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[Edmonton Oilers]

Top 100 Oilers: No. 49 — Janne Niinimaa

Oilersnation is reviving the Top 100 Edmonton Oilers of All Time list, a project originally created by the late Robin Brownlee in 2015. Janne Niinimaa comes in at No. 49 on our updated 2025 list. He was ranked No. 53 on Brownlee’s original list.

At the end of Glen Sather’s tenure as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, he was building a young and exciting team after some ugly seasons.

Sure, they were heavily cash-strapped, but the Oilers were making strides and competing for the playoffs, especially after an exciting upset of the Dallas Stars in 1997.

But above him, the Edmonton Oilers’ future as a franchise was at stake. The deadline for a local buyer to match the offer received to relocate the franchise to Houston was ticking.

On March 14, 1998, the Edmonton Investors Group scrounged up the $70 million to match the deal with just hours to spare, keeping the Oilers in Edmonton.

Just 10 days later – at an admittedly less significant deadline for the franchise – the Oilers acquired Janne Niinimaa from the Philadelphia Flyers at the trade deadline.

Niinimaa was still just 22-years-old at the time and was part of a youth insurgency on the Oilers blueline. Roman Hamrlik had been acquired a couple of months before. Boris Mironov had just turned 26.

Pieces were falling into place. The Oilers were seventh in the Western Conference and were about to pull another first-round upset over the Colorado Avalanche.

And Janne Niinimaa was about to grow into one of the most underrated Finnish defencemen of all-time.

Notable​

Janne Niinimaa was a slick defenceman, the best true two-way blueliner the team had for years, as he played his best hockey in Edmonton.

The Flyer used a second-round pick on him in the 1993 draft, but Niinimaa stayed in Finland for three more seasons, finally arriving in North America in 1996-97. His great rookie season of 44 points was tainted by a tough highlight in the Stanley Cup Final, where Darren McCarty danced by him.

Nevertheless, the Flyers gave up on him in his second year, a contract season. Niiinimaa would play 399 regular-season games with the Oilers and 26 more in the postseason.

In 2002-03, the Oilers sold him to the New York Islanders with a second-round pick and acquired Raffi Torres and Brad Isbister. He’d make stops in Dallas and Montreal before returning home to play in Europe for five seasons.

He was also a great player for his country. Just a few weeks before coming an Oiler, Niinimaa won bronze at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

In total, he medalled four times with Finland, playing in two Olympics, three World Juniors, the World Cup in 2004, and the World Championships seven times.

The story​

There were moments of struggle, like Game 3 in the 1998 semi-final series against Dallas, but those were few and far between for Niinimaa.

His 2000-01 season was terrific, notching career highs in goals with 12 and points with 46. Niinimaa finished third in team scoring, earning a trip to the NHL All-Star Game, joining teammate Doug Weight and recently traded Bill Guerin.

Unfortunately, that team’s good regular season finished in another defeat by the hands of the Stars.

Scoring tightened even more the following year, as the Oilers allowed the second fewest goals in the league, and Niinimaa produced a 44-point season. That was only 15 points behind Sergei Gonchar and Nicklas Lidstrom for tops amongst blueliners that year.

However, as conversations progressed into 2002-03, Niinimaa would find a new home in Long Island.

He carried the torch as the team’s best two-way defenceman. As Eric Brewer and Jason Smith grew into more dominant roles, and youngster Marc-Andre Bergeron on the horizon, the Oilers moved in a different direction.

Niinimaa’s looked back upon fondly, finishing higher on this re-do list than Brownlee’s original.

Respect.

What Brownlee said​

“Niinimaa loved, or so it seemed, every minute and every one of the 399 regular season games he played with the Oilers over the parts of six seasons he spent here. He loved the city, and he showed it by playing the best hockey of his NHL career here after arriving from the Philadelphia Flyers in March of 1998. And the city loved him, despite a style of play that earned the noted metal head the nickname Spaz.

“For reporters, he was a go-to quote. When things went off the rails for the Oilers, fairly often at the hands of Niinimaa himself, he was as brutally honest a player as you’d find. “That was unacceptable. That was just bullshit,” he’d declare while spitting tobacco juice into a cup. Gold. More important than all that, Niinimaa was a helluva player during his time in Edmonton, playing tough minutes, running the power play and, occasionally, making the highlight reels with plays that seemed like absolute genius and blunders that made you laugh out loud.”

The Last 10​

• No. 59 — Adam Larsson
• No. 58 — Cam Talbot
• No. 57 — Boris Mironov
• No. 56 — Mike Comrie
• No. 55 — Fernando Pisani
• No. 54 — Jeff Beukeboom
• No. 53 — Martin Gelinas
• No. 52 — Blair MacDonald
• No. 51 — Ethan Moreau
• No. 50 — Stuart Skinner

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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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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/top-100-edmonton-oilers-no-49-janne-niinimaa

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Friedman: Oilers looking for players who can ‘accept bottom-six role’

It’s going to be a curious few weeks in Oil Country.

With one month less a day until the NHL’s trade deadline, the Edmonton Oilers have lots to do in the way of upgrading their team. For one, they “need to move Andrew Mangiapane,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said in a 32 Thoughts column Friday.

He’s not wrong, and it’s not entirely breaking news of any sort. Friedman was the first to report that Mangiapane could be willing to waive his no-trade clause for a better home, and since then, there’s been a plethora of rumours that have circled his name.

Trading him and his $3.6 million cap hit will free up such amount, minus $111,666, according to Puckpedia, opening up options for the Oilers to make some moves ahead of March 6th’s deadline. The team has been rumoured to be in the market for a top-nine forward, but whoever the Oilers target, they’ll need to be willing to accept a role in Edmonton’s bottom-six, Friedman highlighted in his column.

It’s not a new story for the Oilers, who have rotated through a plethora of depth additions in recent years who haven’t quite worked out. But Friedman didn’t mince words about the impact it’s had in Edmonton’s quest for Lord Stanley’s mug:

There’s a lot to discuss in Edmonton, but let’s start with this: the Oilers need to move Andrew Mangiapane. It’s clear he’s not a fit for Kris Knoblauch, and there’s no point in pretending otherwise. Cut the losses and move on. They’ve searched for more players who’d be willing to accept a bottom-six role, like Kasperi Kapanen has. That’s one thing I still see them battling, carving out roles everyone accepts and is comfortable with. This was something Toronto battled with in the Core Four era and has evaded the Oilers. Empowering everyone on the roster to feel valuable and important turned Florida from good to great.

His words track with last week’s comments from former Oilers forward Derek Ryan, who dealt with a lack of role late in Dave Tippett’s tenure in Edmonton, only to find it under Jay Woodcroft, and lose it once again last year under Kris Knoblauch before retiring.

Edmonton hasn’t been directly linked to many forwards, with most of the Oilers rumours swirling around teams who had checked in on Mangiapane, but one name that’s kept coming forth has been Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann. Now in his third full season, McMann’s ice-time has climbed to playing top-six minutes, scoring 19 goals and 32 points in 56 games. In his first 140 games, however, he was a bottom-six player. Would he be willing to accept such a role in a potential return to Alberta? That’s the question.

Nonetheless, Daily Faceoff’s trade board has a number of names that could be of interest to the Oilers.

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...s-targets-looking-for-players-bottom-six-role

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Top 100 Oilers: No. 48 — Jason Arnott

Oilersnation is reviving the Top 100 Edmonton Oilers of All Time list, a project originally created by the late Robin Brownlee in 2015. Jason Arnott comes in at No. 48 on our updated 2025 list. He was ranked No. 42 on Brownlee’s original list.

Pop quiz: Which Edmonton Oiler scored the most goals as a rookie?

Well, considering you clicked on a Jason Arnott article, your guess would be correct. Arnott’s terrific 1993-94 season with 33 goals remains unmatched in the organization’s history, an impressive feat considering the plethora of franchise talent over the decades.

He seemed destined for super-stardom.

That season would be his own career high until the rule changes of the 2005-06 lockout, as Arnott carved out a long and productive career. In the wheeling and dealing era of 1990s Edmonton Oilers hockey, Arnott justified his top draft status early and looked like he could be on the team for a long time.

But there were issues. As good a player as Arnott was on the ice, he was inconsistent, even embroiled in a paternity suit that caught headlines. He enjoyed the good times and there was some bad publicity.

Maybe he would’ve been better amongst the 1980s group that also had their off-ice issues. Maybe these were lessons he’d just have to learn along the way. Maybe it was just doomed not to work here.

Notable​

In a talent-laden 1993 NHL Draft, the Oilers’ snatching Arnott at seventh overall was a good bit of business by Glen Sather.

That’s especially true considering how the Oilers hadn’t drafted a contributing player in the first round in a decade, dating back to 1983 and Jeff Beukeboom. That’s ten picks – many of which never sniffed the NHL.

Out of the Oshawa Generals program, Arnott was big and talented, an ideal candidate to be the long-term number one center in Edmonton for a generation. He played four-and-a-half seasons with the Oilers, but was dealt at 23-years-old by Sather to New Jersey with Bryan Muir for Bill Guerin and Valeri Zelepukin.

Arnott would turn consistent and dependable, arriving in the biggest of moments in the 2000 Stanley Cup final, scoring in double overtime of Game 6 against the Dallas Stars to win the chalice.

