The Arizona Coyotes are within eight points of the Edmonton Oilers after going 8-5-1 in their last fourteen games. With 16 games remaining in the season, the Oilers have just as good a chance to drop in the standings as they do to climb up. They are eight points ahead of 31st-place Arizona and they are eight points back of the New York Islanders and New York Rangers for 22nd and 23rd place.
The Oilers are virtually assured to finish in the bottom ten of the league for the ninth time in the last ten years. That is not a misprint. They were 21st in 2009, 30th in 2010 and 2011, 29th in 2012, 24th in 2013, 28th in 2014 and 2015, 29th in 2016, 8th last year and will finish no better than 22nd this season.
The Oilers have a total of 688 points in the past decade. Buffalo is 29th with 740 points. And only Colorado (767), Carolina (788), Florida (783), Arizona (776) and Toronto (778) are within a 100 points.
Washington (995) and Pittsburgh (988) have the most, and they are averaging 30 more points per season.
Some might argue it is unfair to this group to go back an entire decade. Okay, then let’s look at point totals since the start of 2015/2016 season. The Oilers have amassed 231 points. Only Arizona (198), Vancouver (201), Colorado (206), Buffalo (210) and New Jersey (228) have accumulated fewer points.
The Oilers are still one of the worst organizations in the NHL. The numbers don’t lie.
The final 16 games won’t mean much in the standings, other then shuffling around odds for the draft lottery, but this team cant keep waiting until next year to improve. You’d like to see some signs of improvement now.
Every player, coach, scout and member of management should be evaluated. The list of players with little to prove is extremely short after Connor McDavid, and McDavid is the one who has been playing lights out despite having little to play for. You’d hope the rest of his teammates would match his determination.
And the entire group needs to be better defensively. Moving Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to the wing alongside is McDavid is something I’d like to see, but it won’t solve the bigger issues on this team. They have been extremely porous defensively, starting with Cam Talbot and moving through the defence and forwards. They have made some egregious decisions with the puck and without it, and improving team defence is often based simply on hard work and a willingness to do it. We’ll see if they show it tonight.
LINEUP…
Oilers
Lucic-McDavid-Draisaitl
Cammalleri-RNH-Aberg
Puljujarvi-Strome-Slepyshev
Caggiula-Khaira-Pakarinen
Nurse-Russell
Klefbom-Bear
Sekera-Benning
Adam Larsson was on the ice this morning, but after traveling home to Sweden to bury his father he needs a few more days of skating and rest to be ready. Todd McLellan said he’ll be available on Thursday. Drake Caggiula draws back in, and it looks like Zack Kassian might be out. No official word, but McLellan said there would be some lineup changes. Unless Kassian is sick, he’d be in my lineup every night.
I asked McLellan about moving RNH to the wing. “He hasn’t played much lately. He was tired at the end of some shifts after being out for six weeks. We’ll let him get comfortable,” said McLellan. Playing with McDavid would mean more minutes and getting back into game shape isn’t that easy, so I can understand if the coach waits a few more games, but in two or three more games he should try RNH on the wing. I see no reason not to make the move.
Coyotes
Perlini-Stepan-Keller
Domi-Dvorak-Fischer
Panik-Hamilton-Archibald
Martinook-Richardson-Cousins
Ekman-Larsson/Demers
Chychrun-Hjalmarsson
Connauton-Schenn
Raanta
Alex Goligoski didn’t make the trip. He and his wife are expecting their second child any day. They recalled Andrew Campbell from the AHL, but Luke Schenn will play his first game after being a healthy scratch for 11 straight. He’ll be paired with red-hot Kevin Connauton. The Edmonton resident has six goals in his last 14 games.
TONIGHT…
GAME DAY PREDICTION: Ryan Strome picks up his 100th career assist and the Oilers win their fourth straight at home versus the Coyotes 3-2.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: McDavid continues his goal scoring streak and buries his second career goal versus the Coyotes and sets a new career-high with 31.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Oscar Klefbom scores his first goal since December 9th a span of 33 games.
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Recently by Jason Gregor:
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Source: Jason Gregor, Verified Twitter Account, 3/05/2018 – 2:00 pm MST
McDavid should be able to win this one by himself.
Clutch loss for the boys incoming.
Although Oilers logic would have Lucic breaking out of his slump with the GWG less than a minute left in regulation.
