I don’t think I’m talking out of school when I say that Saturday’s loss to the Flames was one of the more disappointing outcomes we’ve had lately. The Oilers were outplayed for stretches, hit posts en masse, and ultimately came up a goal short of picking up at least a point in the first game after Christmas. Heading into Winnipeg, Edmonton needed to play with much more urgency in the early going and execute better throughout the night to avoid a second straight loss. And while it wasn’t the prettiest game we’ll ever watch, a strong performance by Calvin Pickard and a pair of depth goals from Max Jones and Jack Roslovic powered the Oilers to what ended up as a 3-1 win.

With Connor Ingram getting the start for the last three games, Calvin Pickard found himself back in goalie no-man’s land with more questions than answers about what’s to come for his future with the team. It’s no secret that Pickard’s season hasn’t been spectacular by any stretch, but this is a guy who’s playing for his life, and he needed a big start against the Jets to keep his name in good standing. And considering this was Pickard’s first start since December 20th against the Wild, he needed to be sharp from the jump. Looking rusty wasn’t going to be an option this time. Calvin Pickard needed to bring his best.

And on a night when he needed a strong performance, Calvin Pickard was fantastic for Edmonton. In fact, I’d argue that he was the team’s best player. To take that a step further, the Oilers would not have won that hockey game without our pal Cal. Despite the Oilers being outshot 42-21, Pickard stood tall when called upon, and in this case, that meant making all kinds of saves both easy and difficult. Whether they were from the outside of the ice or in tight near his crease, Pickard gave the Oilers the foundation they needed to steal a win from the Jets. Put another way, Pickard’s 41 saves and .976 save percentage dwarfed the 18 saves and .900 by Connor Hellebuyck at the end. He was the better of the two goalies on Monday night, and I seriously doubt many of us would have had that on our bingo cards.

It’s hard not to let your imagination run wild when you see that Andrew Mangiapane was a healthy scratch against the Jets on the same day that Elliotte Friedman suggested that both he and the Oilers might be looking for a change. Despite not even making it a half-season into the two-year contract he signed on July 1st, we’re already talking about a change of scenery being on the table, and it’s hard to understand how things went this poorly so quickly. As much as many of us were excited about the Mangiapane signing, his story is reading a lot like the ones written by Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner a year ago. Why these veteran wingers can’t seem to make it work here is truly a puzzling problem, and it’s fair to wonder how the organization got things wrong this many times in such a short span.

If you toss in the Trent Frederic monster deal that was also signed this past summer, and all of a sudden, you’ve got the makings of a disastrous free agency class for the Oilers. But even though a healthy scratch and some trade rumours don’t mean the end of the line for Mangiapane, Tom Gazzola reported during the game that the Oilers have granted Mangiapane’s agent the chance to shop him around. Whether the Bread Man gets sliced today, tomorrow, or in the coming weeks, seeing him go this early in the season is a failure by the player, the scouting department, coaching staff, and everyone involved with another swing and miss on a free agent. As if anyone needed reminding, we don’t have time to screw around with players who don’t fit what the Oilers are doing, and if a Mangiapane trade is in the works, Stan Bowman had better get it right this time. Tick tock.

If you had Ryan Nugent-Hopkins getting into his fifth career fight on your bingo card, you’re either lying or a time traveller, but here we are again. For reasons I will never fully understand, when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins decides it’s time to drop the mitts, he doesn’t just participate, he wins. Every time. Dan Hamhuis. Vinnie Hinostroza. Sean Monahan. Justin Holl. And now Neal Pionk. Different jerseys, same result. Raging Nugent-Hopkins shows up, throws hands like a man possessed, and skates away having absolutely handled his business. It’s one of the most unassuming, quietly hilarious subplots of his career, because nothing about RNH suggests “guy who beats people up,” and yet, here we are, five-for-five.

And honestly, if a Nuge fight doesn’t get the boys going, I don’t know what will. This is a guy in his 15th season as an Oiler who continues to do everything asked of him by his 200 NHL head coaches. He’s a point-per-game player this year, plays in every situation, takes whatever role is handed to him without complaint, and is closing in on his 1000th NHL game like it’s just another box to check off the list. Last night’s tilt wasn’t because he had to, he’s fought because he cares, and that’s what makes it hit a little different. In a league full of manufactured edge, watching Nuge snap into attack mode is a reminder that leadership doesn’t always look loud or obvious. Sometimes it looks like your longest-tenured player quietly beating the wheels off another grown man and skating back to the bench like nothing happened. I love him.

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