Good morning, everyone, and a happy Monday to you all. As per tradition, I’ve got a brand new mailbag set to go after taking your questions and sending them to the crew for their takes. This week, we’re discussing Oilers’ New Year’s resolutions, Connor McDavid’s heater, the third line centre, and more. If you’ve got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.

Win three games in a row.

To play competent hockey when McDavid and Draisaitl are off the ice. They are still getting caved whenever 29 and 97 are on the bench, and it’s been a problem that’s existed for far too long. Henrique, Mangiapane, Frederic and others all shoulder the blame. They need to be better.

Be harder to play against.

Consistency. The Oilers still haven’t had a three-game winning streak, and it’s wild to me that they haven’t done this yet at the midway point of the season.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would be the best option. The Oilers need to add another 5×5 scoring winger.

This is such a tough question because it “should” be Henrique or Frederic based on how they’re paid… but we know that’s just not working out. I would like to maybe see Frederic between Mangiapane and Roslovic to see if they can make some plays. My level of optimism that it would work is low… but that would be my next move.

Jack Roslovic got bumped there during Sunday’s practice. There could be something there.

I think Nuge is better as a winger at this point, so I’d prefer if Stan Bowman went out and landed a 3C with some offensive touch.

He is shooting more. He had 11 goals and 74 shots (2.84/GP) in 26 games in October and November. In 13 games so far in December, he has 13 goals and 61 shots (4.69/GP).

He is shooting the puck more. I wrote a piece over the break about how Connor has had some of his highest shot volume games of the last 12 months during this month. He’s shooting more and it’s leading to more goals. Simple as that.

The shot volume has gone up, for sure, but so too has his intensity. A fiery McDavid is a dangerous McDavid.

After starting the season slow in the shot department, McDavid had really started firing the puck. That’s giving him more space to make plays because defenders also have to respect his shot rather than assume he’s going to pass. Those extra few inches and milliseconds make all the difference when you’re as good as he is.

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I think the Los Angeles Kings will crater at some point. I think their roster is very flawed and not on the same level as the Oilers and Golden Knights. I could see the Ducks stumbling at some point too, but I think they’re still a playoff team.

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Edmonton, Vegas, Anaheim, Kings, Sharks, Canucks, Flames, Kraken

Okay regular season team and excellent in playoffs.

Disappointment. They accomplished the very difficult feat of making it back to another Stanley Cup Final only to fallin six games and lose in a way that could only be described as frustrating. They gave us some great memories, but 2025 will be remembered as a year that saw them lose their game at the worst possible time in games five and six of the Stanley Cup Final. That’s heartbreaking.

It was… good? They were the second-best team in the playoffs, and are tied for the fifth-most wins heading into tonight’s games.

As a love rollercoaster. There were highs, lows, and a ride that throws you all over the place, whether you like it or not.

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