News Oilers Team Notes

[Edmonton Oilers]

The path to home-ice gets harder, can’t win if you can’t score, and Trent Frederic makes Oilers debut

Saturday’s matinee against the Los Angeles Kings was arguably the biggest game the Edmonton Oilers have had on their schedule recently, and the result was going to be a big step toward securing home-ice advantage for their inevitable playoff matchup in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, the Oilers’ road to home-ice advantage took a blow after they fell 3-0 to the Kings in the third round of their season series.

HOME-ICE JUST GOT TOUGHER​

Down bodies or not, losing Saturday’s game to the Kings makes the Oilers’ path to home-ice advantage in the playoffs another step harder. Having L.A. win in regulation puts them four points up in the Pacific Division, and that’s a healthy gap with only six games left to play. It would take a run of wins by Edmonton — they have Anaheim, St. Louis, San Jose, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, and San Jose again left on the schedule — and more than a few losses by the Kings to get the job done. That seems like a lot, considering how banged up the Oilers are, and there’s no way people will be playing at 100% even when they do come back.

The good news is that the Oilers are 6-2 against the Kings at Crypto.com Arena in the playoffs, and while there’s no doubt that their sparkling home record will be a significant story, it’s also a much different game in the playoffs. I’m not suggesting the regular season doesn’t matter — I want Edmonton to have the home-ice advantage as much as the next guy — but I am saying that the home vs. away records can go sideways in a hurry when the post-season rolls around. Then again, maybe that’s me coping in response to the tough road ahead if the boys are going to make another run.

TOUGH TO WIN WHEN YOU CAN’T SCORE​

Calvin Pickard continued his run as the Oilers’ interim starter, delivering another strong performance against a Kings team that tested him with all kinds of quality shots and chances. Yes, I know he was also bailed out by a coach’s challenge on a goal by Jeff Malot that he would have wanted back, but he also gave his teammates a chance to stay in the fight against a team they’re chasing in the standings. There’s no way I’m hanging a loss on Pickard when he put down a .929 save percentage on 28 shots on goal when the skaters in front of him couldn’t even get one. Darcy Kuemper was rock solid for the Kings, but I also don’t think this shutout was the hardest he’s ever earned, either.

This was the first time the Oilers had been shut out since December 3rd when they lost 1-0 in Vegas, and it’s not ideal that no one was able to get even a single puck past Kuemper, given the magnitude of the situation. I think the Oilers played pretty well for the most part, but they just couldn’t generate enough secondary chances that put the Kings or goalie in a difficult position. They had a lot of shots coming from the outside of the ice, and when I looked at the heat map over at Natural Stat Trick, what stuck out was that the Oilers need to do a better job of getting pucks to the middle of the ice. Regardless, it’s impossible to win without goals on the board, and we’ll need a quick rebound when the boys square off against Anaheim on Monday.

HELLO, TRENT FREDERIC​

Oilers fans had to wait over a month for their first look at Trent Frederic in an Oilers jersey after the trade that brought him in from Boston, and a lot of us were excited to see what he could bring to the table. So, it is incredibly disappointing that he could only make it through six seconds of his first shift before leaving the ice again. Frederic threw a hit on Brandt Clarke along the boards and skated immediately to the Oilers’ bench to speak to Head Athletic Trainer T.D. Forss. The good news is that he would come back to finish the game, but it looked hairy early on, and there is still cause for concern now that the game is over.

Once Frederic was back in a rhythm and taking regular shifts again, he came precisely as advertised, and it was a lot of fun to watch. It seemed like he was mixing it up with someone on the Kings every time he was on the ice, and it’s not that I’ve been counting, but he may have arguably caused more scrums in one game than the rest of his teammates combined. Frankly, I love how he plays hockey. The concern, of course, is how his body will respond after playing limited shifts in his first game since late February. It didn’t take a doctor to see that he was labouring through the 7:10 minutes he played or that he only had two shifts in the third period, so we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed that his ankle/whatever can hold up.

OTHER THINGS WORTH MENTIONING​

Warren Foegele tackled Evan Bouchard and Evan Bouchard got a penalty pic.twitter.com/ymYO5lQzYn

— Adam (@OilersAdam) April 5, 2025

1. The more I watch Jake Walman play, the more I enjoy the things he can do with the puck on his stick. I’m the first to admit I didn’t know much about him outside of the fact that he hit the Griddy after a game-winner in Detroit, and it’s been a pleasant surprise to see how effective he is at moving the puck. Not only that, the guy blocks shots like he’s paying tribute to Kris Russell, and I love seeing the way he’s putting himself in shooting lanes to try and bail the goalies out.

2. Congrats to Ty Emberson on playing in his 100th NHL game.

3. Were you surprised Jeff Malot scored his first NHL goal against the Oilers? You weren’t, were you? Good thing Kris Knoblauch was able to ruin the kid’s afternoon with a successful coach’s challenge to negate the goal for being offside, bringing the Oilers’ record vs. the curse to 1-200,000. Rough count, of course.

4. I’m calling bullshit that the Oilers got only a single power play chance while the Kings got four. Take the phantom interference call on Bouchard as an example. Warren Foegele pulled Bouchard down from behind, but Dad got the penalty on the play? It’s ridiculous.

5. At least Warren Foegele didn’t score?

6. I even love faceoffs in the daylight hours, and I can’t even give a silver lining point to the Oilers because they only won 48.2% of the draws.

NATIONGEAR AND MOBILIZE​

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/home-ice-gets-harder-cant-score-trent-frederic-edmonton-oilers-debut

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Who should the Oilers use as Darnell Nurse’s regular defensive partner?

Several aspects of the Edmonton Oilers’ roster could use significant improvement, but when healthy, the team’s backend isn’t one of them. The acquisition of Jake Walman ahead of this year’s trade deadline has solidified Edmonton’s defensive core among the best in the league, and now, with the playoffs rapidly approaching, the main question facing head coach Kris Knoblauch and defence coach Paul Coffey is how to best deploy them.

Mattias Ekholm, Brett Kulak, and Jake Walman are all left-handed defencemen, but each of them has experience of varying degrees playing the right side. This grants the Oilers a variety of different options when it comes to deploying their defensive core, particularly in regards to who should play with Nurse.

For me, the Nurse pairing is a very important topic. In the 2024 playoffs, the Oilers out-scored opponents 22 to 12 with their top-pairing of Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard on-ice at 5-on-5, equating to an outstanding 65 percent goal differential. I believe the biggest difference between the 2024 Oilers and prior teams was the fact that they (finally) had an elite defensive pairing, and they were a vital reason as to why the team was a mere two goals away from winning it all.

However, without that pairing on-ice, the Oilers were out-scored 22 to 35, an ugly 39 percent goal differential. The Oilers as a team struggled so much without their top-pairing that even Connor McDavid held an awful 40 percent expected goal differential with the other two pairs.

The main culprit for these struggles seemed to be the Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci pair, who were out-scored 5-to-12 and boasted a horrific 35 percent expected goal differential. But even though Nurse improved away from Ceci, Nurse still held a disappointing 47 percent expected goal differential, with the Oilers being out-scored 9-to-13 in those minutes. There’s a compelling argument to be made that, if the Oilers had even just a league-average second pair, they could have handedly defeated the Florida Panthers in the cup finals, maybe even in less than seven games.

Now, to his credit, Nurse has improved his play significantly this season, with EvolvingHockey’s RAPM model rating his impact on possession and scoring chances nearly as strong as Bouchard’s this season. The departure of Ceci has undoubtedly played a big role, but Nurse does deserve credit for genuine individual improvement.

