RSS Oilers Team Notes

[Edmonton Oilers]

McDavid’s 100th point, Draisaitl’s 30th goal help Oilers enroute to 8-1 walloping of Kings: Recap, Reaction and Highlights

The Edmonton Oilers have snapped their near-month long four game losing streak.

After dropping a very winnable game on Wednesday, the Oilers return to action on Thursday, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 8-1 to move their season record to 28-23-8 for 64 points. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one!

Wednesday’s game saw the Oilers score 13 seconds in. This time, it took them nearly seven and a half minutes to score, as Ty Emberson activated on the weak side during a rush, got the puck, and ripped it past Darcy Kuemper to take the 1-0 lead.

Take notes kids, Ty Emberson is a certified sniper. pic.twitter.com/wO9a5ZIhEH

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

Less than a minute later, the Oilers extended their lead to 2-0 thanks to Vasily Podkolzin’s 13th goal of the season. Andrew Mangiapane got the puck over the blue line and got it over to Vasily Podkolzin, who was undefended. Kuemper got a large piece of the shot, but it trickled under his armpit and into the back of the net.

Vasily Pod-Goalz-In pic.twitter.com/ciXVcZB225

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

With just under eight minutes left in the opening frame, former Oiler Warren Foegele cut the Oilers’ lead in half with a deflection past Connor Ingram, sending the Oilers into the dressing room up one. Three minutes into the second, Mangiapane scored his seventh goal of the season, beating Kuemper off the rush.

MANGIAPANE ON THE MOVE FINDS THE BACK OF THE NET pic.twitter.com/NVP0Sb4GOd

— ESPN (@espn) February 27, 2026

Five minutes into the second period, Connor McDavid scored his 35 goal of the season, patiently outwaiting Darcy Kuemper, who ended up all the way in Bhutan to close off the right side of his net. McDavid decided to go around the net, and had a wide open cage to shoot at.

Connor McDavid gets Kuemper pulled, literally. pic.twitter.com/4lx8KEUX7h

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

The outcome of the game was decided midway through the second period. On the power play, Leon Draisaitl’s shot missed the net, but the puck bounced on the boards with Zach Hyman being the first on it for his 24th of the season.

Zach Hyman is a HOT GUY! pic.twitter.com/UJ8xoiDOuU

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

That was the final goal… of the second period. Just 31 seconds into the final frame, the Oilers were on another power play, and McDavid dropped it to Draisaitl after getting the line. The German ripped it past the Kings’ netminder to make it 6-1.

Don’t forget about Drai. pic.twitter.com/3FbvDZPZnD

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

After Wednesday’s game, you knew the Oilers weren’t going to take their pedal off the gas. Five minutes into the third, the Kings iced it, and Matthew Savoie was able to pass to Jake Walman after a winger faceoff win. Walman tickled the rafters and blasted it past Anton Forsberg for his sixth of the season. The left-shot defenceman added another one just over two minutes later, creeping in on the weakside and sneaking it in between the netminder and the post.

Takeaways…​

This game was just so much better than Wednesday’s game. They weren’t necessarily bad in that game, as they managed to find twine five times, but the defence was shaky in the third. On Thursday, the Oilers dominated the Kings in all facets of the game, and it helped they got a few saves.

One thing the Oilers have been doing the past two nights is seeing their defence activate on the weak side. Ty Emberson’s goal was scored that way and so was Jake Walman’s second of the game. On Wednesday, Evan Bouchard’s goal was scored the same way. It’s so nice that Paul Coffey is behind the bench again.

Another difference in the last two games is that the Oilers have been feisty. Like Wednesday, there were numerous scrums throughout the game. It’s nice to see them show some passion that was lacking early in the season, and credit to Trent Frederic for annoying Jeff Malott on the opening faceoff in the third period.

Why do I bring up the penalty that Frederic drew, other than he’s been solid for the past 10 games? Well, that power play led to Connor McDavid reaching his 100th point. With a goal and an assist in this one, McDavid reached the 100-point mark for the ninth time in his career. It’s the sixth consecutive season he’s done so, including the 56-game season in 2020-21.

The exceptions are his rookie season where he suffered a broken clavicle, and the shortened season in 2019-20 where he suffered an injury and the world shutdown, finishing with 97 points on the year. He joins only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky as players who have reached the 100+ point mark nine times in their career. McDavid is also the first player to reach 100 points this season.

I already noted that Frederic had a good game, but so too did Andrew Mangiapane, who had a goal and an assist in this one, his first multi-point game of the season. He and Frederic nearly combined for a goal on Wednesday, and both have been noticeable for quite a few games right now. Good to see him get one.

Last trade deadline, the Oilers acquired Jake Walman from the San Jose Sharks for a first and a prospect. That trade has worked out pretty well when Walman has been healthy, as he scored twice in this game, giving him seven goals and 17 points in 31 games. It was a better game from his defence partner, Darnell Nurse, who was a +3 with an assist.

Coming out of the Olympic break, Matthew Savoie had two career multi-point games. He’s matched that over the last two games, scoring a goal and picking up two assists on Wednesday, then two assists against the Kings. The St. Albert native has 10 goals and 23 points in 60 games this season.

This doesn’t even mention the performance of Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. Draisaitl scored his 30th goal of the season, the eighth consecutive season he’s reached that mark. He also added three assists. Hyman had a goal and two assists, giving him 24 goals in his last 35 games.

As noted earlier, the Oilers got some saves from Connor Ingram, as he stopped 21 of 22 shots for a .955 save percentage. It’s the ninth game in 15 games that Ingram has finished with a save percentage above .900. It should be his crease for the rest of the season.

Next up for the Oilers, they face their final Californian team on the road trip, taking on the San Jose Sharks at 2:00 PM MT. The Sharks have lost their last five games.

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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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JOIN US AT BRUNCH FOR BEN!​

Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 28th and join us at the Matrix Hotel for Brunch for Ben!

We’re serving up breakfast with a side of hockey on the big screens, mini-putt showdowns, crafts, prizes, giveaways, and plenty more fun.

Cheer on Edmonton. Sink a putt. Win some prizes.

Most importantly? Support an incredible cause — the Ben Stelter Foundation.

Eat breakfast. Have a blast. Make a difference.

Grab your tickets now at Nationgear.ca and we’ll see you at Brunch for Ben!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/conno...s-angeles-kings-8-1-recap-reaction-highlights

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

The Oilers have a goaltending problem

The Edmonton Oilers welcomed us all back in classic Oily fashion.

They gave us a glimmer of hope Tuesday night, and then left us with nothing at all. Despite holding two separate two-goal leads, the Oilers managed to leave Anaheim with nothing but a bitter taste. Arguably with more questions as to why the team is failing.

The one question over the break — one I didn’t want to believe — is that the Oilers have a goaltending problem. Depending on which side of the fence you’ve stood on, maybe you’d say they never got rid of it. Unfortunately, Tristan Jarry put together another lacklustre performance, allowing five goals on 25 shots for an .800 save percentage, dropping his numbers to a .863 save percentage and a 3.85 goals against average in his time in Edmonton.

