The Edmonton Oil Kings have a much different team compared to the one that was on the ice last season, and this one is much more competitive. While there is still a lot to learn before the team can be considered a championship contender again, this season’s team is much more promising and has much more potential than last season, and they’ve been much more exciting to watch.
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While they currently sit tied for third in the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Central Division, they have been playing really strong hockey as of late and are right on par with the Red Deer Rebels and Swift Current Broncos in the standings. With the new addition of Roan Woodward, the return of Gavin Hodnett, and the trade that sent Jacob Hoffrogge to the Prince Albert Raiders, it’s clear this Oil Kings’ team isn’t scared to make moves, and the players will have to continue to adapt all season. With that, here are three takeaways following the team’s first ten games.
Current Record Through 10 Games: 3-6-0-1
Previous Three Games:
Monday, October 9th: 5-2 loss vs. Lethbridge Hurricanes
Wednesday, October 11th: 7-0 loss vs. Saskatoon Blades
Sunday, October 15th: 5-2 loss vs. Red Deer Rebels
Team Will Have to Deal With Adversity, Again
While this season’s roster is much more promising, the team will still have to deal with adversity in what seems to be another season where it will be tough for the Oil Kings to make it back into the playoff picture. Luckily for them, they are only seven wins away from tying the total wins from last season, which was only ten out of 68. Having only won three of their first ten games, they have some room to improve but have a lot to be happy about as well. They’re doing the little things right, they’re scoring goals more often and they have stable goaltending. This season, it will be a matter of keeping the team focused if they continue to struggle.
Having Hodnett back to bolster the top six is more than ideal, but the team is now dealing with injuries to both Nathan Pilling and Ty Nash. Pilling seemed destined to have an incredible breakout season, while Nash has been dealing with something and hasn’t suited up for the Oil Kings yet this season. With 110 points through 207 games split between the Winnipeg ICE and Lethbridge Hurricanes over three seasons, Nash will be a huge boost to the offence when he does return.
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The team has faired well without him, finding scoring in Adam Jecho, Aidan Litke and Marc Lajoie amongst others, so they’re dealing with the loss quite well. It will be a matter of if everyone can keep pushing forward through the issues the team is having and can adapt on the fly. Hopefully, this will be the season the Oil Kings squeak back into the playoffs, but they have to keep finding ways to adapt and stay focused.
Goaltending Has Been A Bright Spot
Kolby Hay and Logan Cunningham have been quite strong as a tandem for the Oil Kings this season. Hay has seemingly won the starting job in recent games, and has two wins under his belt this season with a 2.96 goals-against average (GAA) and a .909 save percentage (SV%) while Cunningham has one win with a 4.76 GAA and a .874 SV%. For a team that struggled between the pipes last season and still isn’t the greatest defensively, it’s great to see a much more efficient tandem. While Cunningham’s stats don’t look great on paper, he seems to be gaining confidence in goal as the games go on and is someone the team trusts if Hay needs a night off.
Looking at Hay specifically, he seems poised to improve on what was a rough 2022-23 season, where he posted a .873 SV% and a 4.89 GAA. As a young tandem, hopefully they can use this season to grow and gain more confidence in the crease, and eventually backstop a future championship team.
Overage Player Problem: A Good Problem To Have
In the WHL, teams can only have three 20-year-old “overage” players on their roster. Nash, who is injured, is 20 and won’t be back for quite a while. With Litke and Lajoie leading the way offensively, they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Hoffrogge was dealt to the Raiders dropping the Oil Kings’ total overagers from five to four, but with Kian Bell still on the roster, they still have to make a move at some point.
For how lethal Litke, Lajoie and Nash are offensively, it leaves Bell as the odd man out. He has played quite well defensively which makes it a tough move for the team to make, but it seems to be a matter of time before he’s traded or placed on waivers. With the least experience out of the other three, Bell will likely finish the season outside of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), but I really hope a team gives him another opportunity.
For the Oil Kings to have a problem like this, after having a season where they struggled to find bright spots in a really tough season, it’s a good thing. Having too much talent sometimes forces teams to make tough decisions, and this will be one of those times, as soon as they decide what their plan is.
The Oil Kings are back in action on Oct. 17, 2023, against the Red Deer Rebels. Be sure to tune in to The Hockey Writers for up-to-the-minute coverage on the Oil Kings, the NHL, and more!