You can tell McLellan is not a Kassian fan. You saw the shot of him last game pretty much shaking his head when Kassian did a great hit on the forecheck and got a boarding penalty. it wa sa bad call, Kassian needs to play like that on the edge. We can’t have McLellan punishing him, it will result on him becoming another player not playing to his strength.
You can also see McLellan IS NOT an NHL caliber coach. Last year Cam Talbot was as much of an MVP for this team, as McDAVID, and that made McLellan look ok. This year the “Hol-e Goalie”(pucks going past him everywhere) is playing like he should be sitting on a bench, as a backup, in the ECHL, and i’m being kind to him. He has been AWFUL. GODDAMN AWFUL. I doubt much changes over the summer. As long as people keep buying tickets, and overpriced food, beer and jerseys, I see very little changing. Disgrace to the community.
Chiarelli, won’t sign a young #1 goaltender for the future. And Milan Lucic will be PLUGGED into the 1st line.
Death By 2000 Cuts…the sequel. Another season wasted…. We are in the Assessment stage Bob,…Part 2.
Same this happened with pouliot
Nice to see LUCIC and Camo Larry occupying the top 2 LW spots…and kassian out…it’s too bad that there isn’t any 2 person curling on tonight
Lucic still on the top line despite his G.A.F meter hovering around zero? How does this coach still have a job? His absolute stubbornness this season is baffling.
I think he has been told to play….Peter’s Big Fish.
Reading the first part of this blog made me want to drop my phone in my coffee cup. We get it, we have loved it. The Oilers suck, they have sucked for a very long time. This isn’t a secret or a surprise to anyone and we are really really really sick of hearing about it.
EDIT**** we have loved it, no Oilers have has loved it. #editbuttonplease
Bastard new phone is changing lived to loved!!!! Ahhhhh!!!!!!!
a lot of the better managed teams give the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th string goalies a chance to play in games that are “less meaningful”. Puljajarvi should be getting 1st or 2nd line minutes
Those blue jerseys were legit.
I betcha there wasn’t a hold called on that play…. lol
Ebs is doing his standard Oilers pose in that photo. Hear he is doing decent now, I guess, on the 12th place team in the east. Good for him.
Lucic being on the first line is just plain silly. Goes against everything the coaching staff has been preaching so long: “You earn the right for playing time.” Lucic has earned a box of Smarties and a Coffee Crisp and a nice comfy seat in the Press Box.
Yup…except the smarties and the coffee crisp…he has not earned those.
I LOL’d 🙂
Soooooooo after all of the 1st overall picks, constant management shuffling, new Mascot, axing the Octane, adding Bobby Nick’s burger to the menu, we’ve literally been the worst team in the NHL the last 10 years according to Gregor’s math.
Serenity now!!!
OGDP: Lucic fires 5+ shots on goal and one off the post. He fails to register a primary point but McDavid and Drai get 2 each. He looks skyward 4 times during the game in despair.
Remenda also calls Ryan Strome “Dylan” 3+ times.
I’ve said it before, “nothing will change here until ownership changes”. I firmly believe that. Katz, like most of us, can’t or won’t fire his friends/buddies.
I would be okay with him not firing them…but cripes quit hiring more of them.
Ugh. My guess is the Oilers sleepwalk again. Connor may make the game worth watching along with OEL. Does it really matter who wins? One thing I know for sure is that the Oils defence is really really really bad without Larsson.
Yes it matters. EMBRACE THE TANK!!!
So, when Lucic finally gets a lucky one, does that mean someone else can move up the lineup again? Or will that be seen by Mclellan that McDavid+Lucic definitely works, and we’re definitely going to stick with it forever?
I know the classic complaint …
The Oilers are virtually assured to finish in the bottom ten of the league for the ninth time in the last ten years. That is not a misprint.
… and where do my season ticket prices go yet again this year? I think we all know the answer.
So you’re one of the enablers? Are you keeping your seats? Do you ask tough questions at the luncheons? Do you demand non cliche answers to these tough questions? So many questions I would love to ask but don’t live close enough to waste my money although McDavid is worth the price of admission until he demands a trade! Hecklers are trying to speed up that process! Do the same to Athens GM and coaching staff.
The GM… edit button?
Lucic stinks booooooo, Talbots not a real #1 goalie, it’s all chirallies fault waaaaaaaaaaah. This comment section is getting boring
Go to bed Peter…we know it’s you
Boy I’ve had this one circled on my calander for awhile now. Should be a doozy…..
