In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, this has been a big week for the Oilers, both in good ways and bad. The team learned that captain Connor McDavid is going to miss one-to-two weeks with an injury, Evander Kane seemingly called out his coach for a demotion and lack of playing time, Sam Gagner signed an AHL deal and the team is still struggling, with roster changes on the horizon.
McDavid’s Injury Bad, But Could Be Worse
The news that McDavid is out for what could be a couple of weeks is certainly not good news, but it could have been disastrous if it was revealed to be a month or two, or even longer. Edmonton is struggling on the ice with a 1-3-1 record and losing McDavid certainly won’t help. The Oilers can’t do much to fill the hole he leaves, not only because he’s McDavid, but because the roster is stuck due to their salary cap situation.
The Oilers are currently operating with the minimum required roster of 18 skaters and two goaltenders and as noted by Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, there’s not much they can do about it. An emergency call up after playing a game short doesn’t provide much assistance either because the Oilers are going to rely on the top stars they have left to eat more minutes.
Kane Calls Out Coach, Gets a Promotion
While the two things might not be related, Evander Kane seemingly called out head coach Jay Woodcroft during the Saturday night broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada during the first intermission when he said he got into a fight because he’d rather sit in the penalty box for seven or eight minutes than sit on the bench because he wasn’t playing. This came after Kane was demoted to third line ahead of the team’s matchup with the Winnipeg Jets.
Related: Oilers: Kane’s Comments May Show Signs Of Deeper Issues
Interestingly, while this kind of callout might have been seen as a bad move, it does show that Kane is fired up to make a difference and in the absence of McDavid, he’s already been promoted. As per TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, Kane was on the first power play unit in the bumper spot at practice on Monday.
The hope is that power play minutes will spark him offensively. He’s got one assist in five games.
Sam Gagner Signs an AHL Deal
Sam Gagner has officially inked a contract with the Bakersfield Condors, the AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers. This move was widely anticipated, given that the Oilers had initially brought Gagner into training camp on a professional tryout, with no intention of him participating in pre-season games.
The strategy was always centered around helping Gagner regain his form post-rehabilitation and subsequently securing his placement with a minor-league contract. Now, the deal with the Condors solidifies his position within the Oilers’ developmental system, providing him with an opportunity to contribute significantly at the AHL level. When he gets a call-up is not known. Frankly, it may never happen. Still, he’s going to give it a shot and see if his play in the AHL can’t warrant one more look with the Oilers.
Will Edmonton Have to Make a Trade?
What happens if the Oilers slide with McDavid out of the lineup? The best scenario would be that they go on a bit of a roll without him and when he comes back into the lineup provides them with a boost. But, if things go the other way, and the Oilers falter, how long before a change has to be made?
Because of the cap situation, there’s not much Edmonton can do from a roster standpoint without first making a change in personnel, likely via trade. A really bad run over the next four or five games could put the Oilers in a major hole and it could be tough to climb out if they fall too far down the standings. GM Ken Holland may have no choice but to make changes.