He’d make stops in Dallas, Nashville, another trip to New Jersey, Washington, and St. Louis, playing a total of 1244 games and 122 more in the playoffs.

Truly, Arnott was a young kid who lived the fast life right out of junior, and saw immediate success. After some maturing, his talents carved out a career that was only 62 points away from 1000.

Even as it stands, only 120 players in the history of the league scored more points than he did.

The story​

With Doug Weight already in Edmonton, Arnott’s addition could be seen as a great one-two punch down the middle. Ryan Smyth was added a year later (Jason Bonsignore notwithstanding), and young, exciting forward talent was back in Edmonton.

In 1993-94, Weight led the team in scoring at 22-years-old, and Arnott was second with 68 points at 18-years-old.

The stats in hindsight showed a productive player, but to watch him was another thing, leaving fans wanting more. After 37, 59, and 57-point seasons, questions circled whether Arnott could pop.

In fact, an Edmonton Journal poll right before the 1997 playoffs asked fans about his play, with 71 per cent dissatisfied and 41 per cent saying he should be traded. Some nights, he looked like he could be Eric Lindros-lite. Other nights, he even said, “he wasn’t into it.”

The media attention and scrutiny of the mid-1990s was still elevated from a decade before. Arnott admitted that handling things off the ice was a struggle.

Read these words after a tough retaliation penalty he took against the Winnipeg Jets put the Oilers behind in a loss:

“There’s a lot of problems happening right now, and maybe I have to handle the problems off the ice differently. I might have to go back to a psychologist. I’m young, and sometimes it’s hard for me to understand what I need to do,” Arnott said on February 9, 1995.

If a player said that today, there would be several avenues he could explore to get some help. Teams today help insulate their players, too. Reading such an honest quote, and thinking about the 20-year-olds I’ve seen routinely and gotten to know with the Bonnyville Pontiacs, I could only imagine if they were making huge money and under a ton of pressure.

Edmonton Journal Newspaper Clipping From June 17, 1994

But then next season, a paternity suit loomed over him. Eventually, he settled out of court.

He entered the league and made the game look easy. But it wasn’t so easy, and the longer it went on, his confidence – sometimes brash and cocky – became a shell of itself. Concussions and other injuries certainly didn’t help.

When he was traded, Ryan Smyth used the word “heartbreak” twice. Doug Weight took it hard. The fans were booing routinely, and after 18 points in 35 games in 1997-98, and a 24-game goalless drought, the swap to New Jersey was made.

“I think it was time for both sides to move on,” said Arnott on January 5, 1998.

Sather agreed.

“This was a trade we had to make.”

It was truly too bad, because the Oilers would search for a player with his natural talent and size for years…and years…and years…

What Brownlee said​

“Jason Arnott was everything you could want in a hockey player. He was big, tough and talented. Arnott was certainly everything the Edmonton Oilers wanted when they happily snapped him up seventh overall from the Oshawa Generals in the 1993 Entry Draft and then watched him establish a franchise record for goals by a rookie with 33 during 1993-94 season.

“Yes, Arnott was guilty of handling the trappings of wealth and youth badly. He enjoyed zipping around town in the flashy, new Viper he bought with his first contract. He partied. Then, the paternity suit. Arnott wasn’t the first Oiler, nor the last, to make mistakes. Players from the Stanley Cup teams did the same. The difference was that by the time Arnott arrived, the Oilers were clearly a team in decline. Success mitigates miss-steps, while failure tends to amplify them. Arnott’s Oilers had Shayne Corson as captain. Full stop.”

The Last 10​

• No. 58 — Cam Talbot
• No. 57 — Boris Mironov
• No. 56 — Mike Comrie
• No. 55 — Fernando Pisani
• No. 54 — Jeff Beukeboom
• No. 53 — Martin Gelinas
• No. 52 — Blair MacDonald
• No. 51 — Ethan Moreau
• No. 50 — Stuart Skinner
• No. 49 — Janne Niinimaa

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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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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/top-100-edmonton-oilers-no-48-jason-arnott

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Letters to the Editor: ‘Maybe, just maybe, it is the coaches’ who are the Oilers’ issue

Got your coffee? It’s time to dig into this week’s Letters to the Editor. Want to join in the fun? Details about how to reach out are at the bottom of the article.

In and out…​

Maybe the Edmonton Oilers’ issues are with the coaching staff, because we see different lineups every game, bringing players in and out for a few games. Then they throw them in looking for a different scenario, but they have little recent game experience, and when it goes bad, they’re out of the lineup again.

So maybe, just maybe, it is the coaches, and they can’t get their heads together, how can we expect the rest of the team to play? How many different linemates have Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid played with? Just about every game is different!

Victor Ritchie

(There’s no denying some of the Oilers’ issues are on the coaching staff, which, mind you, fully entails Kris Knoblauch’s hires.)

Leon was right!​

One of Leon Draisaitl’s comments was that this year’s team is “not as good as previous years’, not even close.”

This could mean either that the players are not playing nearly as well as they can, or that the players are playing as well as they can but they are not nearly as good players in previous years. I wonder what he meant.

There has been a major change over this year from last.

Players out are Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, Stuart Skinner, Corey Perry, Connor Brown, Brett Kulak, Troy Stecher, and Calvin Pickard. Eight players.

The new players in are Andrew Mangiapane, Jack Roslovic, Matt Savoie, Curtis Lazar, Trent Frederic (I’m counting him as a new player), Spencer Stastney, Alec Regula, Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram. You might include Josh Samanski in that, so nine or ten players — almost half the roster.

That is a big change over.

I don’t pretend to be a mind reader to tell anyone what Draisaitl meant. But if you look at the incumbents, Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Vasily Podkolzin, Kasperi Kapanen, Adam Henrique, Darnell Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard, Jake Walman, Mattias Ekholm, Mattias Janmark and Ty Emberson.

For this observer, the play of this group is not far different from previous years. You might argue the defencemen here are not playing as well as in previous years and Henrique has lost a step, but I would not say “not even close.” So, I suspect the comment was more a critique of the new players than of the incumbents. And therefore, also a critique of management.

By the way, since 2023 only 8 players remain on the roster: McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Hyman, Nurse, Ekholm, Bouchard and surprisingly, Janmark.

What do you think?

Ed from Edmonton

(Mangiapane and Frederic take up $7.45 million of the Oilers cap. Mangiapane has six goals and 12 points in 49 games. Frederic has two goals and an assist in 55 games. Wasted money.)

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

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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Catch Every Goal from the 2026 Milan Games! The 2026 Milan Games are almost here, and the world’s best men’s and women’s hockey players are ready to battle for gold! The Nation Network is bringing you every game, every jaw-dropping save, and all the drama with live reaction streams and full recaps. Don’t miss a moment of Olympic hockey action—men’s, women’s, and everything in between—on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel. Subscribe now and stay on top of every play!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/lette...-knobluach-coaches-are-edmonton-oilers-issues

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers 2026 trade deadline target: Bobby McMann

The Edmonton Oilers have been linked to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann in recent weeks.

About two weeks ago on Oilers Now, Bob Stauffer mentioned the forward, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman agreeing that he’d look good on the roster. From there, the rumour took on a life of its own, with The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta also corroborating the rumour. Additionally, McMann is ranked as an “obvious trade candidate” in Daily Faceoff’s most recent trade board.

The big question is how well does McMann fit on the Oilers? In this article, we’ll look at how McMann fits the Oilers roster, whether the Oilers can afford his cap hit, as well as his potential cost.

McMann’s Fit​

There’s a lot to like about McMann. He’s capable of scoring 20+ goals, he’s fast, has size, and can play up and down the lineup. Born in Wainwright, Alberta, the left-shot winger has had a strong season, scoring 19 goals and 32 points in 56 games. That’s on pace for 27 goals and 46 points over the course of 82 games and is an improvement over his 20 goals and 34 points in 74 games last season.

The Oilers needs ahead of the deadline are pretty simple. They need a top nine winger who is capable of playing in the top six, a third-line right-shot centre, and a right-shot defenceman. McMann fits the first category, as he’d likely play on the Oilers’ third line, but has played significant minutes in the Leafs’ top six.

McMann could replace Kasperi Kapanen on Leon Draisaitl’s wing, given both players are physical, speedy types. Kapanen was named by Friedman as a player who is accepting of a bottom-six role, and having that type of depth scoring on the third and fourth line is incredible valuable. McMann has played in the Leafs bottom six in the past, but has also emerged as a legitimate middle-six option.

He’d certainly be a fit on the Oilers roster, but what about his cap hit?

McMann’s cap hit​

As it stands, the Oilers have about $2.89 million in cap space, but will be just under $2 million over the cap hit once Adam Henrique is activated off the long-term injured reserve. Any move ahead of the deadline will require the Oilers to move some money, which essentially means Andrew Mangiapane and his cap hit of $3.6 million will need to be moved.

The good news is that McMann’s cap hit is affordable. A pending unrestricted free agent, the 29-year-old has a cap hit of just $1.35 million, a cap hit which the Oilers can add without a roster move (barring Henrique stays on the LTIR).

Acquiring McMann would allow the Oilers to potentially add another player, perhaps another Leaf like Nicolas Roy or Oliver Ekman-Larsson, two other players who the Oilers have been linked to recently.

