It’s just one game. There are 81 more to go. That’s what Edmonton Oilers fans and players mentioned last night. It’s a long season and every team is bound to have stinkers. However, those remarks were exactly what we heard from this group early on last season, one in which they had a 5-12-1 record through their first 18 games.
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The counterargument is that the Oilers overcame their pitiful start, made the playoffs and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. Still, getting off to a poor start for a second straight season would be extremely concerning. Last season, it prevented them from gaining home-ice advantage in any of their final three playoff series. Had those first two Stanley Cup Final games been played in Edmonton, maybe they would have won at least one rather than dropping the first two games to the Florida Panthers. Based on how the remainder of the series played out, that would have been enough for them to win it all. Instead, they suffered a heartbreaking Game 7 loss.
Oilers’ Poor Start
The Oilers started the 2024-25 season – one in which they are considered heavy Stanley Cup favourites – about as poorly as possible. They only gave up 20 shots to the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night, but their defensive effort was abysmal, with far too many turnovers and lackadaisical play in their own zone. As a result, they lost 6-0.
Their top guns were quiet; Connor McDavid was held without a shot and finished the night a minus-2. Leon Draisaitl was able to generate a few high-quality chances but also finished minus-2. Travis Dermott had a rough debut, while goaltender Stuart Skinner allowed a shockingly bad five goals on 13 shots before being pulled in the second period.
On Wednesday night, the Jets looked like the Stanley Cup contenders, while Edmonton looked like a lottery team. Again, it’s just one game, but fans who dialled in at the beginning of 2023-24 will remember seeing similar efforts against teams they had no business losing to.
Oilers’ Big Weekend Ahead
The Oilers have put some pressure on themselves moving forward. Had the game been close, it wouldn’t have mattered as much. After all, the Jets are a solid team. But having the doors blown off raises a ton of questions. That is why the team must get back on track this weekend. They have games on Saturday and Sunday, and both should be wins. Saturday will see them take on the Chicago Blackhawks, a team that, while better than a season ago, is still expected to finish near the bottom of the standings.
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On Sunday, the Oilers will take on their provincial rival Calgary Flames. It will be cause for concern if their effort isn’t much higher than what we saw on Wednesday, given how much the teams dislike each other. This one should also be a win, as the Flames are also expected to struggle this season. The fact that it’s a back-to-back is no excuse, either, as the Flames are also in action the night before against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Too Soon to Panic
At the end of the day, it’s too early to panic. In fact, if the Oilers had started strong, maybe there would be nothing to stress about. That’s not the case, which makes them tough to trust right now, since it seems that they have a hard time upping their compete level in the early goings of a season, and it’s a hard hole to climb out of.
