News Oilers Team Notes

[Edmonton Oilers]

Evan Bouchard’s three-goal, six-point night lifts Oilers over Capitals 6-5 in overtime win: Recap, Reaction and Highlights

What. A. Game.

On Saturday evening, the Edmonton Oilers took on the Washington Capitals for the second and final time this season. After losing the first game 7-4, the Oilers defeated the Capitals 6-5 in one of the most entertaining games of the season. Let’s take a look at what happened in this one!

Although the Oilers had a ton of chances throughout the first period, it took them until the final minute of the opening frame to get on the board. The Oilers won a puck battle in the corner, Zach Hyman passed it to Mattias Ekholm at the point, who passed it over to Evan Bouchard. He ripped a wrist shot past Charlie Lindgren, going bar-down in the process for the 1-0 lead, kicking off what would be a three-goal, six-point night.

BOUCH LASER

pic.twitter.com/2lC2FKxQbc

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 25, 2026

Unfortunately, that lead lasted just 22 seconds. After getting the zone entry, the Capitals were able to get the puck to a trailing Rasmus Sandin. His initial shot was stopped by Connor Ingram, the first shot of the game for the Capitals, but Aliaksei Protas was able to bang in the rebound to tie the game heading into the first intermission.

mcnugget minute madness pic.twitter.com/cLf2xYvYwN

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 25, 2026

Four minutes into the second period, the Oilers restored their lead. It was Bouchard again, as Hyman set a strong screen and Bouchard beat Lindgren, despite the netminder attempting to throw his trapper at the puck.

Evan Bouchard x2!

pic.twitter.com/mH8MawBe0X

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 25, 2026

Again, that lead didn’t last for the Oilers, as the Capitals tied it less than three minutes later. It was another rush goal for the Capitals, as Justin Sourdiff broke into the zone, looked as if he was passing it, ripping it past Ingram high-glove to make it 2-2.

just a gorgeous, gorgeous goal pic.twitter.com/SQOJ8ut8TE

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 25, 2026

With about five and a half minutes left in the second period, the Capitals took their first lead of the game. Anthony Beauvillier attempted to pass it across the net, but the puck took a deflection off Spencer Stastny’s skate and went through Ingram’s five-hole to make it 3-2 heading into the third period.

another beauty pic.twitter.com/PgBma3oSZ8

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 25, 2026

The Oilers tied the game on four-on-four action. Once again, it was Bouchard, as the defenceman scored four and a half minutes into the third period. He was given way too much time to get his shot off, ripping it off the post and in.

Evan Bouchard First Career Hat Trick!

pic.twitter.com/k9V3I5EqtH

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 25, 2026

Unsurprisingly, the Capitals answered right back, as Dylan Strome broke the deadlock 130 seconds after Bouchard’s hat trick goal. Connor McDavid’s former teammate with the Erie Otters ripped it off the post and in.

DYLAN STROME ANSWERS RIGHT BACK FOR THE CAPS pic.twitter.com/iXOX3xNQrZ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 25, 2026

The Oilers received a power play, and then they scored on the said power play midway through the third. Like Bouchard’s third goal, McDavid was given far too much time to shoot in a high-danger area, beating Lindgren from the faceoff dot for his 31st goal of the season. Bouchard picked up an assist on this goal.

CONNOR MCDAVID TIES IT UP!!!!

pic.twitter.com/RToRrM6mF1

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 25, 2026

After the Capitals made it 5-4, the Oilers found a way. You knew this game was going to be exciting down the stretch, and with the net pulled and tons of pressure, the Oilers scored the game-tying goal with about half a minute left. McDavid got the puck to the front of the net, and Hyman did the rest to poke it home.

ZACH HYMAN TIES IT WITH 30 SECONDS LEFT!

pic.twitter.com/aEx1XjJZsc

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 25, 2026

The Oilers capped off the comeback in overtime. Bouchard jumped high to grab the puck, was tripped, but was able to find McDavid for the breakaway. The best player of all-time made no mistake to win the game.

Takeaways…​

On January 14, 2006, Marc-André Bergeron scored all three goals in a 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators. It was the last time an Oiler defenceman scored a hat trick until Evan Bouchard did it on Saturday. He’s simply one of the best defenders in the league. Bouchard also picked up three assists and had a terrific zone keep in the dying seconds of the third period. The last time an Oiler defenceman had a six-point game was 40 years ago.

This was the Oilers’ third consecutive game where they faced a team playing in the second game of a back-to-back. Both the New Jersey Devils (Tuesday) and Pittsburgh Penguins (Thursday) played the Calgary Flames the night before, winning that game. The Capitals also played the Flames the night before, defeating the other Albertan team 3-1, but thankfully, the Oilers were able to pick up both points in this one.

Part of that is thanks to a full 60 minutes (plus overtime). They got off to a good start in the first period, as both Isaac Howard and Vasily Podkolzin had breakaways that were stuffed by Lindgren, while Matthew Savoie had a great chance early in the first. The Oilers were less than a minute away from keeping the opposition shotless in a period for the first time in franchise history.

Savoie in general had a solid game, especially in the first half. On top of that strong chance, Savoie drew a penalty and was just solid all around. Him and Howard are starting to develop some chemistry, but the line of those two and Jack Roslovic owned 24.51 percent of the expected goals during five-on-five action. It may be time to break up that line and put the rookies with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

It looks like the Oilers have finally figured out their fourth line. Aside from Curtis Lazar’s double-minor for high sticking, that line had 65.59 percent of the expected goals during five-on-five action, attempting eight shots to the opponents two.

It hasn’t happened often since he’s been called up, but Connor Ingram finished the game with a sub-.900 save percentage. Allowing three goals on 12 shots, it’s just the second time in 10 games that Ingram has finished with a save percentage below 90%. Ingram was pulled and Tristan Jarry stopped 13 of the 15 shots he faced, a slightly better outing than Thursday.

The officials were whistle happy in this game. Overall, the two teams combined for 24 penalty minutes, with both teams going 20% on their five power plays. However, the Capitals’ game-winning goal was scored shortly after a power play ended.

This was the fourth game of an eight-game home stand. That home stand continues on Monday, as the Oilers host the Ducks with a start time of 6:30 PM MT on Prime Hockey.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...hts-evan-bouchard-win-6-5-washington-capitals

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Who should be the third-line centre for the Edmonton Oilers?

Without Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on ice this season at 5-on-5, the Edmonton Oilers have been outscored 27 to 55. That translates to an atrocious 33 percent goal share, the lowest Edmonton has posted without them in the entirety of the McDavid and Draisaitl era.

The inadequate performance from their depth forwards has been an issue that has persisted all season long. Back in mid-November, this goal share was at an even worse 23 percent. It has technically improved ever since, but it remains not nearly good enough.

One of the biggest question marks in Edmonton’s bottom-six is their third-line centre. No single forward has truly claimed the role this season, as Kris Knoblauch is often shuffling the forward lines every one or two games (or even periods!). If the Oilers are to carry an effective bottom-six into the playoffs, they would heavily benefit from a much clearer answer as to who their third-line centre should be.

Let’s take a closer look at what options the team has.

Option 1: Jack Roslovic​

Edmonton has most recently deployed Jack Roslovic at 3C, with rookies Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard on his wings.

