How Bad Do the Oilers Have to Look Before They Make Changes?
The Edmonton Oilers’ problems didn’t start this season. And at the hazard of starting too far back, we can point to more contemporary issues. Entering this season, the Oilers were expected to be Stanley Cup contenders. Their Stanley Cup futures price still validates that position, as Edmonton is tied for the third-best odds on the board. A stunning lack of depth scoring and neverending goaltending woes continue to hold the once-proud franchise back.
Seeing how poorly things have gone and how the Oilers continue to make the same mistakes, how bad do things have to get before the Oilers make some meaningful changes?
Lack of Scoring
Since Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl came to town, one thing has become abundantly clear: when the dynamic duo isn’t scoring, the rest of the team will suffer.
We’ve seen different complementary players excel at various points this season. Evander Kane has three multi-point efforts over the past five games. Earlier in the year, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a decent stretch, tallying six points through the Oilers’ first three games. Even the wily veteran Sam Gagner has gotten into the action.
But the usually explosive McDavid hasn’t looked the same Hart Trophy candidate from the last few seasons. Likewise, Draisaitl has seemingly lost his scoring touch early this year.
It’s safe to assume that when the two superstars aren’t producing, scoring will plummet.
Tertiary Contributors
Absenteeism is a more significant factor as we move down the depth chart. Other than a two-goal game from Gagner, the bottom two lines haven’t accounted for any scoring.
Warren Foegele might get a pass. The bottom-six forward has four points this season, with all three of his goals coming at even strength. But he’s the only third or fourth-line forward with more than two points this season.
The Oilers don’t need to reinvent the wheel. But they do need to find a way to set their bottom two lines up for better production.
Goaltending Concerns
Of course, none of that matters unless the Oilers change their goaltending philosophy. Virtually every netminder who has come to town has left a worse version of themselves. Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner are the latest victims in a long-standing saga of lackluster goalies.
Again, we don’t have to start at the beginning, but the Oilers have ruined nearly every goalie that has come to town during the McDavid era. Cam Talbot, Laurent Brossoit, Mikko Koskinen, Mike Smith, now Campbell and Skinner.
Granted, Smith might be the exception to the rule, but Talbot and Brossoit prove you can leave Edmonton and continue to be above-average netminders.
Coaching Consideration
The common thread through all of those goalie changes has been goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz. Schwartz has been the architect for all of the woeful performances. At a certain point, Edmonton’s brass might want to trace the line back and see what needs to be done to fix it.
Do Something, Do Anything
It’s time for meaningful change. Running it back year after year is not working. Maybe there are some internal fixes, but the Oilers have probably exhausted those routes already.
Trade for some different bottom six assets. Fire your goaltending coach. Put McDavid and Draisaitl on a line together and skate them for 30 minutes a night. Just try something different.
Acknowledging your mistakes is the first step, but the Oilers can’t even get that far.
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