That eventually led to him sitting on the bench for the final 13 minutes. This wasn’t a mercy pull from Kris Knoblauch. This was a you give me no chance to win this game pull. Ruthless from Knoblauch, but what else was he supposed to do?

“I wasn’t happy with the goaltending, especially in the third period,” said Knoblauch after the game. “There were other mistakes there, but you need better goaltending.”

Short and sweet from the coach.

Jarry called out the team following a 7-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on January 31st, two games before the Olympic break.

“The chances we are giving up are tough,” said Jarry after allowing five goals at home to the Wild. “It’s a lot of grade A chances, breakdowns, so it’s tough to really think about your own game at this point. It’s a whole team game.

“We want to play up and in their end. When we are taking some of those chances, they’re coming back at us. It’s tough. We need to make sure we are managing the puck a little better.”

He walked back on those comments after his next start. That was because he was dreadful against the Flames, too, allowing four goals.

“It’s tough,” said Jarry, again after another loss.

It’s pretty simple in Jarry’s case. He needs to be better, and that needs to start immediately. He’s won only two of his eight starts since returning from injury on January 13th, and has allowed three or fewer goals twice.

Edmonton had a stranglehold on that game. Scoring twice within the final two minutes of the second period put them in a good spot for a strong start to the road trip. Instead, your goaltender collapses, conceding three goals with an expected goals against of 0.46.

“They (the team) need to know what they’re getting every night,” said Devan Dubnyk on Oilersnation Everyday, before yesterday’s game against the Ducks. “You don’t have to look at stats and say he needs a 0.920SV% every night. Some games, if it’s a little crazier, it might be four or five against, but you don’t want that many when it should’ve only been two or three.”

Consistency and unpredictability are major flaws right now. You don’t know what you’re getting shot to shot, nevermind game to game.

Obviously, other players had terrible nights too. Darnell Nurse is right up there with Jarry. However, Jarry was brought in to be this team’s starting goaltender until the Connor McDavid contract, at least. Now the conversation has shifted to when his next start will come.

The problem is Jarry. The solution is also Jarry. He’s more than capable of turning this around. Hopefully, he can regain his composure and stay in control more in-game.

If not, then this trade might go down as one of the worst in Oilers history.

JOIN US AT BRUNCH FOR BEN!​

Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 28th and join us at the Matrix Hotel for Brunch for Ben!

We’re serving up breakfast with a side of hockey on the big screens, mini-putt showdowns, crafts, prizes, giveaways, and plenty more fun.

Cheer on Edmonton. Sink a putt. Win some prizes.

Most importantly? Support an incredible cause — the Ben Stelter Foundation.

Eat breakfast. Have a blast. Make a difference.

Grab your tickets now at Nationgear.ca and we’ll see you at Brunch for Ben!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/the-e...altending-problem-tristan-jarry-connor-ingram

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Flashback Friday: Looking at the Ryan Smyth trade 19 years ago that never should’ve happened

There have been two Edmonton Oilers to hit games played milestones this season.

For the first time in franchise history, a player played their 1,000th game with the Oilers, as Adam Henrique reached the quadruple-digit game mark on October 21st against the Ottawa Senators. On January 18th, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins became the first Oiler to play all of his 1,000 games with the Oilers.

Only one other player in franchise history, Kevin Lowe, would play 1,000 for the Oilers. Over his 19-season career, the defenceman played parts of 15 seasons with the Oilers, tallying 62 goals and 315 points in 1,037 games, reaching the 1,000 games played mark with the Oilers in the 1996-97 season, his final full season in the league. His 1,000th game was played with the New York Rangers in 1992-93.

Third on that list of most games played in the orange and blue is Ryan Smyth. Realistically, he should’ve been one of the rare players to play every single game with the same organization, but extension talks broke down after they couldn’t agree on the average annual value. The thing is, it wasn’t a huge difference either.

So on February 27th, 2007, the Oilers traded Smyth, a catalyst to the creation of Oilersnation. In this edition of Flashback Friday, we’ll look at the first big trade of the Decade of Darkness.

Trading Ryan Smyth​

Let’s look at the context leading up to the trade, both in terms of Ryan Smyth’s career and the situation the Oilers were in. Drafted sixth overall in the 1994 draft, the Banff, Alberta native blossomed into a consistent 25+ goal scorer and 60+ point getter. In 2005-06, he scored a career-high 36 goals and added 30 assists, with his 66 points being the second-most in his career.

The Oilers had made the playoffs when Smyth was on their team in the past, usually playing either the Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche, but they never made it out of the second round, and hadn’t made it out of the first round since the 1997-98 season. That changed in the 2006 playoffs, as the eighth-seeded Oilers became the first team in National Hockey League history to make the Stanley Cup Finals, knocking off the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings, the San Jose Sharks, and the Colorado Avalanche.

Unfortunately, Dwayne Roloson suffered an injury late in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and the Oilers ultimately lost 3-1 in Game 7 of the Finals to the Carolina Hurricanes. Along the way, Smyth scored seven goals and 16 points in 24 games. The best moment from that run was returning in the same game after losing a few teeth, then setting up a triple overtime winner to tie the series against the Sharks at two.

Smyth was on pace to set career-highs with the Oilers, scoring 31 goals and 53 points in 53 games, which is on pace for 45 goals and 82 points over an 82-game season. While Smyth was on pace to have a career-year, the Oilers were nine points out of a playoff spot with 19 games to go, and since they couldn’t agree to terms on an extension, they traded him.

On February 27th, 2007, the Oilers sent the heart and soul of the team to the New York Islanders in exchange for Robert Nilsson, Ryan O’Marra, and a 2007 first round pick that was used to select Alex Plante. Nilsson played 199 NHL games with the Oilers, scoring 31 goals and 98 points. O’Marra played 33 NHL games, scoring a goal and seven points, and Plante played 10 NHL games, picking up two assists.

Smyth finished his Oilers tenure with 265 goals and 549 points in 770 games, ranking seventh in all-time Oilers scoring at that point. He went on to score five goals and 15 points in the Islanders’ remaining 18 games, as the eighth-seeded Islanders fell to the Buffalo Sabres in the first round.

That off-season, Smyth signed a five-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche, playing 132 games with them where he scored 40 goals and 96 points. He was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Kings, where he scored 45 goals and 100 points in 149 games. But this story has a happy ending.

At the 2011 draft, the Oilers sent Colin Fraser and a seventh-round pick in 2012 to the Kings to bring Smyth home for the twilight of his career. He was still productive in 2011-12, the final year of that five-year deal, as he scored 19 goals and 46 points in 82 games. During the lockout shortened 2012-13 season, the Banff native scored two goals and 13 points, and in his final season, Smyth scored 10 goals and 23 points in 72 games.

One of the best moments from the Decade of Darkness came in Smyth’s final game. Donning the C above his heart, Captain Canada was a power play goal away from breaking the franchise record for power play goals in a career. Drawing eight minutes of penalties, the then 38-year-old played just under 24 minutes. While he wasn’t able to break the record, he had a nice send off to end his career in a moment that brings out tears.

In the end, Smyth played 971 regular season games with the Oilers, scoring 296 goals and 631 points. For his career, he played 1,270 games, with 386 goals and 842 points, but he should’ve remained an Oiler for the entirety of his career. It’s hard to look back on February 27th, 2007 with any fondness.

