Oilers Team Notes

[Edmonton Oilers]

See what's happening with the Edmonton Oilers.

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

NHL Notebook: Canucks no longer talking Elias Pettersson trade with other teams

It looks like Elias Pettersson will be staying put in Vancouver for now.

According to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects, the Canucks have informed other teams that the Swedish pivot has been taken off the trade market.

Much of Vancouver’s season has been clouded by a rift between Pettersson and former teammate J.T. Miller. The latter missed a handful of games earlier in the season for personal reasons and was later traded to the New York Rangers.

Even after Miller was moved, there was still speculation that the Canucks might also move on from Pettersson. He’s in the first season of an eight-year, $92.8 million contract and will have a full no-movement clause beginning on July 1.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff listed Pettersson on his most recent Trade Board, noting that the Canucks might look for a deal if his play doesn’t improve.

“Pettersson is on the clock. With J.T. Miller traded, GM Patrik Allvin made it clear in no uncertain terms that Pettersson needs to be better – and that expectations have not been met.

There are no excuses left. His production ticked up in the weeks that Miller was absent from Vancouver’s lineup, but even that wasn’t necessarily at the level of an $11.6 million player.

If ‘Petey’ doesn’t play like ‘Petey’ again, prepare for him to be traded prior to his full ‘no-trade’ clause kicking in on July 1 – and before this deadline isn’t out of the realm of possibility.”

After scoring 34 goals and 89 points in 2023-24 and helping the Canucks win the Pacific Division, Pettersson’s production has taken a significant dip in 2024-25. Through 49 games, Pettersson has only 11 goals and 34 points, while Vancouver holds down the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Pat Brisson, Pettersson’s agent, went on Donnie & Dhali on Tuesday and highlighted how a difficult off-season has led to a frustrating campaign for his client.

“I know Petey had a tough summer,” said Brisson. “He couldn’t train at the level that he wanted to train. He had an injury and it held him back for quite a while.

To be fair, he’s not happy with the way he’s performed up to now. I probably would say he had high ups and downs throughout the first 50 games, and he’s got high expectations for himself. He said it verbally last couple weeks here.

We know that he’s a better player than what he’s shown for so far this year. But at the same time, he’s applying a lot of pressure on himself. He’s a proud player and proud person. Sometimes injuries take a little step back into your timing.”

Despite the trying season in Vancouver, Pettersson will be leaned on heavily by Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off over the next couple of weeks. The Tre Kronor will open up their tournament against Team Canada on Wednesday.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-n...lking-elias-pettersson-trade-with-other-teams

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Power play scoring will be key to Canada overcoming goaltending concerns at 4 Nations Face-Off

When Canada won gold at the Sochi Olympics in 2014, they did it by suffocating the opposition. They relied on a strong cycle in the offensive zone, good defensive structure, and the elite goaltending of Carey Price.

In the round-robin, they beat Norway by a score of 3-1, Austria 6-0, and Finland 2-1 in overtime. They edged out Latvia 2-1 in the quarter-finals and USA 1-0 in the semi-finals before finishing off Sweden in the gold medal game with a 3-0 shutout.

Think about how crazy that is. They played six games in a best-on-best tournament and didn’t allow more than one goal in any of those games. Carey Price finished the tournament with a .972 save percentage and a 0.59 goals-against average. Insanity.

That will not be the story at this year’s Nations Face-Off.

As Canada gets set to begin their round-robin schedule tonight with a matchup against Sweden, a lot of the attention is on their high-powered offence and how it will likely need to carry them through this tournament and help them overcome their deficiencies between the pipes.

At even-strength, Canada boasts a level of forward depth that I believe is unmatched. Brad Marchand is playing on their third line with Brayden Point, two legitimate superstar-level players. Anthony Cirelli brings Selke-level defensive play to a fourth line that will be more than capable of going up against the best players on the other team, which could free up the big guns to run wild.

I have zero concerns about this team’s ability to score at 5v5 but where they will really be able to separate themselves from the pack is with the power play. Canada’s top powerplay unit features two of the league’s top five scorers in Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, the league’s highest-scoring defenseman Cale Makar, and a 50-goal scorer in Sam Reinhart.

On top of that, one of the sport’s greatest players, Sidney Crosby, is leading this five-man unit and that was apparent as the team took to the ice for their first few days of practice. Crosby was very vocal on the ice as that group of players stayed out on the ice later than any of their teammates.

I spoke with Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche about that after the team’s second practice in Montreal and asked him what Crosby’s message to the group was.

“You’re trying to communicate as much as possible to get a feel for what guys like to do and then when its game time we’re just playing. The talking is over,” MacKinnon said.

It’s a very short tournament and having all that talent is great, but in order for it to translate to on-ice success, they’ll need to gel very quickly.

“Trying to just build as much chemistry as possible and when you do speak a lot to each other and really break things down, there’s less guessing there,” MacKinnon added. “At the end of the day, it’s not a complicated thing. We’re going to try be aggressive and have Cale shoot a ton of pucks and get it back to make some plays”

That last part is a massive key for me. They need to be willing to shoot pucks and not get sucked into trying to just create tap-in goals. If they start trying to be too cute, this power play won’t work.

The abundance of talent is clear. This group of five has combined for 37 power-play goals and 112 power-play points already this season.

Sometimes, though, having that much talent on the ice can be a bad thing and can lead to players deviating from what makes them successful in order to not come off as selfish. MacKinnon recognized that as well

“I think that was a message,” MacKinnon said. “Every guy needs to do what they want to do and the other four read and react off what the puck carrier does. Being really aggressive and not deferring is a key. I think trying to be too nice is not a good recipe”

If Canada is down by a goal at any point in this tournament, a power play at a crucial time could be huge.

If you’re the coach of one of these other three teams at the tournament, there will be a shiver that goes up your spine when you see the referee raise his arm in the air because this group of Canadian superstars is beyond talented and they seem to be very dialled in and focused on being able to change the outcome of games.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/power...ng-goaltending-concerns-at-4-nations-face-off

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Checking in from the Bell Centre in Montreal after Team Canada’s 4-3 win

Despite not at all expecting to go to Montreal for the 4 Nations Face-Off, I found myself on a plane with Jay on Tuesday night to join our team from Daily Faceoff for a couple days of meetings and Canada vs. Sweden at the Bell Centre on Wednesday.

Seeing as I had never been to Montreal before, I thought my first time would be on a holiday that I spent some time planning. Not a kinda last minute, “We’ve got some meetings lined up, let’s go” situation that actually happened. Needless to say, I was excited to get the news. As much as it was not ideal to fly to Vancouver before heading east to Montreal — on a red eye, no less — nothing was going to ruin my vibes heading into this unexpected adventure.

Given that nothing exciting happened in any of the three airports I was in before we arrived, I’ll spare you the boring details from a long travel day other than to say I wish I could sleep on planes. I was sitting there in the middle of the night, dreading what the next two days in Montreal would look like if I was running on 15 minutes of sleep. As it turned out, that guess was pretty close, but I did manage to crush most of the new Black Hawk Down docuseries on Netflix.

After a day of meetings, pitches, and catching up with our team, it was off to the Bell Centre to watch Canada take on Sweden in the tournament opener. I had never been to an international game before, and I was pretty excited that my first game would be happening in Montreal. I’ve always wanted to watch a game at the Bell Centre because of how the energy sounds through the TV, and the vibes did not disappoint from the moment we walked up to the rink.

Despite the fact that it was outrageously cold in Montreal last night, the vibes were high as we wandered closer to the Bell Centre. As we got closer, you could see a flood of Canada (and team) jerseys everywhere you looked, and you could hear the Ole Ole chants reverberating around downtown Montreal. Normally, I think that chant is kinda silly, but in this environment, I was all about it.

THE BELL CENTRE​

I had never been to the Bell Centre before last night, and I have to say that it lived up to the hype. For years, I had heard about how that barn had an electric atmosphere, and I was excited to experience that environment first hand. Needless to say, the hype about the environment in that arena was real, and I was pleasantly surprised about the way it all came together.

I think my favourite part about the whole night had to be the way the crowd reacted to Canada’s star players. Even though I’m no Pittsburgh fan, it was pretty awesome to see how the crowd reacted to Sidney Crosby in the pre-game announcements and also when he was announced as Canada’s player of the game. I had always heard that Montreal fans are good about appreciating greatness, and to see them give an ovation to a player who had never been a Hab was pretty awesome to watch.

