What does it mean?
By Jason Gregor
7 years ago
The Edmonton Oilers are 5-1.
They are first in the entire NHL with 10 points.
Their 23 goals are the most in the league.
They are first in the entire NHL with 10 points.
Their 23 goals are the most in the league.
How do you feel?
You should feel fantastic, but after ten years of losing it is hard not be cautious. I understand the trepidation, but while you ponder how you look at this team just remember they could be 1-5 instead. The early great start doesn’t make them a Cup contender, but at least it looks like they won’t be cellar dwellers.
JC sent a text to my show on Friday which sums up fairly accurately how many in Oilersnation are feeling.
“Gregs. I’m not sure I’m ready to jump on the bandwagon for the Oilers.
But I do feel like I’m being dragged behind it and I’ll have no choice
to jump on soon.”
But I do feel like I’m being dragged behind it and I’ll have no choice
to jump on soon.”
That was before Sunday’s convincing 3-0 victory. When the Oilers were 2-0, people looked at their goals against and said it had to improve. Then they got clobbered 6-2 by Buffalo and had the-all-to-familiar thoughts of “here we go again.”
Unlike previous years, the Oilers didn’t fold after a bad outing. They re-focused and played well. They’ve won three in a row and Cam Talbot has only had three pucks go past him.
Since the Buffalo beat-down the Oilers are 3-0 and have outscored the opposition 9-3. Talbot has been great, stopping 96 of 99 shots (.970sv%), which is key for any team’s success. He was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week.
Two weeks into the season and Connor McDavid and Talbot have each earned the NHL’s weekly first star. The Oilers could not have asked for a better start. So far, they are taking advantage of an early favourable schedule.
QUICK HITS…
During the Decade of Darkness, the Oilers supplied me with an endless array of stats, most of them for futility, so it is a refreshing change to trot out some stats which illustrate how well they are playing.
- McDavid is tied with Brent Burns and Brad Marchand for the scoring lead with nine points.
- Jordan Eberle and Leon Draisaitl are tied for 22nd with six points.
- Mark Letestu leads the NHL with two shorthanded goals. Both were game winners and both were unassisted.
- Twelve players have scored a goal and 19 have points thru six games.
- The first line has nine goals, the second line has three, and the third and fourth lines have five each. They are getting balanced scoring. Anyone who suggests they aren’t, isn’t paying attention. They have 23 goals in six games — it is hard to score more than that in today’s NHL.
- Of course you want RNH and Pouliot producing more, but they finally have enough depth that when some of your top players aren’t scoring, other players can fill the offensive void.
- The defencemen have 11 points in six games. They had a league-low 102 points last year.
- They have 14 EV goals, tied for third most in the NHL. They haven’t been top-15 in EV goals since 2009 when they had 150 EV goals, and were tied for 11th.
- Their scoring has been evenly spread out. They have eight goals in the first and second frames and they have seven in the third period.
- They aren’t roadkill away from Edmonton. They are 2-0 on the road and their PK is a perfect 9-for-9 away from home.
- They are breaking even on special teams. They have scored three PP goals and two SH goals. They’ve allowed three PP goals and two SH goals. They have been on the PK for 40:50, but only have 31:40 of PP time. Being even on special teams despite being -9:10 in PP to PK time is good.
- They are second in GF/game, 3.83, and tied for ninth in GA/game at 2.67. Unlike their red-hot start in 2011/2012, their wins aren’t covered up by great goaltending. Talbot has been solid, but the offence is rolling and their defensive play is starting to improve.
- The great start means the Oilers only have to play .500 hockey in their final 76 games and they’d be at the same 86 points, which is only one below the 87 it took Minnesota to make the playoffs last year. The Oilers won’t stay this hot, but they don’t have to stay in the playoff hunt.
- At the start of the season if I said the Oilers could play .500 hockey (82 points) would that have been unreasonable? Being in a playoff race might not seem as daunting now.
PARTING SHOT
I know the NHL standings on October 24th don’t mean much come playoff time, but the Oilers are playing well. They are scoring goals. Their goalie is playing great and, like JC, some of you might slowly start climbing back on the bandwagon.
The challenge will be to see if you can stay there and not jump off when the inevitable two or three game losing streak occurs.
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