Things haven’t turned around for the Edmonton Oilers just yet. A big win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday gave hope that they were past their ongoing struggles, but a 3-2 loss to the lowly Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday proved they are still in somewhat of a funk.
Related: 4 Takeaways From Oilers’ 3-2 Loss to Sabres
The Oilers are no stranger to these types of slumps, and should be able to work themselves out of it ahead of the playoffs. That said, it’s clear that frustration is beginning to mount. Last week, it was Leon Draisaitl appearing to have words for goaltender Stuart Skinner following a loss to the Florida Panthers. Last night, it was the Oilers’ other superstar who showed some clear frustration as he exited the ice.
McDavid Not Happy with Knoblauch
Late in last night’s game, the Oilers had two separate offensive-zone faceoffs with their goalie pulled. Head coach Kris Knoblauch chose not to call a time-out before the first draw, hoping that the six he had out on the ice could take advantage of a tired Sabres group. It was a reasonable decision, though what he did right after surprised many.
The Sabres were able to immediately snap the draw back and iced the puck, giving their five-unit group a longer time to rest. This seemed to be the perfect time for Knoblauch to call a time-out and draw up a play in order to get the game tied up. Instead, he again opted not to use it, and it proved costly.
As it turns out, Oilers fans weren’t the only ones questioning Knoblauch’s decision. It was clear before the puck was dropped for the face off with roughly 30 seconds remaining that Connor McDavid was looking to the bench expecting a timeout to be called. He didn’t have much of a reaction at the time, but cameras caught him clearly voicing his frustration to Knoblauch as he left the ice following the conclusion of the game.
This is an unusual moment from McDavid, who is usually remarkable at keeping himself calm and composed in all situations. Part of it could stem from his frustration with his own play, as he’s been far from his best ever since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Division Title Still in Reach
Despite the Oilers’ struggles as of late, they are still right in the hunt for a division title. They’ve gone just 3-7-0 in their last 10, but remain only four points shy of the Vegas Golden Knights for first in the Pacific Division. Realizing how close they remain to taking it should serve as more than enough motivation to pick up their play going forward.
Related: Oilers Would Be Foolish to Target Mitch Marner This Offseason
On the flip side, one could argue this team’s struggles date back further than the 4 Nations break. They haven’t looked like themselves since roughly mid-January, which is somewhat of a concerning matter given that the playoffs are set to begin in about a month’s time. If they are to continue playing like they have as of late, they won’t be going on a lengthy run as they did last season.
Knoblauch Could Be in Trouble
Should these struggles continue, you can’t help but wonder about Knoblauch’s job security. Everything seemed to go right for him a season ago, and though he’s still new into his job, NHL coaches have very little leeway these days. On top of that, he wasn’t hired by current general manager Stan Bowman, which may make his leash even tighter.
With fewer than 20 games remaining in the regular season, Knoblauch’s job is safe for now. If the Oilers are to continue struggling and get eliminated early into the playoffs, however, there will be some real chatter on whether or not he’ll be back behind the bench for next season.