CONNOR McDAVID​

Sitting in the Bell Centre up in section 218, we could hear people talking about Connor McDavid being a special player quite a bit, and it was a nice reminder how lucky we are to watch him play on a nightly basis. Given that he picked up an assist less than a minute into the game, it wasn’t surprising that the Bell Centre faithful were geared up and marvelling at what he can do when his legs are moving and the puck is on his stick.

I guess my point here is that even though McDavid only picked up a point on Nathan MacKinnon’s first period goal, he’s so special that every shift he plays is worth the price of admission. We’re so spoiled as a fanbase to be able to watch him on a nightly basis, and hearing the way another fanbase appreciated him only cemented the idea.

VIKTOR ARVIDSSON​

Viktor Arvidsson only played 10:07 in TOI, and played the second fewest minutes of any Swedish forward. Honestly, that was disappointing. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect from him at the tournament, but I think I can confidently say it was more than we got on night one. At the same time, are we surprised to see Arvidsson’s limited usage given how his season has gone overall?

I guess I just hope that Arvidsson can have some success as the tournament rolls along because he was essentially a non-event for the entire game against Canada. I know this was only the first game of the tournament, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping for a better effort for a guy that was representing his country for the first time in a minute. Is that fair? I think it’s fair. Then again, I may also be too hard on the guy since this game had literally nothing to do with the Oilers.

MATTIAS EKHOLM​

It was weird cheering against a player I love as much as I love Mattias Ekholm, but that was the situation we were in on Wednesday in Montreal. Slotted in on the second pairing with Erik Karlsson, Ekholm looked like the perfect partner for the puck moving d-man from Pittsburgh, and it was fascinating to see him fill that role as well as he did.

The other thing I noticed about Ekholm’s game is that the Swedish coaching staff clearly gave him the green light to get involved in the play if he saw an opportunity, and it almost resulted in Sweden picking up the go-ahead goal late in the game. As a fan in the stands cheering for Canada, I really didn’t want him to score, but as someone who bet on him to get a goal, I wouldn’t have been too upset had it happened.

THE WRAP​

4 Nations Face-Off From the press box

As someone who wasn’t overly excited about the 4 Nations Face-Off when the tournament was announced, my tune certainly changed as I was sitting in the crowd. That game was a lot of fun, and being lucky enough to watch Team Canada play was an experience that I won’t soon forget. Even though the 4 Nations is a made up tournament that likely won’t happen again, watching Team Canada play a game in front of a crowd like that was a bucket list item that I’ll be thinking about for a long time. That game was a blast.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/check...centre-in-montreal-after-team-canadas-4-3-win

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Real Life Podcast: Checking in from the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal

The boys are in Montreal for the 4 Nations Face-Off, which meant an opportunity to talk about what it’s like to be in the city for the tournament and to recap the Canada vs. Sweden game.

Jay, Tyler, and Baggedmilk are in Montreal for the 4 Nations Face-Off and they kicked off the Thursday episode of Real Life by recapping their experience from the Canada vs. Sweden game on Wednesday night. Starting with a recap of the Bell Centre, the guys gave their take on what was like to watch a game in that arena.

Getting to the game itself, the guys spoke about how the excitement from the evening really ramping up the overall vibes of the tournament. For anyone who was on the fence about the tourney, seeing the players give it their all really pulled the fans into the game. By the time the game went to overtime, the arena was brimming with excitement, and it was impossible not to get wrapped up in the moment.

Changing gears, Jay then told the story of sitting next to Ken Holland on the plane to Montreal, and how they ended up becoming fast friends as the flight progressed. As you’ll hear, Jay’s conversation with the former-Oilers GM was all over the map, and it was fascinating how forthcoming the future Hall of Famer was with the details.

Finally, the guys wrapped up the podcast with a random collection of topics, including some cafeteria talk from the Bell Centre, the price of beers, and why Quebec uses commas in their numbers instead of the usual period. As our friend Woz would say, the culture shock was real.

Listen to the Thursday episode of Real Life below:

Subscribe to the Real Life Podcast for FREE on Spotify here, on Apple Podcasts here, on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/real-life-podcast-checking-in-from-the-4-nations-face-off-in-montreal

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Let’s GO: Canada vs. United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off

Rivalries make any sport better, and hockey is no different. Whether it is a rivalry in U13, Junior A, Major Junior, the NHL or at a World Cup (4 Nations), when you face your rival the intensity heightens — both on the ice and for the fans in the crowd or watching at home.

For those who watched the 1972 Summit Series, that is still the most intense and emotional game they’ve ever seen. It was about more than hockey, due to the political climate, and they had the benefit of eight games which created an emotional increase, similar to a seven-game series. It would have been amazing to feel that energy.

I wasn’t born yet, but my mother — who isn’t a rabid hockey fan, but still enjoys the game — talks about how much those games meant. Phil Esposito was her favourite player, and she loved his interview/speech to Canadians after Game 4.

She told me how much seeing them come back to win the series meant, not only as a fan, but as a Canadian.

A younger generation vividly remembers Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. There was National pride on the line to win gold on home ice.

Those are great moments for fans, but I’m sure anyone reading this, who played hockey, can recall a big win. It is difficult to describe the euphoria you feel when your team wins a big game. Most of us who played minor sports have felt that, and that feeling is why you become a fan. Only a select few can play professional sports, but luckily anyone can be a fan and ride that wave of emotion.

Tomorrow night is the first meeting between Canada and the United States at this style of tournament since September 20th, 2016. Canada won 4-2 on the back of a pair of goals from Matt Duchene. That game was only a round-robin game, and it didn’t have all the best players on either team as young stars like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews and others played for Team North America.

You have to go back to the semi-final of the 2014 Olympics for the last true meeting between these North American rivals. Jamie Benn scored the only goal as Canada won 1-0 en route to winning the gold medal. It was a big game, but didn’t match the hype and excitement of the 2010 Olympic Final.

Tomorrow isn’t for a medal, but due to the verbal garbage spewing out of the mouth of USA’s President, there is more juice surrounding this game. You can sense the frustration, and frankly, the insult of the ludicrous inference to become the 51st State. It annoys me, and I can’t wait for tomorrow. Winning or losing the hockey game won’t alter anything politically, but taking the Michael Jordan approach of “I took that personally” makes this game more intense.

I can’t wait to see these teams go at it.

The USA is still the younger sibling in this rivalry. It’s been 29 years since their only meaningful victory over Canada in men’s hockey. They’d love nothing more than to defeat Canada in Montreal and push them to the brink of not even making it to the final. If USA wins in regulation, they are guaranteed a berth in the final, and then Canada would have to defeat Finland, and hope USA defeats Sweden. There is a lot on the line tomorrow, which makes it even better.

Make no mistake: The Canadians want to win just as badly. This is the first time McDavid, MacKinnon, Cale Makar and every other player not named Sidney Crosby and Drew Doughty will face the USA in a game of this magnitude.

Both teams desperately want to win, and this game won’t disappoint. Let’s Go Canada. Let’s F*&%#@& GO.

---

Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Team Canada forward Sidney Crosby (87) prepares for a face-off against Team Sweden in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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TALE OF THE TAPE…​

Here are some numbers to look at for both clubs. Sam Bennett will draw in for Travis Konecny. Bennett is going to start at centre on a line with Brad Marchand and Seth Jarvis. Will Jon Cooper play them against Jack Eichel and the Tkachuk brothers? I’m sure he will at times, and the chirping, yapping, hitting and tenacity will be great theatre.

Here’s a look at the 12 forwards for each team and their point production in the NHL this season. Team Canada is in red and they are ranked by PTS/GP.

FWDS	GP	G-A-PTS	PTS/GP
MacKinnon	57	21-66-87	1.53
McDavid	49	22-49-71	1.45
Marner	54	16-55-71	1.31
Eichel	55	19-50-69	1.25
Connor	56	30-39-69	1.23
Stone	42	14-35-49	1.17
Point	50	31-27-58	1.16
J. Hughes	57	24-41-65	1.14
Matthews	40	20-25-45	1.13
M. Tkachuk	52	22-35-57	1.1
Reinhart	57	31-31-62	1.09
Hagel	55	22-36-58	1.07
FWDS	GP	G-A-PTS	PTS/GP
Crosby	55	17-41-58	1.05
Guentzel	54	27-27-54	1.00
Jarvis	49	22-23-45	0.92
Larkin	55	23-27-50	0.91
Miller	45	11-28–39	0.87
Boldy	56	20-28-48	0.86
B. Tkachuk	56	21-23-44	0.79
Cirelli	53	20-22-42	0.79
Marchand	57	20-24-44	0.77
Trocheck	55	17-20-37	0.67
Bennett	55	18-17-35	0.64
Nelson	55	17-18-35	0.64

Canada has the more productive forward group top to bottom.