McMann’s cost of acquisition​

In Friedman and Stauffer’s conversation, Stauffer believed a second-round pick and a prospect would get it done. However, in Friedman’s most recent 32 Thoughts for Sportsnet, he reported that the Leafs are looking for a first round pick for the pending UFA.

Due to the Jake Walman trade last season, the Oilers are without their 2026 first round pick but have both their 2027 and 2028 first rounders. Additionally, they have their second-round pick for the next three seasons.

In terms of prospects, you’d have to imagine the Oilers prefer not to trade Ike Howard or Quinn Hutson, as they both figure to be a part of their 2026-27 roster. Roby Järventie, Viljami Marjala, Beau Akey, David Lewandowski, and Tommy Lafrenière all could be options to send to the Leafs if a prospect + a second-rounder is enough.

The Leafs are six points out of a playoff spot and it looks like the re-tool is going to begin once the Olympic break is over. McMann’s versatility and ability to score 20+ goals a season would be beneficial for the Oilers.

Trade deadline preview series​

• Meet the Sellers: The St. Louis Blues have plenty of players to move

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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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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-trade-deadline-target-rumour-talk-bobby-mcmann

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Monday Mailbag: Should Paul Coffey return to the Oilers’ bench?

Good morning, everyone, and a happy Monday to you all. As per tradition, I’ve got a brand new mailbag set to go after taking your questions and sending them to the crew for their takes. This week, we’re discussing the Oilers’ coaching noise, Paul Coffey’s return, Leon Draisaitl’s comments on the team, and more. If you’ve got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at [email protected] or on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.

Dec 9, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers center Matt Savoie (22) is seen out on the ice as the Edmonton Oilers take on the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

1) Tashmid asks – Looking at the Oilers’ current roster, which upcoming UFAs do you think must be re-signed, and what do you realistically think those contract extensions would look like (term and AAV), given the cap situation? Related to that, I’m also curious about your thoughts on Matthew Savoie’s contract extension (term and AAV).

Jason Gregor:

I don’t think they will re-sign Adam Henrique.

Curtis Lazar could be re-signed at a similar AAV and a one-year deal. Jack Roslovic’s extension likely depends on how he plays in the playoffs. If he plays well, I could see a two or three-year deal around $3.5m. I’d sign Kasperi Kapanen as quickly as possible. He’s figured out how to use his high-end skill consistently. I’d go 2-3 years and AAV around $2.5-$2.8m.

I’d look at Ingram similar to Roslovic. Let’s see how the final stretch and playoff goes. The other veteran backups who are pending UFAs include Daniil Tarasov, Alex Nedeljkovic, Petr Mrazek, Cam Talbot and Jonathan Quick. If Ingram plays well, I’d look to sign him to a 1 or 2-year deal. I think his AAV could be tied in to how Tristan Jarry plays. If Jarry is just okay and Ingram plays well, Ingram’s AAV could be higher than the $1.5- $1.7m I think he’d command.

Baggedmilk:

I’d look at re-signing Jack Roslovic, Kasperi Kapanen, and Connor Ingram. I really like Curtis Lazar and would be pumped if he came back, but I could also see a player like Josh Samanski or Quinn Hutson taking that role.

Jan 10, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Los Angelos Kings during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

2) Gregg asks – Leon Draisaitl called out the entire team, including the coaches, after the loss to Calgary. Do you think there could be any changes behind the bench coming before the NHL schedule picks back up again?

Jason Gregor:

He didn’t really call out anyone. Saying they all need to be better isn’t calling them out in my eyes. I don’t see any changes coming. The only scenario I think is possible would be adding another veteran defensive coach, as they never replaced Coffey on the bench, they just promoted Stuart. They had four coaches on the bench last year and have three this season.

Baggedmilk:

I like what Leon said. And I would bet all of Gregor’s money that this team has talked about everyone needing to be better multiple times behind closed doors. No one is surprised.

3) Brendan asks – Did we undervalue what Paul Coffey brought to the defence because this year’s team looks like they’ve never played together before?

Jason Gregor:

I think at times humans like to romanticize things and remember the best times and ignore the rest. When Coffey was here, the Oilers had stretches of really good defense and also some weak stretches. We’ve seen the exact same thing this year. The first two months weren’t good, then the next 25 games, the Oilers had the third-best GAA in the NHL, and then they decided not to play as committed defensively for the final seven games. I do think Coffey was more vocal and challenging of the players than the current stay is. I can’t say for certain if that is better or different, but he did have a different approach and having different personalities in a coaching staff, just like on your roster can be helpful. Coffey’s straight forward approach could help, but it won’t guarantee lapses as they had those when he was on the bench.

Baggedmilk:

I think Paul Coffey probably saw way different angles than Mark Stuart does, and I’d bet he would point out ideas from a more offensive-minded lens. The Oilers want to play offensive hockey. One coach put up points like crazy. The other was a defensive-minded PK kind of guy. That said, as Gregor pointed out, I could be over romanticizing the whole thing.

Jan 26, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry (35) gets ready to face a shot against the Anaheim Ducks at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

4) Geoff asks – Tristan Jarry is struggling since he’s been in Edmonton and Stuart Skinner seems to be having a better run in Pittsburgh. Can we finally admit that the team is a bigger problem than the goaltending was?

Jason Gregor:

I’ve said this for a few years. It was never one goalie. People like to find a scapegoat because that is easier to pinpoint. That being said, Jarry does need to play a bit more consistently. I suspect he will be, and I won’t be shocked to see the Oilers clamp down defensively again. This team seems to thrive on being counted out. Many around the NHL are claiming EDM has no chance. I think that is premature. They have enough talent to win a few rounds, but will they get a few lucky bounces and will they stay healthy enough to go deep? Those are the unpredictable factors of the playoffs that make it equally exciting and frustrating for teams and fans.

Baggedmilk:

Weird. Dominik Hasek, in his prime, couldn’t have won a Hart Trophy behind this defence.

Feb 6, 2026; Milan, ITALY; Athletes from Germany are led by flag bearer Leon Draisaitl during the Opening Ceremony for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

5) Steven F. asks – Other than hockey, what Winter Olympic events do everyone think they would do best in and which event would they do the worst in?

Jason Gregor:

Best is a very loose term in this regard. Olympic athletes are on another level, one much higher than my best. The sport I’d love to do is ski cross. I love watching it, but I have no illusions that I would actually be good at it. The toughest event would be the biathlon. Cross-country skiing is an amazing workout and freaking hard. And just as you are getting into a rhythm and going fast, you have to stop, lie down, slow your heart rate and have precise aim at a small target. I’ve done cross-country skiing, but no longer than 5-8 KM at a time, and it is easily one of the toughest workouts I’ve had. It would be embarrassing to see how far behind I’d be in that race. But I have loads of respect for those who are elite at it.

Baggedmilk:

Probably something with snowboarding because I can actually do that. As for the worst, I’m watching a 10 km cross-country ski race right now, and I would literally die. Someone would have to drag me off the first hill on a dogsled.

PRESENTED BY DAILY FACEOFF’S OLYMPIC COVERAGE​

Catch Every Goal from the 2026 Milan Games! The 2026 Milan Games are almost here, and the world’s best men’s and women’s hockey players are ready to battle for gold! The Nation Network is bringing you every game, every jaw-dropping save, and all the drama with live reaction streams and full recaps. Don’t miss a moment of Olympic hockey action—men’s, women’s, and everything in between—on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel. Subscribe now and stay on top of every play!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/monday-mailbag-should-paul-coffey-return-edmonton-oilers-bench

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl named captain of Team Germany

Captain Germany.

The Edmonton Oilers star forward Leon Draisaitl was named the captain of Team Germany on Monday, cementing his status as an athletic icon in his native country.

Earlier, Draisaitl was chosen as a flagbearer at the Milan-Cortina Opening Ceremonies by the German Olympic Committee, arriving at the games before teammate and now rival Connor McDavid.

He waved the black, red, and gold flag with pride alongside ski jumper Katharina Schmid on Friday, as Germany has been a consistent medal-winning force of late at the Winter Olympics.

Germany won the third-most medals in the 2022 Olympics and the second-most medals in 2018, including a men’s hockey silver medal. They lost in the gold medal match to the Olympic Athletes from Russia in PyeongChang.

The rest of the leadership group features Moritz Seider and Tim Stützle as assistant captains.

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Feb 6, 2026; Milan, ITALY; Athletes from Germany are led by flag bearer Leon Draisaitl during the Opening Ceremony for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

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Draisaitl will aim to add the men’s hockey team to that medal-winning push with the best German team ever assembled.

This is the first time since 2019 that Draisaitl will represent his country. He’s played in five World Championships: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Draisaitl is set to suit up with Edmonton Oilers teammate Josh Samanski at their first Olympics together. Team Germany will also feature former Oilers in Dominik Kahun and Tobias Rieder.

Germany’s group sees them pitted against the United States, Latvia, and Denmark.

Germany men’s hockey schedule:

• Thursday vs Denmark at 1:10PM
• Saturday vs Latvia at 4:10AM
• Sunday vs United States at 1:10PM

McDavid, meanwhile, will wear the “A” as an assistant captain for Team Canada, it was announced on Sunday. He took line rushes with Macklin Celebrini and Tom Wilson at Canada’s first skate together.

