For the second-straight season, the Edmonton Oilers got off to a slow start, and for the second-straight season, many began doubting them. Granted, the noise wasn’t as loud as it was a year ago, because the struggles weren’t as extreme. Still, there were many who began saying they weren’t good enough to win a Stanley Cup this season.
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One of those individuals was TSN’s Craig Button, who made his frustration with the Oilers clear. Despite being viewed as the top Stanley Cup contender entering the season, Button tore into the Oilers roughly a month ago, saying they were nowhere near good enough to win it all.
“You look at a team that went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last year, had so much going for themselves,” Button said. “They’re a weaker team. They’re a lesser team. Now, it’s incumbent. It’s all on management here to go and make significant moves to improve this team. We know the top end is outstanding, but after that, real problems.”
This rant was rather puzzling at the time, as it seemed as though Button had forgotten just how poorly the Oilers had started a season ago. Nonetheless, he, along with many others, are looking rather foolish as of late, as this team appears to be getting back to their winning ways.
Oilers Heating up
With their 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday (Dec. 7), the Oilers are now 7-3-0 over their last 10. Their top offensive guns are really heating up as well. Connor McDavid now has 26 points over his last 13 games, while Leon Draisaitl has 20 points in that same span.
Those offensive outbursts were always going to come for McDavid and Draisaitl, who have been the NHL’s highest-scoring duo for many years. The bigger concerns were the struggles of guys like Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Evan Bouchard, though they are showing signs of life as of late.
Bouchard has been the best of the trio, registering 10 points over his last eight games. Hyman, meanwhile, had just three goals through his first 20 games but appears back to his old self with three goals in two games since returning from an undisclosed injury. Nugent-Hopkins has still been inconsistent but has five points in his last five outings. Two of his four goals on the season have come during that same stretch.
It looks as though Stuart Skinner is finally back on track, as well. The 26-year-old struggled out of the gates for the second-straight season, posting an ugly 3.51 goals against average (GAA) and a .872 save percentage (SV%) through seven starts in October. His November numbers weren’t all that good, either, but things seem to be turning around, as he’s posted a SV% of .930 or higher in five of his last six starts.
Even Jeff Skinner, who has been in head coach Kris Knoblauch’s doghouse for the vast majority of the season, has racked up four points in his last four outings. Getting him going, along with the currently injured Viktor Arvidsson, would make this already dangerous team all the scarier for opponents on a nightly basis.
Oilers Climbing up Standings
Following Saturday’s win over the Blues, the Oilers surpassed the Calgary Flames and are now fourth in the Pacific Division. They are tied points-wise with the third-placed Vancouver Canucks, and are just three shy of the LA Kings for second. It’s worth noting that they finished last season in second, with the Canucks taking the division title.
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The Oilers do have a tough four-game stretch upcoming that will see them take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Florida Panthers. Immediately afterward, however, their schedule gets far easier, with six of their following seven outings being against the San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks (2), Utah Hockey Club, and Seattle Kraken.