Here are the 12 defenders. Cale Makar didn’t skate today due to an illness, but Cooper said he expects him to play. Thomas Harley will join the team in Montreal just in case Makar can’t go. They are ranked by GF% at 5×5.

[td width="105px"]

D-MEN​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

GP​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

G-A-PTS​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

PTS/GP​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

TOI/GP 5×5​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

GF-GA (5×5 GF%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Makar​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

57​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

22-41-63​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

1.11​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

1027​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

48-33 (59.3%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Werenski​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

55​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

17-42-59​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

1.07​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

1147​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

54-39 (58%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Fox​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

55​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

4-40-44​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.80​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

938​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

46-34 (57.5%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Toews​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

53​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

6-21–27​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.51​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

1044​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

45-34 (56.9%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Faber​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

52​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

6-16–22​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.42​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

994​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

38-29 (56.7%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Morrissey​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

56​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

7-39-46​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.82​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

1090​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

46-36 (56.1%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

McAvoy​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

50​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

7-16–23​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.46​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

869​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

34-30 (53.1%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Slavin​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

56​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

4-16–20​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.36​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

979​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

44-41 (51.8%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Parayko​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

55​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

12-17–29​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.53​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

1109​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

49-47 (51%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Doughty​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

6​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

0-0-1​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.17​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

130​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

7–7 (50%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Hanafin​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

56​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

6-17–23​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.41​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

1038​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

51-55 (48.1%)​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Sanheim​

[/td]​

[td width="61px"]

57​

[/td]​

[td width="82px"]

6-21–27​

[/td]​

[td width="56px"]

0.47​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

1124​

[/td]​

[td width="151px"]

44-57 (43.6%)​

[/td]​

Offensive production is pretty even as Makar and Zach Werenski are both having great seasons, but USA’s defensive group ranks better overall in GF%.

SPEED FACTOR…​

USA is the youngest team in the tournament, and I’ve seen some suggest they are younger and faster than Canada. Let’s look at what the NHL edge numbers say.

Here are the rankings of the forwards, based on the most 20+ mph bursts. It also has their top speed as well as which percentile they rank amongst NHL forwards. (B-50th stands for below 50th percentile.)

[td width="105px"]

FWDS​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

Top MPH (P%)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

20+ mph bursts​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

MacKinnon​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.83 (98th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

408​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

McDavid​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.97 (98th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

312​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Point​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.13 (91st)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

261​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Eichel​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.5 (97th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

235​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Larkin​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.81 (80th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

173​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Jarvis​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

24.42 (99th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

140​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

J. Hughes​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.33 (95th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

135​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Connor​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.64 (72nd)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

134​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Nelson​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.58 (70th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

119​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Hagel​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.2 (94th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

114​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Miller​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.37 (60th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

110​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Crosby​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.54 (69th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

108​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

FWDS​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

Top MPH (P%)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

20+ mph bursts​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Bennett​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

21.81 (B-50th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

90​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

B. Tkachuk​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.37 (60th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

89​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Trocheck​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.99 (98th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

85​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Cirelli​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.15 (91st)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

84​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Guentzel​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.2 (B-50th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

82​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Boldy​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.29 (56th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

77​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Marchand ​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.06 (B-50th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

61​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Marner​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

23.56 (97th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

59​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Reinhart ​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

21.76 (B-50th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

49​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Matthews​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.33 (58th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

46​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

Stone​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

21.38 (B-50th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

19​

[/td]​

[td width="105px"]

M. Tkachuk​

[/td]​

[td width="136px"]

22.12 (B-50th)​

[/td]​

[td width="137px"]

6​

[/td]​

No surprise MacKinnon and McDavid have the most 20+ mph bursts. I was surprised to see Seth Jarvis having the top speed this season at 24.42. He ranks sixth in bursts, so he’s quicker than some of us realize. Speed isn’t the only factor to success. Mitch Marner, Sam Reinhart, Auston Matthews, Mark Stone and Matthew Tkachuk have the fewest 20+mph bursts, but they all rank in the top 25 in the NHL in points per game. Marner is sixth, Stone (12th), Matthews (17th), Tkachuk (23rd) and Reinhart (25th). Speed will be a factor at times, but so is hockey IQ, shooting prowess and positioning.

Here’s how each team’s blueline fares.

[td width="103px"]

D-MEN​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

Top MPH (P%)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

20+ mph bursts​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Makar​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

23.63 (98th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

139​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Parayko​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

22.50 (80th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

137​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Werenski​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

23.08 (94th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

121​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Sanheim​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

22.06 (66th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

94​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Hanafin​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

22.65 (89th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

66​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Faber​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

22.94 (93rd)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

59​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Morrissey​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

21.87 (55th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

47​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Slavin​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

24.19 (99th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

45​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Toews​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

22.61 (89th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

44​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Doughty​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

22.10 (last year)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

35​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

McAvoy​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

21.57 (51st)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

32​

[/td]​

[td width="103px"]

Fox​

[/td]​

[td width="128px"]

21.33 (B-50th)​

[/td]​

[td width="132px"]

8​

[/td]​

Canada’s group is a bit quicker overall and has more 20+ mph bursts. Colton Parayko moves very well for a large human. Adam Fox and Charlie McAvoy defend with great positioning and smarts, more than blazing speed. Jaccob Slavin having the quickest top speed at 24.19 mph was quite surprising. He only has 45 bursts, so he doesn’t use it often, but clearly, he can fly if need be.

---

Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada goalie Jordan Binnington (50) makes a save against Team Sweden forward William Nylander (88) in overtime during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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GOALTENDING…​

Cooper didn’t want to say who would start tomorrow. Whether it is Adin Hill or Jordan Binnington, the United States has the better goalie in Connor Hellebuyck. But as we’ve seen many times before, in a one-game scenario, it is about which goalie plays best and often comes down to how many quality chances they face. Binnington played well in overtime v. Sweden, but I didn’t like the Adrian Kempe goal early in the third period. He, or Hill, need to avoid giving up an easy goal.

I’m sure Canada will ask MacKinnon how he and the Avalanche lit up Hellebuyck last spring, because outside of those five games, Hellebuyck has been the best goalie in the NHL the past two seasons by a large margin.

Over the past two regular seasons, Hellebuyck has started 103 games and has the best SV% among starters at .923 and the best GAA at 2.25. He’s been dominant, yet last April the Avalanche scored 24 goals in five games to give Hellebuyck a .870Sv% and 5.23 GAA. It’s crazy how five games are so much different than the 60 before and the 43 after. You know Canada will watch those games to see how Colorado exposed Hellebuyck and the Jets.

Meanwhile, Binnington has a .907Sv% and 2.86 GAA over the past two regular seasons in 93 starts. Hill has a .905Sv% and 2.68 GAA in 69 starts. They don’t match up to Hellebuyck overall. But I’m not sold they have to match him, as Canada doesn’t give up a lot. They just need to be consistent and avoid the soft goal.

I can’t wait for tomorrow. Enjoy the game. Go Canada.

---

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/lets-go-canada-vs-united-states-at-the-4-nations-face-off

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Sweden vs. Finland: Line combinations, starting goaltenders, and more

And the beat goes on.

With two games down and all four teams at the 4 Nations Face-Off having faced off, we’re starting to get a look at who could be dangerous, and who might be in over their heads. Hours from now we’ll have the first two-game day kick off with Sweden taking on Finland, and the one everybody is looking most forward to, Canada and the U.S. later tonight.

Any concerns anyone had about these players not trying have quickly faded as what’s become clear is that no matter when a player can don the jersey of their country, they’re going to give it their all.

Game Information​

• Start Time: 11:00 AM MT
• Location: Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada
• Watch: Sportsnet, TVAS (Canada), ABC, ESPN+ (USA)

Line Combinations​

Sweden​

The Swedes opened their tournament with a heartbreaking loss to the Canadians on Wednesday night watching Mitch Marner score an overtime game-winning goal. They held their heads above water against a stacked Canada team, finding ways to limit their two potent top lines.

The lineup they ran will remain the same later this morning, with a top line of Rickard Rakell, Mika Zibanejad and William Nylander. Most of Sweden’s offence, however, came from their third line of Jesper Bratt, Joel Eriksson Ek and Lucas Raymond, who combined for two of their three goals in their Game 1 loss.

