It’s been a long, it’s been a long time coming, but the Edmonton Oilers are close to an actual factual playoff race. Early days, but if they can make it through December, everything’s going to be alright I know. The McDavid will bring us riches untold and a better day. Will we see an early thaw, or a false spring?
AN EARLY THAW?
This team has a chance to make the postseason for the first time since 2006, and the fact we are even talking about a second season is reason to smile. Connor McDavid leads the league in offense, Leon is parked just outside the top 20 in scoring, and the club is showing well in some important categories:
- Goals For: 75 (average is 64)
- Goals Against: 64 (average is 64)
- Power-Play Goals: 15 (average is 14)
- Power-Play Opportunities: 79 (average is 77)
- Power-Play Percentage: 18.99 (average is 18.02)
- Power-Play GA: 10 (average is 14)
- Power-Plat Against Opportunities: 73 (average is 77)
- Power-Play Against Percentage: 86.30 (average is 81.98)
- Shots: 796 (717)
- Shooting Percentage: 9.4 (Average is 8.8)
- Save Percentage: .915 (average is .915)
- PDO: 100.5 (average is 100)
- Source
Edmonton has played one more game than average, so the boxcars are a little skewed, but there is good news in these numbers. The goal differential year over year is a net +26 for this Edmonton team, they have five more wins than a year ago, and 10 more points. Music! Now. December needs to go well and we can talk trade deadline instead of draft!
A FALSE SPRING?
The concern I have (aside from things like wearing out the goaler and another five-game losing streak) has mostly to do with scoring outside the 97 line. You put me and Wanye on a line with McDavid and we will score (or at least until Wanye gets kicked out of the game for chugging a mickey after his third goal of the game, and they call the ambulance for me), but what about the rest of the group?
I have been rambling on about 5×5 scoring for the forwards not associated with McDavid’s line, but the fact is that Benoit Pouliot is the only forward well off the mark (well, Leon, but that isn’t fair to compare he was still on that crazy scoring run). Here are the regular forwards, and where they were a year ago in brackets. Check out the Nuge and Eberle.
- Connor McDavid 3.47 (first in NHL) (2.70 this time last year)
- Tyler Pitlick 1.90 (AHL last year)
- Leon Draisaitl 1.85 (3.44 this time last year)
- Anton Slepyshev 1.75 (AHL last year)
- Jordan Eberle 1.70 (0.35 this time last year, he had just returned from injury)
- Patrick Maroon 1.65 (Anaheim this time last year)
- Jesse Puljujarvi 1.62 (Finland this time last year)
- Mark Letestu 1.56 (0.25 this time last year)
- Milan Lucic 1.53 (Los Angeles this time last year)
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 1.51 (1.14 this time last year)
- Anton Lander 1.47 (0.23 this time last year)
- Zack Kassian 1.26 (property of Montreal this time last year)
- Benoit Pouliot 1.15 (1.69 this time last year)
- Drake Caggiula 0.79 (College hockey this time last year)
- Source this year
- Source last year
Missing from last year are Taylor Hall (2.40), Teddy Purcell (1.72), Nail Yakupov (1.72) and Iiro Pakarinen (1.14). So, as much time as I have been spending on the 5×5 scoring troubles for Nuge and Eberle, only Pouliot is down from that line. Huh. Maybe this team can survive on two scoring lines. One thing that should help the scoring? Moving Leon to 97’s line. I love Jesse Puljujarvi’s future, but there were plenty of chances that did not cash in the first 25 games (Lucic too, for that matter).
LINEUPS
Oilers
The Oilers announced this morning that Darnell Nurse had been placed on the IR and that Dillon Simpson has been recalled. Bob Stauffer tweeted out the defensive pairings (above) but we don’t know for sure what the forward makeup will look like just yet.
Ducks
Lineups (subject to change) are courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com
NOTES
- The Lucic—McDavid—Draisaitl line combined for eight points in their first official game together. What can we expect tonight?
- Oscar Klefbom moved down the depth chart after early struggles in the Winnipeg game. I spoke to Jason Gregor yesterday, he expects we will see McLellan place the two Swedes back on the top pairing this evening. Makes sense, as matches McLellan’s own past in terms of handling his players.
- The Oilers have recalled defenseman Dillon Simpson and placed Darnell Nurse on injured reserve. That is a bad turn, Nurse has been playing find hockey of late.
- This is a four-point game. Edmonton wins, and they move past Anaheim (the two teams are tied currently), with the Ducks holding a game in hand. If the Oilers lose, the Ducks are two ahead with the extra game to go. Lots of these games to come during December, a pivotal month for Edmonton.
- The Kid Line showed well in the Jets game, do they return? I thought Drake Caggiula had his best game overall.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
- Ducks coach Randy Carlyle on defending McDavid: “Obviously they want some more size around him and probably take up some space in front of the net to give him some more space on the flanks. He’s a special player. You can see it. He’s pretty dynamic. The way he moves around the ice and his speed is one thing. If you don’t notice it, you sure better pay attention to it during the game.”
TONIGHT
(photoshop: @TomKostiuk)
GAME DAY PREDICTION: The Oilers take advantage of Anaheim penalty trouble early, scoring on the power play. The Ducks tie it before the end of the period on a controversial goal—Perry kicks it into the net but the ref calls tripping on the play and it is 1-1 after one.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: The second period is playoff hockey, with both teams selling out on a December Saturday night. No score, but the best period of the year at Rogers Place.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Connor McDavid. He scores one, sets up another and the Oilers win 3-1. Wanye finds more Mickeys and I recover at the hospital. It is a brilliant Saturday night in our town!
A GOOD OL’ HOCKEY GAME
- When: Friday December 9th with doors opening at 2pm (the game starts at 6pm).