Remember all the Chia koolaid drinkers used to talk about:
Hall for Larsson and Lucic
Which lasts longer:
Hall’s points streak or Lucic’s scoring drought?
Hall has gotten points in his last 25 GP. Lucic is up to 28.
Three of the Coyotes’ dmen spent a fair bit of time injured this season.
Since they’ve been all healthy, the Coyotes have been playing like a top-15 team. I saw the 15th-place ranking at lowetide. At the same time, the Oil are playing like 28th place.
3-1 Coyotes, with one McPoint.
GDP: Oilers have the game we’ve been expecting all year 6-1
OGDP: McDavid has a 4 point night but doesn’t hit the scoresheet until after a scoreless, McT decides to try Nuge on his left and chemistry ensues.
NSOGDP: Lucic finds the back of the net only to have it called back on a coach’s challenge. Drought continues and Lucic pledges after the game to eat beets after every game until he scores.
GO OILERS!!
*edit* scoreless 1st
Going to be positive – goal, assist, fight, and a bone crunching hit for Looch. Let’s go big man! We need you!
Bottom feeders, both teams.
I swear I thought Looch was about to cry
Atta boy Milan! Oilersnation won’t be happy because they hate you! Great “fans”.
Why are you here? Please leave us alone…
Who are you?
wow… a couple posts without you typing “Classic Oilersnation” !! You must of gotten new meds!!!
Just a casual fan who cheers for oil whether win or lose. There’s a big difference between constructive criticism of a team you cheer for, and the stuff you pull day in day out. Does it make you happy to do nothing but hurl insults? Do us all a favor and get lost.
Go Looch!
Jultz I’m with you bud
I wonder if that video was Looch and not mcdavid if these comments would be different . Fair weather fans
And imagine that. Klefbom hasn’t scored in 33 games. Nobody seems to mention that around oilersnation. That’s odd hey?? What a boat anchor!! Can’t believe we’re stuck with him for years to come!!
Congratulations. You win the dumbest comparison of the year award. In case you don’t know, Klefbom is a defenseman. Any goals he scores are a bonus. Lucic is paid to contribute offensively, something he hasn’t done much of this year.
Expected to score or not, Klefbombers having a tough game tonight…
Lol.. Domi gets floored by Khaira and then goes after Caggiula for payback… What a hero.
And… Klefbom scores in OT and makes me eat my words.
I love it. More please. I don’t mind looking like an idiot if it means the Oilers notch up some ‘W’s…
complains about fans dumping on players then dumps on a player he doesn’t like……classic Jultz,lololol?????
I was going to mention the same thing. Jultz goes on about running Shultz out of town and at the same time trashes Klef every chance he gets. Klef is having a tough year but in the right situation he can have success, just like with Shultz. The problem with both is that we rely too much on them because we don’t have enough support. One more legitimate top 4 defensman, preferably on the right side, and this defense would look a lot better. Also Talbot bailing them out once in a while would help too.
Lol! I don’t hate klefbom. I just know oilersnation loves him so I use him as an example to show you guys how ridiculous you sound when you rag on other players. You guys just don’t get it. Hahahahaha. Classic oilersnation!
And it worked so well. See how mad you guys got when I ragged on your favorite player? Lolol??. Keep it up and I’ll start using Nuge as an example next. ??
@Jultz, you really are obtuse. I couldn’t care less who you use as an example of poor play. I take issue with the way you present yourself as better than. all those classic Oilersnation, and lololol, and hahaha. you rarely add anything to the discussion and your constant misuse of the term fairwether. You are a hypocritical troll and I just have the need to point that out from time to time. I know I should know better than to feed a troll but I just can’t help it sometimes.
Looch will rebound as well as this team. Cheer for them ffs don’t jeer
Cheers are earned man, many times this year this team showed nothing. Why should fans at these games show any passion? It’s a two way street.
Cheers are earned by winning, hey fairweather fan? Guys like you are why oiler fans are the worst fans in the league.
I see Lucic scores, that’s good now can he stay on the 3rd and 4th line for the rest of the year?
Congratulations! Milan Lucic on scoring a very nice goal tonight.
Congratulations! Justin Schultz on scoring the OT winner against Calgary tonight.
Am I being overly critical or was that a weak goal, AGAIN!?
He ripped a real nice goal from the left side. REALLY!