Thus far, the line has produced decent results. They have an exact 50 percent goal share, and possess a 52 percent scoring chance share. Stylistically, the trio also makes sense on paper; two unproven but young, skilled, and creative wingers supported by a veteran forward who excels at transporting the puck through the neutral zone. There’s real talent on the line, and playing against third-line competition could also benefit Savoie and Howard development-wise.

That being said, there’s a compelling case to be made that Roslovic is better suited to playing wing rather than centre. He has spent most of his NHL career on the flank, and I would argue his strengths and playing style align more naturally with an offensive winger’s role than with the responsibilities of a play‑driver. His defensive game is also subpar, which further supports the argument for keeping him on the wing.

Option 2: Adam Henrique​

Edmonton’s most frequently deployed 3C throughout the past three seasons has been Adam Henrique, dealt to the Oilers at the 2024 Trade Deadline.

In the prior two seasons, he did provide some genuine value in this role. The Oilers allowed just 2.1 goals against per hour with Henrique on-ice from 2023-24 to 2024-25 at 5-on-5, compared to 2.4 goals against per hour without Henrique. There was an even greater gap in the post-season, where the Oilers were at a 1.6 GA/60 with Henrique and 2.6 without him. Yes, his offence and production were unimpressive, but defensively speaking, he had some very strong goal suppression results.

However, this season, the Oilers are allowing 2.6 GA/60 with Henrique, compared to 2.7 without. That’s only a marginal difference this season, and does not nearly make up for the offensive gap; in terms of goals scored, the Oilers are just 1.3 goals per hour with Henrique on-ice, compared to 2.7 without. Overall, Henrique holds an atrocious 32 percent goal share.

As he turns 36 in a few weeks, it is clear that Henrique has considerably slowed down. Simply put, at this stage of his career, he is not fit to be the 3C on a cup contender.

Option 3: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins​

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has most commonly played as a top-six winger for essentially the majority of the McDavid and Draisaitl era, particularly post 2018-19 when McDavid and Draisaitl began spending more time centring their own lines. And for most of the era, due to Edmonton’s subpar winger depth, running McDavid, Draisaitl and RNH down the middle was not the most appealing option.

However, I don’t think that’s the case with the current roster. I do believe that deploying RNH as 3C is a viable option that the Oilers should strongly consider.

Let’s say the Oilers keep their duos of McDavid – Hyman and Draisaitl – Podkolzin in the top-six. Then, let’s say they target another top-six winger at the trade deadline. That leaves all of Roslovic, Savoie, Howard, and Kapanen as potential options for RNH’s wingers (depending on which one of them takes the sixth spot in the top-six). That’s a very good list, and certainly makes deploying RNH as a 3C a much more viable option.

There is also some evidence that RNH can succeed as 3C with the right wingers. It’s a small sample, but he spent some limited minutes at 3C with Podkolzin and former Oiler Viktor Arvidsson on his wing in the 2024-25 season, and they produced some pretty solid metrics. I could absolutely see something like Howard – RNH – Savoie or Roslovic – RNH – Kapanen having some success. Though he’s had an incredibly disappointing season to date, perhaps even Trent Frederic could finally see some success in the bottom-six if paired next to a stronger centre in RNH.

However, the main downside of this option is the potential impact on the top-line. The RNH – McDavid – Hyman line has seen great success this season, and it seems that Knoblauch is reluctant to break them up. McDavid has also seen much greater defensive results with RNH on his line as opposed to without.

Nevertheless, deploying RNH at 3C is likely the best internal option for the Oilers’ bottom-six, and Edmonton can absolutely build a strong top-line without RNH.

Option 4: Trade​

There has been some discussion in recent weeks regarding the Oilers and whether they should trade for a top-six winger or a third-line centre at the trade deadline.

Acquiring a 3C via trade does have its benefits. It’s an option that could allow RNH to remain with McDavid and Hyman on the top line, and it allows Roslovic to play on the wing. The Oilers could also specifically target a defensively-minded 3C and deploy them in a shutdown role.

That being said, considering Edmonton’s limited cap space, I would strongly argue in favour of saving their assets on a top-six winger. The Oilers’ 5-on-5 offence is the lowest it has been since the 2019-20 season, and so they could greatly benefit from a winger that can make a genuine difference offensively rather than a bottom-six forward. As mentioned above, the Oilers have some internal options to fix the bottom-six, and acquiring a top-six winger could push other players down the lineup, indirectly improving the depth scoring.

All things considered, though it could be worth giving the Howard – Roslovic – Savoie line a greater sample to see what they can do, I believe that the team would be best with RNH at 3C. I hope this is an option that the coaching staff seriously considers as we approach the postseason.

Find me on Twitter (@NHL_Sid)

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/who-s...ck-roslovic-adam-henrique-ryan-nugent-hopkins

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Sunday Scramble: Late game heroics help Oilers avoid tense result, the why & why not on Bouchard and Team Canada

Wow.

That’s the type of Edmonton Oilers game that gets the juices flowing.

It was an Aspirin game for the producers – hopefully keeping a couple tablets handy just in case Jack Michaels spontaneously combusts mid-play.

Before the majesty of Zach Hyman’s late equalizer and Connor McDavid’s overtime heroics in a 6-5 overtime victory, there was tension brooding through Rogers Place. An anxious Kris Knoblauch yanked Connor Ingram. The powerplay was sluggish, then turned it on.

But these Oilers – these silly, silly Oilers – found a way to equalize and then win in overtime to avoid their first losing streak of three games in regulation.

Credit to them. They found a way.

History-maker​

In chess, there is a term for an accomplished grandmaster’s best game called an “immortal game”. It showcases their best skills, regardless of whether it’s the World Championships or a normal match.

The phrase applies to Evan Bouchard’s performance. A hat-trick, three assist, showing on Hockey Night in Canada? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him play better in a single game.

He joins Bobby Orr as the only defenceman in NHL history to record six points and eight shots in a game. Only Paul Coffey and Kevin Lowe had posted a six-point game in franchise history.

It’s the type of game that shines a spotlight on Doug Armstrong. Hey Doug, this guy can’t play for Canada? McDavid thinks he can.

“You’re putting me in a tough spot there (chuckles),” said McDavid post-game. “He’s a heckuva player, among a lot of great Canadian defenceman. It’s a good problem to have, but I’m sure management has been watching.”

Another obscure list he joins is the number of defenceman who’ve scored at least three goals and three assists in a game, along with: Reg Noble, Sprague Cleghorn, Bobby Orr, Tom Bladon, and Doug Crossman. Thanks to our own Zach Laing for that nugget.

Knoblauch was glowing in his praise of Bouchard, who played his 400th NHL game on Saturday.

It was his first-ever hat-trick at any level.

“The list is pretty long for everything Bouch did, and you could tell, he is one of the elite defencemen in the league,” said Knoblauch. “It’s nice to have him. He was definitely feeling his best tonight.”

Motivation​

One thought about Bouchard regarding not being on the Olympic team.

For me, his inclusion would’ve been likely if not for one thing – his body language.

Yeah, he’s prone to a turnover. He’s not a shutdown defenceman. He plays the whole game with the puck on his stick after all, and his turnover stats compared to even Cale Makar show this is overblown.

However, I can get as frustrated with Bouchard as anyone with his body language. Coaches hate players with bad body language. It’s something he can control, and now a vet of 400 games, I hope for his sake it improves.

He could certainly help Team Canada. There’s no limit to having good puck movers on your hockey team.

“I always try to stay even-keel,” said Bouchard post-game. “The highs and lows of a game are definitely a thing, but if I try to stay even-keel, it works out for the best.”