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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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PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL​

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...trade-19-years-ago-never-should-have-happened

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Pre-Scout: Skidding Sharks host Oilers to wrap-up Pacific roadtrip

The Edmonton Oilers look to close out their three-game road trip with a matinee victory at the Shark Tank after a resounding demolition of the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.

Connor McDavid and company had Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg spinning in their crease in the 8-1 win, and have scored 13 goals in just two games on this divisional roadtrip.

For the Sharks, it’s been an exciting season with renewed optimism as Macklin Celebrini has risen to become one of the NHL’s true premier players.

But previous glimmers of making the playoffs aren’t twinkling so bright right now. After a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday, the team’s first game back from the Olympic break, it’s five straight losses for San Jose. That’s a streak that began with a 4-3 overtime loss to Edmonton back on January 29.

Coach Ryan Warsofsky bemoaned his team’s turnovers, as SJ held a 1-0 lead into the latter stages of the second period.

“Just play more on the inside. The way we scored the goal is the way we need to play,” said Warsofsky.

Following the loss, the Sharks sit five points back of the Seattle Kraken for the last wildcard spot in the Western Conference, with two teams ahead of them still to leapfrog. With games in hand, yes, the task is far from impossible, but San Jose is facing a crunch-time test like the franchise hasn’t had since pre-pandemic.

What bodes well for them is this six-game homestand to start the push towards the playoffs that will test their mettle.

Pacific dominance​

While the Oilers’ overall play has been inconsistent this season, one thing that’s keeping them within striking distance of first in the Pacific is their record within the division.

Edmonton is winning these four-point games.

After blowing out the Kings, the Oilers are now 9-4-3 against Pacific opponents. On the road, it’s not as hot with a 3-4-1 mark. Including this game today, the Oilers have 10 divisional games left in their 22 overall, four of those on the road.

“They’re all like four-point games and we’ve got another one against San Jose coming up,” said Zach Hyman. He continued his torrent goalscoring pace with another powerplay tuck, his 22nd goal in 30 games, which leads all NHLers in that span.

“It feels like almost over half our games are against our division and it’s pretty tight, so these are important.”

Depth scoring has been dynamite on the trip with Ty Emberson scoring his fifth career NHL goal to begin against the Kings, and Andrew Mangiapane striking home his seventh of the year.

With little rest, a whole team effort is required against the Sharks.

Sherwood like a win​

Kiefer Sherwood is back and healthy, twice now donning the Sharks sweater since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks. The pesky forward has 17 goals on the year and he looks for his first point in San Jose.

He was slotted by Celebrini and Will Smith on the Sharks’ top line against the Flames, a line that will be relentless in pursuit of pucks.

The offence is good enough to hang around, it’s the defence and goaltending that is inexperienced. The Sharks have surrendered 21 goals against on their five game skid, as Yaroslav Askarov plays in his first full season in the league.

Celebrini is fifth in league scoring with 81 points, an absurd mark for a teenager, who also led the Olympics in goals with five. He has a strong case for the Hart Trophy. Does he have another gear?

Look toward a veteran presence like Tyler Toffoli, who scored his 16th goal of the season on Thursday, or a sturdy defender like Mario Ferraro, to be guiding forces for this team down the stretch.

Notes:​

• Connor McDavid registered his ninth 100th point season of his career. Only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have more seasons with 100-points. It’s an absurd all-time total amongst the greatest to have ever played.
• The Sharks need six more wins to surpass their highest win total of the 2020s. The only time the Sharks had 30-plus victories was 2021-22 with 32.
• Last time, the Sharks hopped out to an early three-goal lead against the Oilers, before the wicked comeback. Will the Sharks sit back if they get a lead again?
• Colin Graf was one of those three goal scorers. The undrafted product is having a terrific season with 15 goals and 31 points.
• Matthew Savoie seems rejuvenated. He has one goal and four assists in his last two games. Double-digit goals now achieved for Savoie.
• It’s coming for Trent Frederic. He’ll snap his 34-game goalless drought soon.
• The Oilers PK since the break: 6/7. Henrique seems comfortable back in his spot.
• The Sharks have middling special teams, with a 19.7 per cent powerplay and a 78.7 per cent penalty kill.
• Edmonton has won seven straight against the Sharks. The last Sharks win vs EDM was on November 9, 2023, the loss that sealed Jay Woodcroft’s fate.

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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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PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL​

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/pre-s...-host-edmonton-oilers-finish-pacific-roadtrip

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers can’t defend to save their lives, Trent Frederic scores, and the 4th annual Brunch for Ben

After beating the wheels off the L.A. Kings on Thursday night, the Edmonton Oilers wrapped up their California road trip with one last stop in San Jose to face the sliding Sharks. The Sharks came into the game on a healthy losing streak, and that meant an opportunity for the Oilers to keep building momentum by kicking another team when they’re down. The best teams do it, and the Oilers needed to find a way to do that too. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened. Instead, Edmonton was incredibly flat for big chunks of the game, made mistakes as if it were the point of the sport, and ultimately pissed away another two points in an incredibly frustrating fashion. Final Score: 5-4 Sharks.

THE OTHERS CANNOT STOP THE BLEEDING​

I don’t care if you look at Saturday’s 5-4 loss and want to hang it on the goaltending, the defence, the special teams, or all of the above, but all of those problems point to the fact that the Oilers cannot stop the bleeding in their own zone. They cannot defend, and they do not get enough timely saves when they matter most. As much as I want to point fingers at individuals, the reality is that it’s hard to find anyone who is pulling their weight on the defensive side of the puck. I’m not talking about the offence, the Oilers seem to score goals just fine, but their inability to lock things down is jarring.

This team is supposed to be a Cup contender, but their defensive coverage looks like they’ve never played the game before. They look like they have no idea what’s going on. The Oilers play defence like they’re bailing water on a sinking ship, but instead of using buckets, there are one or two guys trying to make a difference with thimbles and sieves. It’s crazy. But as much as Edmonton’s inability to keeps puck out of the net is a problem, I don’t even know what the solution is. This is the group that’s supposed to carry us to the promised land, but after performances like we saw in Anaheim and in San Jose, I’m having a really hard time buying what the team is trying to sell. Put bluntly, they’ve been awful.

AT LEAST TRENT FREDERIC SCORED?​

As much as I want to sit here and complain about another demoralizing loss and all of the reasons why the Oilers stink right now, I’m deciding to look on the positive side. I’m looking for silver linings. And with the mission for positivity in my mind, how could I not mention Trent Frederic scoring his first goal in 36 games? This guy has taken more heat around these parts than anyone since he signed that eight-year extension — rightfully so, I should add — so I was happy to see him get back on the board. Not that I’m putting sunshine stickers on his report card or anything, but I’ve thought Freddy has looked better over the last handful of games, and it was nice to see him get rewarded for the effort.

