The Edmonton Oilers have won four of their last six games. They made a couple of trades on Dec. 12 to help with their recent success, but they have also seen strong contributions from unlikely sources, including offseason pickup Curtis Lazar, who should see more ice time over the next few games.
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Though he may not be as noticeable as the big-name forwards on the team, Lazar has done exactly what the team needs of him. While his ice time has already increased due to injuries, his opportunities should only increase from here, and returning players shouldn’t play a factor in whether he plays or not.
Lazar Is a Multi-Tool Player
The Oilers need Lazar in the lineup. The team has goal scorers, but they also need players who can do the dirty work: throw hits, work the cycle, win draws, and bring the energy. He has 34 hits in 17 games this season, ranked fifth on the team despite playing in roughly half the number of contests. Lazar is also spectacular in the face-off dot, operating at a shade under 60% to rank first on the Oilers.
The veteran forward provides a needed spark to the bottom-six. Head coach Kris Knoblauch has plugged him into a variety of line combinations, and Lazar has consistently made the proper adjustments. That is exactly what teams need from their depth players.
Lazar is also seeing more time on the penalty kill. A special team that started the year strong has tapered off a bit lately, killing under 70% of penalties in the last four games. Adding Lazar to the unit should bring some different energy and, hopefully, provide some much-needed success.
Oilers Are Struggling
While Lazar is playing well, Mattias Janmark and Andrew Mangiapane have been bright spots at times, but they are going through a rough patch. Both players play a similar role to Lazar but provide a bit more offence; however, they haven’t been doing that lately.
If Knoblauch decides to dial them back a bit, or any others he thinks are slumping, Lazar should be the one to benefit. He should also be given a longer leash to show what he can do, especially with the gruelling schedule ahead.
Oilers’ Tough Schedule
The Oilers will need their physical depth players like Lazar through this next stretch. From now until the end of 2025, they play the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild on the road, and host the Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets. These teams are hard-hitting and can score goals.
The Bruins, Wild, Jets, and Calgary Flames (who they play as well) sit inside the top 10 of teams with the most hits in the league. Edmonton must be able to counter this physicality to score goals and secure a few wins. Lazar and the rest of the players in the bottom six will need to step up and set the tone.
The Oilers also play the Bruins and Flames twice each before January, and both teams rank in the top 10 in penalty minutes drawn per 60 minutes. This means a lot of potential penalty kill time and the need to play smart and disciplined – another reason Lazar’s ice time needs to increase soon. Hopefully, Knolbach is seeing what we’re seeing, and that translates into a couple of extra shifts in upcoming games, starting with Tuesday’s contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