But I believe it’s body language that kept him off the squad. Might not sound like much. Might sound silly. But it’s my hunch.

It isn’t 2010 Drew Doughty lacing up the skates in Milan, after all.

Bouchard’s 55 points now vault him into a tie for most defenceman points on the year with Zach Werenski and Makar. Use it as motivation, Bouchard, the nights he’s on his game, especially with how he can keep pucks in the offensive zone, the Oilers can be hard to beat.

.500 on homestand​

I’ve dubbed this stretch of eight straight home games and the last road game before the Olympic break as the “Dominance” part of their schedule. The time they need to bank points.

It was rough at times this week. But these Oilers, when you think they’re going to zig, they zag.

The key with the Capitals game was, once again, that they allowed their opponents to wade into the game. Washington also had a superior sense of timing. Any time the Oilers finally beat Charlie Lindgren, Justin Sourdif and company responded.

How good was Sourdif in that game, by the way? He scored a goal and an assist, and I knew he was worth mentioning in the pre-scout, but man, this kid is a good player.

The Caps were playing in their third game in four nights, and were down to five defencemen after Rasmus Sandin blocked a shot at the end of the first period.

Edmonton needed that victory to settle into the homestand. Especially with the red-hot, then ice-cold, now red-hot again Anaheim Ducks in town Monday, winners of six straight and three points back of the Oilers.

It’s their first of three against Anaheim.

• Record this week: 1-2
• Record during “Dominance” schedule stretch: 2-2
• Record at home: 13-8-4
• Record since Christmas break: 7-6-2

This week:

• Monday vs Anaheim
• Thursday vs San Jose
• Saturday vs Minnesota

Who scheduled this?​

As Rob Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun joked online:

“Is Mitch Marner’s return to Toronto the biggest regular-season game in NHL history?

1. Yes
2. Of course.”

Hockey mecca Toronto had to take the lashing from the Golden Knights in an expected loss. But here’s my point: Why was this a Friday night game?

Since I started doing play-play-play consistently years ago, I haven’t watched nearly as much Hockey Night in Canada as I did when I was a kid. The odd time I could, I was amazed at how the product didn’t feel as special anymore.

That could be a function of my age, as opposed to anything Rogers is doing, but I suspect there’s some truth to it still.

With that said, there aren’t a ton of regular-season games that align perfectly with storylines and drama. A return home like this was built for Saturday night.

How did the NHL screw this one up?

Remember this one?​

My favourite random NHLer’s first game after a nasty divorce? Who can forget when Dany Heatley returned to Ottawa?

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Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/sunda...t-the-why-why-not-on-bouchard-and-team-canada

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

GDB 54.0: Oilers need wins against Pacific foes to secure home ice advantage (6:30 PM, Prime)

Fifteen of the Edmonton Oilers’ final 29 games are against Pacific Division opponents.

The Oilers are in a battle for first place with Vegas, but Anaheim is suddenly right behind the Oilers after winning seven consecutive games, so home ice for the 2-3 matchup will also be settled down the stretch. Edmonton is 6-2-3 against divisional foes so far this season and tonight will be the first of three meetings against the Ducks this season.

The Oilers dominated the Ducks during the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons winning 10 of 11 games, but last season the Ducks won three of four meetings. The Ducks are vastly improved this season, and they arrived in Edmonton last night bursting with confidence. The Ducks started this season very well going 19-10-1 in their first 30 games. They had the fifth best points% in the NHL through 30 games, but then they went 2-11-2 in their next 15 games and were the worst team in the NHL in that span. Some, including myself, wondered if the Ducks’ inexperience would ground them, again, but the Ducks didn’t let that rough stretch continue. They dug in and have won seven in a row thanks to a 4-3 overtime victory in Calgary last night.

Rookie Beckett Sennecke registered his first hat trick and first three-point game of his young career. What’s most impressive about the Ducks’ seven-game winning streak is they’ve done it without their top two forwards. Troy Terry hasn’t played since January 6th when he was injured v. Philadelphia. He’s missed nine games. Terry had 42 points in 43 games before his injury. Four days later, their #1 centre, young Leo Carlsson, got hurt against Buffalo. Carlsson has 44 points in 44 games. The Ducks lost their two leading scorers, but this active winning streak began the game after Carlsson was hurt. The Ducks have shown incredible resiliency to not only play well without their two best forwards, but also excel.

Sennecke has seven points in seven games. Cutter Gauthier has 3-3-6. Jackson Lacombe and Mikael Granlund have five points. Jeffrey Viel, who was acquired from Boston two weeks ago, has 2-1-3 in five games. Twelve different skaters have goals during the streak and 17 have points. But the main reason they are winning is their low goals against total. The Ducks have only allowed 13 goals in seven games, mainly due to Lukas Dostal.

Lukas Dostal is 6-0 with a .931Sv% and 1.93 GAA. He was unreal stopping 40 of 41 shots v. Colorado and he’s been great in his other games. Ville Husso is 1-0 and allowed one goal on 18 shots on January 17th v. Los Angeles. but he didn’t face one high danger chance that game. That was the second half of a back-to-back and Husso is expected to get the start again tonight. The Ducks locked it down that night defensively, although the Kings are far from a dangerous offensive unit.

The Oilers have scored 5+ goals in three of their last five games. They are the third highest scoring team in the NHL averaging 3.38 goals/game. Edmonton can score, but the Oilers have allowed 13 goals in their past three games. They need to tighten up defensively. Tonight is a big game when you look at the standings. Ottawa did Edmonton a favour yesterday spanking Vegas 7-1. Edmonton trails the Golden Knights by two points and Vegas has two games in hand, while the Ducks are only one point behind Edmonton and they have one game in hand. The Oilers’ inability to get on a winning streak yet this season has them in a fight for home ice advantage.

The good news is they play Anaheim and Vegas three times each down the stretch. Edmonton is 8-3-1 over Vegas since 2023, but they need to be better against Anaheim than they were last year. Not facing Dostal tonight, combined with the Ducks playing their third game in four nights and second half of a back-to-back, are advantages Edmonton needs to use in its favour.

Anaheim is 4-2-1 on the second half of BTB games, however, all seven games were against teams currently not in the playoffs. They are 3-0 against Western Conference opponents in LA, Winnipeg and St. Louis, while they defeated Columbus, but also lost to them in OT and lost in regulation to Ottawa and Philadelphia.

This is another game where Edmonton has a “schedule advantage.” They outplayed Washington on Saturday but made it way too hard on themselves and needed a heroic performance from Evan Bouchard to win. They were awful against Pittsburgh and didn’t show up for the first two periods against New Jersey and lost. They need to reverse that trend tonight and beat a team without two of its best players and battling fatigue. The Oilers have lacked a killer instinct in games this season and need that instinct from the opening faceoff tonight.

SNAPSHOTS…​

— Evan Bouchard had one of the greatest games by a defenseman in NHL history on Saturday. He was incredible in all facets of the game. He scored his first career hat trick. He had three assists. He was +5, had eight shots on goal, two blocked shots, a big hit and his play to keep the puck in at the blueline kept the Oilers in the game. I think Bouchard gets overlooked at how great he actually is, because he plays on the same team as Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. Also, because we are in the highlight era, where more people watch highlights than actually watch games, I find there is more emphasis on the big giveaways, rather than all the good plays he makes. He makes way more good plays than bad — like 10-15x more good plays — but many can’t seem to get past a bad turnover.