The Oilers’ deployment of the second-pair has varied this season. So, which deployment strategy is best to maximize Nurse’s play and ensure this consistently continues?

Firstly, here is a glance at Nurse’s results with each and every one of Edmonton’s current defencemen this season:

Edmonton’s most commonly run deployment strategy with regards to the second pair, particularly in the first half of the season, has been rotating Troy Stecher and Brett Kulak at 2RD depending on the situation. In this strategy, when Nurse is on-ice with Edmonton’s star centres and/or is up against top competition, Kulak has been Nurse’s primary partner, whereas Nurse and Stecher have mainly eaten up minutes against lower competition.

This strategy has generally worked quite well. Nurse and Kulak’s goal differential is lacklustre, but it’s primarily the result of an unsustainably low on-ice shooting percentage in those minutes; their 58 percent expected goal differential is a strong indicator of long-term success. Knoblauch/Coffey haven’t really utilized this strategy as frequently since the Four Nations break, and the Nurse – Stecher pairing has received regular minutes, but this still remains a very strong choice.

Nurse – Walman is also a strong candidate, and it’s certainly worth noting that their early results in a limited sample are outstanding. In just under 100 minutes together, the Oilers are up 7 to 2, with a 62 percent expected goal differential.

However, in my opinion, the two most important attributes of a potential partner for Nurse are strong entry defending and efficient breakout passing. Nurse is a weak entry defender, and historically, Nurse’s best results have come next to defensive partners that can move the puck. Walman checks the box for the latter, but not the former. Per AllThreeZones, Walman may have some strengths at defending in-zone, namely retrieving loose pucks under pressure and moving them out, but he struggles at defending the blueline. This strongly contrasts Kulak, who isn’t great at retrievals, but excels at rush defending.

Thus, it creates a significant question mark as to whether or not Nurse – Walman’s results would hold up, particularly in a larger sample in the playoffs. In terms of moving the puck up the ice, this is likely their best option, but their potential struggles at defending the rush together is a concern, especially for the postseason where rush teams dominate.

Now, Nurse – Bouchard is intriguing. Aside from a few games here and there over the years, the last time Nurse and Bouchard spent an extended stretch of time together as a true full-time pairing was 2021-22, i.e. Bouchard’s first season. In 524 minutes together that year, they boasted an excellent 57 xG%, though their goal differential was low due to some poor puck luck (0.963). But those results, alongside their strong results in a limited sample this season, could indicate that this pairing has potential.

However, the main problem with Nurse – Bouchard is that both defencemen are prone to making glaring errors at times. I would have concerns about that duo in their own zone in the playoffs. Not to mention, it is difficult to want to split up the chemistry of Ekholm and Bouchard. This is still an option highly worth considering, but perhaps it isn’t their best one.

Nurse – Ekholm is also an interesting option. Defensively, Ekholm could be heavily beneficial for Nurse, and their numbers in limited minutes are quite good. But, this potential option would depend on the success of the other pairings. Thus far, the Walman – Bouchard pair’s results have been mediocre, and thus, to create a truly well-rounded top-four, it might just be best for Ekholm and Bouchard to stick together.

Finally, neither Nurse – Emberson nor Nurse – Klingberg should be options. Emberson has generally done well in a 3RD role, and has especially been a valuable contributor on the penalty-kill, but he’s not fit to be the 2RD on this team. Additionally, though they didn’t play significant minutes together, Nurse – Klingberg’s results as a pair were absolutely dreadful, and Klingberg certainly isn’t fit to be a top-four defenceman on a cup contender at this stage of his career.

All things considered, in my opinion, the most optimal option here would be to rotate Kulak and Walman at 2RD depending on the situation. Nurse – Kulak should obtain more minutes together when the Oilers need to protect a lead, whereas Nurse – Walman could be perfect if the Oilers are in need of a goal. But, the Oilers have multiple different options here, and each has its various pros and cons

As we approach the playoffs, there are several concerns about this Oilers team, such as their goaltending and depth scoring. But, if the Oilers can find the most optimal strategy to deploy the Darnell Nurse pair, it would give them a huge edge in comparison to the team last season.

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*All stats via Natural Stat Trick unless stated otherwise

Find me on Twitter (@NHL_Sid)

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/who-should-oilers-use-as-darnell-nurse-partner

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

The Day After 76.0: Despite limited ice-time and injury scare, Trent Frederic arrives as promised for Oilers

As quickly as he arrived, it appeared he was gone.

Just six seconds into Trent Frederic’s first game with the Edmonton Oilers, fans and pundits alike all held their collective breath as it appeared he was already hurt after trying to show off one of his best tools: his physicality. After all, he’s been out since late February healing from an ankle injury.

A reaggravation, perhaps?

“There was a little revaluation, just finding out how he’s feeling,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch after the team’s 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings Saturday.”And then he continued to play after that.”

Collective exhale.

Fans of the team have been itching to see what he could bring to the table for the team after the Oilers acquired him days before the NHL trade deadline in a complicated three-way trade where the team parted with a pair of prospects, Shane Lachance and Max Wanner, and a pair of picks. A physical edge, some offence, a way to get under the opponents skin and the ability to drop the mitts were all appetizing and what the team was in need of.

Frederic’s debut wasn’t a long one, playing just 7:10 in the game, but he made his presence felt, taking two shots, laying a pair of hits and getting into the crease of Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper.

“I thought he played really well,” said Knoblauch. “Obviously, his minutes were a little lower tonight, but when he was on the ice, I loved his game. I liked what he gives us: a little presence around the net, some feistyness.

“He was able to make some nice plays on the breakout but it will be nice when (he has) a few games under his belt, he’ll be a lot more comfortable with our team. He’ll be a welcome addition for our team.”

There’s no doubt the Oilers felt the loss of Leon Draisaitl from the lineup, joining the likes of Connor McDavid, Mattias Ekholm, Stuart Skinner and Evander Kane as impact players for the team who are shelved with a variety of injuries.

Los Angeles didn’t throw anything the Oilers haven’t seen at them, Knoblauch would add.

“That team is almost identical,” he said. “They changed their neutral zone a little bit, but it’s almost the exact same, just the pieces moved around a little bit. It’s the same format.”

The Oilers schedule continues on Monday night when they pay visit to the Anaheim Ducks, before returning home to host the St. Louis Blues Wednesday and the San Jose Sharks on Friday night.

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

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/limit...-frederic-arrives-as-promised-edmonton-oilers

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky’s goal scoring record

A National Hockey League record many thought would stand the test of time has fallen 11,337 days after it was broken.

Alexander Ovechkin has now become the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer, scoring his 895th goal Sunday against the New York Islanders, passing Wayne Gretzky’s mark which he tied Saturday with a two-goal game against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Great 8 did so in a fitting fashion, with his marker coming from his office on the power play, assisted by Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome.

The celebration was swift, with Ovechkin sprinting towards centre ice and diving onto his belly only to be mobbed by his Capitals teammates in front of the Long Island crowd. In an ensuing ceremony with Gretzky and commissioner Gary Bettman on hand, Ovechkin was presented with a painting to honour his achievement, while Gretzky’s wife, Janet, presented Ovechkin and his family with a gift, just how Gordie Howe’s wife Colleen did when Gretzky broke his record.