Edmonton Oilers Mattias Ekholm and Viktor Arvidsson had two different games, with the former munching minutes, notching an assist and adding two blocks. Arvidsson, meanwhile, has been relegated to a fourth-line role, where he saw the second fewest minutes.

Rakell – Zibanejad – Nylander
Forsberg – Pettersson – Kempe
Bratt – Eriksson Ek – Raymond
Arvidsson – Lindholm – Nyquist

Hedman – Brodin
Ekholm – Karlsson
Forsling – Dahlin

Gustavsson (Confirmed)

Finland​

Finland entered the tournament as the long shot to make noise, and that became clear in their opening game Thursday against the Americans, getting drubbed 6-1. The score didn’t necessarily reflect the game as a whole, however, as they managed to tread water through the first two periods. The Americans opened it up in the third and ran away with it.

While everyone talked about an incredibly thin blue line for the Finns, it was their forward group who disappointed, mustering a measly 20 shots on goal. They’ll likely have an easier time against Sweden and they’re going to need a win in regulation to stay alive.

Lehkonen – Barkov – Rantanen
Hintz – Aho – Laine
Luostarinen – Lundell – Granlund
Teravainen – Haula – Armia

Mikkola – Lindell
Maatta – Jokiharju
Vaakanainen – Mantipalo

Lankinen (Confirmed)

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Tournament Format and Rules​

This is an unusually short international tournament with just four teams and seven games in total. Unlike the Olympics or World Championship, which features a group stage followed by a three-round playoff format, this one is simple: Record as many points as possible in three games. The two teams with the most points after Monday’s round-robin finale will advance to Thursday’s championship game and there will not be a bronze medal bout.

The 4 Nations Face-Off follows a more traditional international point structure rather than the NHL’s format. A regulation win will award a team three points, an overtime/shootout victory will pay two, and an overtime loss will result in one. That means a perfect 3-0-0-0 record will give a team nine points.

The NHL features five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime with a shootout if needed. At the 4 Nations Face-Off, extra time will be extended to 10 minutes, and then a shootout if needed. If overtime is required during the championship game, it will follow NHL playoff rules: 20 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey until someone scores.

Remaining Tournament Schedule​

• Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada in Montreal, 6:00 PM MT
• Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland in Boston, 11:00 AM MT
• Monday, Feb. 17: Sweden vs. USA in Boston, 6:00 PM MT
• Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game in Boston, 6:00 PM MT

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

---

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/swede...arting-goaltenders-and-tournament-information

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

WATCH: Canada’s Connor McDavid dazzles with incredible goal to open the scoring against the USA

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid brought the fans to their feet with a spectacular goal to open the scoring between Canada and the USA on Saturday.

CANADA GOAL

CONNOR MCDAVID OPENS THE SCORING FOR CANADA!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Canada #USA pic.twitter.com/CqHytXIfnD

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 16, 2025

Minutes after there were three fights in the first nine seconds of the game, the Americans dumped the puck into Canada’s zone to chase for a battle in the corner and goalie Jordan Binnington was able to get to it first and fire it around the boards. Defenceman Drew Doughty was able to collect it and assessed what was available for him before spotting McDavid, who was flying through the middle of the neutral zone, with a crisp pass. #97 did the rest was he flew by the American defence and fired a quick backhand that Connor Hellebuyck had no chance of stopping.

McDavid’s electrifying goal got the Canadian fans at the Bell Centre rocking and the noise was incredibly loud, a sight that has been missing from the sport for a long time. It was also a fitting first goal for him to score for his country since cracking the NHL in 2015. The last time he represented his country was at the 2018 World Hockey Championship where he was captain and led his team in scoring, so this was a moment he has been looking forward to for quite some time.

He was one of the more annoyed players when the NHL pulled out of the 2022 Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the 2021-22 season. Although the reason why that opportunity was passed was somewhat understandable, you can tell how much this meant to him with a euphoric celly that released years of frustration of failing to get many opportunities like this one as seen in the photo below.

Canadian pics that go hard #4Nations | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/9kUUuE9OH9

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 16, 2025

Going into Saturday’s game against the USA, McDavid tallied an assist on Nathan MacKinnon’s opening goal in their overtime win against Sweden on Wednesday. He is in the midst of another strong season with 71 points (22 goals and 49 assists) in 49 games heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

McDavid will surely have plenty more moments like this one now that international best-on-best hockey is best, but he will never forget his first goal for his country in a meaningful game as a professional hockey player.

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/watch...ible-goal-to-open-the-scoring-against-the-usa

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

The most anticipated hockey game of the decade lived up to the hype

As someone who was lucky enough to travel and cover the Edmonton Oilers on their path to the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, I have been in my fair share of loud barns.

When the crowd was screaming in the final few minutes of Game 6 against Dallas, I thought I was going to go deaf.

When the Oilers were finishing the job in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final and forcing a seventh game, I could feel the ground below me shaking.

Hell, even when the Florida Panthers won Game 7 and sealed up their Stanley Cup, I admired how loud the pop of the crowd was.

None of that compares to what I experienced on Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

The Star Spangled Banner was booed from start to finish in Montréal ahead of Team USA facing Team Canada at #4Nations. pic.twitter.com/IdAe65LK8D

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 16, 2025

From walking into the arena, you could just feel the energy. This had all the feelings of a winner-take-all type of game and yet, what was really on the line? No Stanley Cup, no Olympic Gold Medal, hell, there wasn’t even a spot in the finals on the line tonight. Either team could have lost and still made it.

But that’s what makes this rivalry so special. Every single player on the ice and every single fan in the building simply wanted to prove that our guys are better than your guys.

Maybe it was the energy on a Saturday night in one of the most iconic arenas in the sport. Maybe it was the fact that the players had been deprived of this rivalry for the better part of a decade. Maybe it was the political undertones that were present. There was just a feeling in the arena.

The energy was unbelievable right from the moment they opened the doors… and then the puck dropped.

First, it was a good Mornville boy in Brandon Hagel who went toe-to-toe against Matt Tkachuk the second the game began.

I was stunned. It honestly took me a few seconds to fully comprehend the moment I was a part of.

The fight was wild enough but to see both player react the way they did after was stunning. Both basically skating full laps around their sides of the ice to fire up their teams.

I’ve never seen two players react that way to a fight and honestly, I’m not sure if I ever will.

The buzz in the arena never had a chance to die down because just seconds later, it was Matthew’s brother Brady squaring off against Sam Bennett.

“Holy shit” is honestly the only thing going through my head.

A fight that had just as much raw emotion and the image of Brady dapping up his brother on his march to the box and then shoving a pane of glass so hard that it damn nearly snapped in half. That’s an all-time hockey image.

After that, I turned to my colleague Matt Larkin in the press box and said: “I think they’re ready to play hockey now.”

I was wrong.

JT Miller went onto the ice with one thing in mind: joining his teammates in the Bell Centre penalty box. He dropped his mitts without a partner in mind and I guess unlucky for him, the one who obliged is 6’7 St. Albert product Colton Parayko.

The third fight had the rink screaming just as loud as the first fight. It was absolute pandemonium.

Not only were we three fights deep in a matter of seconds, but Canada was on the powerplay as the refs seemingly wanted to send a message that any fight that happens, was going to come with an extra two-minute minor.

Starting with that man advantage, the theme of the night shifted for Canada. The next 59 minutes was more or less all about missed opportunities.

We got a beautiful moment from Connor McDavid in a Team Canada jersey, which we’ve waited so long for. But aside from that? There wasn’t a lot of good happening in the offensive zone.

Double-clutches. Dusting off the puck. Indecisiveness in moments where they needed to trust their instincts.

Canada’s biggest strength coming into this tournament was their ability to produce offence and they just didn’t do enough of that.

Could Jordan Binnington have saved one of the two goals? Sure, but he also made some big stops in the third period to keep the game close.

Canada has the ability to basically always have one of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby or Nathan MacKinnon on the ice and they only produced one goal. That just can’t happen.

The Americans played structured, were opportunistic, and didn’t seem rattled once. As the Bell Centre roared in the third period, they stayed cool and calm.

They also have the best goalie of this generation between the pipes, which is a luxury Canada just doesn’t have.

So Team USA wins the biggest game of the decade but as McDavid pointed out after the game, this thing isn’t over yet.

A rematch next Thursday in Boston? Who wouldn’t love that?