Team Canada’s group features Czechia, Switzerland, and France. Canada begins group play on Thursday morning against Czechia, playing Switzerland on Friday, and France on Sunday.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-leon-draisaitl-captain-team-germany-olympics

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

State of the Nation: We need your votes in our Oilers Fan Poll!

The Olympic break is upon us, leaving a 21-day break between Edmonton Oilers games.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Josh Samanski are preparing for the start of a great Olympic tournament, while others are getting a much-needed holiday for the breakneck pace of Oilers games.

As we wait for the first Team Canada game on Thursday, and for the Oilers to return on February 25, we want to hear from YOU!

There are many hot topics in Oilersnation right now: Kris Knoblauch and the coaching staff, Stan Bowman and his player personnel decisions, trade targets, and goaltending are all under the microscope with Edmonton’s 28-22-8 start.

We want to quantify these feelings with cold, hard data. This is your chance to have your voice reflected.

We call it: the State of the Nation.

The poll questions are below; responses are due by Saturday night, but all responses must go in this Google Form.

We’d love to hear from you!

Now that we won't see the Oilers on the ice for a few weeks, we want your thoughts on the team's current state!

We put together a Google Form with a wide variety of questions. Get your votes in!

: https://t.co/UnoNebeqTm pic.twitter.com/KHMpRJ0oLg

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) February 10, 2026

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

Poll questions​

Are you satisfied with Kris Knoblauch and the Oilers’ coaching staff?

• a) Yes
• b) No

Are you confident in general manager Stan Bowman’s ability to improve the team?

• a) Yes
• b) No

What should the Oilers’ top trade priority be?

• a) 3rd-line centre
• b) Top-6 winger
• c) Defenceman

Which soon-to-be unrestricted free-agent would be your highest priority to re-sign?

• a) Connor Ingram
• b) Jack Roslovic
• c) Kasperi Kapanen

Who are you more confident in: Tristan Jarry or Connor Ingram?

• a) Tristan Jarry
• b) Connor Ingram

From a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the Oilers’ season so far? (1 is the lowest, 10 is the highest)

How far do the Oilers go in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

• a) Miss playoffs
• b) Round 1
• c) Round 2
• d) Round 3
• e) Stanley Cup Final loss,
• f) Stanley Cup victory?

Which team in the NHL do you hate the most? (Fill in the blank)

Who is your favourite NHL player to watch outside of the Oilers? (Fill in the blank)

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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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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/state-of-the-nation-we-need-your-votes-edmonton-oilers-fan-poll

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl skates with former teammate Dominik Kahun for German Olympic team, Samanski to centre 3rd line

The first set of projected lines for Team Germany has been released, according to Daily Faceoff.

It’s no surprise that Edmonton Oilers star and Team Germany captain Leon Draisaitl will centre the top line. He’s set to play with former Oilers teammate Dominik Kahun on the right wing, who played 48 games in 2020-21, scoring nine goals and 15 points in 48 games.

On the left wing will be former 2020 first-round pick Lukas Reichel.

Meanwhile, Josh Samaski is projected to slot as the team’s third-line centre.

Both Oilers are also expected to play powerplay minutes.

The top unit will feature the major NHL talent on the squad, with Tim Stützle at centre, Lukas Reichel on the left, Moritz Seider at the left point, and JJ Peterka at the right point.

Draisaitl is expected to play the right flank, as he does on the Edmonton powerplay to exploit his wicked one-timer, which has led to 175 career powerplay goals.

Samaski is expected to centre the second powerplay unit with Kahun, Frederik Tiffels, Lukas Kalble, and Leon Gawanke.

How much the second powerplay will play, given the wide discrepancy of talent between the two units, remains to be seen. That will be a decision for head coach Harold Kreis.

Draisaitl’s teammates were glowing about the choice of captain in the lead-up of the tournament.

“As he should be,” said Moritz Seider.

With a team mixed between NHL players and European league players, Germany’s success rests heavily on the shoulders of netminder Philipp Grubauer.

The 34-year-old Rosenheim native has revitalized his career after questions of whether he’d ever be an NHL starter again. With the Seattle Kraken in 2025-26, Grubauer has posted a 2.43 goals against average and .916 save percentage, going 11-6-3.

Team Germany kicks off their Olympic schedule on Thursday afternoon, facing Denmark at 1:10 pm MT.

Projected lines​

Lukas Reichel-Leon Draisaitl-Dominik Kahun

JJ Peterka-Tim Stützle-Wojciech Stachowiak

Frederik Tiffels-Josh Samaski-Parker Tuomie

Alexander Ehl-Nico Sturm-Tobias Rieder

Fabio Wagner-Moritz Seider

Jonas Müller-Kai Wissmann

Leon Gawanke-Lukas Kalble

Phillip Grubauer

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

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...mpic-team-lines-josh-samanski-centre-3rd-line

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Looking back at Connor McDavid’s history with Team Canada

At the last Winter Olympics in 2022, close to 2 billion people tuned in to watch the events, and if this Winter Olympics gets anywhere near that number, those who don’t know the name Connor McDavid will soon learn it — when they see a hockey player clearly on another level, blowing past defenders on Olympic ice.

The Edmonton Oilers captain has been spectacular for his NHL club this season, and if his dominating ways with the team are any indication of what’s to come, combined with the fact that the best hockey player in the world has that extra gear to elevate his game, it feels like the fireworks are about to go off on the international stage.

McDavid was recently named assistant captain of Team Canada, and with his team set to take on Team Czechia in their first Winter Olympics game on Feb. 12, we’ve put together a little ode to the Oilers’ superstar, revisiting each time he has represented his country.

McDavid won gold with Team Canada at the 2013 U18 World Championships​

McDavid first played for Team Canada at the 2013 IIHF U18 World Championship in Sochi, Russia, when he was just 15 years old. The tournament also served as a test event for the facilities to be used in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

McDavid flashed glimpses of his greatness, finishing as Canada’s top scorer in the preliminary round, where Team Canada went 4-0. He recorded 11 points (five goals, six assists) in four preliminary games, including scoring back-to-back hat tricks against Sweden and Switzerland.

U18 Worlds Awards: Best Goalie: Juuse Saros, FIN; Best Defenceman: Steven Santini, USA, Best Forward & MVP: Connor McDavid, CAN

— Szymon Szemberg (@Sz1909_Szemberg) April 28, 2013

In the finals, Team Canada defeated the four-time defending champions, Team USA, 3-2, to win the gold medal. Overall, the 1997-born McDavid dominated the competition against players mostly two years older than him, leading the tournament in scoring with 14 points. He was named tournament MVP and the Best Forward and set a record for the most goals scored by a Canadian player in U18 tournament history.

McDavid made his World Juniors debut at just 16 years old with Team Canada​

The 2014 World Juniors (WJC) were held in Malmö, Sweden, and McDavid, at just 16 years old, was named to Team Canada’s roster after making an impression at the junior level, where he led the Erie Otters from last place to among the top teams in the OHL.

Remarkably, at the time, the young phenom was just the sixth 16-year-old to play for Canada at the under-20 tournament, joining the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Jason Spezza, Jay Bouwmeester, and Sidney Crosby. Though as one of the younger players on the team, he didn’t make a huge impact, scoring one goal and three assists in seven games.

Unfortunately for the Canadians, they finished fourth in the tournament, losing 2-1 in the bronze medal game to Russia.

McDavid won gold with Team Canada at the 2015 World Juniors​

While McDavid didn’t earn a medal with Team Canada at the 2014 World Juniors, he returned the following year and made an even bigger splash, earning another shot with Team Canada at the 2015 World Juniors, which were hosted on home ice with games split between Toronto and Montreal.

In a preliminary round game against Denmark, McDavid intercepted the puck at centre ice, turned on the jets, and blew past two defenders to score a highlight-reel breakaway goal. Then, in the championship game against Russia, McDavid split the defence for another breakaway, slipping the puck five-hole past the goaltender to help Team Canada secure a 5-4 win.

ICYMI: Canada holds off Russia to claim gold at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. http://t.co/bWECWsANom pic.twitter.com/ct1Z0KEToo

— NHL (@NHL) January 6, 2015

All in all, McDavid tied for third in points at the 2015 World Juniors, led all players with eight assists, playing a key role in helping Team Canada capture the gold medal. On top of that, he earned a well-deserved spot on the tournament’s All-Star Team. Just five months later, the young phenom was selected first overall at the NHL Draft by the Oilers.

McDavid won gold with Team Canada at the 2016 World Hockey Championship​

McDavid finished his rookie campaign with the Oilers in 2016, recording 48 points in 45 games, despite missing 37 games due to a clavicle injury. Still, he was selected to Team Canada for the World Hockey Championships in Russia that May.

Canada made it to the final game, where they faced Team Finland for the gold medal. The future Oilers captain scored the crucial 1-0 goal, and Team Canada went on to win by a score of 2-0, winning the gold.

.@cmcdavid97's only goal at the #IIHFWorlds came at the right time. Celebrate the championship with a RT #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/O5qQYp9A7g

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 22, 2016

Former Oiler Derick Brassard led the Canadians with 11 points, while McDavid recorded nine points in 10 games, marking back-to-back years in which the Oilers’ superstar put a gold medal around his neck with Team Canada. Additionally, McDavid captained Team North America — comprised of players 23 and under from Canada and the United States — just four months later at the World Cup of Hockey.