— But on Saturday, Bouchard was an absolute beast in all facets of the game. He also logged 29:25, his third highest total this season. There have been 71 occasions where a player has logged 29+ minutes this season. Nathan MacKinnon is the only forward to do it, and he did it in the game the Ducks defeated the Avs 2-1 in a shootout. The other 70 were D-men and only 13 other games did one have one goal. Bouchard is the first to have three goals, more than three assists and no player had better than a +2 compared to Bocuhard’s +5. It was an amazing performance. Since TOI was tracked in 1997-98, Bouchard has the most points, tied for most goals and tied for the best + rating of any player to log 29+ minutes in a game.

— This season the only players with four games of 29+ minutes include Quinn Hughes (20x, 12 with MIN and eight with VAN), Zach Werenski (8) and Bouchard, Miro Heiskanen and Jackson Lacombe (4). Lacombe and Bouchard will be on the ice tonight. Hughes is averaging 28:12 in his 21 games with the Wild. Ryan Suter and Drew Doughty are the only players to average 29+ minutes/game during a full season. Suter averaged 29:25 in 2014 and 29:04 in 2015, both with Minnesota while Doughty logged 29 minutes in 2015 with LA.

— Bouchard is one of only five D-men in NHL history to score at least three goals and three assists in one game.

Defenceman who've scored three goals and at least six points in an NHL game:
Sprague Cleghorn (1922): 4-2-6
Bobby Orr (1971): 3-3-6
Bobby Orr (1973): 3-4-7
Bobby Orr (1974): 3-3-6
Tom Bladon (1977): 4-4-8
Doug Crossman (1992): 3-3-6
Evan Bouchard (last night): 3-3-6#NHL

— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) January 25, 2026

What you witnessed on Saturday hadn’t happened in 34 years. It was the 14th time in Oilers franchise history a player had at least 3-3-6 in a game. Wayne Gretzky did it eight times while Don Ashby, Glenn Anderson, Dave Lumley, Sam Gagner, Connor McDavid and Bouchard have done it once.

— Bouchard is now tied for second with Zach Werenski in scoring among D-men with 55 points. They are one point behind Cale Makar. Lane Hutson is fourth with 53 points. It sets up for a great race down the stretch.

— McDavid’s 13th career five-point game was overshadowed by Bouchard’s effort on Saturday, but McDavid now leads the NHL with 90 points. McDavid is the sixth player in NHL history to score 90+ points in 10 different seasons.

McDavid, Dale Hawerchuk and Jaromir Jagr did it 10 times.

Mario Lemieux had 11.

Marcel Dionne had 12.

Gretzky had 17.

McDavid needs 10 points to reach 100 for the ninth time in his career and he’ll only trail Lemieux (10) and Gretzky (15). McDavid is guaranteed to finish second in most 90+ point seasons and most 100+ point seasons. He has a legitimate chance to catch or pass Gretzky in both.

LINEUPS…​

Oilers…​

RNH – McDavid – Hyman
Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Kapanen
Savoie – Samanski – Roslovic
Janmark – Lazar – Frederic
Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Emberson
Walman – Stastney
Jarry

Kasperi Kapanen returns to the lineup, while Josh Samanski will make his NHL debut. Samanski has had a strong rookie season in Bakersfield with 7-21-28 in 39 games and he leads Bakerfield in even strength points with 24. He’s also really improved on faceoffs. “The first couple weeks, especially the rookie games and preseason games, I wasn’t really good,” said Samanski. “In the North American game, faceoffs are more of a focus. I have been practicing a lot with the group of centres in Bakersfield, and they’ve been great at helping me. I’ve watched closely in games what works for others, and I’ve been able to learn and adapt different strategies. It has been fun, and I feel I’m getting better, but I still have a lot to learn about faceoffs.”

The Oilers had an optional skate this morning, so the above lines are a guess. Kapanen and Roslovic might swap, but either way the third line will have some speed.

Ducks…

Killorn – Granlund – Sennecke
Viel – Poehling – Gauthier
Kreider – Harkins – Strome
Johnston – Washe – Moore

Lacombe – Trouba
Zellweger – Gudas
Mintyukov – Helleson

Husso

The Ducks’ forward group is decimated by injuries with Carlsson, Terry, Mason MacTavish and Frank Vatrano injured, but they’ve managed to win seven in a row. Edmonton has more offensive punch and they should be able to outscore them, as long as they play sound defensively. Edmonton is 22-1-4 when scoring first, while the Ducks have allowed the first goal 31 times. Anaheim is 12-16-3 when allowing the first goal. They have the 10th best winning% when allowing the first goal, while the Oilers, despite their high-powered offence, rank 29th in w% at an ugly .154 when they allow the first goal. The Oilers are 4-18-4 when the opposition scores first. The Ducks’ blueline has produced the fifth most goals of any D corps in the NHL. The Oiler forwards need to be alert in the defensive zone.

TONIGHT…​

Photoshop by Tom Kostiuk

GAME DAY PREDICTION: Oilers have made this homestand much harder than it should be, outside of the 5-0 win over St. Louis. But Edmonton ends the Ducks’ winning streak with a 5-2 victory.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: McDavid produces two points. He has 54 points in his last 27 games dating back to December 1st.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Spencer Stasney picks up his first point as an Oiler. He has no points in 22 games after producing nine in 30 games with Nashville.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/gdb-54-0-edmonton-oilers-anaheim-ducks-preview

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Another hat trick from a defenceman as Ekholm’s trio of tallies lift Oilers over Ducks: Recap, Reaction and Highlights

It wasn’t pretty, but the Edmonton Oilers won back-to-back games.

On Monday evening, the Oilers hosted the Anaheim Ducks for the fifth game of their eight-game home stand. Like Saturday, it was another high-scoring game, as the Oilers defeated the Ducks 7-4 in thanks to Mattias Ekholm’s hat trick. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one!

Three and a half minutes into the game, the Anaheim Ducks took the lead with a power play goal. Evan Bouchard failed to clear it, and after a handful of passes, Mikael Granlund got in behind Bouchard and was able to beat Tristan Jarry above the blocker from the faceoff dot.

Not an ideal start for the Oilers. pic.twitter.com/t5romG24oM

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 27, 2026

On a power of their own late in the first period, the Oilers managed to find the game-tying goal. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins received a pass down low with no one on him, giving the longest-tenured Oiler all the time in the world to pass it over to Zach Hyman. The power forward won a battle for position in the crease and was able to tap it in for the goal.

HYMAN TIES IT AT 1!

pic.twitter.com/3psvegsmBA

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 27, 2026

Within the first minute of the second period, the Ducks restored their lead. On a seemingly harmless play, the Oilers committed three players behind the net. Ryan Poehling won the puck battle and got it out front for Alex Killorn, who beat Jarry for the 2-1 lead.

Alex Killorn gives the Ducks a 2-1 lead.

pic.twitter.com/5iVhi1wlaE

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 27, 2026

Then, the Oilers exploded for four goals in under four minutes. Just over four and a half minutes into the second period, Spencer Stastney attempted a pass to the slot, but instead of finding an Oilers’ stick, he banked the puck off Olen Zellweger’s skate into the back of the net for his first as an Oiler.

Spencer Stastney’s first has an Oiler!

pic.twitter.com/J6nVHgcW18

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 27, 2026

The Oilers added a second goal about two minutes later. Connor McDavid got the zone entry, passed it over Mattias Ekholm who was driving up the middle of the ice. The Oilers defenceman made a nice no-look pass to Hyman, who found Ekholm all alone in front of the net for a tap-in. A very nice goal.

