Pressure continues to mount for the Edmonton Oilers and their Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde way of playing. In their search through the past to find their game, they’ll have to play a prehistoric animal.

The Oilers homestand began with two solid victories. The homestand finished with an emotionally flat game against Florida and being outclassed by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Whether he intended to or not, Connor McDavid threw a couple of logs on the coaching criticism fire, and the Oilers hit the highway looking for their game.

After a horrendous 0/6 showing the day before, the out-of-town scoreboard couldn’t bail them out on Sunday, as the “pillow fight” Pacific Division did win some games. Now they sit one point back of the Golden Knights, and five behind the Anaheim Ducks.

To McDavid’s point, they are fortunate to be in this division. Edmonton can dig its way out from a results standpoint through the Pacific, with seven of the team’s final 11 games being intra-divisional.

Standing in their way is a wildcard team that will likely draw into the Pacific playoff bracket in the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday night.

Team in flux

The frustration level is high.

One area you could argue the team misses Leon Draisaitl the most is on the powerplay. In the three-and-three-quarter games since Draisaitl’s injury against the Nashville Predators, which he’s seeking treatment for in Germany, the Oilers are 1/12 on the man advantage.

Edmonton has been able to survive inconsistent even-strength play in 2025-26 with another year of historically good powerplay output, but failing on the 5-on-3 chance in the second period vs the Lightning and getting scored on shorthanded was a nail in the Oilers’ coffin.

I wonder if Jack Roslovic gets a chance. Knoblauch has used Matt Savoie primarily, but the team misses a shot-first weapon other than Evan Bouchard, who came oh-so-close nailing the crossbar. Roslovic has three powerplay goals and 17 total on the season.

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EDM lines & pairings — Monday’s practice: • McDavid* left the ice early in practice Podkolzin - Lazar* - Savoie Roslovic - RNH - Hyman Samanski - Dickinson - Kapanen Jones - Henrique - Jarventie Walman - Bouchard Nurse - Ekholm Stastney - Murphy Emberson #Oilers

5:25 PM · Mar 23, 2026

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The line combinations are anyone’s guess. Knoblauch practiced Friday with a set of lines, then changed them all before the game on Saturday, with Nugent-Hopkins back with McDavid and Hyman, who had a poor defensive game when out against the Nikita Kucherov line, each going minus-3.

The coach also said that Tristan Jarry will start a game on this roadswing. With the Vegas matchup next, it would make sense if Jarry returns to action tonight. He hasn’t played since March 12, where he allowed seven goals on 27 shots against the Dallas Stars.

“Obviously, my game hasn’t been where I want it,” Jarry told reporters on Monday. “So I’ve just working on my game throughout practice, morning skate, and then just being prepared if I have to go in. Connor’s [Ingram] done a great job, and he’s given the guys a chance to win every night, and that’s all you can ask for. So for me, it’s just being prepared and ready.”

McDavid cut his practice short, taking a quick spin on the ice, as it was a maintenance day. It was just “hips and groin stuff.” I’m not sure that quells anyone’s anxiety. He was asked about his quotes Saturday night that praised the Tampa Bay system. Whether the Oilers can replicate it, he said that’s a “question for Knobber.”

“No, I’m not taking shots. It’s just everybody can be better, myself included. Everybody can be better,” McDavid told reporters Monday. “It was more just complimentary of a great team in this league that came in and played a good game. Nothing more than that.”

The team needs a good performance.

Just for reference, the Oilers have had eight head coaches since Jon Cooper was hired in 2013.

‘Determination’ leading a young team

There’s been ups and down to the Utah Mammoth season, but for a young core on the rise, they are licking their lips for a taste at the post-season. Although he’s been in the league since 2016-17, Mammoth captain Clayton Keller hasn’t played in the playoffs in a normal year (2020 bubble playoffs).

With a 37-28-6 record and a plus-25 goal differential, they’re one win away from tying their win total from a season ago.

Strong defensive numbers have helped. They allow the sixth fewest goals per game at 2.79 and the fifth fewest shots on goal allowed at just 26.1.

Nick Schmaltz and Lawson Crouse scored two goals each in a 4-3 overtime over Los Angeles on Sunday. Winners of three of last four after defeating Dallas and Vegas last week, they likely deserved a better fate against Anaheim on Friday as well with how dominant they were in the third period.

Utah is a young team that is gelling after a long rebuild.

“Our determination,” said Crouse on the team’s strengths. “They [Los Angeles] had their pushes throughout the game. Obviously, they tied it up late. Kind of had the puck for a lot of that OT, but just our coverage and our willingness to do whatever it takes.”

Mammoth depth

Boasting ten double-digit scorers this year, the Mammoth have depth, but aren’t the most ferocious checking team. But they skate and play with pace.

Several players are having career seasons.

Nick Schmaltz has a career high 26 goals, and needs just one more point away from a career high in points as well. Utah rewarded him with a brand new contract extension worth $64 million.

Twenty-two year old Edmontonian Dylan Guenther has 34 goals, which is 15th best in the NHL. Former Oiler draft pick John Marino is also having a productive season with 32 points.

General manager Bill Armstrong has made pains to build this roster, and has swung the bat in recent seasons to acquire Mikhail Sergachev, JJ Peterka, and notably at the Trade Deadline, another blueliner in MacKenzie Weegar.

It’s a hungry team under André Tourginy, who is one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NHL, despite being hired in July 2021.

Notes:

The Oilers ability to bear down and finish chances, or passing out opportunities, shows a wide disparity between their real goals five-on-five and expected goals, according to Moneypuck. There’s a difference of 43.18% real vs 53.96% expected in their last 10 games, with a goal differential of minus-6.
The Mammoth have a 50% goal share five-on-five, and a 48.73% expected, with an even goal differential five-on-five.
Utah’s powerplay hasn’t clicked, sitting at 16.6%. The Oilers PK is 4/6 in their last three games.
Former third overall pick, Logan Cooley, played his 200th NHL game Sunday. He’s dealt with injuries this season, but is nasty when he’s going. Cooley has scored 62 goals and contributed 77 assists for 139 points.
Clayton Keller was just named Utah’s 2026 Professional Male Athlete of the Year by the Utah Sports Commission.
MacKenzie Weegar has one assist in nine games with the Mammoth. He hasn’t been the same offensively this season, trending for his lowest total since 2021-22.
Former Oilers’ first rounder Kailer Yamamoto has 10 goals on the season.
Karel Vejmelka has provided adequate goaltending. He ranks 13th in the league with 11.7 goals saved above expected. It’s a career high 32 wins on the season for the Olympian.
The Oilers beat the Mammoth 6-3 way back on October 28, which was not a banner night for Vejmelka, beaten five times on 23 shots. Connor McDavid scored twice in that game.
One more goal for McDavid will be his 400th NHL goal. Two more points and he’ll achieve 1200 points.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins remains one point back of 800, as well.
Edmonton is 4-0 since Utah came into the league, winning by a total of 13 goals. These teams will meet again on April 7.

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4.