McDavid captained Team Canada at the 2018 World Hockey Championship​

The 2018 World Hockey Championships took place in Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark. Edmonton didn’t qualify for the playoffs that season, and by that time, McDavid was three years into his NHL career, coming off his second consecutive 100-point season.

That said, the Oilers’ centreman was selected to captain Team Canada, with Ryan O’Reilly and Brayden Schenn serving as alternates.

McDavid recorded a hat trick in the preliminary round against Norway, helping Team Canada to a 5-0 victory. However, the Canadians were stunned in the semifinals, facing a tough Swiss team that defeated them in a shootout. Unfortunately, they fell short again in the bronze medal game, losing to Sweden, leaving McDavid and his teammates empty-handed. The captain finished third in tournament scoring with 17 points in ten games.

McDavid scored the gold medal-winning goal at the 4-Nations Faceoff​

The 4-Nations Faceoff was a tournament featuring four teams — Team Canada, Team U.S.A., Team Finland, and Team Sweden — held in February 2025 and served as a high-stakes precursor to the 2026 Olympics.

It had been seven years since McDavid represented his country in a best-on-best tournament, and did he ever put on a show. In Canada’s first game against Team USA, he scored a highlight-reel goal, turning on the jets and beating netminder Connor Hellebuyck with a wicked backhand to open the scoring at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

CANADA GOAL

CONNOR MCDAVID OPENS THE SCORING FOR CANADA!

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

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 16, 2025

But he saved his best for last. In the gold medal game against the Americans, with the score tied 2-2 in overtime, he found open space, received the puck, and let off a quick wrister that once again beat Hellebuyck for the game-winner, giving Canada the win to capture the gold medal.

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

McDavid finished the 4-Nations Face-Off with five points in four games (three goals, two assists), and while he delivered his signature moment in a Team Canada sweater, knowing the Oilers captain’s flair for stepping up in high-pressure situations, it feels like the world is about to feel what the ‘McDavid Magic’ experience is all about at the Winter Olympics, and he might just have another one of his signature moments up his sleeve.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-connor-mcdavid-history-team-canada-olympics

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Olympic Notebook: Slafkovský shines, U.S. women make statement against Canada, and more

Hockey is rolling at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. The men’s tournament began on Wednesday with action from Group B, while the women’s tournament is nearing the end of its group stage. Let’s get caught up on what’s happened so far.

Slafkovský leads Slovakia past Finland​

The reigning Olympic MVP opened his second tournament in style.

Juraj Slafkovský powered Slovakia to a 4-1 win over Finland, recording two goals and an assist in a statement performance. The winger opened the scoring in the first period with a strong individual effort and later added a power-play goal in the third to help seal it.

HOCKEY H – Juraj Slafkovsky débloque son compteur!

Le jeune prodige des Canadiens de Montréal fait vibrer les filets olympiques pour lancer le tournoi. C'est 1-0 pour la Slovaquie face à la Finlande. #MilanoCortina2026 #rcsports #hockey #jeuxolympiques pic.twitter.com/Qu8PNYHZMH

— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) February 11, 2026

Finland’s lone response came in the second period when Eeli Tolvanen beat Samuel Hlavaj, but that was the only puck to get past the Slovak netminder. The undrafted AHL goaltender was excellent, stopping 38 of 39 shots in the victory.

Top 2023 draft pick Dalibor Dvorský scored early in the third to restore Slovakia’s lead before Slafkovský struck again on the power play. Adam Ružička added an empty-netter for good measure. Juuse Saros made 21 saves on 24 shots in the loss.

The win served as a measure of revenge for Slovakia, which fell 2-0 to Finland in the semifinals at the 2022 Beijing Games. Finland went on to claim gold, while Slovakia defeated Sweden to secure its first-ever Olympic medal in men’s hockey. Just 17 at the time, Slafkovský led that tournament with seven goals in seven games before being selected first overall by the Montréal Canadiens later that year.

There was also a touch of Oilers nostalgia in the matchup. Slovakia’s blue line featured two former Edmonton draft picks from the early Oil Change rebuild years: Martin Marincin (46th overall in 2010) and Martin Gernát (122nd overall in 2011). Gernát picked up an assist on Dvorský’s game-winning goal.

Sweden fends off gutsy effort from Italy​

NHL players weren’t the only ones making a return to Olympic ice this year. Team Italy is back in the tournament for the first time since 2006, when the Games were held in Turin.

The host nation, icing a roster built primarily from various European professional leagues, gave medal favourite Sweden a legitimate scare in its preliminary-round opener on Wednesday.

Luca Frigo capitalized on a miscue by goaltender Filip Gustavsson just four minutes into the first period to give Italy a stunning 1-0 lead. Sweden responded with two goals later in the frame to grab control, but Italy refused to fade, tying the game 37 seconds into the second period to make it 2-2.

As the middle frame progressed, the game tightened considerably. Italy grew more confident and began applying sustained pressure, keeping Tre Kronor uncomfortable far longer than expected. For a country that was stunned by Belarus in 2002 on a fluky goal, Sweden had no interest in letting history repeat itself.

With only a few minutes remaining in the period, however, William Nylander restored Sweden’s lead by finishing a slick feed from Rasmus Dahlin, a goal that took some of the momentum out of the building. Sweden added insurance in the third period to secure a 5-2 win. Mika Zibanejad struck with just over four minutes remaining, and Victor Hedman sealed it with an empty-netter.

Italy’s standout was young goaltender Damian Clara, who turned aside 46 of 50 shots before leaving the game with an injury in the third period. In 2023, Clara became the first Italian-born player ever selected by an NHL club when the Anaheim Ducks drafted him 60th overall.

U.S. women’s team makes statement against Canada​

The most shocking result of Olympic hockey thus far came on the women’s side, as the United States hammered rival Canada 5-0 to claim top spot in Group A.

Without captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who sustained a lower-body injury in the previous night’s 5-1 win over Czechia, Canada suffered its worst loss ever at the Olympics and was shut out for the first time in 40 Olympic games since women’s hockey debuted in Nagano in 1998.

HOCKEY FLaila Edwards chasse Desbiens du match avec ce but. C'est 5-0 pour les États-Unis.#MilanoCortina2026 #rcsports #hockey #jeuxolympiques #equipecanada pic.twitter.com/3bNgnpk04H

— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) February 10, 2026

At no point was Canada in this game. Caroline Harvey opened the scoring a few minutes into the first period, and Hannah Bilka made it 2-0 before the intermission. Kirsten Simms extended the lead early in the second, Bilka added her second of the night later in the frame, and Laila Edwards capped the scoring midway through the third.

The United States dictated play throughout, outshooting Canada 22-10 after two periods and finishing with a comfortable edge overall. Aerin Frankel needed just 20 saves to secure the shutout.

While Canada remains the defending Olympic gold medalist, the momentum in this rivalry has shifted. The loss marked Canada’s seventh straight defeat to the United States, a run that began at the 2025 World Championship and included a four-game sweep in the 2025-26 Rivalry Series.

With the win, the Americans completed the group stage at a perfect 4-0-0-0. Canada will close out Group A on Thursday with a rescheduled matchup after Finland dealt with a norovirus outbreak. A victory would secure second place and a quarter-final clash with Germany.

Canada’s men’s team will also play its first game of the Olympics on Thursday when they take on Czechia. The other two Group A teams, Switzerland and France, will square off as well, while Group C will open with the United States playing Latvia and Germany facing Denmark.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/olymp...ed-states-women-make-statement-against-canada

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

How should the Oilers approach a trade deadline that appears to be a sellers market?

Parity is a big conversation in the NHL this season.

In the Eastern Conference, with just eight points separating 14th place and a playoff spot, there really only appears to be one team that is committed to being a seller, and that’s the New York Rangers.

Ryley Delaney wrote about them earlier this week in their ‘Meet The Sellers’ piece, and with Panarin out of the picture, it’s slim pickings when it comes to quality trade pieces on their roster.

In the Western Conference, there are a few more teams that appear to be locks to be sellers. The Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and St. Louis Blues are in that group, with the Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks likely going to join in on the selling activities at some point.

Outside of that, there are a bunch of teams that are in awkward spots but aren’t necessarily going to be forced to sell.

That will result in prices likely being much higher than they have been in the past and that’s saying something considering that we haven’t really seen a true buyers market in the NHL in quite some time.

If you’re someone who wants Oilers GM Stan Bowman to be uber aggressive at this year’s deadline, then be prepared for him to potentially have to pay some high prices.

Take a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs for example.

They have a premium rental in Bobby McMann, who they will be somewhat forced to move before March 6th if they have no plans of resigning him but outside of him, there is no one that they’re necessarily going to be forced to move.

There has been some chatter over the last week that the Oilers could be interested in Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

I had a chance to chat with David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period earlier this week and here’s what he had to say:

“Two guys that, based on what the Oilers are out there looking for, I would imagine that they would have interest in are Nic Roy and Oliver Ekman-Larson.”

Adding another veteran defenseman has been something that Pagnotta has been hinting at for a while now and Ekman-Larson would make some sense.

He can play both sides of the ice, he has playoff experience, he comes in at a very reasonable $3.5m cap hit, and with two more years left on his contract, the Oilers would get him for multiple years.