Ekholm gives the Oilers the lead!

pic.twitter.com/0KbKHN8BCt

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 27, 2026

Just over a minute later, the Oilers extended their lead to two. A Duck tripped on a zone entry, sending the Oilers back on a three-on-one. Darnell Nurse elected to shoot the puck, going short-side on Ville Husso to make it 4-2 for the Oilers.

THE DOC MAKES IT 4-2!

pic.twitter.com/AERVAgmx77

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 27, 2026

Less than a minute later, the Oilers scored again, as the Ducks blew an odd-man rush opportunity. The Oilers forced a turnover, and Matthew Savoie and Ekholm had a two-on-one. Ekholm was patient with the puck, firing it top shelf on the glove side to make it 5-2. Granlund scored another power play goal with a little over six minutes remaining in the second period.

EKHOLM ON HATTY WATCH

pic.twitter.com/5gQAIJ3V0g

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 27, 2026

Granlund completed the power play hat trick with just over six minutes left in the third period to cut the Oilers’ lead to one. The puck took an unfortunate bounce off a skate and deflected top shelf. Jarry wasn’t in a great position to save this shot. Thankfully, McDavid was able to ice the game with an empty netter, and Ekholm was able to hit his hat trick on an empty-net of his own moments later.

EKHOLM HAT TRICK!

pic.twitter.com/94KqKFeaPa

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) January 27, 2026

Takeaways…​

The big story of the last two games has been scoring from the Oilers’ defence. Three of the six goals on Saturday came from defenceman Evan Bouchard, the first hat trick for an Oilers’ defender since 2006. Well, they got four goals from defencemen in this game over three minutes, two from Mattias Ekholm, one from Darnell Nurse, and one from Spencer Stastney, his first as an Oiler.

In fact, the Amazon Prime broadcast noted that this was the first time since November 19, 2000, that a team has gotten four goals from defencemen in the same period. That was done by the Anaheim Ducks, and it’s only been done five other times. Moreover, the four goals in three minutes and 49 seconds is the quickest a team has gotten four goals from a defenceman. Over their last two games, seven of the 12 goals have been scored thanks to the Oilers’ back end.

It’s not often you see a hat trick from each team in the same game, but that happened in this one thanks to Mikael Granlund’s three power play goals and Ekholm’s first career hat trick. After not getting a hat trick from a defenceman in over 20 years, the Oilers have gotten back-to-back hat tricks from defencemen in their last two games. That’s the first time in NHL history.

The Oilers’ first goal was scored by Zach Hyman, giving him 21 goals and 35 points in 35 games. Since November 29, Hyman has scored all 21 of those goals in just 28 games. It’s incredible how productive Hyman has been since joining the Oilers.

Before Monday’s game, the Oilers called up German centre Josh Samanski, who made his debut in this game. Between Matthew Savoie and Jack Roslovic, Samanski came oh so close to scoring his first career goal, as he just didn’t put enough mustard on the shot.

Mentioning Savoie, he picked up an assist on Ekholm’s second goal, giving him two goals and four points over his last six games. The rookie seems to be heating up after picking up two assists in his previous 14 games. He did take two bad penalties though.

After scoring twice and picking up three assists in Saturday’s 6-5 win over the Washington Capitals, Connor McDavid was held to an assist and an empty net goal in this game. The Oilers captain went down hard while driving the net, then received his second penalty shot of the season just seconds later. He was stopped on the most exciting play in hockey.

Defending McDavid on the play where he went hard into the boards was Ducks defenceman Jackson LaCombe. He also laid a heavy hit on Hyman and Mattias Janmark late in the third period. He’ll be a darn good player for the Ducks.

The Oilers were heavily outplayed in this game, as they were out-shot 40 to 32, with the Ducks having 2.93 expected goals to the Oilers 1.74 expected goals. Overall, Jarry stopped 36 of 40 shots for a .900 save percentage. Not too often you see four goals allowed and a .900 save percentage.

According to Natural Stat Trick, the two lines with an expect goal share above 50 percent was the third line of Roslovic, Samanski, and Savoie (53.51 percent of the expected goals) and the fourth line of Trent Frederic, Curtis Lazar, and Janmark, who had 55.99 percent of the expected goals.

It was a tough game for the Oilers penalty kill, as three of the four goals the Ducks scored came on the power play, all courtesy of Mikael Granlund. The penalty kill has to be better moving forward.

As they say, the 10th time is the charm, as this is the Oilers’ 10th two-game winning streak. They’ll look to become the 32nd team to register a three-game winning streak this season, as they host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday at 7:00 PM MT.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...at-anaheim-ducks-7-4-mattias-ekholm-hat-trick

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers Prospect Update: Bakersfield drops back-to-back games for first losing streak in 2026

It was a three-game week for the Bakersfield Condors and some Edmonton Oilers prospects, and they came out with one win.

That hasn’t happened much lately as the back-to-back losses are the first losing streak for the Condors since the calendar changed to 2026. Before the back-to-back losses, the Condors were on a 10-game point streak, winning nine of those games and losing one in overtime.

The week didn’t start out awful, thanks to the 37-save shutout by Matt Tomkins in a big 3-0 victory against the Colorado Eagles. However, two days later, on Friday the 23rd, Colorado got their revenge with a big 4-1 win in a game which saw them pepper Tomkins with 45 shots. The following day wasn’t much better as the Condors found themselves getting shelled again by San Jose, who put up 43 shots in the game. Bakersfield was given a puncher’s chance by Connor Ungar, but ultimately they ended up losing by a score of 5-3.

This was a bit of an off week for the Condors. Defensively, they were a trainwreck and averaged 42 shots against per game during the three games. Bakersfield didn’t manage to get over 30 shots in the games played this week as the offence was stuck on the perimeter, and when they had a chance, they would find every way to not put it in. This was a bit of a step back week, and I am very interested in how they respond against the Henderson Silver Knights on Wednesday. Goaltending is the least of the team’s worries at the moment, as both Matt Tomkins and Connor Ungar gave them a chance in every game. The Condors are at their best when they are taking care of the puck; when they start missing passes and turning over the puck, it gets ugly.

Josh Samanski – Centre ​

It’s fitting that we start with Josh Samanski, as he was just called up to the big club and was one of the better performers this past week for Bakersfield. The six-foot-two prospect had a single assist on the week, but was all over the puck. In 39 games played Samanski is sitting at 28 points, and only four of those points have come with the man advantage. The points aren’t what impresses me with the German’s game, instead it’s the two-way play and the pride he takes in playing good defence. The first two clips below showcase the defensive stick Samanski carries with him.

Both of these plays are from this past week. Constantly a problem defensively and it helps upstart some transition work. In our next two clips the smooth skating centre is able to cover a ton of ground defensively with his feet, not giving the other team an inch, and it ignites an offensive attack.

What I love about Samanski is his positioning to support all over the ice thanks to his excellent skating ability. He is constantly under the opposing centre as the high forward during a rush against and due to his length its hard for players to get away from him. However we can’t forget that Samanski does have an intriguing offensive profile too. It all starts with his passing ability and that was once again on display this week as you’ll see below.