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/the-most-anticipated-hockey-game-of-the-decade-lived-up-to-the-hype

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Here’s a list of all the players Zach Hyman should’ve made Canada’s roster over

Every team at the 4 Nations Face-Off have now faced off against two of three opposing teams, and we’re now starting to get a better understanding of which teams are pretenders, and who are the contenders.

The United States punched their ticket to Thursday’s championship game Saturday with their 3-1 win over Canada, while the Canadians are looking to do so Monday morning against Finland. Sweden, meanwhile, needs a win over the Americans, while Finland appears to be on the outside looking in on it all.

Saturday night’s game had about everything you could ask for, with three fights in the first nine seconds and Canada taking an early lead thanks to Connor McDavid’s magical goal five minutes in. But that would be the only goal they scored, as the Americans played a tight game the rest of the way, successfully choking out Canada with Connor Hellebuyck having a tremendous performance in the crease.

An illness for Cale Makar and a struggling forward group further highlighted that Canada may have erred in setting their roster.

For one, McDavid ran through a number of wingers, starting with Sam Reinhart and Mitch Marner, rotating through the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, Mark Stone and Brayden Point throughout Saturday’s game. What was clear is Reinhart and Marner aren’t fits for 97 as both seemed to struggle to keep up to his frenetic pace. It’s surely not an easy thing to do.

Oilers fans are well aware of the plethora of wingers who have flanked him in Edmonton since he broke into the league, and beyond the second half of the Dynamic Duo, Leon Draisaitl, arguably the best fit we’ve seen is Zach Hyman. He’s been stapled to McDavid’s side, spending a staggering 66 percent of all of his ice time with him in all situations.

And since they’ve been together, they have been absolutely electric. In 2,728 five-on-five minutes, they’ve scored 4.22 goals for per hour and generated 3.85 expected goals for per hour, while still posting very strong defensive metrics. They’ve been otherworldly on the power play, too, with 13.03 goals for per hour, nearly double the league average rate over that time.

For as great of a goal scorer as Hyman has been in Edmonton, racking up 136 regular season goals since arriving — the fifth most of Canadian players — it’s little things he does that make him work so well with McDavid. His biggest strength is his ability to play a heavy game, getting to the dirty areas of the ice to win puck battles and generate high-quality scoring chances.

Most importantly, though: Hyman knows how to play with McDavid, having a deep understanding of how the world’s best player operates and where he needs to be on the ice.

Doesn’t that sound like exactly what McDavid could use right now at the 4 Nations Face-Off? The problem is that Canada doesn’t really have a Zach Hyman on their roster right now. Reinhart and Marner haven’t shown an ability to win the puck battles required, and the roster begins to thin out when the likes of MacKinnon or Crosby are with McDavid.

Brad Marchand, who had a good first game, looked asleep at the wheel against the Americans in a game perfect for his style of play. Mark Stone was solid, but his foot speed isn’t near where it needs to be. Seth Jarvis, Sam Bennett, Anthony Cirelli, and Travis Konecny just aren’t it, either.

Brandon Hagel could be an option given his tenacious style of play, and Brayden Point could be another excellent option, too.

All in all, it harkens back to the roster construction of this Canadian team. Sure, Hyman didn’t have a good start to the season, scoring just three goals and eight points in 20 games. But everyone could see he was still generating the looks he always had, he just wasn’t able to convert.

It should be no surprise to find out that in the 30 games since the rosters were announced, Hyman has racked up 16 goals and 24 points. There are just seven NHL players with more goals than him over that time. What still comes as a surprise, however, is that Hyman — and for that matter, Evan Bouchard — didn’t get the benefit of the doubt of having such success with McDavid in Edmonton.

It’s clear there’s a number of players Hyman could replace on this team: Marchand, Jarvis, Cirelli and Konecny.

Time will tell if the Canadian management team fixes their error ahead of the 2026 Olympics.

---

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/heres...-zach-hyman-shouldve-made-canadas-roster-over

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Sweden scratches Mattias Ekholm, Viktor Arvidsson in must-win game against USA

Sweden has made a pair of lineup changes ahead of their must-win game against the United States Monday night.

Two of the Oilers’ three players at the 4 Nations Face-Off will draw out, as Mattias Ekholm and Viktor Arvidsson will be replaced by Rasmus Andersson and Leo Carlsson.

It looks like Leo Carlsson and Rasmus Andersson will make their tournament debuts for Team Sweden . Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm look like the healthy scratches.

— Daily Faceoff – Fantasy (@DFOFantasy) February 17, 2025

While Ekholm had a strong performance against Canada last week, it wasn’t the case in Sweden’s 4-3 loss to Finland. He was on the ice for two big goals against, and missed coverages on goals scored by Mikko Rantanen and Aleksander Barkov.

With Ekholm on the ice, Sweden has controlled 52.8 percent of the shot attempt share, 51.9 percent of the scoring chance share and 43.9 percent of the expected goal share. They’ve broken even in goals 1-1 in his 33 minutes.

Arvidsson, meanwhile, hasn’t seen much ice-time, playing just 19 minutes at five-on-five in the two games. He saw his ice time dip slightly between Sweden’s game against Canada and the one against Finland, as the Tre Koner look for a different mix in their lineup.

Sweden will mix up their defensive pairings as a result. Viktor Hedman and Jonas Brodin will be on the top pairing, while Gustav Forsling will skate in Ekholm’s spot with Erik Karlsson. The third pair will feature Rasmus Dahlin and Rasmus Andersson.

Carlsson, meanwhile, is expected to skate on Sweden’s third line with Elias Pettersson and Filip Forsberg.

Sweden AM lines:

Bratt-Zibanejad-Nylander
Kempe-Eriksson Ek-Raymond
Forsberg-Pettersson-Carlsson
Nyquist-Lindholm-Rakell

Hedman-Brodin
Forsling-Karlsson
Dahlin-Andersson
Ekholm-Arvidsson

— Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) February 17, 2025

The Americans will also mix things up in their lineup, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. Jake Oettinger gets the start over Connor Hellebuyck, while Matthew Tkachuk will miss the game dealing with a lower-body ailment. Chris Kreider will replace him in the lineup, while Jake Sanderson is expected to slide in and replace Charlie McAvoy.

The game is scheduled for a 6:00 pm MST start time Monday night.

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

---

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/swede...viktor-arvidsson-in-must-win-game-against-usa

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Sweden ends United States’ pursuit of an undefeated record at 4 Nations Face-Off

There won’t be an undefeated team or a winless team at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Sweden came into Monday’s game against the United States in Boston with nothing to play for after Canada beat Finland in regulation time earlier in the day and punched their ticket to the Championship Game on Thursday.

After dropping games to Canada and Finland in overtime, Sweden wrapped up their tournament with a 2-1 win over the United States. Gustav Nyquist and Jesper Bratt scored for Sweden and goaltender Samuel Ersson stopped 31 of 32 shots in the win.

The American team was playing shorthanded after clinching their spot in Thursday’s Championship Game with a regulation win over Canada on Saturday. Winger Matthew Tkachuk was out of the lineup because of a lower-body injury and captain Auston Matthews was out for rest as he deals with an illness. Brady Tkachuk also left the game in the first period after falling into Sweden’s net.

Brady Tkachuk has headed to the room after going hard into the net. pic.twitter.com/Qdt8Iw91sq

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 18, 2025

The United States opened the scoring against Sweden just 35 seconds into the game as Chris Kreider crashed the net and buried a rebound past Ersson. Later in the frame, Sweden got the tying goal from Gustav Nyquist on what looked like an innocent pass from the half-wall.

SWEDEN GOAL

Gustav Nyquist ties the game for Sweden!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Sweden #USA pic.twitter.com/1MZNgT9fIR

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 18, 2025

It looked like the two teams were going to head into the first intermission tied at 1-1 but Sweden put another goal on the board before the end of the frame. William Nylander found Jasper Bratt alone in the high slot and the winger from the New Jersey Devils roofed a shot to make the score 2-1 for Sweden.

SWEDEN GOAL

Jesper Bratt scores in the final minute of the first period to put Sweden up 2-1!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Sweden #USA pic.twitter.com/39DMwrJKKc

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 18, 2025

The Americans threw 12 shots on goal in the third period and had a handful of quality scoring chances but they couldn’t get anything else past Ersson. After Filip Gustavsson and Linus Ullmark combined to allow eight goals on 49 shots, third-stringer Ersson posted a .970 save percentage in Sweden’s lone win.

Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars got the start for the United States while Connor Hellebuyck was off to rest ahead of Thursday’s finale. Oettinger was solid for the Americans, stopping 21 of 23 shots in the loss. Hellebuyck has a .957 save percentage through two wins over Finland and Canada.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/swede...of-an-undefeated-record-at-4-nations-face-off

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

USA’s Charlie McAvoy out for 4 Nations Face-Off championship as Quinn Hughes joins as replacement

A huge wrinkle to Canada and the USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off Championship game Thursday night has come forth.

With United States defenceman Charlie McAvoy set to miss the game after dealing with an upper-body injury that caused him to be hospitalized due to an infection, according to reports from The Boston Globe’s Jim McBride and Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, reinforcements are coming.

USA head coach Mike Sullivan said Tuesday morning that Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes was set to join the team. Hughes was originally named to the roster, but injury kept him from actually joining the team.

McAvoy was excellent for the Americans in their game against Canada Saturday night, laying five hits and being a dominant force defensively. Hughes, however, is a different animal. While he may not be the big, strong blue liner McAvoy is, his offensive upside is nearly unmatched among NHL defencemen.

Other injury news has surrounded the American side in recent days. Auston Matthews was dealing with upper-body soreness and missed Monday’s game against Sweden, as did Matthew Tkachuk, who has been dealing with a lower-body issue. Brady Tkachuk, meanwhile, played just 1:55 against Finland after crashing into the net hard early on. All three are expected to be ready for the Championship game.

Canada was able to bring another defenceman onto their roster, with Shea Theodore having sustained an injury in their opening game against Sweden, and another blue liner in Cale Makar, who had an illness and wasn’t able to play against USA.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the USA will need another injury to their team for him to practice with the team, or play.

Head coach Jon Cooper said they will need to put pressure on the USA side in the game.

“A lot of this game is about puck management, and sometimes, it is not as fun to watch,” Cooper said. “There is a lot of hard work. For a lot of the game, you might be working without the puck. But when you put it in places and go get it back, you can lean on teams.

“We have to put stress on them. I didn’t think we did enough (on Saturday). There is a lot of (credit) to them, too. They have a phenomenal team, and they defend and play hard. I think you are going to see two really evenly matched teams go at it.”

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/usas-...pionship-as-quinn-hughes-joins-as-replacement

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Jared McCann highlights potential trade targets from underperforming Kraken

Name a more mediocre team than the Seattle Kraken.

After signing Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour in the offseason, expectations were cautiously optimistic for the Pacific Division’s newest franchise. Yet, as the 4 Nations Face-Off break approaches, the Kraken sit at a disappointing 24-29-4, with just 52 points. That’s the fifth-lowest in the NHL and second-worst in their division.

With the March 7 trade deadline looming, it’s clear the Kraken are likely sellers. But the pressing question is: who do they have to move? Let’s break it down.

Jared McCann​

Jared McCann may be the Kraken’s most enticing trade chip. According to Sportsnet’s Jacob Stoller, McCann could be available, and if so, he’d immediately become one of the top wingers on the market.
This season, McCann has put up 14 goals and 42 points in 57 games. His track record is even more impressive: 29 goals and 62 points in 2021-22, followed by a stellar 40-goal, 70-point campaign in 2022-23.

At 28 years old, McCann is versatile. He’s a proven penalty killer, logging the third-most shorthanded minutes among Kraken forwards, and has experience playing center. His contract carries a $5 million cap hit through 2026-27, but he does have a 10-team no-trade list.

I'm hearing Jared McCann could be made available before the deadline.

McCann is a versatile scoring forward that can kill penalties and play centre, if needed.

The 28 yr old carries a $5M AAV until the end of the '26-27 season

Would make a lot of sense for the #NHLJets

— Jacob Stoller (@JLStoller) February 11, 2025

Yanni Gourde​

Yanni Gourde’s career journey is nothing short of inspiring. From going undrafted to grinding it out in the AHL, to winning two Stanley Cups, and now serving as an alternate captain for Seattle.

His best offensive season came in 2017-18 with Tampa Bay, where he posted 25 goals and 64 points. This year, his production has dipped, six goals and 16 points in 35 games, partly due to ongoing recovery from sports hernia surgery. He’s expected to remain out for another month or so.

Gourde, 31, is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $5.162 million cap hit and a 23-team no-trade list. A strong two-way center and key penalty killer, Gourde could still be an attractive option for playoff teams seeking depth down the middle.

Brandon Tanev​

Brandon Tanev brings energy and grit that contenders crave in their bottom six. Known for his relentless intensity, Tanev is a player who thrives in tough situations.

The 31-year-old forward hit career highs in 2022-23 with 16 goals and 35 points. This season, he’s added nine goals and 17 points in 55 games. What makes Tanev especially valuable is his penalty-killing prowess, as he leads all Kraken forwards with 127 minutes logged shorthanded.

Set to hit free agency at season’s end, Tanev carries a cap hit of $3.5 million and has a 10-team no-trade clause. He’s a cost-effective option for teams looking to bolster their depth.

Oliver Bjorkstrand​

Oliver Bjorkstrand might not kill penalties, but he’s a reliable two-way forward with offensive upside.

The 28-year-old has 15 goals and 35 points this season. Last year, he set career highs with 20 goals and 59 points, and he’s hit the 20-goal mark in four of the last six seasons. His best scoring year came in 2021-22 with Columbus, where he tallied 28 goals.

Bjorkstrand’s contract runs through 2025-26 with a $5.4 million cap hit and a 10-team no-trade list. His term and consistency make him an appealing option for teams looking to add scoring depth.

Jamie Oleksiak​

The lone defenseman on this list, Jamie Oleksiak, offers size, experience, and solid play on the back end.

Standing at 6’7”, Oleksiak has four goals and 13 points in 57 games this season. His best offensive year came in 2022-23, where he posted nine goals and 25 points. The 32-year-old also has playoff experience, with five goals and nine points in 27 games during the 2020 postseason.

Oleksiak is a key piece of Seattle’s penalty kill, logging over 155 minutes shorthanded this season. He’s signed through 2025-26 with a $4.6 million cap hit and a 16-team no-trade list. His combination of size and term could make him a valuable pickup for teams needing defensive depth.

The Kraken’s underwhelming season has them set to be sellers at the deadline. If they choose to move players like McCann, Gourde, Tanev, Bjorkstrand, or Oleksiak, they could stockpile valuable draft picks and assets for the future. As the trade deadline nears, all eyes will be on Seattle. Will they shake up their roster, or stick with their current core?

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If you enjoy my content, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/jared...ial-trade-targets-from-underperforming-kraken

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Gone are the days of Oilers being first on no-trade lists: Player poll

It’s not that long ago that Edmonton was a place despised by NHLers, often first on no-trade lists followed by a mix of the other Canadian-based franchises.

And for the longest time, it made sense: Cold weather, poor on-ice product, failing facilities — but you know all of that already. And you know those days are long gone.

Over the last number of years we’ve seen Edmonton become a destination city, of sorts, with more and more players choosing to come to the Oilers in hopes of chasing Stanley Cup glory alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

John Klingberg, Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, Corey Perry, Jack Campbell, Brett Kulak, Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, and Tyson Barrie make the list of players who signed with the Oilers or chose to re-sign after being acquired in recent years.

They’ve broken down the barrier of Edmonton being a city players don’t want to play in, and a recent NHL player poll released by The Athletic further highlighted that. 82 players responded to a poll asking “If you have a no-trade list, what’s the first team on it?” None chose the Oilers.

In fact, 48.78 percent — or 40 of the 82 — chose the Winnipeg Jets as the No. 1 team on their list, followed by the Buffalo Sabres (19.51 percent), and the San Jose Sharks (8.54 percent). The Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, Utah Hockey Club, Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights all received at least one vote.

The Oilers got some love with players in another area, as they clearly love the facilities Edmonton has to offer. 110 players responded to a question about which team has the best facilities for opposing teams, and Edmonton received the third most votes at 20 percent.

Two teams were ahead of them in the Seattle Kraken (21.82 percent) and the Detroit Red Wings (24.55 percent). The Golden Knights and Islanders each received 10 percent of the vote, but to the surprise of some, the Utah Hockey Club received the sixth most first votes at 7.27 percent.

“Utah was frickin’ nice,” one player told The Athletic. “Like, they had a full-on gym for us. Ice cold tubs, hot tubs that were like $10,000 each. We shared with the basketball guys. Our (visitors’) room is huge. Medical room is bigger than our medical room here.”