Again, I’m not trying to say that one goal will magically wipe out what has been a dreadful season for Frederic. But I am saying that maybe this goal can be the little spark of confidence he needs to finish off strong. I mean, we all saw Frederic put the puck into the net twice, almost as if he didn’t believe it went in the first time, and I wonder if maybe that relief can be helpful down the stretch. I hope it can. Otherwise, if we don’t try to find some positives in what has been a rough situation, these next 7.5 years are going to be miserable, and I really hope that won’t be the case. Like I said, one goal isn’t going to save No. 10’s season by any means, but maybe it can act as a little jolt of life that wakes him up down the stretch. How cool would that be?

The 4th ANNUAL BRUNCH FOR BEN​

On a more important note than the hockey game, I want to take a minute to say thank you to everyone who joined us at the Matrix Hotel on Saturday for the 4th annual Brunch for Ben. Every year, this event grows a little bit bigger, and seeing that room packed with Oilers fans who showed up to support the Ben Stelter Foundation was incredibly special. Whether you were entering raffles, figuring out an angle on any of the amazing prizes we gave away, lining up for the mini golf game, or simply hanging out to watch the game with us, your energy and generosity made the afternoon an incredible success. It was the biggest Brunch for Ben we’ve had yet, and that doesn’t happen without this community showing up the way it always does.

Brunch for Ben has become one of my favourite days on the Oilersnation calendar because it’s a reminder that some things matter more than sports. Yes, we love the Oilers. Yes, it’s fun to get together for a game, but this even means more than that. Coming together to raise money and awareness for the Ben Stelter Foundation and to keep the Stelters’ mission alive is what it’s all about, and my heart is full when I think about the community’s response. I’m very grateful to everyone who spent their Saturday with us, supported the cause, and helped turn an afternoon hockey game into something that genuinely makes a difference. Thank you for backing us, for backing the Ben Stelter Foundation, and thank you for continuing to prove how strong this community really is. From all of us here at the Nation, thank you. I already can’t wait to start planning next year’s event.

PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL​

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...rederic-scores-goal-4th-annual-brunch-for-ben

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Three Oilers who made an impact, for better or worse, on the recent three-game road trip

The Edmonton Oilers’ Jekyll-and-Hyde season continued on their past three-game road trip.

They gave up yet another lead to lose to the Anaheim Ducks in the first game, looked like men among boys in a dominating 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings, and just when you thought they had turned the page, they came out flat in a 5-4 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

While the big names — Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, and Leon Draisaitl — produced as usual, here’s a look at three players who made a noticeable impact on the California road trip, for better or worse.

Matt Savoie​

One of, if not the, biggest positives on the three-game road trip was Matt Savoie, who registered six points, second only to Connor McDavid’s seven, while also leading all forwards with 7:31 minutes on the penalty kill.

Having played one game in the AHL during the Olympic break, it was clear Savoie was in game shape from the get-go, and that showed almost immediately against the Ducks. He picked up his first point of the road trip just 13 seconds into the game, setting up Jack Roslovic for a breakaway goal. He added another assist in the first period and scored a short-lived go-ahead goal in the third by making an excellent read, following the play, and pouncing on the rebound.

Matthew Savoie gives the Oilers the lead!

– @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/AIBaRI4aNE

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) February 26, 2026

The next night against the Kings, he registered two more assists, the most notable coming when he skated the puck up ice, made a pass, and earned a secondary assist on Ty Emberson’s first-period goal.

By far, those first two games on the road trip were the most confident Savoie has looked this season, and he carried that into the game against the San Jose Sharks. It showed in the way he was firing the puck.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com via YouTube

In the first period against the Sharks, he got on a shift with a mix of personnel from the first-unit power play and unleashed a one-timer on his offside that caused a scramble in front of the net. With the Sharks on their heels, Draisaitl finished it off with a power-play goal on the same play. Savoie didn’t get credit for an assist, but his one-timer started the sequence that left the Sharks scrambling.

To top it off, the 22-year-old made a nice move to go around a Sharks D-man and slid the puck into the slot to set up Trent Frederic, who buried it, picking up his fifth assist of the road trip.

Savoie has been extremely dependable defensively for the Oilers all season, leading all forwards with 97:43 of penalty-kill time, and this past three-game California road trip may have been proof that the offensive floodgates for him didn’t just open; the dam finally gave way.

Trent Frederic​

Unless you’ve just tuned into the Oilers recently, you’d know that Trent Frederic has struggled heavily for most of the season. However, maybe the Olympic break was exactly what he needed, both physically and mentally, because to me, he looked almost like a completely different player on the Oilers’ past three-game road trip.

The 28-year-old is moving around the ice better, holding onto pucks longer, and making plays, as evident against the Ducks, where he set up two wonderful plays from behind the net that led to high-danger chances in the slot. He didn’t record any points that night, but he posted a 62.01 expected goals for percentage (xGF%) according to Natural Stat Trick.

Against the Kings, he played 15:56 minutes, the second most of the season. While he once again didn’t register any points, the high-danger chances were 8-2 when he was on the ice, and he posted a 76.55 xGF% while playing with Adam Henrique and Vasily Podkolzin.

That said, in the first two games on the road trip, he had good chances to score — one on a near breakaway against the Ducks, where he tried making a move instead of shooting the puck in a panic, and then against the Kings, he deked around a D-man to create a scoring chance. To me, the signs were pointing that Frederic was ‘feeling it.’ So when I went on ‘Pregaming with Bordzy’ before the game against the Sharks, host Aaron Bordato asked me who my pick was for an anytime goalscorer against San Jose, and naturally, my gut instinct picked Frederic, who hadn’t scored in 35 games up until that point.

That prediction came true in the third period. Frederic stayed with the play, Savoie centred the puck into the slot, and Frederic made no mistake, burying it. Not once, but twice — he shot it in again after the goal had already been scored, for good measure.

What a play by Matt Savoie! We are tied at 3's!

: Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/WfDSEBJSva

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) February 28, 2026

In addition to making good plays, the 28-year-old left an impact physically, leading the team with 15 hits on the trip. That included a heavy one on former Oiler Corey Perry, which temporarily took Perry out of the game.

The three-game sample size is very small, but again, Frederic looks like a completely different player, and the Olympic break may have been the reset he needed. His season had been very poor up to that point, but let’s call it a clean slate from here on. If he can maintain this pace over the remaining 21 games, Oilers fans can be forgiving at times and put his subpar play leading up to the Olympics behind them.

Darnell Nurse​

Between Savoie and Frederic, there were clear positives to take from the past three games, but with the good came some bad, and Darnell Nurse had a difficult road trip overall.

In total, Nurse was on the ice for six goals against at 5v5, with four of them coming in the first game of the road trip against the Ducks, including two in particular that were worth nitpicking.

For example, on the Ducks’ fifth goal, which tied the game, the Oilers’ D-man allowed rookie Beckett Sennecke to gain the zone freely without impediment, cut to the middle of the ice, and pump fake a couple of times before shooting through netminder Tristan Jarry.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com via YouTube

The Oilers’ netminder surely should’ve made the save, but Nurse’s decision to give the rookie that much time and space to cut to the middle and pick his spot never should have happened. To top it off, there wasn’t even an attempt to block the shot. As you can see in the picture above, Nurse’s body is turned instead of being square to the shooter.

On the Ducks game-winning goal, fingers could’ve been pointed to all five Oiler’s skaters on the ice, but the initial blunder unfortunately goes to Nurse.