- Where: West Edmonton Mall at the Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace
- Who: Edmonton takes on Minnesota
- Why: Because we love to party
- What else: We’re going to have prize giveaways all night long
- How much to get in: FREE!
Huge thank you to everyone at West Edmonton Mall, The Brick, Vimy Hockey, Donnan, 1st RND, TSN 1260, Eddie Bauer, The Bear and everyone else that worked so hard to help us get this event off the ground. Your hard work is appreciated, and I can’t wait for December 9th to get here. It’s going to be a fantastic night.
Ederle with 3 points. Trade him now. Not doing enough
Pphhtt! Secondary points…BUT…he worked hard tonight…that is all we ask! Work! Even if you fail but work!
Ok fine, 1.5 points
Frankly I could care less if a player looks like he is working hard. I just want him to be on the ice for more goals for than goals against.
Actually the best players dont ever look like they are even trying half the time.
Funny how he got dropped to the second pp unit and it produced in spite of him. Surely he had no effect on it. Suddenly Nuge is looking confident to. All the while carrying Eberle.
Mass sarcasm. Just in case you weren’t sure “I am spydyr man”!!!
And a third apple for Eberle tonight. That ought to fuel the debate. Haha
I liked the idea of the “Jordan Eberle” hat trick:
– one secondary assist
– one empty net goal
– one shannanigans in the defensive zone resulting in a goal against
What hustle by Kris Russel*TM beating Rackel to the puck. Measure that with your fancy stats Henderson. That’s heart baby. Something you may never comprehend.
Actually, thats just called skating ability. Lots of players have it. In fact many that don’t have it are much better players than Kris Russell.
Beating the Rackel to the puck,Rubbing the Rackel out, obtaining puck possession and moving it quickly and accurately up ice is far more than skating ability.
Its something every NHL defenseman needs to be able to do by default. If he couldnt, he would not have even been available to sign this summer cause he would have been unemployed long before that.
Its also a play that ever other defender makes multiple times a game, so this skill does not make him unique.
A win against a rough division opponent without a point by 97? Niiice.
Screw you Calgary, we gave the ducks a loser point.
+/-60 points to go… Playoffs anyone?
All dreaming aside, I’m sure as hell entertained by this team and I actually enjoy watching games again. There are no scheduled losses anymore… I really like coming into each game looking like a competitive team. It would have been nice to see CMD extend his point streak but I’m really stoked to see scoring coming from others….
Cudos to Talbot , Eberle and Russell .
We won!!!! We freaking won!
Let’s all go tomorrow to watch at a pub!
I will buy a round if there’s an “Jordan Eberle Hat trick” ™
The pub should of been tonight on a Saturday.
You are right, damn. Unless we call work to have an “Eberle ” day.
You should probably give it a rest now, good chance Ebs will go on a point a game streak.
If we win games because of that, I will be his number 2 fan.
Number 1 is already taken by the groupies here, don’t feel like fighting them. They get wild if their man is at stakes.
The “groupies” can recognized the bad and the good. Not just the bad. But hey three assists is merely average. Sorry for mentioning it.
If you see the assists (secondary) only one (imho) was an actual real good play and not a lucky bounce.
And he almost cost us the game (because of the lack of hassle on the second Ana goal)
But as I said, if he wins us games, I will be happy. What is your beef with me now? I am seeing the good (if we win games) and the bad (if we lose them), so what’s so much better about you fan girls????
Attention Seeker
Don’t feel as though I’m Better. I just don’t go looking for the negative. I choose instead to look for the positive. I don’t ignore the negative. I just don’t dwell on it. Makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
Hey Arch, Russell played well tonight don’t you think? What does your spreadsheet say?
Top ten things about tonight’s win:
1. Nuge finally scores
2. Ebs contributes to more goals for than against
3. It was a win without a McDavid point
4. It was a win on HNIC
5. No Remenda
6. Talbot was ace
7. Another PP goal
8. The win gets the home record back to .500
9. Beat a tough divisional opponent
10. Found a way to win in a tight checking game
Nice work.
Top ten things about tonight’s win:
1. Nuge finally scores
2. Ebs contributes to more goals for than against
3. It was a win without a McDavid point
4. It was a win on HNIC
5. No Remenda
6. Talbot was ace
7. Another PP goal
8. The win gets the home record back to .500
9. Beat a tough divisional opponent
10. Found a way to win in a tight checking game
Double post
Move number 5 to number 1 and I agree 100%!
This is what I call a bar-down ON post. Nailed it.
I forgot to mention The Drake getting his first career goal 🙁
Suck on that Calgary soccer troll…great job by the Oilers…next is the Wild…they are the most boring team to watch!!
Tough tough game. Edmonton held their own and Anaheim played a heck of a game. By my eye though I’ll give the edge to the ducks. Some shifts they still imposed their will in the oilers.
Oilers win and McDavid didn’t get a point. This is progress. Didn’t notice fayne either. This is good.
Cagguila played well too and pitlick had some jump. Hopefully both of these guys can stay healthy.
Of course, McDavid with another godly performance!
@Oilfaninvan
Posting it twice doesn’t make it 20 things. You know that, right?
Ebs. 3 pts. Ya. He did it.
Playoffs please. Just get it done.
Henderson. break that down you idiot
I’m not usually one of those trade-mongers who wants to trade the team after every loss. However, if Jordan Eberle continues to consistently refuse to move his feet as fast as they can go – which isn’t particularly fast and is exactly why he has to – he can take his scoring prowess elsewhere, so far as I’m concerned. He should bring a good return being one of the highest scoring forwards of the past five years.
Good time to deal Ebs on heels of a 3-pt night. I hope the Oil don’t miss the window, like they usually do.