The Edmonton Oilers are stumbling out of the 4 Nations break, looking anything but refreshed. Flat, sloppy, and seemingly uninterested, they’re now gearing up to face a red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning squad that’s gunning for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. This could get messy if Edmonton doesn’t wake up fast.
1. The Oilers are in a funk. They’ve dropped three straight games for the second time this season. The first came back in October when they opened their season with losses to the Jets, Flames, and Blackhawks. This time, it’s been Colorado, Philly, and Washington handing them Ls.
The last time Edmonton spiralled to four straight losses? You’d have to rewind to that November 2023 disaster against the Sharks, the game that had Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson visibly discussing their futures on the bench.
2. Connor McDavid, always the storyline, is closing in on a career milestone: just three assists shy of 700. Tampa Bay’s been a tough nut for McDavid to crack. In 13 games against the Bolts, he’s managed just seven assists, his second-worst record against any team. No apples for him in their last showdown, but he did bury the opening goal in a 2-1 Edmonton win. Can he flip the script tonight?
3. Meanwhile, the talk of the town has been goaltending, or rather, the lack of it. Stuart Skinner is expected to get the nod tonight after Calvin Pickard’s Sunday start against Washington. Skinner has a rocky history with Tampa, posting a brutal 0.836 save percentage across three career matchups. Ouch. He did snag a win against them earlier this season, stopping 21 of 22 shots with a stellar 0.955 save percentage. The Oilers need that version of Skinner tonight, not the one who’s been struggling lately.
4. It’s not all doom and gloom. Leon Draisaitl is on an absolute tear, despite the team’s struggles. He’s scored in back-to-back games and extended his streak to five straight with goals. With 42 snipes on the year, he’s firmly in the driver’s seat for the Rocket Richard Trophy. He’s just four goals shy of surpassing Mark Messier on the Oilers’ all-time scoring list. If he keeps this up, Glenn Anderson’s spot in the top three will be next. Draisaitl is a one-man wrecking crew, and Edmonton desperately needs him to keep it rolling.
5. On the other side of the ice, Tampa Bay is coming in hot. The Lightning have rattled off five straight wins and are riding high after a commanding 4-1 victory over the Kraken on Sunday. Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel, Luke Glendening, and Nick Paul all found the back of the net, while Andrei Vasilevskiy was a brick wall, stopping 36 of 37 shots for a ridiculous 0.973 save percentage. Tampa’s now third in the Atlantic, just a few points shy of Toronto and Florida.
6. The Bolts have been nearly untouchable at home, racking up 19 wins at Amalie Arena this season and going unbeaten in regulation there since January 28th. For context, the last time the Oilers won in Tampa was November 2022, when Warren Foegele, Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl carried the team to a 3-2 victory. Jack Campbell was the hero that night, turning aside 35 of 37 shots. Can Edmonton conjure that same magic tonight? It’s a tall order.
The Oilers are desperate to snap this skid, but Tampa Bay is rolling and doesn’t plan to let up. If Edmonton’s stars don’t shine, it’s going to be a long night.