With 1:23 left in the game, on what should’ve been a routine D-to-D pass and a play up ice, Nurse bobbled the puck, and Leo Carlsson took advantage. He outhustled the Oilers’ blueliner to the puck, and after a couple of passes, Cutter Gauthier scored the game-winner. What should’ve been a simple, routine play ended up costing the Oilers at least a point in that game.

Ducks have the lead 6-5.

– @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/nv7lEt6EzZ

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) February 26, 2026

The Oilers as a whole played much better in the 8-1 shellacking of the Kings, Nurse included, who registered an assist. But the team’s Jekyll-and-Hyde tendencies continued against the Sharks, with Edmonton coming out flat instead of building on the momentum from the Kings game. Nurse got caught up ice early, which started a series of Sharks scoring chances. Then, on the first goal against, he ran into his netminder, Connor Ingram, knocking away his stick, which led to a Macklin Celebrini goal when Ingram tried to retrieve it.

On the third goal against, Nurse was part of a sequence where he lost track of the puck and ended up screening his own netminder, with his body turned away from the play — once again, not square to the shooter — before Barclay Goodrow shot it into the net.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com via YouTube

Overall, the Oilers were cooking up turnovers at a rate higher than the busiest of California bakeries against San Jose, and Natural Stat Trick indicated that Nurse led the way with three. For some reason, though, it felt like there were even more, and one of his giveaways led to a high-danger chance for Celebrini.

That said, in two of the three games on the road trip, Nurse had very tough outings. While many Oilers struggled, Nurse — one of the team’s leaders and a player who wears an ‘A’ — simply needs to play better down the stretch.

The saving grace is that these were the first three games since the Olympic break, and fingers crossed that rust was a big factor. Now that the team is heading home, they can get a practice in, and with Paul Coffey back to work his magic, hopefully it will help the Oilers’ D-man improve his game. For the Oilers’ sake, let’s hope it does.

PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL​

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/three...r-or-worse-on-the-recent-three-game-road-trip

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers 2026 trade deadline target: Kiefer Sherwood

The San Jose Sharks have started to slip in the standings.

Despite a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon, the Sharks are starting to slip in the standings. As of Sunday morning, they sit five points out of a playoff spot, losing five of their last six games.

Earlier this season, when the Sharks were still in a playoff spot, they sent two seconds and Cole Clayton to the Vancouver Canucks for Kiefer Sherwood. Well, on Thursday, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Sharks are open to flipping the hard-hitting winger.

With that being said, let’s take a look if Sherwood is a fit for the Oilers, his cap hit, and his potential cost of acquisition ahead of the March 6th trade deadline.

Kiefer Sherwood’s fit​

Last season, Sherwood landed a National Hockey League record 460 hits. His play style hasn’t changed at all, as his 222 hits are second to Yakov Trenin’s 297 hits, but Sherwood has played 13 fewer games. One area whereOilers are lacking is physicality, so he’s already a fit for their middle six.

But when you add the fact that he’ll almost certainly reach the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career, he may be the perfect fit for the Oilers. Last season with the Canucks, he scored 19 goals and 40 points in 78 games, so it’s not just a fluke season for a soon-to-be free agent.

Of course, the Oilers’ biggest need is a defenceman who can play on the right side with Darnell Nurse, with the team being linked to Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Justin Faulk in recent times. That said, they could use some attitude, and Sherwood would bring that.

Kiefer Sherwood’s cap hit​

If you’ve read any of these articles, you know the drill when it comes to the Oilers’ cap situation. Right now, they have $10,508 in cap space, with it rising to $12,009 at the March 6th trade deadline. Any move that they make would require cap to be moved out, and Andrew Magiapane, with his $3.6 million cap hi,t appears to be the most likely candidate.

However, Sherwood is on an affordable contract, as he earns just $1.5 million until the end of the 2025-26 season. He’s due for a big raise, an extension that the Oilers may not be able to offer him. They can easily absorb his cap hit whenever they move Mangiapane. Additionally, the Sharks can retain 50% of his salary, meaning they can get him at what is a league minimum contract.

But what about his cost?

Kiefer Sherwood’s cost of acquisition​

Less than two months ago, the Sharks sent their 2026 and 2027 second-round picks and a prospect to the Canucks for Sherwood’s services. Since the trade, he’s played just three games, where he’s been held pointless with six penalty minutes.

It stands to reason that the Sharks will look for a similar package if they choose to trade him, or potentially even get a first-round pick. The Oilers have their 2027 first, as well as their second-round pick in the next two drafts, so it can be done if that’s what the Sharks are looking for. If they wish for the Sharks to retain, expect them to pay extra.

Trade deadline preview series​

• Meet the Sellers: The St. Louis Blues have plenty of players to move
• Trade deadline target: Bobby McMann
• Meet the Sellers: Vincent Trocheck is the New York Rangers’ best trade chip
• Trade deadline target: Boone Jenner
• Meet the Sellers: The bottom falls out for the Vancouver Canucks
• Trade deadline target: Rasmus Ristolainen
• Meet the Sellers: With playoffs unlikely, Maple Leafs could be big players
• Trade deadline target: Brayden Schenn
• Meet the Sellers: The Chicago Blackhawks struggle to remain afloat
• Trade deadline target: Ryan Hartman
• Meet the Sellers: The New Jersey Devils are bad again
• Trade deadline target: Ryan O’Reilly

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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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PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL​

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-2026-trade-deadline-target-kiefer-sherwood

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers Thoughts: The Ingram or Jarry debate, McDavid not slowing down, rethinking the Nurse-Walman pairing, and more

It’s crunch time for the Edmonton Oilers with only 21 games remaining.

After earning just two points out of a possible six on the recent California road trip, sitting only four points above the playoff cut line, and with the trade deadline coming on March 6, they’ve got to be feeling the pressure.

With that in mind, in this edition of Oilers Thoughts, we discuss the Oilers’ goaltending duo on the recent three-game road trip and who should get the next start, Connor McDavid maintaining his pace post-Olympics, the team’s depth scoring stepping up despite defensive struggles, and whether the Oilers should be rethinking the Darnell Nurse–Jake Walman pairing.

Who should get the next start: Connor Ingram or Tristan Jarry?​

Before the Oilers headed out on their three-game California road trip, I explored which netminder should get the bulk of the starts moving forward — Tristan Jarry or Connor Ingram. I mentioned that Jarry should get the slightly longer leash to start, but ultimately it should boil down to this: you win, you’re in. If no one is winning, whoever plays better gets the next start, and repeat until someone takes the reins and runs with it.

Jarry put up a stinker against the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 25, allowing five goals, with some sneaking right through him, before he was pulled in favour of Ingram. Ingram won the next night, 8-1 against the Los Angeles Kings, and while he wasn’t heavily tested, he still made some big stops, posting a .955 save percentage (SV%).

Tristan Jarry getting pulled in a third period tie during the first game back after extended break. If that doesn't send a message to your goaltender…

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) February 26, 2026

It seems like head coach Kris Knoblauch applied the ‘you win, and you’re in’ method, giving Ingram the start against the San Jose Sharks. However, the Oilers’ netminder allowed five goals, and while the loss can’t be pinned entirely on him — the team in front of him gave up too many chances against — and he did make a series of big saves, it was by no means a Grade-A performance, as he posted a .848 SV%.