"THERE IS A NEW GOAL-SCORING CHAMPION AND HIS NAME IS ALEXANDER OVECHKIN."@JohnWaltonPxP's call of 895 is a beauty. #Gr8ness pic.twitter.com/oaahNS8pJE

— x – Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 6, 2025

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Apr 6, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) scores a goal in the 2nd period against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. The goal is the 895th of Ovechkin’s career, breaking the NHL all-time career goals record previously held by Wayne Gretzky.at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Apr 6, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Former Canadian-American ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky (middle) and Commissioner of the NHL Gary Bettman congratulates Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) after scoring a goal in the 2nd period against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. The goal is the 895th of Ovechkin’s career, breaking the NHL all-time career goals record previously held by Wayne Gretzky.at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Mar. 23, 1994; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Kings Wayne Gretzky sets NHL goal scoring mark. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY NETWORK

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Gretzky’s goal to pass Howe and Ovechkin’s to pass Gretzky were similar. Both on the power play, both in the second period and from the left side of the ice. What’s most interesting, however, was who had the primary assist. Tough guy Tom Wilson set up Ovechkin, while Marty McSorley was the one to set up Gretzky’s, whose came at the 14:47 mark. Ovechkin’s, meanwhile, came three second short of being half the amount of time elapsed in the period, at the 7:26 mark.

Now, he has his sights set on becoming the only player to score 900 regular season goals in NHL history, and while he’s closer to retirement than not, he has another year left on his current contract with the Captials, meaning more opportunity to continue to add to the record.

It remains to be seen if anyone will ever catch Ovechkin’s goal-scoring record. One player who may have the best shot, though, is Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews, who sits at 398 goals through his first 623 NHL games. Ovechkin had seven fewer goals, 391, through his first 623 games, while Matthews has .64 goals per game compared to the .6 goals per game Ovi has today.

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

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/alex-ovechkin-breaks-wayne-gretzkys-goal-scoring-record

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers’ 3 Stars of the Week: Pickard makes Picasso-like saves late in back-to-back games

The Edmonton Oilers went 2-1-0 last week, which included a huge win over their Pacific Division rivals, the Vegas Golden Knights. The week also saw them lose the NHL’s only 50-goal scorer, Leon Draisaitl, to injury in the game against the San Jose Sharks, and Trent Frederic made his long-awaited debut in the loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

This week’s Oilers’ 3 Stars features a netminder making his long-overdue debut on the list, accompanied by two returning players who have earned their way back onto it.

Oilers’ 3rd Star: Viktor Arvidsson​

Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 2 G – 0 A – 2 Pts
Season Stats – 61 GP – 13 G – 12 A – 25 Pts

Viktor Arvidsson scored two goals last week, earning him the Oilers’ Third Star of the Week. In the Oilers’ latest game against the Kings, Edmonton was kept off the scoreboard by Los Angeles’ stingy defence, but the Swede led all forwards with four shots on net in the matinee matchup. That said, the 31-year-old kicked off the week with a big goal against the Vegas Golden Knights on April 1st.

Viktor Arvidsson puts the Oilers up 3-1!

: Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/orJ32RisPw

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 2, 2025

In the second period against Vegas, Arvidsson tucked a tally past Adin Hill, which stood as the game-winning goal. I was in attendance with the Nation Vacation at T-Mobile Arena, and we got to cheer loudly twice—first when the puck initially crossed the line, and then again after the review for goalie interference went the Oilers’ way and the goal was confirmed. Also, I’ll throw in a little plug here: it was my first time on the Nation Vacation and it was absolutely electric. If you’ve never gone and are thinking of it in the future, GO!

Additionally, in the next game against the Sharks, before Draisaitl left with an injury, the centerman fed Arvidsson in the slot on the power play, and he rifled a one-timer home with a blistering shot—and topped it off with an even better fist pump celly.

Photo source: Sportsnet

Just touching on that particular tally, Arvidsson’s shot from the bumper spot on the Oilers’ power play makes me wonder if that play could become somewhat of a staple on the PP—he generated so much torque and it was so lethal. Moreover, if they ran that play and teams started to catch on and cover him, perhaps he could fake the shot and slide it back to Draisaitl for his one-timer. It could be something worth exploring more, even when the full lineup is back from their injuries.

Overall, Arvidsson has scored five goals in his last 10 games. This is his best stretch of the season so far, and he’s stepped up with all the injuries recently. He’s heating up at just the right moment, and the bonus is that he’s doing it alongside not just Draisaitl as his centerman but also Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, giving the team valuable flexibility for the postseason.

Oilers’ 2nd Star: Evan Bouchard​

Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 0 G – 4 A – 4 Pts
Season Stats – 76 GP – 13 G – 49 A – 62 Pts

Oilers’ defenceman Evan Bouchard led the team in points over the three games last week, recording four assists and, earning the Oilers’ Second Star of the Week.

In the 3-2 win over the Golden Knights, he recorded two secondary assists while quarterbacking the puck at the blue line and played 23:46 mins, the second highest among Oilers, behind only Darnell Nurse.

Unfortunately, two nights later, he got caught puck-watching on the Sharks’ second goal, but his quick wrist shot from the point, tipped by Jeff Skinner in the second period to become the game-winner, was the turning point in the game, and the Oilers’ blueliner finished the night with two assists.

JEFF JEFF JEFF!

Jeff Skinner brings back the lead for the Oilers!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/3mdHjW2zfP

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 4, 2025

Additionally, Bouchard led the team with seven shots on net against the Kings on April 5, while Natural Stat Trick shows he also posted a team-leading 71.43% high-danger chances for percentage, and unfortunately, despite his efforts, the puck just wouldn’t get past Darcy Kuemper though.

As an elite offensive defenceman, giveaways are inevitable when you’re trying to make plays. However, overall, Bouchard has stepped up nicely over the past five games with his usual partner, Mattias Ekholm, out of the lineup. Hopefully, this is a sign of him slowly morphing from his ‘regular season Bouchard’ form into ‘Bouchard the Playoff Beast.’

Oilers’ 1st Star: Calvin Pickard​

Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 2 W – 1 L – .923 Save Percentage
Season Stats – 33 GP 20-9-1 record – .902 Save Percentage

Since the Oilers’ 3 Stars of the Week series started, this is the first time an Oilers netminder has made the list at all—let alone claimed First Star—and it’s well deserved by Calvin Pickard, who averaged a .923 save percentage (SV%) over the three games played last week.

He stopped 20 of 22 shots against Vegas and after giving up an early one, he settled in and went into shut-down mode. The second goal came early in the third on a long-range shot through traffic, but he was dialled in the rest of the way—turning aside seven of eight in the period, including a clutch point-blank stop on Pavel Dorofeyev with 1:43 left during the 6-on-5.

Calvin Pickard makes a massive save late in the 3rd period!

: Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/rMus9r2so5

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 2, 2025

Against the Sharks, he stopped 27 of 29 on the night, which included three high-danger chances—turning aside two of them, with none bigger than the one late in the game. With under a minute left and the Sharks’ goalie pulled, Colin Graff took a cross-ice pass, and Pickard used his head in more ways than one. First, he recognized the play and pushed across laterally, and then, he literally used his head to stop the high-danger scoring chance, keeping his team ahead by one, and securing the win.

CALVIN PICKARD WHAT A SAVE!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/3no8cr5jzT

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 4, 2025

Against Los Angeles, Pickard gave his team a fighting chance, stopping 26 of 28 shots for a .928 save percentage, facing five high-danger shots and turning aside four of them.

