We are a few weeks away from the Christmas break, and the Edmonton Oilers are currently outside the playoff picture, sitting in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a record of 12-11-5 through 28 games. This has been a typical start to the season for them, so there’s no need to panic. They aren’t where they want to be, but there are still plenty of games to be played. Edmonton is better than its record suggests, and it’s just a matter of time before they turn it around and go on a run.
However, the Oilers still have issues that need to be addressed, including internal and personnel problems. As we approach the holiday season, here are three things the Oilers are hoping to find under the Christmas tree.
A New Goaltender
It’s no secret that the Oilers are in the market for a goaltender, whether that be a true number one or someone to push Stuart Skinner. Skinner has a 2.90 goals-against average (GAA) and an .888 save percentage (SV%) in 20 games, while backup Calvin Pickard has an abysmal 4.04 GAA and an .851 SV% in 10 games. Neither netminder has been good enough, and a change is necessary, even if it’s a lateral move. Goaltending is a glaring concern, and it has been for years.
Related: Oilers Land Jarry, Dump Skinner in Separate Projected Deals
It’s more likely Pickard will be the one leaving, but what if they’re both gone? If the organization wants a true shakeup, they’ll replace both of them, similar to the Colorado Avalanche last season. The Avalanche completely overhauled their goaltending in a matter of weeks, acquiring Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators and Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks.
Before those moves, their goaltending was actively costing them games, but since then, their record drastically improved. Now, they have the best record in the league and look like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. The Oilers are hoping for that same outcome with a change in net.
The Oilers are strapped against the salary cap, so they can’t make a huge blockbuster move midseason. However, they will have enough cap space in the offseason to target an elite number one goalie, but they must temporarily bridge the gap. We’re at the point where any move is a welcome addition. Oilers fans would be ecstatic if they got at least one new goaltender under their Christmas tree this holiday season.
More Depth Scoring
Like goaltending, depth scoring has also been a problem for years. The Oilers haven’t had much success signing or acquiring these players. The most recent ones were Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson. These players found success on their previous teams, but that didn’t translate to Edmonton.
That same thing is currently happening with Trent Frederic and Andrew Mangiapane. Frederic had two great seasons for the Boston Bruins, scoring 17 goals in 2022-23 and 18 goals the following season. But since joining Edmonton, he has only registered three goals and six points in 51 games between the regular season and playoffs. Management also inked him to an eight-year contract extension that’s already aging horribly.
Mangiapane has also struggled to find a role. He has four goals and 10 points in 28 games, but is a team-worst minus-16. The puck is often dying on his stick, and he doesn’t have much confidence right now. He had one 35-goal season with the Calgary Flames in 2021-22, but has consistently been between the 14-to-18 goal mark throughout his career. The Oilers require that production from him in the bottom six, and he needs to step up.
The Oilers also need more offensive production from Adam Henrique, Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark. Janmark only has one goal, and Henrique has just two. Savoie had a breakout game against the Seattle Kraken, scoring two goals, but still only has five goals and nine points on the campaign. These five depth players mentioned have a combined 14 goals on the season, the same as Connor McDavid. They must start scoring more if the Oilers hope to go on a winning streak.
More Consistent Effort
A lack of effort has been the theme all season. The Oilers have taken too many nights off, and you can’t do that in this league. They were throttled in back-to-back home games, 9-1 against the Colorado Avalanche, and 8-3 against the Dallas Stars, two teams they could potentially face in the playoffs. They were also embarrassed 5-1 against the Buffalo Sabres. You never know which team is going to show up on any given night, and that’s a problem.
However, their effort has shown signs of improvement in recent games. Besides the Dallas blowout, their effort was solid in five of their last six games. Successful teams dig in defensively, and if they consistently show that effort, the results will come.
What else should be on the Oilers’ Christmas list? Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL content throughout the season.