So, who should get the next start? Since Ingram wasn’t at his best last game, I’d turn to Jarry for the next game against the Ottawa Senators and see if he can find a rhythm. Also, perhaps he’ll be a little extra motivated after being pulled in a tie game in his last start.

Nevertheless, not even a prime Dominik Hasek could have bailed the Oilers out, given some of their lacklustre defensive play over the road trip. So while the netminders need to be better, the team as a whole needs to tighten up on defence, which we’ll talk about a bit later.

The highs and lows of the Olympics haven’t slowed down Connor McDavid​

If I had to guess the Olympics, I would’ve expected Connor McDavid to start the California road trip a bit slow, given the emotional rollercoaster he went through in Milan, the travel, and the likely jet lag. However, true to the superhuman player he is, he carried the elevated level he showed against the world’s best right back into the NHL season.

He tallied two assists against the Ducks, and on one play, nearly deked through the entire team, almost scoring the go-ahead goal at full speed. Against the Los Angeles Kings, he added another clip to the “Connor McDavid career highlight reel goal package” when he outwaited Darcy Kuemper and, as the rest of Kuemper’s teammates slid to the ice, casually put the puck into the net.

Connor McDavid gets Kuemper pulled, literally. pic.twitter.com/4lx8KEUX7h

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

He finished the night with a goal and an assist, bringing his point total to 100 on the season, which was the ninth time he has reached that milestone in his career.

His engine wasn’t revved all the way up against the Sharks, but he still delivered two magnificent passes, finishing the night with a pair of assists.

After the big loss in the Olympic gold medal game, the heavy minutes he played throughout the Olympics, the travel back to Edmonton, and even the outside chatter questioning the Oilers captain’s ability to win big games, I thought fatigue might set into McDavid’s play and that we might see him ease his way into the road trip. But seven points over the last three games suggest otherwise, and the captain appears more than ready for the final 21-game sprint.

Oilers’ depth scoring shows up on recent three-game road trip​

The Oilers’ California road trip wasn’t ideal, winning only one of three games, but if there’s a silver lining, it’s that their depth scoring finally decided to show up.

The Oilers had 12 different players score goals over the past three games, and most notably, a few players took a step forward offensively on the trip: Matt Savoie registered six points, Trent Frederic scored for the first time in 35 games, and Jake Walman scored three goals, finding the back of the net in back-to-back games for the first time since 2023.

What a play by Matt Savoie! We are tied at 3's!

: Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/WfDSEBJSva

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) February 28, 2026

That said, they scored 17 goals over the past three games, which is absolutely tremendous, but the downside is that they failed to lock things down when the games were tight, which brings us to our next point.

Oilers must commit to playing defence​

The Oilers have the firepower up front and pieces that most NHL teams drool over — top-end elite offensive talent. Yet committing to playing defence, I feel, is something almost anyone in the NHL can do. We’ve seen this core of Oilers do it as recently as last season, but for some reason, that attention to the extra details on the defensive side just isn’t clicking with this group.

And a staggering stat that Jason Gregor recently posted demonstrates this: the Oilers have scored the most goals (44) over the last ten games, while also allowing the most goals against (46).

Oiler last 10 games:
Scored the most goals in NHL (44).
Allowed the most goals in NHL (46).

Goalies need to make a few more saves, but their skaters need to be much better defensively. And not just one or two. Way too leaky overall.

— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) March 1, 2026

I recently singled out Darnell Nurse for a few defensive errors he made on the recent road trip that cost the team — failing to prevent entries, not being square to shooters, etc. They were simple defensive mistakes, but the truth is, it’s not just him. McDavid, despite how red-hot he is, had several turnovers and was on the ice for three goals against the Sharks. Ty Emberson and Spencer Stastney got caught puck-watching behind the net in that game as well, allowing for an easy tap-in in front of the net. Additionally, against the Ducks, there was more puck-watching and instances of Oilers failing to pick up trailing opponents.

There are 21 games left, and the Oilers are just four points out of the playoff cut line. We’ve seen this team and its core players lock it down defensively before. They can do it again, but to me, it’s a mindset thing.

You have to commit to playing defence. What does that take? Perhaps the answer lies in sacrificing a bit of offence to pay extra attention to the details on the defensive side. After all, there’s no sense in scoring a pile of goals if you’re not winning hockey games. Whatever the case, the answer is somewhere in that locker room, and perhaps a fresh cup of (Paul) Coffey is what it takes to wake them up.

It might be time to rethink the Nurse-Walman pairing​

As mentioned, Nurse had a tough road trip and was likely the culprit on several goals against, most notably his giveaway when the game was tied 5-5 against the Ducks with 1:23 remaining, which led to Cutter Gauthier scoring the game-winner.

At the same time, fingers can’t be pointed solely at the Oilers’ D-man, because his partner, Jake Walman, had some questionable moments on the road trip as well, despite scoring three goals. For example, on the Sharks’ second goal against, there was confusion in front between him and Ingram, and the puck bounced around before going into the net.

On that note, the Nurse–Walman pairing was on the ice for seven goals against on the road trip, and according to Natural Stat Trick, the high-danger chances were 9–16 in favour of the opposition. That said, at this point, 61 games into the season, I’m questioning whether Walman — a left-shot playing on the right side — is the right partner for Nurse.

And just like that San Jose gets their two goal lead back.

: Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/9nt2QITxBY

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) February 28, 2026

The duo had a good stretch together last playoffs, where in 105:51 minutes played, they posted a 66-36 edge in shots and an 8-2 goal advantage. This season, in 370:41 minutes played at 5v5, that pairing has been outscored 19-21, with scoring chances 166-211, favouring the opposition.

With the trade deadline fast approaching on March 6, ideally, the Oilers should be looking for a top-four, right-handed shot D-man — something they’ve been after for a while. The question is, who? The Toronto Maple Leafs’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been mentioned as a potential fit in Edmonton, though he’s not a right-handed shot, and NHL_Sid recently questioned whether giving up a first-round pick would be worth it for him.

There’s also Justin Faulk of the St. Louis Blues, whose name has also been linked to the Oilers in trade rumours.

The right-handed Faulk has put up 32 points this season and has been recognized for his ability to deny entries into the zone while also generating offence from the right side. Though he carries a $6.5 million cap hit and has one year remaining on his contract after this season, any deal would come down to the St. Louis Blues’ asking price and whether the Oilers can make the money work.

Nevertheless, anything can happen between now and the trade deadline, and if I had to pick the Oilers’ top priority for a deadline acquisition, I’d say it should be a top-four D-man, whoever it is, because the Nurse–Walman pairing experiment just doesn’t seem to be working.

PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL​

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...own-rethinking-darnell-nurse-jake-walman-more

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers get big trade win with responsible addition in Connor Murphy

General manager Stan Bowman really sat in front of the media with a straight face for a 20-minute State of the Edmonton Oilers press conference, knowing damn well that he had a defenceman he going to acquire within moments.

“We might add a defenceman, we might add a forward, I don’t know at this point,” said Bowman on Monday morning.

