Game Day Notes: New Jersey Devils at Edmonton Oilers

The New Jersey Devils are the early surprise in the NHL. They are 9-2, including a perfect 5-0 on the road.

They are overachieving a bit, and will even out over the year, but their hot start has put them in a position where they likely only have to win 35 of their remaining 71 games to make the playoffs.

The Oilers slow start has forced into a position where they likely need to win 41 or their remaining 71 games. A hot or cold start won’t guarantee or prevent a playoff spot, but it can make the remaining games much harder or easier, depending which side you’re on.

1. Andrej Sekera skated with the Oilers this morning. He is getting closer, but November 18th will be six months since his surgery. And while he skated with the team, a morning skate on game day is much different than a regular practice. The first test for Sekera will be when he does some battle drills and sees how his knee feels when he is twisting and turning under pressure or force. It looks like he is recovering quickly and could play in a game before the end of the month.

2. Taylor Hall leads the Devils with 15 points in 11 games. Only Steven Stamkos (1.71), Nikita Kucherov and Erik Karlsson (1.50) have a better points-per-game than Hall’s 1.36 thus far. Hall spent a lot more time on the ice this summer working with Dawn Braid on his edge work. “I would fall unnecessarily too often, but now I’m not falling nearly as much. The young kids are on the ice year round now. You have to be on your skates more to keep improving. I’m always looking for ways to improve my game and Dawn really helped with my edge work,” continued Hall.

3. It is interesting to note how younger players spend more time on their skates and Hall felt he needed to do the same to keep up. He’s always been a elite skater, and despite his “unnecessary falls” he was still a very productive player finishing top-ten in scoring twice. Players like Hall stay at the top by working hard. There isn’t a magic formula. Even the best need to keep working on their craft, and middle of the road veterans who don’t will find themselves out of the league quickly if they don’t start spending more time on their skates in the summer.

4. The Devils have three of the top-ten scoring rookies in the NHL. Will Butcher has 0-11-11, Jesper Bratt has 4-6-10 and Nico Hischier has 2-5-7. Butcher is 22, Bratt 19 and Hischier 18. Butcher was a fifth round pick of the Avalanche in 2013, but didn’t sign with them and became a UFA before signing with New Jersey. Bratt was a sixth round pick in 2016, and Hischier went #1 overall this past June. Getting production from a fifth and sixth round pick is huge for any organization and if they can continue to play well the Devils could stay in the hunt all season.

5. Brian Boyle returned to the Devils lineup in Vancouver on Wednesday, after being diagnosed with cancer six weeks earlier. They won the game and he was awarded “The Jacket” from his teammates after the win. He will help their bottom six. Boyle returned the same game Marcus Johansson left with a concussion. Johansson fell awkwardly into the boards on Wednesday, landing face first, and is now out with a concussion. He had been a good depth acquisition scoring 3-2-5 in ten games. The Devils are 9-2 despite some injuries to veterans like Boyle, Kyle Palmeiri and Drew Stafford.

6. The Oilers powerplay struggles are surprising. They have the same unit that dominated the league last year from December to April, yet they haven’t been able to finish. “I think we were married to a few plays too much earlier on,” said Mark Letestu. Todd McLellan switched the units last game and they scored one goal and created some good chances. I fully expect their PP to improve, because they have enough skilled players. The PK is a different story.

7. I’m not sure the Oilers have enough veteran penalty killers. Killing penalties is hard work and it takes a different mindset to want to jump in the lane and block 100 mile an hour slap shots. It will be a work in progress. Of course they should be better than 68%, and an ugly 54% at home, but at best I think their PK will be 81-82% for a long stretch.

8. Cam Talbot needs to be better. He’s yet to win the Oilers a game. His .904sv% is 25th among starters. The Oilers are eighth in shots against/game at 30.9. It isn’t like he’s getting bombarded. Yes he’s faced some tough shots, but the game winner from Malkin on Wednesday went right through him. Talbot is well below is career .921sv%, and they need him to get in a groove.

9. A quick glance at goalies in the Pacific division confirms Talbot needs to be better.

Jonathan Quick has made 11 starts and a .949sv% and 1.99 GAA.
Mike Smith has made 12 starts and has a .936sv% and 2.19 GAA.
Martin Jones has nine starts with a .927sv% and 2.12 GAA.
Johns Gibson has made 11 starts with a .919sv% and 2.83 GAA.
Jacob Markstrom has started eight games and posted a .916sv% and 2.25 GAA.
Anders Nilsson has started the other four games for Vancouver and has a .943sv% and 1.89 GAA.
Vegas has had to use four different goalies due to injuries:
Marc-Andre Fleury started four games with a .925sv% and 2.48 GAA.
Oscar Dansk started three with a .946sv% and 1,78 GAA.
Malcolm Subban started three and posted .936sv% and 2.06 GAA.
Their 4th goalie, Maxime Legace, struggled in his two starts, but that is expected as I don’t know if any organization has four NHL-ready goalies

Talbot is better than his numbers thus far, and the Oilers desperately need him to find his game.

10. Longtime NHL referee Kerry Fraser wrote a heartfelt article outlining his incurable cancer diagnosis. Kerry has become a good friend the past few years and a great weekly guest on my radio show on TSN 1260 discussing NHL officiating and telling some great stories. I have no doubt Kerry will approach this battle with an upbeat and fiery attitude. I wish him and his family all the best.

11. Our second annual Oilers/Flames road trip extravaganza goes Saturday, December 2nd. We only have 18 seats remaining. Jason Strudwick and I will be hosting the bus. It was a blast last year. Oilers fans were loving it, especially when the Oilers crushed the Phlegms 7-4. All the details for the trip are here. Call Heather to reserve your seat. It is a blast. You’ll have a great time.