All in all, in two out of the three games last week, Pickard made two unbelievable stops late in the game with his team holding only a one-goal lead, helping to solidify the wins. Moreover, Oilersnation’s Baggedmilk had some high praise for the Oilers’ netminder on the ‘Better Lait Than Never’ Podcast:

“If you had told me that when the Oilers signed Calvin Pickard to be the third-stringer, that he would be starting playoff games last year, which he did against Vancouver, he would be starting for the Oilers down the stretch with Skinner out, I wouldn’t have believed you. But man is it a cool story, it is a very very cool story.”

Pickard’s story is not only a cool one but also a story of resilience. He struggled to capture a starter’s role early in his career, bounced between the AHL and NHL, and was initially brought in to be the Oilers’ third-string goalie. But here he is, stepping up as a starter with Stuart Skinner out with an injury.

At 32 years old, Pickard’s story now includes his first 20-win season and a .921 SV% over the last five games. However, this tale isn’t done yet, and I’m especially looking forward to the chapter called ‘The 2024-25 Playoffs,’ as I’m curious if he might step into a larger role than originally expected.

With that in mind, given Pickard’s stellar play of late, does that make you think he should get a bigger opportunity in the playoffs?

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-3-stars-of-week-pickard-with-huges-saves

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Instant Reaction: Ducks beat Oilers behind 47-save performance from Lukáš Dostál

These are the types of games that the Edmonton Oilers have to win.

On Monday evening, the Oilers played their fourth and final game on this road trip, taking on the Anaheim Ducks and falling 3-2 to the non-playoff team. Let’s take a look at what happened in this one.

The Oilers opened the scoring with just over two minutes left in the first period. There was a scramble in front of Anaheim’s net, with Ducks’ netminder Lukáš Dostál falling on the ice. Eventually, the puck returned to the point, and Jake Walman blasted towards the net, with Adam Henrique tipping it past the young goalie for the 1-0 lead.

It's Adam Henrique's goal tipped after a blast from Jake Walman!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/EQJ32rqHxY

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 8, 2025

Just under three minutes into the second period, the Oilers’ defence broke down and Cutter Gauthier was left alone after a cross-ice pass, blasting it past Olivier Rodrigue to tie the game at one. Not sure what Max Jones was doing on this one.

Cutter Gauthier finds the back of the net, and we have a tied hockey game between the Oilers & Ducks.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/kjpK7wSsq4

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 8, 2025

Gauthier added a second goal about five minutes later, as he burned Evan Bouchard with speed, crossed the goal-mouth, and roofed it over Rodrigue’s glove on the backhand for the 2-1 lead. Good goal, awful defence from Bouchard.

Cutter Gauthier zooms past the Oilers' defence and scores his second goal of the game, giving Anaheim a 2-1 lead.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/xscnZLyAAD

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 8, 2025

With pressure on during the third period, Kasperi Kapanen turned the puck over, leading to a breakaway for the Ducks. Just five minutes into the final frame, the Ducks jumped out to a 3-1 lead as Mason McTavish made no mistake ripping it past Rodrigue’s glove.

3-1 Ducks.

Mason McTavish.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/R6I8dl9N0P

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 8, 2025

The Oilers made things interesting in the final few minutes. Head coach Kris Knoblauch pulled Olivier Rodrigue with over three minutes left to play and Jeff Skinner made the score 3-2 with his 16th goal of the season. Despite a strong push up to the last seconds, that was as close as the Oilers would get.

JEFF SKINNER FROM EVAN BOUCHARD!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/IacGz06Uk9

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 8, 2025

Takeaways…​

The referees had an abysmal game. Not because they helped either team win, but because they missed an obvious headshot from Ducks defender Radko Gudas. That started a whole bunch of drama before the end of the second period, but tempers settled in the third as the Oilers tried to claw back into the game.

"He pops him, that's a penalty, that was absolutely missed by the officials." – Louie DeBrusk

Radko Gudas strikes Corey Perry in the head, causing Perry to head down the tunnel.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/Jthx4ZEmfi

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 8, 2025

Edmonton tends to allow teams to take liberties with their players and goalies and not do anything about it. That happened today after Gudas’s cheap shot, as no one dropped the mitts with him. It doesn’t just go back to what Corey Perry said after the Dallas Stars game a few weeks back, but they didn’t stand up for themselves in the 2023 playoffs, and the Vegas Golden Knights’ physicality killed them.

Speaking of Podkolzin, he went down the tunnel after falling awkwardly on his knee after being tangled with Gudas. The way he went down, it looked serious, but he played in the third period. Edmonton dodged a bullet there.

The injury bug strikes again, affecting another player on the Oilers roster: Vasily Podkolzin.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/EinHVZpAJF

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 8, 2025

The Oilers actually outplayed the Ducks, outshooting them 48 to 21. Unfortunately, if Ducks netminder Lukáš Dostál had a chance to save it, he did as both Oilers goals came via a deflection. Edmonton also failed to capitalize on numerous power plays, going 0/6. They really missed Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in this one.

Number-wise, Olivier Rodrigue didn’t have a great game, saving 18 of 21 shots for an .857 save percentage in his first National Hockey League start. Hard to really fault him on any of the goals, though.

Evan Bouchard was the cause of one of those goals, as he was burned by Cutter Gauthier on the Ducks’ second goal. It happened again in the third period, but he made up for it with an assist late in the game.

Despite the loss, the Oilers didn’t lose any ground in their chase for home-ice advantage, as the Seattle Kraken defeated the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. However, just five games remain this season, with a matchup between the two teams. The Oilers will need help if they wish to get home-ice advantage for the first round.

Up next, the Oilers return home to host the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday at 8:00 PM MT, returning. The Blues’ 12-game winning streak was snapped on Monday as they fell 3-1 to the Winnipeg Jets.

---

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/insta...-behind-47-save-performance-from-lukas-dostal

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers recall Noah Philp on emergency basis

The Edmonton Oilers have recalled centre Noah Philp on an emergency basis, the club announced Tuesday.

It comes with a mountain of injuries for the team, who saw winger Trent Frederic re-aggravate a high-ankle sprain on Saturday in his debut with the team — and with the likes of Leon Drasiatil, Connor McDavid, Mattias Ekholm, Stuart Skinner and Evander Kane all on the shelf with injuries of their own.

The #Oilers have recalled forward Noah Philp from the @Condors on an emergency basis. pic.twitter.com/35UoSN2Tjb

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 8, 2025

Battered and bruised, the team was forced to play shorthanded Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks, losing 3-2, although one more depth player in the lineup likely wouldn’t have made a difference in the disappointing loss.

Philp has drawn in for 12 games with the big club this year, notching two assists and averaging 8:40 in ice time. With him on the ice at five-on-five the Oilers have successfully tilted the ice in their favour, outscoring the opposition 5-4, while controlling 52.1 percent of the shot attempt share, 52.4 percent of the scoring chance share and 51.3 percent of the expected goal share.

The 26-year-old has appeared in 52 games for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors this season, scoring 15 goals and 30 points, taking 124 shots on goal for an average of 2.4 per game.

While the recall not only allows the Oilers to ice a full roster, given they didn’t have the requisite salary cap space Monday to make a recall, it also affords the team another look at what Philp can do at the NHL level. His ice time has been limited in his previous games in Edmonton, but increasing his workload this time around could be a valuable thing for the organization as next fall, Philp will become eligible for waivers.

The Oilers have just five games left in the regular season schedule, hosting the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday and Friday of this week, visiting the Winnipeg Jets next Sunday night, hosting the Los Angeles Kings next Monday, and then visiting the Sharks a week from Wednesday.

