Oh how the mighty fall.
Considered one of the top teams in the Western Conference just last year, that far from who the Vancouver Canucks are this year, reeling amid rough losses and off-ice drama. There’s the ongoing saga around J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, and now, the team has gone 6-8-7 in their last 21 games dating back to early December, 3-6-5 in their last 14 games and a measly 2-5-3 in their last 10.
1. J.T. Miller found himself in the spotlight in their 5-1 loss on home ice to the Los Angeles Kings Thursday night, with head coach Rick Tocchet saying after the game “It feels like every time he’s on the ice, something bad happens.” Miller played just 9:25 of even-strength ice time in that game, the lowest of any Canucks forward. He got puck-watching on multiple goals, and at one point, cameras caught Tocchet sending Miller to the end of the bench.
2. Miller has scored just two goals and 13 points in 17 games since returning from his personal leave, but is stuck in a stretch that’s seen him pointless in his last five games, taking just 10 shots on goal. Despite that, he leads all active Canucks in scoring, with 34 points in 33 games, scoring 10 goals and 23 assists.
3. While Miller has cooled off, Quinn Hughes has heated up, with three goals and 11 points in his last eight games.
4. Including the playoffs last year, these two teams have traded blows in their last 10 games, with the Oilers going 5-5 and outscoring the Canucks 34-32. Tonight’s game marks the second of three this season, with the Oilers grabbing a 7-3 win on November 9th when Vancouver rolled into town. Mattias Janmark had three assists that night, setting up Corey Perry for one goal, and Connor Brown for a pair of his own.
5. The Oilers may be without Viktor Arvidsson tonight, who was injured Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche. He missed the final seven minutes of the game after blocking a Keaton Middleton shot off the inside of his foot, finishing the shift but not returning. There’s no word at the time of writing about his status, but if he were unable to go, a safe bet would be on Kasperi Kapanen sliding into his spot on the second line.
6. Here’s a fun fact for you: Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard are the fourth pair of goaltenders in NHL history to record multiple shared shutouts. Their first together came on March 10th, 2024 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and their second on January 7th against the Boston Bruins. The only other pairs to do so were the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Lorne Chabot and Benny Grant, who are also the only duo with three, securing shutouts against the Detroit Cougars on March 9th, 1929, and days later against them on March 14th, as well as on February 13th, 1932 against the Montreal Maroons. Ron Low and Jaques Plante had a pair for the Maple Leafs in 1972, while the most recent duo were the Montreal Canadiens’ Denis Herron and Richard Savigny in 1981. Andy Moog and Grant Fuhr recorded a shared shutout against the Quebec Nordiques on January 8th, 1985 as the only duo not named Skinner and Pickard to do so in Oilers history.
7. Speaking of goalies, while there’s no confirmed starters for tonight, Daily Faceoff projects Stuart Skinner to face Thatcher Demko.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