The left-shot centre shows that he doesn’t need a clean pass to make plays from them. The first clip is one of my favourite of Samanski’s because of the pass he makes under pressure and to just punch it out to space where he knows Quinn Hutson can get to it. Its an extremely head’s up play that leads to a breakaway opportunity. I don’t know how long Samanski will stay in the NHL, but he can bring size and speed to an Oilers bottom-six that desperately needs some of that.

Beau Akey – Defence ​

Unfortunately towards the end of the game on Saturday, Beau Akey took a puck to the face while he was on the bench and had to leave the game. Such an unlucky break for a prospect that was growing right in front of our eyes, hopefully the former Barrie Colts defenceman can have a speedy recovery because he was starting to roll. Now onto the good stuff about Akey. For a bit after Akey was selected in 2023 I was worried he would just be a defenceman that tries to only survive on the ice, but he has certainly found his stride now. The right-shot defender is always looking to make a play and confidence is oozing through him. I want to start this section with my favourite Akey clip from the weekend.

The first year pro shows off his skating ability by using the full width of the ice to gain himself space and create a decent look. Akey does the same thing two days later against the Eagles again, but Griffith just misses the pass.

I’m loving this from Akey, he’s not always settling for a point shot. The top defensive prospect is showing that he is willing to flex his creative muscle and try to shake the opposing forward. The puck skills still need some refining and its nit picky, but if Akey can work on separating his upper body movements and lower body movements from one another it will help sell the fakes. Now that we saw the young defender can create offence in a set environment let’s watch Akey excel at being the fourth man in on the rush.

I highlighted Akey in my last post for the offence he has been creating and it hasn’t slowed down as you can see. The numbers don’t pop out to you, but if you watch the games when Beau Akey is on the ice the puck is usually going in a positive direction. As I said at the start of this blurb I really hope Akey is okay and back sooner rather than later because not only did he find his footing, but he also took a step in his development and was continuing to trend upwards.

Daniel D’Amato – Winger​

I have been quiet for long enough about Daniel D’Amato, but that ends here. While he may not be on a contract with the Oilers, instead on an AHL deal, I think the 24-year-old does a lot of the hard stuff on any line he’s apart of. It starts with a mix of speed and willingness on the forecheck and ends with always being on the defensive side of the puck. Not to mention he reminds me of Michael Grabner due to the fact D’Amato launches himself with his first two-steps and always finds himself on a shorthanded breakaway. In January alone I have four clips of him on a shorthanded break, but I’ll only show two to get the point across.

That second makes my heart smile, effort mixed in with a bit of skill. Now as much as I love D’Amato he is 24 years old and going to be 25 in April. Its a very far stretch, but as a defensive forechecking winger I wouldn’t hate to see him in a fourth line/13th forward role as a late bloomer if he can continue to refine this area of his game.

It was an off week for the 2026 Condors as it was their first time losing back-to-back games since the calendar flipped over. Even in their win against the Eagles they didn’t look the best, having a strong first period against the Silver Knights would put some of my worries to rest. Isaac Howard was sent down to the Condors with Josh Samanski being called up. The former Lightning draft pick has 23 points in 16 AHL contests and should help give the Condors offence a little jolt. Already light on centre depth (Matvey Petrov was playing fourth line centre) I’m interested to see what Colin Chaulk does with the lineup for Wednesday’s game.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...-bakersfield-condors-drops-back-to-back-games

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilersnation Radio: Oilers get record-setting production from their defence

It’s Tuesday afternoon, and there’s a fresh episode of Oilersnation Radio set, which means the boys were back in the studio to recap the week that was. On today’s episode, the guys discussed the Oilers’ record-setting run by defencemen, Josh Samanski’s NHL debut, and much more.

We kicked off the Tuesday episode of ONR with a delicious debate about Josh Samanski’s NHL debut, and how everyone thought the undrafted centre fared in his first game as an Oiler. While he played only 7:43 in TOI, Samanski was noticeable in his first game in the bigs, and the boys spent a few minutes talking about how he didn’t look out of place. Given that he played two years of pro hockey in Germany, it definitely looked like he was comfortable playing in that third-line role.

Changing gears, we looked at how the Oilers set two NHL records in Monday’s game against the Ducks. Starting with the four goals by defencemen in a span of only 3:49, it was wild to see Edmonton’s d-men getting into the rush with that much space as often as they were. From there, we looked at the back-to-back hat tricks by Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm, and how it was the first time in NHL history where two defencemen scored hat tricks in consecutive games.

Finally, we wrapped up the episode of ONR with another round of Baggedmilk’s Trivia. With none of the other boys coming up with anything new, the guys went back to old faithful with a round of Devils-related Baggedmilk Trivia questions. Think you know your San Jose Sharks history? This game was for you. Did the quizmaster have to step in? Did Baggedmilk get his questions right? You’ll have to listen to find out for sure.

Listen to the Tuesday episode of Oilersnation Radio below:

Subscribe to Oilersnation Radio for FREE on Soundcloud here, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts from!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oiler...oilers-record-setting-production-from-defence

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Should the Oilers reclaim Noah Philp off waivers?

A former Edmonton Oiler was placed on waivers Wednesday.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Carolina Hurricanes have placed Noah Philp on waivers, who they had claimed off waivers from the Oilers in late December. The big question is, should the Oilers put a claim on him?

All clear

Philp (CAR) on waivers https://t.co/u9juqF1ksH

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 28, 2026

After getting a cup of tea with the Oilers in 2024-25, Philp made the Oilers roster out of pre-season to begin the 2025-26 season. The right-shot centre was held pointless in his season debut, finishing as a -2, but he scored in the second game of the season, before being scratched for the next three games. Upon returning to the lineup for the Oilers’ sixth game of the season, Philp found twine again.

Those stand as Philp’s lone two goals of the season (and his National Hockey League career), while he also picked up an assist in his fifth game of the season. Over his final 10 games with the Oilers, he was a -5 with no points and two penalty minutes, registering just seven shots on goal.

Philp’s underlying numbers weren’t particularly encouraging either, as the Oilers scored three goals when he was on the ice, as opposed to allowing 10 goals during five-on-five action according to Natural Stat Trick. Over 140 minutes of five-on-five action, the Oilers were out-shot, out-chanced, and out-scored heavily with Philp on the ice.

After being claimed by the Hurricanes, Philp played just two pointless games, as he spent most of his time in the press box or on the injured reserve. Those two games came on January 4th and January 6th, both saw the Hurricanes take home the victory.

If the Oilers wish to use Philp as a 13th forward, this move doesn’t really make sense. For starters, it adds an additional cap hit of $775,000, which isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things, but it’s not quite worth it for a player sitting in the press box. A big reason why a return to the Oilers would result in the press box for Philp is because of Curtis Lazar.

Like Philp, Lazar is a right-shot centre. The 30-year-old has found success in the Oilers bottom six, scoring three goals and five points in 31 games. Both players are strong in the faceoff dot, but what separates Lazar from Philp (other than experience) is that Lazar has made up a formidable fourth line.

Recently, Lazar has played alongside Trent Frederic and Mattias Jamark. In the trio’s 47 minutes together during five-on-five action, they’ve yet to score a goal or be on the ice for a goal against, but have 63.3 percent of the expected goals. All of this is according to Natural Stat Trick.

They’ve also attempted 51 shots, while the opposition has attempted 34 shots. The trio have doubled the opposition’s shot total, landing 26 shots on goal while allowing just 13 of their own. In terms of scoring chances, the trio have 29 scoring chances to the opposition’s 18, while they’ve had 16 high-danger scoring chances to the opposition’s eight high-danger scoring chances.

