Monday Mailbag – What’s going on with the penalty kill?

Happy Monday, dearest Internet friends, and welcome to a brand new edition of the Mailbag to help you start your week and break down everything that’s happening with our beloved Edmonton Oilers. This week we’re looking at what’s going wrong with the PK, Nuge’s 200th goal, Dylan Holloway, and a whole lot more. If you’ve got got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or hit me up on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk and I’ll get to you as soon as we can.

Easily. Should hit it with a couple of seasons left on this contract — during the 2026-27 season.

Easily in his career. But I don’t see him hitting 400.

Absolutely. 20 goals per season for 5 more years will be easy. Better question… 400? If he rips off a few 25+ goal campaigns and plays until he’s in his late-30’s, which he totally could, them 400 isn’t out of the question.

2000%. If he can stay healthy, he’ll get there.

I don’t see a lot of numbers that lead me to completely agree with you. There have been some stretches where they’ve been too loose, but we’re nine games in with two new goaltenders and a blueline group that’s settling in.

Sloppy October hockey happens to most teams. Too early to make an accurate assessment of their defensive play. However, I said at start of the season they need a different makeup (players) on their blueline and I expect that to be addressed before the deadline.

This team defended fine last year under Woodcroft so I’ll put systems third. I’ll go with execution as number one, key players have just been making really poor mistakes far too often. So that leaves personnel as number two and I think that’s fair. This is a fine group of defensemen, they should be at least league average if everyone is playing well, but this isn’t a Stanley Cup calibre blueline.

I think the defense needs an upgrade in both personnel and execution. I believe in Woodcroft on the systems.

They’re spending a bit too much time shorthanded — 6:50 per game, which is fifth in the league — for my liking. They’ve allowed 10 PPGA, but they also have two shorties.

Stop taking penalties will help. Way too much time on the PK is first issue. They need someone other than Draisaitl to win a faceoff on the PK and reduce the cross-seam passes. The PK will improve.

Partially poor early season luck, partially execution from key pieces. Some really bad blown coverages (game against Carolina) and bad decisions with the puck. Also, some guys are being asked to kill penalties for the first time with this team so I think there’s just been a bit of a learning curve.

As Robin said, the Oilers are taking way too many penalties in the first place. Secondly, they look like they’re still trying to remember how the PK systems are supposed to work. We’ll get there. Killing off all three penalties on Saturday night in Calgary was huge.

Every single player on the planet would rather be in the NHL than in the minors. That’s how you find out exactly how you measure up. I don’t know where the cut-off point is for ice time — an amount where it doesn’t make sense to have him here — but I don’t think we’re at that now aside from that one game vs Buffalo.

Too early yet. He’s been fine. He is learning and hasn’t looked out of place. He picked up his first point in Calgary and that will boost his confidence. As long as he plays close to 12 minutes a game I’d keep him here.

I don’t think it’s a terrible idea at all. He’s made some tough mistakes and part of that I think has maybe been nerves or a lack of confidence. I’d rather have him playing 20 minutes a night in Bakersfield versus > 10 minutes a game at the NHL level in a checking role. Let him keep developing and if you want him in a checking role late in the season, you can do it then.

Holloway picked up his first point in Calgary and I think he’s looking more comfortable by the game. I don’t know what kind of timeline the Oilers are working with for him, but no matter what happens, I think we’ve got a player here that will be worth the wait.

Start by not calling the goal good and then trying to tell people the original call was no goal. Making it worse, it actually was a good goal. Kane was in the crease and back out well before he scored.

Goaltender interference is more an opinion than a hard rule right now. Every play is very different. They could just make it anyone who touches goalie in crease is interference. I wouldn’t like that though, but that is only way to make it consistent.

I honestly have no idea. Goaltender interference is just seemingly impossible to get right so I don’t have a good answer for you, unfortunately.

Horrible call, but completely predictable based on how inconsistent the refereeing is in the NHL. How do they improve? Start by taking goal reviews out of the ref’s hands and into the war room in Toronto. We’re humans, we don’t want to admit when we’re wrong.

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