Other items…​

• The Calgary Flames received the second most votes for the team with the worst facilities gettng 20 percent of 105 votes, behind only the Carolina Hurricanes, who got a staggering 65.71 percent of the votes. Good thing the Flames are getting their new arena.
• One of the poll questions was whether or not commissioner Gary Bettman should retire, and 54.55 percent of the 77 voting players voted yes. One player said “I think he’s done a great job with the league,” highlighting how the league has kept growing, while another felt Bettman’s time was up. “The culture of the league needs to change,” the player said. “The league needs to make hockey more accessible to lots of people. Stephen A. Smith doesn’t get fired up about hockey, and he should be.”

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/gone-are-the-days-of-oilers-being-first-on-no-trade-lists-player-poll

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Better Lait Than Never: Canada vs. USA, Matthew Savoie travels with the Oilers, and Connor McDavid

It’s Wednesday afternoon, and I missed the podcast last week, which means there’s plenty to talk about in today’s episode of Better Lait Than Never. On this week’s podcast, I’m discussing the 4 Nations Final, Matthew Savoie’s hot second half to his season, my love for Brandon Hagel, and much more.

After missing an episode last week, I’m back with a fresh episode of Better Lait Than Never to recap what’s been happening over the last couple of weeks. Starting with my trip to Montreal, I gave some insight about why I was even there, some of the meetings we had, and what it was like to go to my first game at the Bell Centre. I know I said a bunch of times that I wasn’t excited about the tournament, but it’s amazing how quickly that changed after only a single game.

To start off the news, I looked at some of the latest Oilers news now that the boys are back on the ice. From there, I offered a quick preview of Thursday’s Canada/USA 4 Nations Final. Even though that game doesn’t really mean a whole lot in terms of the overall hockey history, there’s little doubt that both nations are fired up to be facing off against each other in the final. Based on the hype for tomorrow’s rematch, you’d almost think this was an Olympic final or something, and I love every minute of it.

Finally, I wrapped up this quick episode of BLTN with a guest Righteous Sack Beatings from Dooks, before wrapping up the show with another round of voicemails that were all over the map. The inbox was busier this week after I missed a show, and I got plenty of laughs from your ideas, feedback, and voicemails. As always, I sat back and laughed while listening to everything that’s been on your mind over the last 14 days.

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 The Audio Department, Star Mechanical, Odd Company, and Trilogy Oilfield Rentals. Without them, this podcast would not be possible.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/bette...ie-travels-with-the-oilers-and-connor-mcdavid

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

4 Nations Face-Off Championship Game – Canada vs. United States: Line combinations, starting goaltenders, and more

Buckle up. It’s time for round two.

After the United States beat Canada by a score of 3-1 on Saturday, the two teams will meet again in the Championship Game of the 4 Nations Face-Off on Thursday in Boston.

This will be the fifth time that the North American rivals have met in the final of an international men’s tournament in the modern era. The home side swept the Canada Cup in 1991, the Americans got them back in 1996 at the World Cup, and Canada beat the United States at the Olympics en route to gold medals in both 2002 and 2010.

Saturday’s clash in Montreal featured booing during the Star Spangled Banner and three fights within the first nine seconds of play. What might the rematch have in store?

Game Information​

• Start Time: 6:00 PM MT
• Location: TD Garden, Boston, USA
• Watch: Sportsnet (Canada), ESPN (USA)

Line Combinations​

Canada​

The Canadians will have a different look on Thursday than they did the first time they faced the Americans on Saturday.

Connor McDavid couldn’t find chemistry with Mitch Marner and Sam Reinhart during the first two games of the tournament so they were swapped with Mark Stone and Brayden Point ahead of Canada’s match against Finland on Monday. McDavid’s new line clicked for two goals and the second line of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Reinhart also buried three.

The team’s blueline will also get a boost with Cale Makar back in the lineup. The former Norris Trophy winner missed Saturday’s bout because of an illness but returned on Monday against Finland and logged 23:57 in the win.

Mark Stone – Connor McDavid – Brayden Point

Sidney Crosby – Nathan MacKinnon – Sam Reinhart

Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Mitch Marner

Brad Marchand – Sam Bennett – Travis Konecny

Devon Toews – Cale Makar

Josh Morrissey – Colton Parayko

Travis Sanheim – Drew Doughty

United States​

The United States was shorthanded during the team’s loss to Sweden on Monday and they could be without some key players on Thursday when they face Canada.

Auston Matthews sat out against Sweden because of an illness and Matthew Tkachuk was unavailable because of a lower-body injury. Both players practiced on Wednesday in Boston and they’re expected to play on Thursday. Brady Tkachuk left Monday’s game after slamming into Sweden’s net and he didn’t take the ice for practice. Kyle Connor was moved up into the top-six forward group in the younger Tkachuk’s absence.

The Boston Bruins announced on Wednesday that defenceman Charlie McAvoy will be out week-to-week because of a shoulder infection suffered during the tournament. McAvoy didn’t play in the United States’ loss to Sweden on Monday while Jake Sanderson stepped in alongside Zach Werenski in his absence.

Jake Guentzel – Auston Matthews – Jack Hughes

Kyle Connor – Jack Eichel – Matthew Tkachuk

J.T. Miller – Dylan Larkin – Matthew Boldy

Brock Nelson – Vincent Trocheck – Chris Kreider

Zach Werenski – Jake Sanderson

Jaccob Slavin – Brock Faber

Noah Hanifin – Adam Fox

Starting Goaltenders​

It’ll be the same goalie duel on Thursday in Boston as it was on Saturday in Montreal.

After sitting out on Monday for rest, leading Vezina Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck will get the nod for the United States in the Championship Game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. The native of Commerce, Michigan has been nearly unbeatable through two starts, stopping 45 of 47 shots for a .957 save percentage.

Going for Canada will be Jordan Binnington of Richmond Hill, Ontario. The 2019 Stanley Cup Champion was the only goaltender to play in all three games for his team during the group stage. He allowed eight goals on 74 shots for a .892 save percentage.

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Presented by Douglas​

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/4-nat...ne-combinations-starting-goaltenders-and-more

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Golden goal from Connor McDavid propels Canada over USA in 4 Nations Face-Off final

Connor McDavid has his golden goal.

After a relatively quiet three regulation periods from the best player in the world, it didn’t take him long to score the biggest goal of his career, giving Canada Gold against the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off in a 3-2 victory.

Both teams avoided mistakes early in overtime, playing it safe as they tried to pick their spots. The only problem was that the USA made the biggest mistake of all: they left McDavid alone in front of the net.

The goal becomes instantly classic, dusting off Mitch Marner’s pass before picking his spot on Connor Hellebuyck, a goaltender he’s beaten 10 times before in his career.

CANADA GOAL

CONNOR MCDAVID WINS THE FOUR NATIONS FACEOFF FOR CANADA!!!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Canada #USA pic.twitter.com/Zab3LSX1QX

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 21, 2025

It’s poetic that McDavid was the one to clinch the gold medal. After all, one of the games brightest young stars has never represented his country in a best-on-best tournament. Make no mistake about it, though, McDavid has always shown up in international tournaments in the past.

His last time wearing the Maple Leafs on his chest came in 2018, captaining Canada at the World Championships, scoring five goals and 17 points in 10 games in what was his second time at that tournament. There’s also the World Juniors, too, where he represented Canada twice, winning gold in his second time there in 2014-15, winning Gold.

It’s been a long time for McDavid to have his big moment, and he was nothing short of excellent for Canada throughout the tournament. He finishes with three goals and five points in his four games, with his two prior goals being game-openers in the round-robin tournament against the United States and Finland.

But Thursday night’s goal will be the one forever remembered.

Scoring summary​

Nathan MacKinnon broke open the scoring for Canada just under five minutes into the came, taking a Thomas Harley pass, circling up to the point and firing a long, seeing-eye wrist shot that tickled twine over Connor Hellebuyck’s shoulder.

CANADA GOAL

NATHAN MACKINNON OPENS THE SCORING FOR CANADA!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Canada #USA pic.twitter.com/l6cpVXPADV

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 21, 2025

While Canada continued to push they couldn’t find a second before Brady Tkachuk got the American side into it. Auston Matthews was carrying the puck behind the Canadian net, before sending a pass out in front. Tkachuk pushed his way through multiple Canada players before somehow getting a stick on the puck, fluttering it over the shoulder of Jordan Binnington.

CANADA GOAL

NATHAN MACKINNON OPENS THE SCORING FOR CANADA!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Canada #USA pic.twitter.com/l6cpVXPADV

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 21, 2025

Seven and a half minutes into the second, the collars got tight for Canada, as Jake Sanderson gave the United States their first lead of the night. Once again it was Auston Matthews as the setup man after a backhand shot rebounded off Binnington to Sanderson, who made no mistake in scoring.