Now all of those same reasons are exactly why Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving isn’t just going to give him away.

“The Leafs aren’t trading him for Mangiapane and a pick,” added Pagnotta. “You’re probably looking at an Issac Howard in a deal to get OEL out of Toronto. If it gets to that point, it’s going to be a larger deal”.

A lot of you might shake your head at the idea of moving on from someone like Howard at this year’s trade deadline, but if Bowman is going to take a big swing, he doesn’t exactly have a lot of options at his disposal.

They already moved on from a second-round pick in the Tristan Jarry trade and a third-round pick in the deal to acquire Spencer Stastney from the Nashville Predators.

The cupboards are pretty bare and if you’re calling a team and asking about a quality player with term, they’re going to expect a few premium assets in return. If you also want them to take back a bad contract like Mangiapane or retain salary on a player, then the cost is only going to go up.

With very few teams selling, there are not very many premium players on the market.

That means the cost for rental players, like McMann, are going to be much higher than they have been in the past and for teams who have players with term on their contracts, whether that’s Ekman-Larson in Toronto or a player like Ryan O’Reilly in Nashville, they can hold firm on their high asking prices simply because they can afford to wait until the summer to move on from those players.

It’s not a great season to be a GM that’s looking to make a big splash, which is why I think this deadline might be a little quieter for the Oilers than the ones in years past.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/how-should-edmonton-oilers-approach-nhl-trade-deadline-sellers-market

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Real Life Podcast: Connor McDavid’s Team Canada debut, and strange news from the games

Thursday afternoon means a fresh episode of Real Life was recorded and edited, and it’s ready to help you wrap up the week. On today’s podcast, the guys discussed the Oilers’ disaster, the Milan-Cortina Games, scandals at the games, beefs of the week, and more.

The guys kicked off the Thursday episode of Real Life with a conversation about the Winter Games in Milan and how it’s wild that these cities have to build all kinds of infrastructure for a three-week period. Somehow, talking about the Olympics led the boys to discuss Connor McDavid winning the Scholastic Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons when he was in Erie. Eventually, the fellas got around to McDavid’s debut with Team Canada, and how No. 97 was shot out of a cannon for the first game.

Changing gears, the conversation turned to sports that you won’t see in the Winter or Summer Games, including the new sport where two giant men run into each other at full speed. As you’ll hear, the boys clearly love the Winter Games and were not shy about sharing their admiration for these athletes. Sticking with the Milan Games, the guys ran through some of the wildest headlines so far and ranked them by their general absurdity.

Finally, the guys wrapped up the podcast with the Thursday episode of Real Life with a run of topics, starting with beefs of the week, Leon Draisaitl’s spectacular debut, copyright laws for the games, and how athletes are forced to do commercials just to afford their participation. Even though it was just Tyler, Baggedmilk, and Wanye, the boys covered a lot of ground in the Thursday episode of Real Life.

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-...-canada-debut-and-strange-news-from-the-games

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Scenes From Morning Skate: Canada should cruise past Switzerland

Here’s the thing about Team Canada’s upcoming match against Switzerland — you can probably relax a little.

After the dominant 5-0 win over Czechia, Canada’s got another game on the schedule that, let’s be honest, should go their way. And yeah, it’s still Olympic hockey. Switzerland’s still a team that earned its spot here. But this is the type of matchup where Canadian fans can sit back, grab a drink, and just enjoy watching good hockey without the stress eating away at you.

Isn’t that kind of vintage Team Canada, though?

Look, recent hockey has taught us that other countries have closed the gap. We’ve seen tournaments where Canada had to grind out wins they used to get easily. We’ve learned not to take anything for granted anymore. The days of automatic Canadian dominance are supposed to be over, right?

But not today. Today can be enjoyed.

Switzerland’s here because they can play. They wouldn’t have made it to the Olympics otherwise. But there’s a difference between being a good team and being able to match Canada’s firepower when they’re rolling like they are right now. And after what we saw against Czechia, this Canadian squad is firing on all cylinders.

What makes a game like this enjoyable isn’t that it’s a guaranteed blowout. It’s that you can watch it without that knot in your stomach. You can appreciate the skill, the passing sequences, the individual brilliance, without constantly thinking “what if this goes sideways?” You get to see Connor McDavid do his thing and just smile about it instead of desperately needing him to bail everyone out.

After watching Binnington and the defence squad shut the door against Czechia, Celebrini announce himself on the first line, and more than a few depth goals, this is the kind of game where the rest of the roster gets to keep building. The depth guys get more ice time. The chemistry keeps developing. Players who maybe didn’t get on the scoresheet last game get their opportunities.

That matters in tournament hockey. Momentum builds across games, not just within them. Confidence spreads through a lineup when everyone’s touching the puck and feeling good. Switzerland’s the kind of opponent that should let Canada keep that rolling without having to white-knuckle their way through sixty minutes.

Don’t get me wrong — the real tests are coming. There are games ahead where that stress will be back in full force, where every shift matters and nothing comes easy. But that’s not today’s concern.

Today’s about enjoying Olympic hockey the way it’s supposed to be enjoyed when you’re a Canadian fan. No panic. No desperation. Just good hockey played by an elite team that’s hitting its stride.

Recent years have taught us to be cautious about assuming Canadian wins. Fair enough. We’ve learned our lessons about taking things for granted. But every now and then, you get a matchup where you can just exhale and appreciate what you’re watching.

This is one of those games. So sit back, relax, and enjoy it. The tournament’s still young, and it’ll pass by fast enough. Might as well savour the moments where you can actually breathe easy.

Already one game into this tournament, and Canada looks exactly like the team everyone hoped they’d be. Let’s see them keep it rolling.

Expected lines and pairings​

Celebrini – McDavid – Wilson

Hagel – MacKinnon – Suzuki

Marner – Crosby – Stone

Marchand – Horvat – Reinhart

Bennett

Toews – Makar

Harley – Doughty

Theodore – Parayko

Sanheim

Thompson

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/scene...hould-cruise-past-switzerland-olympic-preview

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilersnation Radio: Did the Oilers treat Calvin Pickard unfairly?

It’s Friday afternoon, which means a fresh episode of Oilersnation Radio is ready to massage your eardrums with an hour of off-season Oilers talk. On today’s podcast, the fellas discussed the Oilers at the Winter Games, Connor McDavid’s debut, line combinations, Calvin Pickard’s treatment, and more.

We kicked off the Friday episode of ONR with a delicious debate about Calvin Pickard getting waived unfairly after his agent spoke to Jason Gregor and suggested the team didn’t make the right decision. If you take Rich Winter at his word, Stan Bowman isn’t even sure that Pickard isn’t the best goalie he has right now, but does that really make sense given the team’s decision? The numbers would suggest not.

Shifting gears, the guys looked at Team Canada’s first couple of games on the men’s side and how much fun it’s been to watch NHLers back on the ice representing their country. From the way Team Canada blew out Czechia in their first game to the way they’re handling Switzerland today, getting to watch the best of the best squaring off for their countries is so much fun. The guys also spoke about Sidney Crosby as an elder statesmen on the team, and how Baggedmilk wishes Connor McDavid could be tethered to him for the three weeks they’re away.

Finally, we wrapped up the Friday episode of ONR with another round of Ask the Idiots, betting talk for our friends at bet365, and Hot and Cold Performers to look back on the week that was. With the 2025-26 season past the midway points, the guys spent the bulk of the podcast moving through a range of topics, some related to the Oilers and others not, but that’s the way things go on the Friday episode of ONR.

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/oilersnation-radio-did-the-oilers-treat-calvin-pickard-unfairly

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Draisaitl’s Germany suffers setback in 4-3 loss to Latvia: Recap, Reaction, and Highlights

Team Germany suffered a setback to their 2026 Olympic campaign in the early hours of Saturday morning.

After picking up a 3-1 victory over Team Denmark on Thursday, the Germans fell 4-3 to Team Latvia on Saturday morning, albeit it didn’t hurt their chances of outright winning Group C, but more on that in the takeaways.

On Thursday, Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring just 23 seconds into the game and later picked up an assist on the third goal. Late in the game, Draisaitl got on the board with an assist as Tim Stützle was able to score with the netminder pulled, Draisaitl’s third point of the tournament and Stützle’s third goal.

The game started off quite well for Team Germany, as Lukas Reichel opened the scoring just two minutes into the game. Former Edmonton Oiler Dominik Kahun picked up an assist, as did Lukas Kalble. With about four minutes left in the first period, Dans Ločmelis tied the game at one for Team Latvia.

It didn’t take long for Team Germany to restore that lead, as Kalble scored just a minute and eight second later, with Draisaitl’s childhood friend Frederik Tiffels picking up an assist on that goal. Ločmelis scored the game-tying goal midway through the second period, then Eduards Tralmaks and Renārs Krastenbergs scored about three minutes apart midway through the third period.

Team Germany scored late in the third period to cut the lead to one, but were unable to find the game-tying goal despite numerous chances to do so, as Draisaitl lost two key faceoffs in the final minute of the game.