This is not a line the Oilers should be breaking up anytime soon, and adding Philp as a 13th forward runs the possibility of disrupting the chemistry the trio has established.

That said, there is a pathway in which it make sense to claim Philp. If the Oilers are the lone team to claim the right-shot centre, they can automatically re-assign him to the American Hockey League as he’s played fewer than 10 games and hasn’t been on the Hurricanes’ roster for more than 30 days.

It’s worth noting the Oilers don’t get priority, so if one of the 20 teams below the Oilers in the standings put in a claim, the team with the fewest points will be the team that lands the right-shot centre.

If this is their plan, the Oilers should absolutely pursue that option, as more depth is never a bad thing. That said, with the trade deadline looming and the fourth line finding success, claiming Philp to be the 13th forward or even an NHL regular doesn’t make sense at the moment.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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Oilersnation wants to hear from you, the reader, in our new weekly “Letters to the Editor” segment. Letters can be emailed to Oilersnation’s managing editor Zach Laing ([email protected]), titled “Letters to the Editor.” Please include a letter up to 200 words, including your name, place of residence (city, town, province, or state). Your letters may be edited for length and/or clarity. Letters must be submitted by 6 PM MT Saturday night to be considered for feature on Sunday mornings.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/should-edmonton-oilers-reclaim-noah-philp-off-nhl-waivers

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Better Lait Than Never: Oilers get a run of monster offensive performances from the defence

It’s been another wild week around here with the Oilers rollercoaster making another loop, and I’ve got a fresh episode of Better Lait Than Never ready to recap it all. On today’s podcast, I talked about the Oilers‘ defence coming up big, Edmonton’s 10th attempt at winning three straight, Josh Samanski’s first NHL game, and much more.

I kicked off this week’s episode with a look at the Jasper Pond Hockey tournament and how this year’s tournament was as amazing as ever. That gave me another chance to talk about how everyone needs to get involved if you’re able, because it really is an experience like no other. Shifting back to the Oilers, I started with the run of NHL records set by Edmonton’s defence, and how unreal that run of secondary scoring has been. We all want the Oilers to score more goals, but I think you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who expected such an explosion from the back end.

Finally, I wrapped up this week’s episode of BLTN with a guest Righteous Sack Beating before closing out the podcast with another round of voicemails. The voicemail was alive this week, and everyone’s takes ranged from what you’re nerdy about to Oilers talk and everything in between. The voicemail is the best way to wrap up the show and give everyone a chance to share their thoughts. Another hearty thank you to everyone who contributed to this week’s episode. Having all of you in the mix makes the show so much better.

Want to leave a voicemail for next week’s show? Do it here!

Subscribe to Better Lait Than Never for FREE on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts from! Better Lait Than Never is proudly presented by Sports Interaction, Star Mechanical, and Trilogy Oilfield Rentals. Without them, this podcast would not be possible.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/bette...get-a-run-offensive-performances-from-defence

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

GDB 55.0: McDavid and Draisaitl Battle a New Superstar (7 PM, SN1)

In the 2020s, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid have been mainstays atop the NHL scoring race.

McDavid has the most points this decade with 738 since January 1st, 2020, while Draisaitl is second with 656 followed by Nathan MacKinnon (643), Nikita Kucherov (571, as he missed the 56-game, 2021 season) and David Pastrnak (569). There have been 36 instances of a player scoring 100 points in the past six seasons, and those four account for 16 of them, with Draisaitl and McDavid each having five while Kucherov and MacKinnon did it three times.

Those five have dominated the scoring race this decade, but they have some new competition as budding superstar, Macklin Celebrini, is pushing his way into the conversation.

Celebrini is having an outstanding season. If the season ended today, he’d likely win the Hart Trophy as most valuable player. He sits fourth in league scoring with 78 points in 51 games, trailing Kucherov (80), MacKinnon (88) and McDavid (92) and just ahead of Draisaitl (74). The Sharks’ second and third leading scorers, Will Smith (36) and Tyler Toffoli (35), have fewer combined points (71) than Celebrini. He’s the main reason the Sharks woke up this morning in the second wildcard spot with 57 points. They are tied with Los Angeles and Seattle, but are technically in eighth spot due to having more regulation wins than L.A. and have played one fewer game than Seattle.

The Sharks are in the race mainly due to Celebrini’s heroics. He’s led them to victory in multiple games where he was the driving force. Celebrini has produced 22 multi-point games, and the Sharks are 19-2-1 when he scores two points. They are 8-19-2 when he scores one point or fewer. That’s a lot of responsibility for a 19-year-old, but Celebrini has not only handled that pressure, but he’s excelled in it. He’s producing at an elite-level pace, and he’s very good defensively. His five-on-five GF-GA is 49-35, and when he’s not on the ice the Sharks have been outscored 81-50.

Slow down Celebrini, and the Oilers will win. It is that simple right now. The Oilers have the luxury of having two veteran superstars, and even if Celebrini can break even with one of McDavid or Draisaitl, then his teammates have to shut down the other — a tall task. I like what the Sharks are building, but they are quite a few pieces away before I see them becoming a playoff team. It makes sense that San Jose is talking with the Rangers about acquiring Artemi Panarin. Celebrini could use a high-powered running mate. Smith is good, but he’s not there just yet.

This has been a great 51-game stretch, but they need more offensive punch and they need to build a stronger blueline. I believe the Anaheim Ducks have more high-end pieces than the Sharks, and that’s why they might make the playoffs first, but both organizations have spoke to the Rangers about Panarin. If one of them gets him, that will have a big impact in which one of those teams can become the team to challenge Vegas and Edmonton in the Pacific Division.

The Sharks are fun to watch. They’ve started to produce more goals lately, mainly due to Celebrini, but they also give up a lot of goals. The Oilers should be able to create significant scoring chances tonight, but they have to respect the Sharks who are the 10th highest scoring team in the NHL since December 1st scoring 3.44 goals/game. Their problem is they’ve allowed 3.68 goals/game, which is third most. They are playing high-event hockey, and it is working as they are 15-10 since December 1st.

They are fun to watch, especially Celebrini, and they are a more dangerous team than the one the Oilers have dominated the past few seasons. Edmonton has won six in a row and 14 of their last 15 games against San Jose. They’ve outscored the 67-26. Last year they won by scores of 3-0, 4-2, 3-2 and 3-2. It was closer, but still Edmonton controlled the games, and tonight’s game is more important than any head-to-head matchup between these two teams in years. The Sharks are in a playoff spot, and a victory would put them three points back of the Oilers.

Edmonton is a better team, but Celebrini’s emergence as a superstar makes San Jose a team they must respect. McDavid and Draisaitl respect Celebrini’s game, especially his defensive acumen, but tonight is a chance for them to remind him and the NHL that they are still the top dogs.

SNAPSHOTS…​

— For the 10th time this season, the Oilers will try to win three games in a row. They are 0-7-2 in their first nine tries.

— Here’s an updated look at all 32 NHL teams and how many 3+ game winning streaks they’ve had. The chart below outlines the streaks beginning with the most recent, and the * means it is an active streak.