No more than an hour later, it was confirmed from various sources that he had traded for Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks. In terms of awkward timing for a press conference, and avoiding media fodder about a specific issue, this ranks highly.

So kudos to the public relations folks at the Oilers, who’ve been sly for a few weeks now. Edmonton announced the rehiring of Paul Coffey in the middle of a Team Canada do-or-die Olympic game, after all.

They’re earning their money.

But so is Bowman and this team of capologists on his deal, who’ve manoeuvred like Soviet gymnasts in the past 30-odd hours to have a trade like this have as little impact on the active roster as possible. Both Andrew Mangiapane and Alec Regula cleared waivers today, who needed to go down to have youngsters Josh Samanski and Isaac Howard recalled, before they placed Mattias Janmark on LTIR, so their bonus money wouldn’t count against the cap, likely allowing Howard to be sentback down to make the cap money work for Murphy. The Oilersnation Everyday guys did a great job explaining it.

Bottom line: the deal works.

A stopper​

The Oilers parted with a 2028 second-round pick for Murphy, who comes with salary retention at $2.2 million. He’s a veteran, 32-year-old, right-shot defenceman who’s played more than 800 NHL regular-season games, and seems to provide exactly what the Oilers desperately lack this season – sturdy defence.

The trade makes the team better today. There are no current players that are being subtracted, there were no first-round picks involved, and there were no top organizational prospects (Savoie, Howard, Hutson, etc.) going back the other way.

Murphy is a large, 6-foot-4, 212-pound stay-at-home blueliner, and as unfrisky offensively as it comes. That’s just fine, especially in the aftermath of a road trip, where the Oilers score 17 goals but lose two out of three games. We have sexy offence at home, kids.

Murphy was first over the boards on the Blackhawks’ No. 1-ranked penalty kill, which sits at 85.7 per cent, compared to the Oilers’ current rate of 76.9 per cent.

I’m no analytical wiz, and there’s a variety of different models out there, but NHL Sid here on Oilersnation does great work helping break it down. He relayed that Murphy is ranked third among all defencemen this season in Evolving Hockey’s Wins Above Replacement.

Check, check, check.

It even passes the Bowman comfort barometer, as the Oilers GM reacquires a player he traded for in 2017, and his first name is Connor (which always increases your odds of joining the Oilers).

And while not a great first pass nor an offensive demon, he isn’t dreadful. At the very least, he has four goals and 13 points this season. That’s more points than Ty Emberson and Spencer Stastney, as well as more goals than Trent Frederic, Adam Henrique, and Curtis Lazar. It’s at least something.

‘There’s more from within’​

I wrote on Sunday about how I was worried about this deadline and what assets might be given up for medium-tier players. While a rental, this is a sound and reasonable trade that fulfills a need at a cheap cost.

It’s hard to hate.

If there’s any critique, Murphy has only played nine playoff games, and those were all in the COVID-19 Edmonton playoff bubble. Murphy playing on a team with legitimate aspirations will be an adjustment, and hopefully a seamless one.

“It’d be nice to bring a player or two in, I think,” said Bowman. “But also the biggest way we’re going to be a better team is that – we got a lot of good players here, and they’re talented. It’s a talented group. I think there’s more from within.

“That’s probably the way that we’re going to become a better team. Certainly, adding a player or two is something we’re looking for, and I think it can be helpful, but it’s not like it’s going to completely change the fortunes of our team. We’ve got a lot of really good players here, and it’s that commitment from our group to playing smarter hockey, winning hockey, I think, is going to probably pay the biggest dividends.”

Bowman got some business taken care of early, with the trade deadline looming on Friday. The war chest is largely intact for a third-line centre or another winger.

He begins this silly season with a solid, responsible, and well-executed player-for-asset trade.

It’s a trade win he needed after Tristan Jarry’s acquisition, which cost the Oilers a whole lot for very similar production back in December.

PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL​

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-big-trade-win-responsible-addition-connor-murphy

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Pre-Scout: Oilers host Sens team with rejuvenated Ullmark and Tkachuk under siege

With as boisterous a personality as Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk has, the grand irony of his Team USA gold medal at the Olympics turning into a media interrogation upon his return to Canada’s capital dominated headlines around the team last week.

Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson won gold, of course, over the likes of Connor McDavid and Team Canada, as these competitors will butt heads again on Tuesday night, when the Edmonton Oilers host the Senators.

Luckily for Brady’s sake, it’s a hockey game, not a math test.

But the math for the Sens needs to improve with victories to make the playoffs a reality this season. Heading into Tuesday, Ottawa is five points back of the last wild card spot, and analysts figure the team needs a .740 win percentage to have a chance.

The beginning of five straight on the road went off with a satisfying win over rival Toronto Maple Leafs, who were simply overmatched and beaten pillar to post 5-2.

“I thought it was a great game,” said forward Dylan Cozens, who had a goal and two assists.

The 25-year-old is resurfacing as a legitimate top offensive weapon. Cozens has 46 points in 59 games this season, his best offensive year since his career year of 68 points in 2022-23.

“We came out right from puck drop, ready to go. I think we didn’t give up much either and found the back of the net, which is big. I think it was a great 60 minutes.”

Oilers add a Connor, need a D​

Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers play their first home game in about a month. Not since the loss to the Leafs on Feb. 3 have Oilers fans been able to watch their team in person.

But consistency has been elusive. Overall, the Oilers have lost five of their last six games, and just scored 17 goals on a three-game road trip, only to win once and end Jim Hillier’s career in Los Angeles.

Defensive structure – not just for a sequence, not just for a period – eludes them, as they’ve allowed the most goals in the NHL in their last 10 games.

Enter Connor Murphy, whom the Oilers acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, whose bread and butter is stops and sandpaper. Murphy, however, won’t lace up the skates tonight, expected to arrive in Edmonton late in the afternoon.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch, meanwhile, skated different pairs at practice before the deal was finalized, with Walman-Bouchard, Nurse-Ekholm, and Ekholm-Stastney together.

The Murphy addition comes along with Josh Samanski likely surviving the salary cap gymnastics and is really intended to play with the Oilers, with Isaac Howard going right back down. All cap machinations from the team with spreadsheets in the front office.

Before the trade happened, GM Stan Bowman spoke for 20 minutes to the media. While he was coy about what trades could come, he didn’t absolve the team from poor defensive play.

“The biggest way we’re going to be a better team is that – we got a lot of good players here, and they’re talented. It’s a talented group. I think there’s more from within,” said Bowman.

It’s high time. The Oilers officially slipped into the eighth spot in the Western Conference on Monday night as the Kraken snapped the Hurricanes’ 12-game point streak in a 2-1 win to take third spot in the Pacific. Nashville and Los Angeles both lost in regulation.

The Oilers play twice this week at home, and this will be the last time before the trade deadline on Friday.

Ullmark back to form?​

Other teams are exceeding the Oilers’ desire to play a two-way game as of late. For Ottawa, so much of what plagued them early in the season was one of the worst save percentage runs in the modern era of the NHL.

At one point, they were close to the expansion Senators’ level.

While Tkachuk’s drama has stolen the spotlight, the controversy surrounding goaltender Linus Ullmark just weeks ago was ugly, while he was away on mental health leave.

