Oilers quarter-mark report: Goaltending, defence not practically as much as customary

EDMONTON — Mattias Ekholm was requested concerning the deserves of a crew that’s stumbling alongside as clumsily as his Edmonton Oilers are, but continues to be gathering sufficient factors to not be buried out west. He acknowledged, and we paraphrase, it’s higher than the choice.

Then Ekholm added: “Conversely, a real good team will come out of this thing and get firing. That’s what we’re looking at.”

By the time Ekholm’s head hit the pillow that night time, his Oilers had been boot-stomped 5-1 by the last-place Buffalo Sabres. The Oilers ranked thirty first within the National Hockey League in five-on-five aim share, and had 4 regulation wins within the first 21 video games of their season.

Pathetic? Complacent? Poorly constructed? Over the hill?

Pick your descriptor — the Oilers have been an terrible hockey crew for many of Q1.

“Part of it is us understanding that we’ve played a lot of hockey in the last two years, and we can’t just coast through the regular season,” Ekholm stated. “You’ve acquired to struggle. It’s a tough league, and you may’t simply put your skates out (over the boards) and assume that you just’re going to win video games.

“It’s on us veterans and leaders who have been on this team for a while now. We’ve got to understand that it’s not just going to come to us.”

Most encouraging growth: The pickings are slim.

The brightest star has been free-agent addition Jack Roslovic — he’s been Edmonton’s greatest winger, rating third on the crew in targets (seven) and fifth in factors (15). An incredible pick-up at $1.5 million, he seems to be glorious subsequent to Leon Draisaitl.

Rookie winger Matt Savoie has been a pleasant shock and appears like a pleasant prospect, although 5 factors and a minus-6 in 21 video games isn’t precisely Calder Trophy stuff.

After that, there have been much more underachievers than the alternative.

Most regarding growth: Where to start out?

Trent Frederic, who has ghosted his new crew since arriving on the commerce deadline final season? In 44 video games as an Oilers (playoffs included), Frederic has 2-3-5. He has only one level in 21 begins this season.

Evan Bouchard, who took about 18 video games to search out an appropriate stage of defensive play? He’s tied for fifth amongst NHL defencemen with 16 factors, however continues to be a minus-5, worst among the many top-40 scorers on defence.

David Tomasek, the long-shot, 29-year-old European who has been healthy-scratched for six of the final 9 video games? He has three factors, is a minus-7, and can have a tough time holding a roster spot when one among Kasperi Kapanen or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins returns from harm.

Darnell Nurse, who doesn’t play robust sufficient, hasn’t defended nicely, and doesn’t have a lot else in his recreation that even remotely justifies being a $9.25 million defenceman? He’s an enormous a part of this crew, main the Oilers in five-on-five ice time. When he’s this undependable, the Oilers gained’t win many.

“We defended really well last year — one of the best defensive teams,” head coach Kris Knoblauch stated this week. “Right now, we’re just OK at that. If you want to be a really good team, we’ve got to be better defensively.”

Top-six forwards: Grade C.

McDavid and Draisaitl have 54 factors between them. They’re all the time going to be OK offensively.

Nugent-Hopkins had an important begin, a point-per-game in 16 video games, although a minus-11 tells a unique story. Roslovic has been incredible.

Mangiapane brings the grade down, and lacking Zach Hyman for all however two video games this season can be an enormous issue.

Bottom-six forwards: D-minus

The regular Adam Henrique was anchored with Frederic and Mangiapane in a 5-1 loss at Buffalo Monday, whereas the fourth line of Noah Philp between Mattias Janmark and Curtis Lazar gave the Oilers 9 forgettable minutes.

There is not any id right here, no toughness, no offence, and total, a crew that’s been top-five within the NHL in rush makes an attempt within the final three seasons ranks fifteenth this season. Yecch.

This is meant to be a unit that would stabilize one other Stanley Cup run. A veteran group that’s pressure-tested, not too previous, and will present the muse for a crew that may really feel protected in taking some possibilities offensively.

“It starts with our defensive zone, for sure,” Ekholm stated. “Limiting chances and goals against. I know we have firepower to score goals — I’m not too worried about that. I just want to make sure that we come back to a defensive game that we can be proud of, and limits us having to score five or six goals to win a game.”

Instead, it’s been a season of botched break-outs, opponents standing unmarked in entrance of a hapless Oilers goalie, of Connor McDavid being abused by opponents who face zero pushback, and a top-four that’s been misplaced extra usually than present in Q1.

Bouchard’s travails have been famous; Ekholm’s recreation has been spotty at greatest; Nurse could also be having the worst begin of his profession, and Jake Walman has been in all places — however not in the precise place practically usually sufficient.

Do they miss defensive coach Paul Coffey? You be the choose of that.

What different grade would you give two goalies who’ve solid the worst 5-on-5 saves share within the NHL (.876), and the second-worst in all conditions (.865)?

Yes, with the play of the crew in entrance of them, getting their stats into the center third of the NHL could be a Herculean activity for Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. But if ever a crew want somebody to step up in aim, the Oilers are that crew.

Pickard’s play is especially disturbing. His .830 save share is useless final amongst goalies who’ve performed seven video games or extra. So is his goals-against common (4.17). You can’t get any worse than worst, and instantly GM Stan Bowman — tasked with fixing the problems along with his No. 1 — has backup issues as nicely.

Skinner has been merely OK, which gained’t lower it once more this season. Flashes of “good enough” are erased when the inconsistencies return. In the top, an .889 saves share is simply extra of the identical — and the identical isn’t ok for an Edmonton crew that wants extra to get excessive.

Most Improved Player: Matt Savoie

Best Defensive Player: N/A