TEAM	3+ GWS		TEAM	3+ GWS
ANA	7, 3, 7		BOS	6, 4, 7, 3
CGY	3, 3, 3		BUF	4*,3, 10
CHI	4, 3		CAR	3, 4, 5, 4, 5
COL	10, 10, 3		CBJ	4, 3, 4
DAL	4, 4, 4, 5, 3, 3		DET	3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 5
EDM	0 (10: 2GW)		FLA	3, 4, 3, 3
LAK	3*, 4		MTL	3, 3, 3, 4
MIN	7, 7		NJD	3, 3, 8
NSH	3, 3		NYI	3, 3, 4, 4
SJS	3, 3, 3, 4		NYR	3, 3, 3
SEA	4, 4		OTT	4, 3
STL	0 (5: 2GW)		PHI	3, 3
UTA	5*, 3, 7		PIT	4, 6, 4
VAN	4, 3		TBL	3, 11, 7, 5
VGK	7, 4, 4		TOR	4, 3, 3
WPG	4, 3, 5		WSH	6, 3, 4

Edmonton and St. Louis have yet to win three in a row, while every other team has at least two win streaks of 3+ games. Edmonton and San Jose enter tonight each on a two-game winning streak.

— This is the most games played in a season without at least one three-game winning streak in Oilers franchise history. Just to give you some reference, here’s a look at each season and how many games played before they won three consecutive games.

[td]

YEAR​

[/td]​

[td]

G# ​

[/td]​

[td]

YEAR​

[/td]​

[td]

G# ​

[/td]​

[td]

1980​

[/td]​

[td]

52​

[/td]​

[td]

2003​

[/td]​

[td]

24​

[/td]​

[td]

1981​

[/td]​

[td]

38​

[/td]​

[td]

2004​

[/td]​

[td]

18​

[/td]​

[td]

1982​

[/td]​

[td]

9​

[/td]​

[td]

2006​

[/td]​

[td]

3​

[/td]​

[td]

1983​

[/td]​

[td]

20​

[/td]​

[td]

2007​

[/td]​

[td]

8​

[/td]​

[td]

1984​

[/td]​

[td]

3​

[/td]​

[td]

2008​

[/td]​

[td]

28​

[/td]​

[td]

1985​

[/td]​

[td]

4​

[/td]​

[td]

2009​

[/td]​

[td]

3​

[/td]​

[td]

1986​

[/td]​

[td]

3​

[/td]​

[td]

2010​

[/td]​

[td]

9​

[/td]​

[td]

1987​

[/td]​

[td]

11​

[/td]​

[td]

2011​

[/td]​

[td]

25​

[/td]​

[td]

1988​

[/td]​

[td]

6​

[/td]​

[td]

2012​

[/td]​

[td]

9​

[/td]​

[td]

1989​

[/td]​

[td]

17​

[/td]​

[td]

2013​

[/td]​

[td]

34​

[/td]​

[td]

1990​

[/td]​

[td]

23​

[/td]​

[td]

2014​

[/td]​

[td]

24​

[/td]​

[td]

1991​

[/td]​

[td]

18​

[/td]​

[td]

2015​

[/td]​

[td]

8​

[/td]​

[td]

1992​

[/td]​

[td]

55​

[/td]​

[td]

2016​

[/td]​

[td]

7​

[/td]​

[td]

1993​

[/td]​

[td]

13​

[/td]​

[td]

2017​

[/td]​

[td]

6​

[/td]​

[td]

1994​

[/td]​

[td]

34​

[/td]​

[td]

2018​

[/td]​

[td]

35​

[/td]​

[td]

1995​

[/td]​

[td]

13​

[/td]​

[td]

2019​

[/td]​

[td]

5​

[/td]​

[td]

1996​

[/td]​

[td]

30​

[/td]​

[td]

2020​

[/td]​

[td]

3​

[/td]​

[td]

1997​

[/td]​

[td]

3​

[/td]​

[td]

2021​

[/td]​

[td]

12​

[/td]​

[td]

1998​

[/td]​

[td]

45​

[/td]​

[td]

2022​

[/td]​

[td]

3​

[/td]​

[td]

1999​

[/td]​

[td]

10​

[/td]​

[td]

2023​

[/td]​

[td]

8​

[/td]​

[td]

2000​

[/td]​

[td]

55​

[/td]​

[td]

2024​

[/td]​

[td]

15​

[/td]​

[td]

2001​

[/td]​

[td]

6​

[/td]​

[td]

2025​

[/td]​

[td]

17​

[/td]​

[td]

2002​

[/td]​

[td]

4​

[/td]​

[td]

2026​

[/td]​

[td]

??​

[/td]​

If they win tonight, they will tie the 1992 and 2000 teams for taking the most games played to manufacture a three-game winning streak. Those teams didn’t have the luxury of overtime or a shootout to earn a victory. In the OT/SO era, the most games it took was 35 in 2018, and 12 times they needed only single-digit games played to do it. It is wild that they are this deep in the season and still looking for a three-game win streak.

— San Jose has been impressive in one-goal games, going 15-4-3, while the Oilers have only won nine of 24 games, going 9-7-8.

— Both teams have been pretty strong when leading after 40 minutes. San Jose is 19-0-1 while Edmonton is 21-0-4.

— San Jose has only outshot an opponent 15 times in 51 games, while Edmonton has outshot their opponent in 35 of 52 games.

— Leon Draisaitl had some very complementary words for rookie Josh Samanski.

“He’s a hockey player. You can see it. He understands the game and understands what he needs to do. There will be some learning and growing in the NHL, like it has been for any player who enters the league, but you can see he understands what the game is all about. I think he has a really bright future. And on top of that, he’s a great kid, and it has been fun to speak a little German in the dressing room (smiles).”

LINEUPS…​

Oilers…​

RNH – McDavid – Hyman
Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Kapanen
Savoie – Samanski – Roslovic
Janmark – Lazar – Frederic

Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Walman
Stastney – Emberson

Ingram

Mattias Ekholm is a game-time decision, but he did skate this morning. Yesterday, Alec Regula skated in his spot with Evan Bouchard, which shows they think Ekholm has a decent chance to play, otherwise they would’ve had Bouchard practice with a D-man who would play with him. Regula is not that guy. We will find out in warmup if Ekholm will play.
Connor Ingram gets the start, and he’s looking for a bounce-back game after getting pulled vs. Washington. Ingram wasn’t at fault for the third goal, as the replay showed it deflected in off Spencer Stastney, but he will look for an effort to remove any doubt that he isn’t reliable.

Sharks​

Graf – Celebrini – Smith
Regenda – Wennberg – Toffoli
Eklund – Misa – Gaudette
Goodrow – Ostapchuk – Reaves

Orlov – Klingberg
Ferraro – Liljegren
Dickinson – Desharnais

Askarov

San Jose will go with the same lineup that defeated Vancouver 5-2 on Tuesday. The Sharks are 7-3 in their last 10 games and 8-7-2 v. the Pacific Division while the Oilers are 7-2-3. Hulking St. Albert product Zack Ostapchuk will get to play in front of family and friends tonight. It is always a thrill for players to play in their home NHL city and the Sharks’ fourth line likes to mix it up.

TONIGHT…​

Photoshop by Tom Kostiuk
GAME DAY PREDICTION: Plan the parade, the Oilers win three in a row for the first time this season. The first part is hyperbole, but they finally win three in a row with a 6-3 victory.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: McDavid produces his 18th multi-point game in his last 29 games.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: An Oiler scores a hat trick for the third consecutive game, but this time it is a forward. Zach Hyman does it.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/gdb-5...nnor-mcdavid-leon-draisaitl-macklin-celebrini