If you compare the Edmonton Oilers’ record in the 2023-24 season to that of last season, they look very similar in terms of points. But it’s definitely been a tale of two seasons, and the team has taken vastly different paths to get to where they are in the NHL’s Western Conference.
Last season in 2022-23, the Oilers had 42 points after 38 games, going 6-3 in October, 7-7 in November, and 7-6-2 in December for a combined total of 20-16-2. This season they are further along by three points with a 22-15-1 record, and what’s remarkable is they started off at 2-5-1 in October and were close to the bottom of the NHL standings in early November. Unbelievable really. Since Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch took over from Jay Woodcroft on Nov. 13, he’s guided the team to a 19-6 record including the best record in the NHL since November with an .850 winning percentage. As they approach the 41-game mark and the halfway point of the season, things are looking up in Oil Country.
Oilers Traditionally Play Better in Second Half of the Season
Going back to the shortened 2020-21 season during the Connor McDavid era, the Oilers have posted strong records from January to April in the past three seasons. In the 2020-21 season, they finished at 39-19-2, in 2021-22, they posted a 31-15-7 record, and last season they went 30-7-7 from January to April.
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Considering how well the team is playing as they approach the halfway mark of the 2023-24 season, you can almost expect a repeat of past records, and for Oilers fans that’s nothing but good news, but…it’s been such an unusual season in 2023-24 that you just never know what could happen.
This Season Has Not Been Normal…Obviously
A lot of fans and pundits were throwing in the towel on the Oilers earlier this season. Famous fans such as former Oilers defenceman Ryan Whitney were very public in terms of their disappointment with where the team was headed in early November. It was a dark time in Oilers history, especially with so much expected from this talented group at the beginning of the season. Slowly but surely they dug themselves out of the hole and went on an eight-game winning streak in late November and early December, only to turn around and win nine in a row from late December into the first two weeks of January.
Part of the reason for the turnaround has been the play of McDavid and Mattias Ekholm coming back from early season injuries, but players such as Stuart Skinner, Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman, Ryan McLeod, Darnell Nurse and Warren Foegle are also playing their best hockey in Oiler silks. The whole team seems to have gelled after the nightmare start to the season.
What to Expect From the Oilers in the Second Half of the 2023-24 Season
There was a quote from Hyman after the Oilers’ 3-2 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 11. He was asked about the play of backup goalie Calvin Pickard who was solid in the Oilers net. Hyman said, “He [Pickard] is obviously a very popular guy in the locker room, guys love him.”
I found this quote to be quite telling in terms of the mental makeup of this season’s Oilers. They appear to be a close-knit group, and that brings back memories of great Oilers teams of the past when Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey and Kevin Lowe ruled the NHL. Those great teams of the past were very tight, and it appears that this current group is following in their footsteps. Can it lead to a playoff berth and possibly a legitimate shot at competing for the Stanley Cup in 2024? Good question. There’s a little more than half the season left to play but if the Oilers continue their current trend under coaches Knoblauch and Coffey, then Oilers fans might have a lot to look forward to when the weather gets warmer in April and May.
Two Special Members of Oilers Media Remembered
On Jan. 11, Edmonton lost two giants in sports media when John Short and Robin Brownlee passed away. Much has been written about their influence and contributions in the past few days. Both Short and Brownlee were must-reads for me when they both wrote for the Edmonton Journal and Brownlee for the Edmonton Sun. I first heard about Short’s passing on Twitter but found out about Brownlee when listening to the Jason Gregor Show on Sports 1440 in Edmonton. Gregor was close to both Short and Brownlee, and Brownlee was a frequent guest on Gregor’s show. Gregor’s tribute to both men truly needs to be commended. He showed such humanity and strength, I believe it was one of the greatest hours on sports radio in Edmonton.
I’ve been a sports fan for well over 50 years, a fan of the Oilers since they joined the NHL in 1979-80, and the loss of both Short and Brownlee feels like a personal loss to me. Listening to them both, and reading their articles – they felt like friends sharing inside info about the Oilers and the NHL. Sports media in Edmonton will never be the same. But it’s richer because of their contributions and what they meant to the sporting community. Rest in peace John Short and Robin Brownlee. You will be missed.