Takeaways…​

• Like with the game against Team Denmark on Thursday, Leon Draisaitl was arguably the best player on the ice. Although he was unable to find twine, he finished with a game-high 10 shots, over a third of Team Germany’s total shots. He also had numerous scoring opportunities, often missing the net on those chances.
• It was a very Edmonton-like game for Draisaitl, as he had 28:30 minutes of ice time, the most for any player on either team. Toward the end of the game, Team Germany loaded up with Stützle, J.J. Peterka, and Moritz Seider in an attempt to tie the game.
• Former Oiler Dominik Kahun picked up an assist in his 14 and a half minutes of ice time. The other former Oiler, Tobias Reider, played just eight minutes and took a penalty, finishing with two shots on goal.
• Current Oiler Josh Samanski played over 20 minutes of ice time, finishing with a shot on goal. Shortly before Team Latvia scored to make it 3-2 in the third period, Team Germany had a power play, with Samanski having the best opportunity on that man-advantage.
• Tough game for Philipp Grubauer between the pipes, as he allowed four goals on 22 shots for an .818 save percentage, a far cry from his performance on Thursday against Team Denmark.
• Winning Group C was always going to require Team Germany to defeat Team USA. That doesn’t change with the loss, because assuming that Team USA beats Team Denmark on Saturday, they’ll have six points to Germany’s three. If Germany wins that game in regulation, they’ll have the head-to-head tiebreaker over Team USA.
• In this hypothetical, things get a bit more confusing if Team Latvia also beats team Denmark, as all three teams will have finished with six points. Since the first tiebreaker with three teams is the points obtained in head-to-head games (all teams would have three points against one another), it’d come down to goal differential.
• That isn’t much of a concern at this point, because Team Germany needs to defeat Team USA before this is even a concern. That game is on Sunday at 1:10 PM MT on Sunday, the final game of the group stage for any team in the Olympics.

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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 DAILY FACEOFF’S OLYMPIC COVERAGE​

Catch Every Goal from the 2026 Milan Games! The 2026 Milan Games are almost here, and the world’s best men’s and women’s hockey players are ready to battle for gold! The Nation Network is bringing you every game, every jaw-dropping save, and all the drama with live reaction streams and full recaps. Don’t miss a moment of Olympic hockey action—men’s, women’s, and everything in between—on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel. Subscribe now and stay on top of every play!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/leon-...latvia-olympics-recap-reaction-and-highlights

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

OGDB 3.0: Canada goes into their last tune-up game against France (8:40AM MT, CBC)

Alarm clocks are going off across the country, Baileys is falling into coffees before the sun is fully up, and I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love it. Team Canada is back on the ice for Game 3 of the group stage against France, and while the boys have already locked up first place in Group A, there’s still work to be done. Olympic hockey mornings hit different, and I’m fired up about this one, even though I’m posting the preview on the site the night before the game.

With Friday’s 5-1 win over Switzerland and a 5-0 dismantling of Czechia the game before, Canada sits on six points and a tidy plus-nine goal differential through their first two matchups. Because they hold the head-to-head tiebreakers over both Switzerland and Czechia, there’s no scenario where they lose top spot in Group A, even if something weird happens on Sunday morning. The quarterfinal ticket has already been punched.

But don’t confuse clinched with the job being done.

Head coach Jon Cooper’s group will absolutely want to keep stacking regulation wins and scoring goals to lock in the best possible seeding for the knockout round. That matters. You don’t want to dominate the group stage only to hand yourself a tougher matchup in the elimination round because you took your foot off the gas against a team like France. This game still matters, even if the math is already sorted. While it’s no surprise to say we’re all expecting a win, there’s plenty of opportunity to still improve on some of the small details as Team Canada gears up for what’s next.

So far, Canada has looked every bit like the tournament favourite. The “depth” has scored some big goals. The power play has hummed. The goaltending has been calm and steady, with Jordan Binnington posting a shutout against Czechia and Logan Thompson turning aside 24 of 25 against Switzerland. And then there’s Connor McDavid, who is tied for the tournament points lead with six points after another casual goal-and-two-assist performance against the Swiss. Watching No. 97 do this in a Team Canada jersey has made the wait feel worth it, and watching the gold-fuelled fire in his eyes has been so much fun.

France, meanwhile, is 0-2 and very much the underdog in every possible way. They’re the 14th-ranked team in the IIHF, headed to Division IA at the World Championship this coming spring, and their roster simply doesn’t stack up to Canada’s. I’m not trying to be disrespectful, I’m just telling it like it is. Alexandre Texier is their lone NHL forward, and veterans like Stephane Da Costa and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare get leaned on heavily, which kinda tells you everything you need to know. They’ve got size on the back end, they’ll block shots, and their goaltenders are used to facing 40+ shots a night, but if Canada plays its game, this should tilt quickly.

That said, this isn’t a scrimmage.

You don’t build gold medal habits by sleepwalking through “scheduled wins.” France will play hard, they’ll be proud, and they’ll do everything they can to minimize the damage we’re all expecting to see. They’ll try to clog the neutral zone. They’ll try to frustrate and hang around. Canada’s job is to crush those hopes early. No lazy turnovers. No playing down to their opponent. No “we’ll flip the switch later” nonsense. Build a lead. Sharpen the details. Make sure that when the quarterfinals hit, you’re already operating at full throttle. Use this game against France as the next step down the path to gold.

But at the end of the day, let’s call this what it is: Sunday’s game should be an ass kicking. The roster gap is obvious. The skill gap is obvious. But the point of today’s game isn’t just to win, it’s to work on the details of their game as they head into the elimination rounds, while sending a message and keeping the machine running smoothly. Another dominant performance pushes the goal differential higher, locks in strong habits, and lets the rest of the tournament know exactly what’s coming.

And honestly, there’s something special about the whole country waking up early to watch this group truck through another opponent. There’s pride in it. There’s excitement in it. There’s nothing better than seeing McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, and the rest of this squad flying around in red and white while the rest of the world tries to keep up. This is an all-star-calibre hockey team playing for their country, and I cannot wait to drag myself out of bed to watch this thing go down. Am I expecting a blowout? Yes. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

So set the alarm, pour some Bailey’s in your coffee, and wrap yourself in the flag because this game against France is the last tune-up the boys will get before the intensity starts ramping up. This is a scheduled win. It just is. But let’s go watch Canada do Canada things and keep this train rolling into the knockout round.

LINE COMBINATIONS​

Team Canada​

Celebrini – McDavid – Wilson (???)
Hagel – MacKinnon – Suzuki
Marner – Crosby – Stone
Jarvis – Horvat – Reinhart

Toews – Makar
Theodore – Parayko
Harley – Doughty

Binnington

I’m interested to see what Jon Cooper does with Tom Wilson. Wilson looked like he tweaked something a little bit against Switzerland and ended up being replaced by Nathan MacKinnon for a few very productive shifts down the stretch. I wonder if the super-trio of Celebrini, McDavid, and MacKinnon is something he’d want to try out a few more times before the games start mattering for real.

Team France​

Da Costa – Bellemare – Fabre
Texier – Boudon – Dair
Rech – Ritz – Bertrand
Douay – Addamo – Treille

Auvitu – Guebey
Boscq – Gallet
Chakiachvili – Cantagallo

Neckar

With one active and a couple of former NHLers on the roster, Team France is going to be in tough against a Canadian squad that’s littered with future Hall of Famers. If anything, I just hope these boys go out there and have a good time. Maybe ask for Crosby’s autograph after the game or something, you know?

WHERE TO WATCH​

Canada vs. France goes live at 8:40 a.m. MST from the Milano Santagiulia Arena in Milan, Italy, with pre-game coverage kicking off about 10 minutes before puck drop. You can catch the game on CBC, Sportsnet One, TSN 1, or stream it on CBC Gem, Sportsnet+, or TSN. If you’ve got cable through Bell or Rogers, you’re covered.

TONIGHT​

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 12, 2026; Milan, Italy; Nathan Mackinnon of Canada scores their fourth goal past Lukas Dostal of Czechia in a men’s ice hockey Group A match during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mike Segar/Reuters via Imagn Images
Game Day Prediction: This is going to be a 10-1 blowout. It’s coming. It’s happening.

Obvious Game Day Prediction: Connor McDavid picks up a third consecutive three-point game.

Not-So-Obvious Game Day Prediction: Yohann Auvitu goal as a shout out to the Decade of Darkness!

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/olymp...tune-up-game-against-team-france-840am-mt-cbc

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Should Josh Samanski get a bigger opportunity in the NHL with the Oilers?

As the 2026 Winter Olympics continue in Italy, Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are making their long‑awaited Olympic debuts. But, a third Oiler has joined them at these Games: NHL rookie Josh Samanski.

The undrafted 23‑year‑old forward has had a rather unique journey, one that has now carried him onto hockey’s biggest stages in the NHL and the Olympics. Born in Erding, Germany, Samanski dominated the German U16 ranks as a young player, producing a whopping 106 points in 36 games with the Jungadler Mannheim U16 team in 2017-18. He would then arrive in North America, spending one season with the Brantford 99ers of the OJHL in 2018-19, and then one season with the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL in 2019-20. But following this junior stint in Ontario, Samanski returned to Germany, proceeding to play four consecutive seasons with the Straubing Tigers of the DEL, Germany’s top league. In particular, he had an excellent campaign in the 2024-25 season in which he recorded 40 points in 52 games. Then, in April of 2025, the Edmonton Oilers signed him to a two‑year, $1.95M contract.