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

---

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-recall-noah-philp-emergency-basis

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilersnation Radio: Oilers injury woes, Olivier Rodrigue’s first NHL start, and depth scoring

There’s nothing quite like a fresh episode of Oilersnation Radio to wrap up your Tuesday and keep you up to date on all things Edmonton Oilers.

We kicked off the Tuesday episode of the podcast with a delicious debate about the team’s lack of response to Radko Gudas’ dirty headshot on Corey Perry. Given that the team responded relatively lightly to doing nothing after the play, the guys wondered whether or not more should have been done in the moment or afterward. Another angle on the story is how the refs completely lost the plot in Monday’s game, and their performance so poorly only contributed to the chaos on the ice.

Changing gears, we looked at the last two games the Oilers lost and tried to figure out what went wrong at the end of the road trip. Yes, it’s a massive problem that McDavid and Draisaitl are not in the lineup, but the struggle to get goals in the net is a problem the team can’t seem to solve. We also touched on Olivier Rodrigue’s first NHL start and how it was a big moment for the second-round pick from 2018, even though he didn’t get the desired result.

The guys also reviewed the latest injury updates for the roster and discussed how it’s more important for the team to get healthy than to rush people back. According to Jason Gregor, Stuart Skinner may be the first man back after he started practicing with the team and is targeting coming back this week. Without the team practicing on Tuesday, we don’t know the status of the other injured players, so the boys took their best guesses for who would come back first.

Finally, the boys wrapped up the podcast with a discussion about Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, and how it was pretty fun to see one of the most untouchable records get broken. We also ran through some betting talk for our friends at bet365 that looked at the Oilers’ Cup futures as well as Leon Draisaitl’s chances to win the Hart Trophy before wrapping up the pod with keys to victory and a score prediction against the Blues.

Listen to the Tuesday episode of Oilersnation Radio below:

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

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oiler...-injury-woes-olivier-rodrigue-first-nhl-start

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

GDB 78.0: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Joins The Walking Wounded

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins isn’t expected to play tonight. He joins Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Mattias Ekholm, Stuart Skinner, Trent Frederic, John Klingberg and Evander Kane on the unavailable list. That is a total of $42.2 million on the shelf.

The good news is most are expected to be ready for playoffs.

RNH is dealing with an illness. McDavid, Draisaitl, Ekholm, Stuart Skinner and Kane skated this morning. Skinner is expected to return to the lineup, at the very least in a backup role, on Friday v. San Jose. Ekholm, McDavid and Draisaitl are expected back within a week. Frederic is getting more tests done today for an update on his high ankle sprain, but they are hopeful he will be ready for the playoffs. Kane will play in the playoffs, but he might not play game one. Klingberg has an infection and his return is unknown at this time.

Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers face the hottest team in the NHL tonight. The St. Louis Blues have won 12 of their last 13 games. Their 12-game winning streak ended in Winnipeg on Monday night, but the Blues have been scoring with ease and defending quite well for the past seven weeks.

This will be a very tough test for the Oilers. Edmonton played well for long stretches in Anaheim, but their PP struggled mightily (0-for-6) and their bottom-six guys created some good opportunities, but Mattias Janmark, Connor Brown and Max Jones couldn’t bury their chances.

If the Oilers want to win tonight, it likely will be low scoring. They need to limit the Blues’ chances. They can’t gift them any goals. The Oilers still have some guys with a history of producing, and they will need Zach Hyman Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner and Adam Henrique to lead the way offensively.

The Oilers’ blue line ranks sixth in points, and they are capable of chipping in offensively with Evan Bouchard, Jake Walman and Darnell Nurse sitting among the top-30 even-strength-scoring defenders. The Oilers are depleted offensively, but that doesn’t mean the team still can’t produce. They generated some good looks against Anaheim, and will need to do the same tonight.

SNAPSHOTS…​

— Robert Thomas is on fire. He’s riding a nine-game point streak where he’s produced 20 points. He leads the NHL in scoring since 4-Nations with 35 points in 23 games, one ahead of Nikita Kucherov.

— The Blues are the highest-scoring team in the league since the 4-Nations Face-Off, averaging 3.78 GF/game, and they have the sixth-lowest GA/game at 2.26. Their +1.52 GF-GA differential is also the best in the league. They are a league-best 18-3-2 as well.

— The big question surrounding the Blues will be: Can they maintain their hot streak down the stretch and into the playoffs? They have three more regular-season games — tonight, Saturday in Seattle and next Tuesday at home to Utah. Most likely they will play Vegas and while the Blues will be rested, I wonder if they lose their mojo by playing only three games in 11 days before the playoffs begin on the 19th. St. Louis and Vegas would be good candidates to start on Saturday as neither team plays on Thursday the 17th.

— Calvin Pickard is the Oilers’ nominee for the Bill Masterton trophy, which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Pickard is a great example of those things and well deserving of being the Oilers’ nominee.

“I’ve grinded for a little bit up and down from the minors and I got a really good opportunity here last year. It’s been the time of my life,” Pickard said this morning.

He was quick to point out how much his teammates have helped him, but Pickard deserves this honour for his work ethic and being a great teammate. Many would have been angry or jaded after how his career unfolded for seven seasons, but he wasn’t — a great example for many on how to handle and deal with adversity.

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Oct 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; St. Louis Blues center Dylan Holloway (81) looks on against the Seattle Kraken during the second period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images

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LINEUPS…​

Oilers​

Hyman – Henrique – Perry

Podkolzin – Philp – Arvidsson

Skinner – Janmark – Brown

Jones – Kapanen

Walman– Bouchard

Nurse – Stecher

Kulak – Emberson

Pickard

Noah Philp will play his 13th game this season. These lines are a guess, as this morning Draisaitl and McDavid were involved in line rushes. I just put Philp in RNH’s spot from last game. I’m guessing we will see many different line combinations tonight.

Blues​

Buchnevich – Thomas – Snuggerud

Neighbours – Schenn – Kyrou

Joseph – Sundqvist – Bolduc

Toropchenko – Faksa – Walker

Broberg – Faulk

Fowler – Leddy

Suter – Tucker

Binnington

Dylan Holloway is out for the rest of the regular season, and at this point, they aren’t sure if he will be ready to start the playoffs. He had 26 goals and 63 points in 77 games before being injured. Terrible timing for him to get hurt before playoffs. He’s had an unreal breakout season and his injury is a big blow for the Blues.

TONIGHT…​

GAME DAY PREDICTION: It is a low-event game. Oilers lose 3-2 in overtime.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Thomas extends his point streak to 10 games.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Oilers score a power play goal.

---

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-blues-game-preview-ryan-nugent-hopkins-injured

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Instant Reaction: Connor McDavid’s return to Oilers lineup jumpstarts win over Blues

It may not have been pretty, but the Edmonton Oilers are back in the win column.

On Wednesday night, they returned home after a four-game road trip to host the hot St. Louis Blues, defeating the Central Division team 4-3 to move to within one point of clinching their sixth consecutive post-season appearance. Let’s take a look at what happened in this one!

The Blues opened the scoring just under nine minutes into the first period, as Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan Suter had a two-on-one opportunity. Buchnevich made a nice pass to the defenceman, and Suter made no mistake with a nice move to beat Calvin Pickard. Of course, it isn’t without controversy, as Jeff Skinner was cross-checked to the neck and held on the backcheck.

Ryan Suter opens the scoring, giving the Blues a 1-0 lead.

