency situation at the Parents Club.

6. The Edmonton Oilers have signed goalkeeper Nathaniel Day to a three-year entry-level contract. The young man was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. He performed with OHL’s Flint this season. Day has been the main force of the Firebirds, playing fifty-four and fifty-nine games in the past two seasons. His GAA changed from 3.91 to 3.73 to 3.07 in three years. Grimsby, a native of Ontario, plays a 6’4 and plays a major role in organizing future goalkeeper programs.

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5. There are only two defenders in the Edmonton Oilers history who scored 60 points back-to-back: Hall of Famers Paul Coffey and…Evan Busard. I saw Bouchard’s goodness in the LA game, maybe the best skater for the Oilers. Bouchard’s CF at 5V5 is 76% (32-10), allowing only two high-risk scoring opportunities. Bouchard will also frustrate me. But he has elite hockey abilities. As we saw last spring, Busard also had above-average defensive games. That’s the evidence on Saturday.

4. Trent Frederic made his debut with the Los Angeles Oilers on Saturday. Even though his ankle doesn’t look like it’s back to 100%, Frederick is still working. It seems that his hand is almost in front of the Kings player. Frederic is highly competitive and excitingly, he is sure to be online nose. If you like the big one, tread forward in his first game, wait for another five as the rust fades. But it’s clear that a healthy Trent Frederic could be a big advantage in a tough and tough opponent like Los Angeles.

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3. You can’t help but ask if the Oilers will have a better fate in Los Angeles if the Oilers’ injuries are different. But it seems that the cavalry is approaching. With Frederic finally entering the lineup now, who is next? On a hockey night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman said of Connor McDavid, “[on the return]mid- to second half of next week is the goal.” That could mean Monday, but it might not be later than Wednesday’s game. Wednesday is also the date of return for Mattias Ekholm, who should be both healthy and restful. What a gift. Leon Draisaitl has been making a sound for a whole week. Then, due to contract and hat restrictions, Evander Kane is likely to be the first game in the first round. Cross all of the above with your fingers.

2. Calvin Pickard is an inspiring story for the Edmonton Oilers. The 33-year-old veteran will enjoy his first twenty-win season in the NHL. Last year, when Jack Campbell collapsed, his solid network effort, Stuart Skinner hit an extended rough slot that could save the oiler season. Pickard reappeared in the playoff series against Vancouver. As Skinner struggles with consistency and now injury, the situation is even more the same this season. Pickard stepped in time and again and gave them everything they hoped for. Remember: Pickard was signed in 2022 as part of Ahl Bakersfield’s double team. This is an important background to remember. Consider Pickard’s SV% at the start of his last six NHLs? .929 (Los Angeles), .909 (Las Vegas), .929 (Calgary), .828 (Seattle), .967 (Utah) and .960 (Islander). Talk about value. In fact, he lost $40,000 on his salary this season. The league’s most winning goalkeeper, Winnipeg’s brilliant Connor Hellebuyck, won $198,000 in a plane per game.

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1. For the Edmonton Oilers, there is no simplicity this season. The first game wasn’t anywhere near the plan, and the club has been unable to get into a steady pace since then. The only thing that is consistent in this club outside of the highest-ranking Leon Draisaitl is the inconsistency. They looked more like a few defending Western Conference champions: from the Nov. 23 defeat of the Rangers to the Christmas break before Edmonton won the Eleven and Three games in Edmonton. They then won nine nines in Utah and the avalanche on New Year’s Eve. Everything else goes up and down like a toilet.

But, in fact, everyone on this roster is also less influential than previous seasons (or less for newcomers than expected). The offense has been up and down. Team defense left and right. Special teams are offered. The goalkeeper is hot and cold. Even head coach Kris Knoblauch’s touch steering gold last season, he sometimes struggled to keep the keel. And look: All teams have tides and flows. This is the best hockey league in the world. The others are also very good. Perfection is never an option. But yes…a little worrying.

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I still believe in the Edmonton Oilers and their Stanley Cup potential. But what I worry about is its relative lack of traction. Both in terms of health and resting lineups, there is cohesion in performance on the ice. Resilience is all good and an important part of any winning team.

However, for most of the season, the oilers seem to have fallen into recovery mode. The hardest “flashing switch” and everything that everyone is blending together immediately is difficult enough, it’s damn…

…not to mention trying to do this in the last few games before the playoffs.

Newly bluesky @kurtleavins.bsky.social. On Twitter @kurtleavins, threads @kleavins, leavinsonhockey’s Instagram, even on kurtleavins@mstdn.social, even on mastodon. This article is not generated by AI.

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