Samanski has spent the majority of the 2025-26 season with the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL, producing 28 points in 39 games and playing strong two-way hockey. His performance helped earn him an NHL recall on January 26, 2026, bringing him up to the Oilers ahead of the Olympic break. He appeared in five NHL games before the pause, and is now in Milan, representing Team Germany at the Winter Games alongside Draisaitl.

However, it is unclear if Samanski will have a regular role with Edmonton after the Olympics. He was sent back down to Bakersfield following Edmonton’s most recent game, but although this is likely just a paper transaction, there is no guarantee he will be recalled to the NHL. Considering that he only averaged 9 minutes in the five NHL games he played, he hasn’t exactly earned the coaching staff’s full trust yet.

So, what should the Oilers do here? Should Samanski remain in Bakersfield, or does he deserve a greater opportunity with Edmonton?

Now, before we attempt to answer this question, let us briefly discuss the performance of Edmonton’s bottom-six thus far this season, which has… not been good.

Without McDavid and Draisaitl on-ice at 5-on-5, the Oilers have been out-scored 32 to 60. That equates to a 35 percent goal share, the absolute worst it has ever been in the McDavid and Draisaitl era. It has even somehow managed to rank below the teams during the Peter Chiarelli era.

There have been multiple bottom-six forwards who have greatly disappointed this season. Most notably, Trent Frederic has had a disastrous season to date, recording a mere 3 points in 55 games, with his underlying numbers not ranking any better. After Frederic, Mattias Janmark ranks second-last among the team’s forwards in 5-on-5 goal share, with the Oilers being out-scored 8 to 18 with him on-ice, a 31 percent goal share. Adam Henrique is at a similar spot with a 32 percent goal share.

Now, what about Samanski?

Through five NHL games thus far, Samanski has recorded 2 points, a 57 percent goal share (4 goals for, 3 goals against), and a 59 percent faceoff win percentage. His advanced underlying numbers are even better, as his expected goal share is 59 percent and his shot share is a fantastic 68 percent, the latter of which means that the Oilers have controlled over two-thirds of the 5-on-5 shots with Samanski on-ice. By eye, he has skated and forechecked well.

Of course, five games is a tiny sample, far too small to draw firm conclusions. But that being said, it’s absolutely worth noting that Samanski also had a 56 percent goal share at even-strength in Bakersfield (per Allan Mitchell / Lowetide).

Furthermore, despite not playing for Bakersfield in several weeks, he still sits tied for first on the Condors with 22 even‑strength points per AHL Tracker. In fact, at the time of his NHL recall, he actually ranked sixth in the entire AHL in five‑on‑five scoring (per Bruce Curlock on January 26). He is also gaining valuable experience in the Olympics, skating on Draisaitl’s wing and averaging over 20 minutes after two games.

All things considered, if the question is why the Oilers should give Samanski a bigger role, my answer is simple: why not?

To this point, Samanski has done everything asked of him. He has produced in the DEL, he has been an even better 5-on-5 producer at the AHL level, and he has driven play in limited minutes in the NHL thus far. Alongside his production, Samanski also brings size, strong forechecking, and responsible defensive awareness, traits that can be extremely beneficial for a bottom-six group that has allowed goals against all season. This is also a player that will come back with a boost of confidence after logging huge minutes at the Olympics against some of the world’s best.

And really, what’s the harm in giving him a greater opportunity? I can’t see him performing worse than Frederic, Janmark and Henrique have at 5-on-5 this season, all of whom sit well below replacement-level in goal share. We already know what Frederic, Janmark, and Henrique are at this stage of the season, while Samanski, on the other hand, is much more an unknown, one who has shown well in limited minutes. What do you have to lose by giving him a bigger shot?

In the worst-case scenario, Samanski merely performs at the same level as the existing depth options, which leaves the Oilers no worse off and gives them useful information they didn’t have before.

In the best‑case scenario, they discover that they have a legitimately effective 23-year-old depth forward at the NHL level, one that can provide value on both sides of the puck. Perhaps there is even a chance he could be the reliable 3C that Edmonton’s third-line desperately needs.

All-in-all, Samanski has performed well in the minutes that he has played thus far, and there is virtually zero downside to giving him a bigger opportunity before the playoffs to see what he can truly do. We’ll see in less than two weeks if the coaching staff will agree.

*All data via Natural Stat Trick and Elite Prospects unless stated otherwise

Find me on Twitter (@NHL_Sid)

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/team-germany-josh-samanski-bigger-opportunity-nhl-with-edmonton-oilers

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Letters to the Editor: ‘Jarry isn’t nearly as good as Skinner’

It’s time to dig into this week’s Letters to the Editor. Want to join in the fun? Details about how to reach out are at the bottom of the article.

Fix the blueline​

You don’t have to be very smart to see the Oilers issues have been with their defence all year.

The new goalie Tristian Jarry isn’t nearly as good as Skinner. He looks awkward. Five players can’t win every game, so whoever the defence and goalie coach is may need to be replaced with a better coach. Forget about the wingers, work on your defence. That’s what tin games.

We got good scorers, but why can’t the Oilers staff see this when fans can see it’s a weak defence? Not one of these defencemen skate very fast, and other teams skate around them very easy. They have no hitting and just trying to get their sticks on pucks. Sad.

Doug Young

(There are lots of elements of Edmonton’s game that needs to be improved.)

Fire them all!​

I have been a fan of the Oilers for 50 years. I was born in Alberta but now live in Ontario.

The Oilers drafted the best modern player 10 years ago, Connor McDavid, and since have had very poor management, drafting and coaching, leading to 10 years of frustration. By now, with the players they have, they should have won at least two cups. McDavid should’ve had two cups.

The most glaring mistake made by management is not drafting a top-end goaltender. The final game of the last two Cup finals saw the Oilers give up eight goals. How could you give up eight goals?

The coaching this year has been awful. Once the Olympic break is over, the Oilers need to fire all the coaches and bring in a group of true professionals.

Roman Caruk

(Now’s not the time to $FireTheMall.)

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

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...r-tristan-jarry-stuart-skinner-coaching-staff

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Olympic Notebook: Playoff round set as Canada clinches top spot in men’s tournament

Team Canada’s men’s hockey team took care of business at the Olympics on Sunday, hammering France 10-2 to secure top spot in the tournament standings and a bye to the quarterfinals.

Canada wrapped up group stage play with a perfect 3-0 record, defeating France, Switzerland, and Czechia by a combined score of 20-3.

Connor McDavid leads the tournament with nine points in three games in his Olympic debut, while Sidney Crosby passed Jarome Iginla for the most Olympic points by a Canadian NHL player in his third appearance at the Games. Macklin Celebrini also made history, becoming the youngest player ever to score on a penalty shot at the Olympics at 19 years old.

HISTORY!! Captain wanted to join in on the fun and set a record in the process

Crosby is now the Canadian NHLer with the most points at the Olympics pic.twitter.com/7tVLYZXs0Z

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 15, 2026

Canada will now await the winner of Tuesday’s qualification-round matchup between Czechia and Denmark. Czechia finished third in Group A after a 5-0 loss to Canada, an overtime loss to Switzerland, and a win over France. Denmark placed third in Group C, beating Latvia while falling to the United States and Germany.

USA in second place after win over Germany​

The United States also swept its group with three wins in three games but finished second overall behind Canada due to goal differential.

After Canada’s dominant win over France, the U.S. needed a double-digit victory over Germany to match Canada’s differential. Instead, they cruised to a 5-1 win, clinching top spot in Group C and second place in the overall standings.

Auston Matthews leads Team USA with three goals and five points in three games. Matthew Tkachuk has five assists, Quinn Hughes has four points from the blue line, and Connor Hellebuyck has stopped 40 of 42 shots in his two starts for a .952 save percentage.

The U.S. will face the winner of Tuesday’s qualification-round game between Sweden and Latvia in the quarterfinals. Germany will take on France, with the winner advancing to face Slovakia.

Slovakia wins three-way tie at the top of Group B​

Group B delivered the tournament’s most dramatic finish, with Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden all posting identical 2-0-1 records.

Slovakia opened with a win over Finland, Finland responded by defeating Sweden, and Sweden closed the circle by beating Slovakia. All three handled Italy, forcing the tiebreaker down to goal differential in games between the tied teams. Thanks to a late goal in their loss to Sweden, Slovakia narrowly claimed top spot.

SWEDEN WINS, BUT A LAST-MINUTE GOAL BY SLOVAKIA JUST WON THEM THE GROUP pic.twitter.com/amvb8r5PKG

— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) February 14, 2026

Finland also earned a bye as the top second-place team in the tournament and will face the winner of Switzerland versus Italy in the quarterfinals.

Canada seeking rematch with USA in women’s hockey​

On the women’s side, the headline moment of the tournament remains the United States’ 5-0 dismantling of defending gold medalist Canada during group play.

The Americans finished 4-0 with a dominant 20-1 goal differential to claim top spot in the standings. Both teams advanced comfortably through the quarterfinals and now move on to Monday’s semifinals, with Canada facing Switzerland and the United States taking on Sweden.

If both favorites advance, the tournament will deliver the rematch everyone expected, and one that now carries even more edge given how the U.S. has dominated the head-to-head lately.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/olympic-notebook-canada-clinch-top-spot-tournament-playoff-round-set