CANADA GOAL

NATHAN MACKINNON OPENS THE SCORING FOR CANADA!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Canada #USA pic.twitter.com/l6cpVXPADV

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 21, 2025

Canada would respond soon after.

Mitch Marner grabbed a loose puck in the neutral zone carrying it into the offensive zone, making a quick move to the inside pulling USA defenceman Adam Fox with him. It opened up space for Sam Bennett to slide onto the back porch of Hellebuyck’s net, get a pass and roof it.

CANADA GOAL

NATHAN MACKINNON OPENS THE SCORING FOR CANADA!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Canada #USA pic.twitter.com/l6cpVXPADV

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 21, 2025

Backhanders…​

• Life now returns back to normal for the NHLers who played at the tournament. Friday won’t see any games, but the weekend brings with it lots of hockey: 14 games on Saturday and 10 on Sunday.
• The Oilers will play both days with back-to-back 11 am MST matinees, kicking off a five-game road trip with stops in Philadelphia to visit the Flyers and Washington to visit the Capitals.

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/golde...s-canada-over-usa-in-4-nations-face-off-final

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Ranking which teams in the Western Conference Wild Card race are the most intimidating playoff opponents for the Oilers

As the 4 Nations Face-Off concludes, the Edmonton Oilers find themselves at the top of the Pacific Division with 72 points.

While the Vegas Golden Knights share the same point total, the Oilers hold the tiebreaker due to fewer games played. However, with fewer regulation wins, a critical secondary tiebreaker, the Oilers’ position isn’t bulletproof.

Regardless, they’re likely to finish either first or second in the division, setting the stage for a potential showdown with a Wild Card team, likely from the Central Division. Here, we rank the Oilers’ most likely Wild Card opponents, from least to most intimidating.

8. St. Louis Blues: No Threat in Sight​

Among all potential matchups, the Blues pose the smallest threat. With eight fewer points than the Vancouver Canucks (current holders of the final Wild Card spot), their playoff hopes are practically non-existent.

Even if the Blues miraculously sneak into the postseason, they lack the offensive firepower to challenge the Oilers. Jordan Binnington’s past playoff heroics feel like a distant memory, and the team’s contending window has firmly closed. In short, Oilers fans can sleep easy if the Blues somehow make it to the dance.

7. Utah Hockey Club: A Long Shot at Best​

The Utah Hockey Club’s 24-23-9 record barely keeps them in the playoff conversation. Sitting six points out of a Wild Card spot, they’re a young team with limited playoff experience and glaring offensive deficiencies.

What’s more, they might offload key assets at the trade deadline, potentially even to the Oilers. If they defy the odds and make it in, Edmonton has little reason to sweat.

6. Calgary Flames: A Rival with Upset Potential​

Despite an underwhelming roster, the Flames are within three points of the Canucks for the final Wild Card spot. Rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf has kept Calgary’s playoff dreams alive with a respectable .912 save percentage and a 19-11-3 record.

That said, their offensive struggles are glaring: the Flames have scored just 148 goals, the third-fewest in the league. Combined with a depleted defensive corps, Calgary doesn’t look like a serious threat.
Still, this is a rivalry matchup with upset potential.

The Oilers handled the Flames decisively in 2022, but playoff hockey is unpredictable, and emotions could swing the series.

5. Los Angeles Kings: Familiar Foes, Same Outcome?​

A first-round battle between the Oilers and Kings feels almost inevitable. Edmonton has taken three consecutive playoff series against L.A., including a five-game victory last year. Could this be the year the Kings finally turn the tide?

While Darcy Kuemper has been excellent in net (.919 save percentage, 2.15 GAA), the Kings’ scoring woes persist. With just 151 goals, the sixth-fewest in the league, L.A. relies on a defence-first approach that hasn’t worked against the Oilers in recent years.

Unless something drastically changes, the Kings still look like a favourable matchup for Edmonton.

4. Minnesota Wild: A Perennial First-Round Exit​

The Wild’s playoff hopes remain intact despite cooling off with a 7-8-0 record in their last 15 games. Superstar Kirill Kaprizov leads the charge with 23 goals and 52 points in just 37 games, but injuries have limited his impact this season.

Goaltending has been solid with Filip Gustavsson posting a .915 save percentage, but the Wild’s postseason track record is abysmal. They haven’t advanced past the first round since 2015.

While they possess a strong mix of youth and experience, their inability to deliver in the playoffs makes them a manageable opponent for the Oilers.

3. Vancouver Canucks: An Interesting Rematch​

The Canucks are clinging to the final Wild Card spot with a 26-18-11 record, but that doesn’t make them an easy out. Despite their messy season with injuries, trades, and goaltending struggles, they’ve proven they can up their game and challenge Edmonton when the time comes.

Last year’s postseason series was a nail-biter, with Stuart Skinner’s shaky performances in the first three games nearly derailing the Oilers. While Skinner rebounded, Vancouver showcased their ability to exploit weaknesses.

Even with Thatcher Demko’s health issues and a depleted roster, the Canucks remain a dangerous team capable of pulling off an upset if everything clicks.

2. Dallas Stars: A Deep, Dangerous Squad​

The Stars sit second in the Central Division with 72 points and are eyeing another deep playoff run. Edmonton defeated Dallas in six games during last year’s playoffs, but that was a battered Stars squad that had already gone through a gruelling series against Vegas and Colorado.

This time, Dallas looks poised to reload at the trade deadline, already adding Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci. While injuries to Miro Heiskanen and Tyler Seguin are concerning, the Stars have the depth to remain a formidable opponent.

If these two teams meet again, expect a hard-fought series.

1. Colorado Avalanche: The Ultimate Test​

Do we even need to explain this one?

The Avalanche swept the Oilers in the 2022 playoffs en route to a Stanley Cup victory, and they remain Edmonton’s biggest obstacle. Nathan MacKinnon leads the league with 87 points, while Cale Makar continues to dominate as the NHL’s best defenseman.

The Avs shook up their goaltending mid-season, acquiring Mackenzie Blackwood, who’s been stellar with a .922 save percentage and a 2.13 GAA in 22 games. However, even Blackwood has shown cracks against the Oilers, allowing three or more goals in two outings this season.

While the Avalanche are beatable, they’re the one team Edmonton should hope to avoid. Unfortunately, if the playoffs started today, this would be the Oilers’ first-round matchup.

The Oilers are in a strong position heading into the postseason, but their journey won’t be easy. From familiar rivals to powerhouse contenders, each potential Wild Card opponent presents unique challenges. But as history has shown, in the playoffs, it’s anyone’s game.

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If you enjoy my content, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/ranki...intimidating-playoff-opponents-for-the-oilers

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilersnation Radio: Canada beats USA, Connor McDavid scores the winner, and the Oilers are back

Is there anything better than a fresh episode of Oilersnation Radio to recap Canada’s win over the USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off while also previewing tomorrow’s return for the Edmonton Oilers? I didn’t think so. On this week’s podcast, we discussed Connor McDavid’s game-winner over the USA, how excited we are for the Olympics, previewed Saturday’s Oilers game, and much more.

We kicked off the Friday episode of Oilersnation Radio with a delicious debate about the Canadian Olympic team since we’re only a year out from the next best-on-best tournament and what adjustments we would make to the lineup. Obviously, Team Canada put together an all-star team for the 4 Nations tournament, but does that mean there isn’t room for improvement? As you’ll hear, the boys had different ideas about which adjustments they’d make ahead of next year’s tourney.

Sticking with the 4 Nations Face-Off final, we discussed how the NHL couldn’t have gotten a better two weeks of action despite this being a one-off tournament. Not only did our beloved Connor McDavid win it for overtime, but the engagement surrounding these last two weeks was off the charts. After such an exciting two weeks of hockey, it’s almost going to be a bit of a comedown to get back to the regularly scheduled NHL programming. Even though the regular season won’t be nearly as feisty as what we got from the best-on-best tournament, all of us hope that some of the people who got into hockey because of the tournament will stick with it.

Finally, we wrapped up the Friday episode of ONR with another round of betting talk ahead of tomorrow’s contest between the Oilers and Flyers, some Ask the Idiots questions that were all over the board, and finally our Hot and Cold Performers of the week. As always, the final chunk of the podcast was all over the map with an array of topics and side quests.

Listen to the Friday 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...vid-scores-the-winner-and-the-oilers-are-back