Jeff Skinner also gets hit in the face right off the faceoff by Tyler Tucker.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/l87GDF9W51

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 10, 2025

Early in the second period, Connor McDavid, who was a late addition to the lineup, forced a turnover in the offensive zone, smacking the puck over to Connor Brown. He was left all alone on the side of the net and one-timed it past Jordan Binnington to get the Oilers on the board.

TIE GAME! CONNOR BOWN

: @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/5PvRUJfaXI

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 10, 2025

With 7:21 left in the second period, a point shot from Darnell Nurse was saved. However, Vasily Podkolzin was sitting right in front of the net and banged in the rebound on his backhand to give the Oilers a 2-1 lead.

POD-GOAL-ZIN

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/k2uCkuxqTU

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 10, 2025

Just 14 seconds into the third period, the Oilers left the trailing Jordan Kyrou open in the slot, and a quick wrister beat Pickard for the tie game. The tie game didn’t last long, as Viktor Arvidsson scored on a delayed penalty to restore the Oilers’ one-goal lead.

COME ON RV, LET'S GO PARTY!

Viktor Arvidsson gives the Oilers a 3-2 lead in the third period!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/JYfedvGOaT

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 10, 2025

Once again, the Blues had an answer. After a brief cycle, Buchnevich received the puck beside the net. Pickard made the initial save, but Buchnevich buried his own rebound to tie the game up with just over 14:30 remaining.

Pavel Buchnevich makes it a 3-3 hockey game.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/ziLsFUZKOy

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 10, 2025

In the final minute, the Blues had a great opportunity, but were stopped by Pickard. The puck transitioned the other way, with McDavid dropping it to Brown, who slipped it past Binnington for the late winner.

CONNOR BROWN, HAVE YOURSELF A NIGHT!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/F5Or8Mg6sJ

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 10, 2025

Takeaways…

Connor McDavid instantly made an impact in his return, picking up three assists. It was also the best he’s looked since at least the 4 Nations break as he was flying on the ice.

In his nine prior seasons, McDavid has failed to reach 100 points just twice, in his rookie year (where he was injured for a lengthy period of time) and in the 2019-20 season, which was cut short by COVID. With the three assists, he sits on 93 points with four games remaining.

Viktor Arvidsson continues to be one of the best Oilers while seemingly everyone is out of the lineup. He scored his 14th goal of the season, which also happened to be his seventh goal in his last 16 games. He’s starting to look like the top six winger he was expected to be.

That was Connor Brown’s best game as an Oiler. The right-winger scored twice to give him 11 goals and 28 points. He’s had a sneakily good season playing in the Oilers’ bottom six. Vasily Podkolzin scored his eighth goal of the season as well.

With the Oilers down to five defenceman in this game, Brett Kulak played a game-high 29:04. The Oilers are super lucky they have him as their bottom-pair defenceman.

The Oilers sadly didn’t clinch a post-season spot, as the Calgary Flames blew a 3-1 lead in the final five minutes, but picked up a point in their overtime loss. A point in their final four games will clinch them a spot in the playoffs. The Oilers also helped out the Flames with the regulation win over the Blues.

With the win, the Oilers have a 45-28-5 record with 95 points, two back of the Los Angeles Kings who have played one fewer game. The two teams matchup next Monday, but first, they’ll face the San Jose Sharks on Friday at 7:30 PM MT.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/insta...ers-return-jumpstarts-win-over-st-louis-blues

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

How Good are the Edmonton Oilers?

The Edmonton Oilers are the biggest wildcard in the Stanley Cup contender conversation.

They’ve had an up-and-down season.

They were 10-8-2 in their first 20 games.

They had the best record in the NHL over their next 30 games at 22-7-1.

Then they hit the skids for six weeks going 4-7-1 from late January to the trade deadline.

From the trade deadline to now, they are 9-6-1 and have been ravaged by key injuries in that time.

So, who are the Oilers?

Are they the team that dominated through the midway part of the season? Or are they the team who struggled after the 4 Nations? What have the past five weeks shown us?

I think those are valid questions.

Here’s their record during their ups and downs and the list of key injuries.

[td width="165px"]

Dates​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

First 20 GP​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

30 GP​

[/td]​

[td width="134px"]

Jan 28 to Mar 7​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

Mar 8 to now​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

Season​

[/td]​

[td width="165px"]

Record v. P teams​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

1-5-2​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

9-4-1​

[/td]​

[td width="134px"]

3-5​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

3-3-1​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

16-17-4​

[/td]​

[td width="165px"]

V. non P teams​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

9-3​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

13-3​

[/td]​

[td width="134px"]

1-2-1​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

6-3​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

29-11-1​

[/td]​

[td width="165px"]

Total​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

10-8-2​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

22-7-1​

[/td]​

[td width="134px"]

4-7-1​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

9-6-1​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

45-28-5​

[/td]​

[td width="165px"]

Injuries​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

McDavid (3)​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

McDavid (3)​

[/td]​

[td width="134px"]

Nurse (2)​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

McDavid (8)​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

Arvidsson (15)​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

Nurse (2)​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

Nurse (1)​

[/td]​

[td width="134px"]

Ekholm (2)​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

Draisaitl (7)​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

Frederic (15)​

[/td]​

[td width="108px"]

Arvidsson (4)​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

Arvidsson (11)​

[/td]​

[td width="134px"]

Henrique (1)​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

Ekholm (12)​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

McDavid (14)​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

Hyman (5)​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

S. Skinner (7)​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

Ekholm (14)​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

Perry (1)​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

Frederic (15)​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

Draisaitl (7)​

[/td]​

[td width="117px"]

RNH (1)​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

Hyman (1)​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

S. Skinner (7)​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

RNH (1)​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

Hyman (6)​

[/td]​

[td width="122px"]

Walman (1)​

[/td]​

[td width="106px"]

Nurse (5)​

[/td]​

They had a slow start, and based on the history of other teams who lost in the Stanley Cup Final, it wasn’t a big surprise. Then they found their stride and played very well for 30 games, especially against playoff-bound teams.

The stretch from January 28th to March 7th was odd. They had a two-week break in between for 4 Nations, but they really struggled out of the break. McDavid played, but he admitted he was a bit fatigued for the first few games after winning the 4 Nations tournament.

They’ve been ravaged by injuries since the trade deadline — including injuries to key players — but they’ve still managed to have a better record than they did at the start of the season or in the five weeks leading up to the trade deadline when they were much healthier.

What do you take away from the past six weeks, when the team treaded water despite significant injuries? Is that a closer reflection of who they are, or are you concerned about the six weeks leading up to the deadline?

I always take more stock into recent play. A great start in October means very little come playoff time. I value recent play more.

While the Oilers are 9-6-1 since the trade deadline, Vegas is 9-4-3. Dallas is 9-3-4.

Winnipeg is 9-5. Colorado is 11-3-2 while LA has been the best team in the NHL at 13-4. They have played 12 of 17 games at home and they’ve feasted on teams.

LA has been incredibly healthy since the trade deadline. They’ve had 11 players play all 17 games and another five skaters play 16 games. None of their top-nine forwards missed more than one game. Drew Doughty and Joel Edmundson each missed one game on the backend. Darcy Kuemper started 13 games while David Rittich started the other four. The Kings have basically had their full roster in most games.

Health is a major factor for playoff success and the Kings have been very healthy. The Oilers haven’t been, but their walking wounded will be returning over the next few days.