The former Vezina Trophy winner did return and has been really good since: 3-0-1, .918 save percentage, 1.75 goals against average. Those numbers from Ullmark are much closer to his career averages. He will be the biggest factor if the team can threaten a run.

Leon Draisaitl’s German teammate Tim Stützle has been fighting illness since returning from Milano, finally practicing on Monday. But he still played on Saturday, and even extended his point streak to nine games, accruing 12 points in that span. He’s the team leader in points with 63.

Notes:​

• OTT record: 29-22-8. EDM record: 29-24-8. Eerily similar.
• Despite where they sit in the standings, insider Elliotte Friedman believes the Sens will be busy at the deadline, saying they, “think they are better than their record indicates.”
• As if another Tkachuk needed to weigh in, father Keith thinks the team needs to add at the deadline too. In conversation with the Missin’ Curfew podcast recently, he said, “I think Ottawa has to be in a position to be a buyer, to help these guys out, to get them some more help. And that’s what I expect from them. And I expect them to be in the playoffs.” Sound like a threat? Brady’s contract expires in 2028.
• Drake Batherson is coming off of a two-goal game, notching his 21st of the season and 51st point. This is his fourth straight 20-goal season.
• David Perron hasn’t played since Jan. 20 due to a sports hernia.
• Mattias Janmark is expected to have season-ending shoulder surgery soon.
• Despite being 23rd in the league in goals against, averaging 3.19, the Senators all the fewest shots on goal per game, just 24.4.
• Edmonton again could have its way with the Senators PK. OTT is just 73.1 per cent.
• These two teams are top-four in the league in faceoff win percentage. OTT is third at 54.8 per cent, EDM is fourth at 52.8.
• Tristan Jarry is expected to start, but I’ve seen no official decision. Jarry hasn’t played since being pulled after allowing five goals against the Anaheim Ducks last Wednesday, dropping his save percentage with the Oilers to .863.
• The Oilers defeated the Sens 3-2 in overtime back on Oct. 21, thanks to a Jake Walman blast. If he does stay up, Isaac Howard scored his first career NHL goal in that game.
• Edmonton has won six of their last seven vs. 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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The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 9 AM-1:30 PM MT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/pre-s...nated-linus-ullmark-brady-tkachuk-under-siege

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Five-point night from Draisaitl helps Oilers overcome dastardly defensive performance against Senators: Recap, Reaction and Highlights

The cardiac Edmonton Oilers have found a way to win once again.

On Tuesday evening, the Oilers hosted the Ottawa Senators for their first home game since the start of February, defeating the team from the Nation’s capital by a score of 5-4 in overtime, the second time they’ve beaten the Senators in overtime this season. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.

It took just three and a half minutes for the Senators to get on the board. Jake Walman’s breakout pass was turned over in the neutral zone, giving the Senators the puck. Evan Bouchard pinched too high at the Oilers’ blue line, creating a two-on-one for the Senators, with Dylan Cozens ripping it past Connor Ingram.

Cousins Cozens#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/roJ1gEj7de

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 4, 2026

Five minutes into the first period, the Oilers found the game-tying goal after sustained zone time. Linus Ullmark couldn’t freeze the puck, and it popped out behind the net. Mattias Ekholm passed it through the crease to a wide-open Leon Draisaitl, who buried it for his 32nd of the season.

Hot potato #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/cUM1IInXdQ

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 4, 2026

The Senators restored their 2-1 lead just a minute and a half later thanks to a power play goal, and the score stood there for a bit. That was until Draisaitl scored his second of the game. He attempted to centre it from behind the net, with the puck taking a few deflections to get past Ullmark.

They don’t ask how #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/Az3kXdkVCA

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 4, 2026

Scoring in the second period belonged to the Senators. Four and a half minutes into the middle frame, the Senators restored the one-goal lead as Tim Stützle made a nice cross-ice pass to a wide open Drake Batherson, tapping it past Ingram. Not even a minute later, the Senators took a 4-2 lead as Ingram couldn’t get the stoppage, and the Oilers didn’t defend the crease well enough.

Back-to-back games with a pair of goals for @drrakebatherson #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/uHiX7cMNK8

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 4, 2026

Down two heading into the third period, the Oilers received an early power play. Draisaitl got the puck in his spot and fired it in for what appeared to be a hat trick, but upon a further review, the puck deflected off Ryan Nugent-Hopkins skate and in. It was the longest tenured Oilers’ 15th of the season.

Nuge’s skate putting the trick in hat-trick #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/zv7Bg2u7f5

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 4, 2026

The cardiac Oilers returned on Tuesday. Down 4-3 with just over a minute left, the Oilers pulled their netminder after the Senators iced it. They got some sustained zone time, and Draisaitl found Zach Hyman on the doorstep for his 25th of the season.

TIE MAN #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/r410LGVzXa

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 4, 2026

In overtime, Brady Tkachuk held Connor McDavid to deny a two-on-one, but it sent the Oilers to a power play. On that power play, Bouchard wired it home. Funnily enough, both overtime victories over the Senators this season saw an Oiler defenceman end it.

BOUCH BOMB #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/vYg181onRY

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 4, 2026

Takeaways…​

Scoring hasn’t been a problem for the Oilers since the end of the Olympic break, as they’ve been able to beat the netminder 22 times in four games. It’s been keeping the puck out of the net, because in three of the four games, they’ve allowed four or more goals.

Goaltending plays a part in that, as Connor Ingram allowed four goals on 21 shots for an .810 save percentage. It’s just not nearly good enough, especially since the Oilers controlled the pace of play for the majority of the game. They were lucky to get the win.

That said, goaltending will be helped once Connor Murphy joins the team, as he’s had a great defensive season so far. Their penalty kill could definitely use him as well. Speaking of defence, Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard were reunited before the end of the game.

It looked as if Leon Draisaitl scored his 12th career hat trick early in the third period, but the puck bounced off Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ skate and in. Rather unfortunate, but at least he finished with two goals and three assists.

I’m under the belief that if Zach Hyman doesn’t suffer an injury in the Western Conference Final last season, the Oilers would’ve won it all. Since Nov. 29, Hyman has 25 goals in 37 games.

Matthew Savoie is on a four-game point streak since the break, where he has a goal and seven points in that span. He, alongside Jack Roslovic and Draisaitl, have found some chemistry recently. It would be ideal to keep them together, as Vasily Podkolzin and Trent Frederic have strung together a few good games in a row.

Podkolzin was also involved in a fight, as he dropped the mitts with Ridly Greig after the Senator laid out Ekholm with a clean hit behind the net. About two punches were thrown in the fight before Greig just wrapped up Podkolzin for the remainder of the fight.

The Oilers were down to 11 forwards rather early in this game, as Curtis Lazar left the game after getting banged up. Rather unfortunate, as the Oilers’ bottom-six is noticeably better when he is in the lineup.

Next up for the Oilers is a 2006 Stanley Cup Finals rematch, as they host the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 PM MT on Friday. That’s the same day as the trade deadline, so we’ll see if reinforcements will be available to play that day.

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

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/five-...ottawa-senators-5-4-recap-reaction-highlights