The Edmonton Oilers have not been the team most expected them to be this season. They have started out the 2023-24 campaign with a 2-6-1 record and haven’t been able to solve any of their early season problems. Their lack of offensive output mixed with bad defensive woes have combined for a really bad start and the blame game has already begun.
On Thursday night (Nov. 2), one bright spot was Sam Gagner, whose season debut saw him score two goals and almost lead the Oilers back from a 4-1 deficit against the Dallas Stars. There haven’t been many positives this season, from the defensive side of the game to the goaltending, to the offensive output from the stars, and the team is feeling the consequences of inconsistency. Only playing at 100 percent for parts of the game isn’t good enough, and won’t fly if they hope to turn their season around.
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Following their sixth regulation loss of the season, Oilers insider Jason Gregor called out the team and made it clear he believes the issue isn’t luck. Luck has nothing to do with it. Edmonton has been flat-out awful to start the season.
He also had no issue calling out Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman, who aren’t playing at the level they’re capable of, and it hurt the team in their last matchup. It’s hard to believe that a team that was considered to be a Cup contender entering the season is now at the bottom of the standings with no sense of urgency. If they hope to bounce back and save their season, they need to fix their issues and fast.
The Overreaction To McDavid, Draisaitl & Hyman’s Start
To say that McDavid, Draisaitl, and Hyman have been bad to start the season is wrong. They might be underperforming by their standards, but they are still atop of the Oilers’ leaderboard in points and likely won’t slow down from the point-per-game pace they’re currently on.
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The leaders of the team have to continue to lead by example if they want to get out of this hole, and they failed to do that in their 4-3 loss to the Stars. The whole team has failed to find consistency and play a full 60 minutes this season, but the team’s stars haven’t elevated their game to the level that is now expected of them.
McDavid missed two games due to a minor injury but still has two goals and seven assists through seven games, tying him for second on the team in points with Hyman and Evan Bouchard. Draisaitl leads the team in points with four goals and nine assists through nine games.
Hyman has been doing exactly what the Oilers have asked of him. He has nine points through nine games and has been really strong defensively. He didn’t play well against the Stars, but I’m confident he’ll be able to bounce back next game.
The team stepped up near the end of the game and almost pulled off a miracle, and that type of intensity is exactly what they need for a full game and not just the end of it. While they outshot the Stars 49-27 and peppered Scott Wedgewood all night, most were not high-danger scoring chances, and while their late push was thrilling, they won’t win many games playing from behind.
What Should Oilers Fans Expect Going Forward
The Oilers should be able to snap out of their slow start and find their game soon enough. They’re lucky it’s early enough in the season that they still have time to grow and bounce back, but the team can’t panic. Overall, they have been playing well, they just have to learn how to play a full 60-minute game every game, or else they will continue down this hole they’ve fallen into and changes will be made.
The Oilers are back in action on Saturday, Nov. 4, in an afternoon matchup against the Nashville Predators. The team won their first matchup of the season, and hopefully, they can do it again to help turn their season around.