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Connor McDavid © James Guillory-Imagn Images

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OILERS GETTING HEALTHY…​

The Oilers’ injury woes forced them to place John Klingberg on retroactive LTIR last night, just so Noah Philp could play.

Philp was an emergency recall after the Oilers played with 17 skaters in Anaheim. He was recalled as an emergency player to replace one of the players who DIDN’T play that game. Connor McDavid didn’t play in Anaheim, so when he came in the lineup last night, it meant the Oilers technically had 12 healthy forwards, if you include the 11 who played in Anaheim. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was sick last night and couldn’t play, but because he played in Anaheim, Philp couldn’t replace him as an emergency player. Odd ruling.

So, the Oilers had to put Klingberg on LTIR to give them the cap space to add Philp to the roster. Luckily for EDM Klingberg could be put on retroactive LTIR, since his last GP was game No. 72, meaning he has the 10 games needed to qualify to be on LTIR.

Jake Walman has a minor injury. He might play tomorrow, and if not, he won’t miss much time according to Kris Knoblauch. If he can’t play tomorrow the Oilers do have the cap space to recall a D-man if needed.

Leon Draisaitl will take the morning skate tomorrow and he will speak to the media after the skate to give an update on his status. He is close to returning, we just won’t know for sure if it is tomorrow or in one of the next two games.

Mattias Ekholm isn’t scheduled to play tomorrow, but Stuart Skinner will dress.

The Oilers are slowly getting healthier, and if those guys can get in one or two games before the playoffs, they should be fine. Edmonton is being very cautious with guys right now. It is why Walman sat out. He wasn’t feeling 100% so they opted to rest him last night, rather than risk making his injury worse. McDavid was a late decision due to him seeing the doctor after the morning skate. The doctor has to sign off on him playing. Even if McDavid wants to play, he needs the green light from the doctor. He got it yesterday and that allowed him to play. Of course, there is always a risk when returning from injury that you can re-aggravate the ailment that kept you out (hello, Trent Frederic). You will never 100% know how a player will respond when returning from injury, and that is the biggest wildcard surrounding the Oilers.

No one knows for sure how comfortable and effective McDavid, Draisaitl, Ekholm, Skinner, Frederic and Kane will be when they return. And that’s why it is difficult to project how many rounds Edmonton will win in the playoffs.

If most of those guys are healthy and aren’t hindered, I view Edmonton as a legit Cup contender. They have more forward depth than last year, and I like their top-six defenders better.

McDavid got better as the game went on last night. He blew by a few Blues defenders in the third period, and he finished with three assists. He admitted after the game it is difficult coming back, as much mentally as physically.

“Took a little bit to get into it, but, overall, I thought it was a good one,” said McDavid. “Obviously, coming back from injury sucks mentally, for any athlete, but especially in hockey, because it so unpredictable. There are so many variables, things that you can’t account for. So, yeah, it was nice to, to get that out of the way, mentally.”

He also spoke about the process of knowing if you are ready to return.

“There’s not many practices this time of year. I’ve been skating by myself. I don’t know how many more tight turns I can do. Eventually, you just got to go,” he said.

He did and he looked great, and the mental hurdle of attacking the opposition, going into high-traffic areas and battling is the hardest thing for some players. McDavid is best when he plays full throttle with no hesitation, but it isn’t easy to just jump back in a game and play with his usual reckless abandon.

Ekholm, Draisaitl and Skinner will need to overcome the same challenge. It will be different for each of them as they have different injuries, but once they get passed the mental hurdle, they will have more success.

Edmonton has tightened up defensively lately. The Oilers have reduced the high-danger chances off the rush at 5×5 as well as odd-man chances against. They will never completely eliminate them, but in the past month, they’ve been in the top 10 in both categories after ranking 30th and 25th from January 1st into early March.

Viktor Arvidsson has found his offensive touch with six goals in 12 games. Jeff Skinner and Zach Hyman each have five goals in the last 12 games. Adam Henrique has 3-3-6. Evan Bouchard has 11 assists, while Darnell Nurse has eight. They produced without McDavid and Draisaitl in the lineup, so when they return the offence, in theory, should be more balanced.

I can’t say with certainty how good the Oilers are, because we don’t know how the players will look returning from injury, but if they return to form, those key players will be rested and that makes Edmonton a legitimate threat in my eyes. I like their roster better than LA’s. Vegas, Dallas, Colorado and Winnipeg are good, but I don’t see them as noticeably better than Edmonton. Jack Eichel is banged up in Vegas. Miro Heiskanen’s return date in Dallas is up in the air. Gabe Vilardi is still out for Winnipeg. Nathan MacKinnon is out tonight. He has a minor injury. Josh Manson and Ryan Lindgren are also injured. Manson is expected to return on the weekend, while Lindgren’s status is unknown. Injuries are a factor everywhere in the West.

If the Oilers get healthy and remain healthy, I expect them to win at least a few rounds.

What about you?

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/how-good-are-the-edmonton-oilers-2

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Real Life Podcast: Connor McDavid’s Oilers return, meme coins, and the Masters

Thursday afternoon means a fresh episode of Real Life was recorded, edited, and ready to help you through the rest of your work week. On today’s podcast, the guys discussed Oodle Noodle’s origin story, Connor McDavid’s return to the lineup, meme coins, and much more.

The guys started the Thursday show with a history of Oodle Noodle as the Jay and Wanye-led restaurant chain turned 20 years old on Thursday. From how they formed a relationship with the founder, Sonny, to travelling to Vietnam to formalize the relationship, hearing the Oodle Noodle origin story was a wonderful trip down memory lane.

Changing gears, the guys discussed Connor McDavid’s return to the lineup on Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues and how his surprising return was not only welcomed but also incredibly productive. Not only was it incredible to see McDavid back on the ice with his teammates, but to have him go supernova in his first time out was an incredible display of dominance in a game Edmonton needed to win.

Unable to stick to one topic for more than a few seconds, the conversation shifted to Wanye’s Tyler Yaremchuk A.I. doll, which prompted Yaremchuk to confess that he is Oilersnation. If you’ve seen the photo, A.I. did a fantastic job creating a Tyler doll, but Yaremchuk worries that people will think he’s making these images of himself. Could this be a long con to get Tyler even more hate than he already does online? Stay tuned.

Finally, the guys wrapped up the podcast with a collection of random topics that ranged from the Masters tournament, NBA shenanigans, and some betting talk about all things sports. As always, the Thursday episode of Real Life was as random as it was enjoyable.

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-...vids-oilers-return-meme-coins-and-the-masters

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

GDB 79.0: Skinner and Ekholm Return as Oilers Look to Clinch Playoff Spot

The Edmonton Oilers need one victory, or a regulation loss by the Calgary Flames, to officially clinch a playoff spot. It has been inevitable for weeks that the Oilers would make the playoffs, but tonight they can make it official, and they can do so while welcoming Stuart Skinner and Mattias Ekholm back into the lineup.

Skinner hasn’t played since Mikko Rantanen slammed his knee into Skinner’s head on March 26th. He missed seven games with a concussion/sore neck, and he will dress as the backup tonight. The plan is for him to play two of the final three regular season games. Ekholm has missed 13 of the last 17 games, including the past seven. He has been skating for over a week and will likely play three of the final four games. It sounds like they will monitor his minutes tonight. He could start in the third pairing.

Connor McDavid returned to the lineup on Wednesday and picked up three assists. He’d missed the previous eight games with a groin injury, and was a bit rusty early in the game, but as the game went on his explosiveness returned and he terrorized the Blues defenders. The Oilers are getting healthier and they are facing a San Jose Sharks roster facing its own injury issues.

Mario Ferraro broke his ankle in Minnesota and is out for the season. Ferraro has logged the most minutes since Cody Ceci and Jake Walman were traded, and the Sharks’ blue line, which was already banged up with Vincent Desharnais and Shakir Mukhamadullin out, gets even weaker. They allowed eight goals in Minnesota on Wednesday.

The Oilers are slowly getting healthier, and you can expect to see more of their injured players return in the next few games. Walman is expected to play one of the back-to-back games against Winnipeg and LA. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is recovering from his illness and Leon Draisaitl is hoping to play at least one, if not two, games before playoffs begin.

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Mar 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) skates with the puck against the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

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SNAPSHOTS…​

— McDavid needs seven points in the final four games to reach 100 for the eighth time in his career. Only Marcel Dionne (8), Mario Lemieux (10) and Wayne Gretzky (15) have had eight seasons with 100+ points. While some will say scoring 100 points doesn’t matter, I’d argue it does when you consider milestones. It isn’t his main focus, just a nice bonus.

— Knoblauch said Trent Frederic might not be ready for game one of the playoffs but could be ready for game two. It is impossible to get an accurate timeline due to his high ankle sprain. Some take longer than others and re-aggravating it, even when it feels good, happens often.

— Knoblauch gave more of a vague answer when asked about Evander Kane. He believes he will be ready at some point, but wouldn’t commit to if it will be for the start of the postseason.

— After scoring five goals and seven points in four games, Zach Hyman has been pointless in his last six games. They’d like to see him bury a few in the final few games. He needs three goals to reach 30 for the third time in his career.

— Nugent-Hopkins needs one point in the final three games to reach 50 points for the ninth time in his career. If you are curious, Oilers players with more seasons with 50+ points include Glenn Anderson and Mark Messier (11), Draisaitl and Jari Kurri (10). McDavid and Gretzky have nine.

— Darnell Nurse and Paul Coffey are the only Oilers D-men to have seven seasons with 30+ points.

— The Oilers’ defenders have combined to score 39 goals. They had 39 in 2022 and 2023 and had 48 last year. They were seventh in 2022, 14th in 2023, second last year and are currently fifth this season in goals. They are sixth in points with 183.

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Mar 6, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) takes a shot on goal during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

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LINEUPS…​

Oilers​

Skinner– McDavid – Brown

Hyman – Henrique – Arvidsson

Podkolzin – Janmark – Perry

Jones – Philp – Kapanen

Kulak – Bouchard

Nurse – Stecher

Ekholm – Emberson

Pickard

Forward lines remain the same after Wednesday’s victory over St. Louis. The D pairs will change during the game. Knoblauch would like to limit Ekholm’s minutes and don’t be surprised to see Bouchard and Nurse play together at times.

Kovalenko – Celebrini – Smith

Eklund – Wennberg – T0ffoli

Grundstrom – Dellandrea – Goodrow

Gregor – Ostapchuk – Lund

Rutta – Liljegren

Vlasic – Thompson

Carlsson – Thurn

Romanov

Macklin Celebrini had his first hat trick and five-point game in the 8-7 in Minnesota on Wednesday. He and Will Smith are the future of San Jose, and both are skilled. But the Sharks need a major upgrade on their blue line in the off-season. The Oilers should have no shortage of chances tonight.

TONIGHT…​

GAME DAY PREDICTION: Oilers win 5-2.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: McDavid has another big night and picks up at least three points.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Ty Emberson scores his first goal of the season.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-game-preview-ekholm-skinner-return-looking-clinch-playoff-spot

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Instant Reaction: Oilers beat Sharks 4-2 for second consecutive victory

Another year, another playoff run.

On Friday evening, the Oilers played their penultimate home game of the season, defeating the lowly San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-2 to clinch a postseason berth for the sixth consecutive season. Let’s take a look at what happened in this one.

The Oilers opened the scoring about seven minutes into the game, as Evan Bouchard’s point shot on the power play deflected off a Sharks defender and behind their netminder for the 1-0 lead.

BOUCH BAMBA!

Evan Bouchard puts the Oilers ahead 1-0 with a power-play goal early in this hockey game.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/dWTGD1qR5e

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 12, 2025

With just under four and a half minutes left in the first period, the Oilers had sustained zone time. Connor McDavid had the puck on the half-boards and found a cutting Ty Emberson for his first goal as an Oiler against his former team.

Ty Emberson with his first goal as an Oiler!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/umsMy2QlwK

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 12, 2025

A few minutes later, Sharks forward Will Smith received the puck at the top of the faceoff dot, sneaking it past Calvin Pickard to cut the Oilers’ lead in half.

Will Smith sneaks one past Calvin Pickard, and we have a 2-1 hockey game heading into the second period.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/lBJFTHo0Ju

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 12, 2025

About six minutes into the second period, Henry Thurn’s shot from the wall took a deflection off Darnell Nurse’s skate and into the back of the net for the 2-2 tie.

Henry Thrun bounces the puck off Darnell Nurse, and it's a 2-2 game.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/j2DtgP5GPr

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 12, 2025

On another power play, about seven and a half minutes into the third period, McDavid’s pass to the front of the net found Corey Perry, who banged it in to give the Oilers the lead and the eventual win. Connor Brown added an empty net for the 12th of the season.

Corey Perry slams the puck into the net, giving the Oilers a 3-2 lead!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/hccLMzUxLi

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 12, 2025

Takeaways…​

The injury bug continued to plague the Oilers. Defenceman Mattias Ekholm returned to the lineup for the first time in a while, but early in the first period, he tumbled and did not return. Zach Hyman also sustained an injury and didn’t play from the second period onward. Not great. Hopefully, their removal from the game was just precautionary.

Let's hope this isn't too serious for Mattias Ekholm, who left the game early in the first period.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/YZNfOcAb1P

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) April 12, 2025

With that being said, there are some positives in this game as well, namely Connor McDavid. Since returning to the lineup on Wednesday evening, the game’s best player has seven assists on the Oilers’ eight goals. He now has 97 points this season, just three shy of reaching 100 for the eighth time in 10 seasons.

Stuart Skinner returned to the roster on Friday, but it was Calvin Pickard who started for the Oilers. He saved 22 of 24 shots for a .917 save percentage, bringing his season save percentage to .902. It’s hard to argue he doesn’t deserve to start come playoff time.

Ty Emberson picked up his first goal as an Oiler in this game. How sweet must it be to come against his former team? Evan Bouchard also picked up his 14th of the season and led the Oilers with 28 minutes and 24 seconds of ice time. Darnell Nurse and Brett Kulak also played over 24:30.

Corey Perry has been one of the most surprising Oilers this season, as his game-winning goal in the third period was his 17th of the season. Only Leon Draisaitl, Hyman, McDavid, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have more.

The Oilers may have clinched, but they still have things to play for, namely, home-ice advantage in the first round. Up next for them is the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday at 5:00 PM in Manitoba. They’ll play their final home game against the Los Angeles Kings on the final day, before heading to San Jose to face the Sharks.

Edmonton has played one more game than the Kings. For their final four games, they face off against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, the Oilers on Monday, the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, and finally the Calgary Flames, who remain alive in search of a wild card.

As it stands, the Oilers have a 46-28-5 record with 97 points and three games remaining, while the Kings have a 45-24-9 record with 99 points and four games remaining.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/instant-reaction-oilers-beat-sharks-4-2-for-second-consecutive-victory