What an emotional ending to the 2017-18 NHL season. The Humboldt Broncos tragedy from Friday night will weigh on all of our hearts for years to come. With that being said here are my individual season grades for the 2017-18 Edmonton Oilers.
FORWARDS
Connor McDavid: 82 GP 41 G 67 A 108 PTS +20
What do you say about the best player in the NHL? A lot. The Captain had a bit of a slow start (for his lofty standards) mainly due to a serious illness, during which he lost nearly 20 pounds. It should be added that he DID NOT MISS A GAME over this time. When he finally got healthy he went on an absolute tear. Averaged nearly two points per game during March and April. Also finished with 84 even strength points, the highest NHL total in 20 years! Just imagine what he could’ve done with a good powerplay, we might have seen 1980’s or 90’s type numbers. The fact he added a few new tricks up his sleeve like a deadly quick wrist shot shows that he still will get even better (scary for the rest of the NHL). Trying to find a negative is hard, but 41% on faceoffs can be improved upon. I could really go on forever about our savior. Quite simply, he put the franchise on his back.
Grade: A+++
Leon Draisaitl: 78-25-45-70-(-7)
There was some major inconsistency in Draisaitls season. But you look at the stat line and it’s really what we asked for. Missed 4 games early in the season due to a concussion, and like McDavid (and the entire team really) had a slow start himself. Played the majority of the season at RW with Connor, but they didn’t have the same success as last season. When playing centre he showed the ability to make his wingers better and showed a solid two-way game making many great defensive plays as well. A better powerplay would have also boosted his totals.
Grade: B
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: 62-24-24-48-(+10)
McNuge! What a fantastic ending to the season for Nuge. Once put on a line with McDavid he looked like he belonged and then some. He had never played on the wing in the NHL prior to this. Talk of him potentially being traded for a winger to play with McDavid has been silenced, as he produced a point per game pace playing with the Captain. Still gets outmuscled on one on one battles sometimes, and got injured again which happens far too frequently. Those are the only reasons his grade isn’t higher.
Grade: B+
Milan Lucic: 82-10-24-34-(-12)
Oh boy. A tale of two halves for Looch. At the Christmas break, he was on pace to tie a career high in assists and points. Then what happened? Only one goal in almost 50 games. Absolutely inexcusable for a player we count on for much more. Had every opportunity with McDavid, too, along with #1 powerplay time most of the season. Often looked disinterested. Way too careless with the puck. Showed some life in the last game vs Calgary, punching Mike Smith in the head several times and then beating the shit out of Tanner Glass. That’s the only thing that saves him from an F.
Grade: D-
Ryan Strome: 82-13-21-34-(-4)
Here’s one where the boxcar stats pretty much tell the story. Really not a lot to write home about for the player acquired in the Eberle trade. The good: He can shoot the puck. Hit many posts and had lots of near misses. The bad: We need a little more production out of him. 45% faceoffs isn’t great for a 3rd line centre.
Grade: C-
Mike Cammalleri: 51-4-18-22-(-4)
The 35-year-old was acquired to erase the mistake that was Jussi Jokinen, and Cammalleri certainly did so. But that’s about all he did. Had a mini-Lucic goalless drought, but got a couple late in the season to make it a less than respectable total of 4. From all accounts, he is very well liked by the other players, so there’s that. Took away ice time from younger players (especially on the pp), but that’s not his fault.
Grade: C-
Jujhar Khaira: 69-11-10-21-(-7)
A major bright spot in a dismal Oilers season. Jujhar showed what it should mean to be an Edmonton Oiler. From sticking up for teammates, scoring timely goals, and playing any role that is asked of him. Moved from LW to centre and didn’t look out of place. A definite keeper and a locked in part of the future. And he beats the shit out of people.
Grade: B+
Jesse Puljujärvi: 65-12-8-20-(-1)
Ugh. The fact some are starting to compare his development with Yakupov is troubling. Started the season in the AHL. Played very well after being called up, then got saddled with some questionable linemates which hurt his production and confidence. Sat on the bench a lot due to not being trusted by the coaching staff. Barely saw any meaningful powerplay time. He does a lot of things well. Uses his size and good quickness for a big kid to forecheck relentlessly. Also is usually the first man back on the defensive side of things. Can shoot the puck as well. He’s a 5 tool player in terms of talent but needs some better opportunity and talented players to play with to develop into the player envisioned when he was drafted 4th overall. The sky is the limit, but will he get the chance here to break out? Time will tell. He’s only 19, so I’m not giving up. Hopefully, the team doesn’t either.
Grade: C
Drake Caggiula: 67-13-7-20-(-13)
Up and down season for another inconsistent player. At his best, he plays a fast physical game and has some offensive skill to finish off plays. At his worst, he’s invisible unless he misses yet another grade-A chance. Was counted on to improve from last season and ended up having basically the same season. Maybe this is all he is.
Grade: C-
Zack Kassian: 74-7-12-19-(-8)
Very similar numbers to last season, but you wouldn’t know it to watch him. That same edge we saw (especially in the playoffs) wasn’t there for the most part. Still led the team with 92 penalty minutes though. I think it’s more a symptom of the team not being in contention. But this column isn’t about excuses. He must show more next season.
Grade: C-
Anton Slepyshev: 50-6-6-12-(-4)
Another victim of simply not having the kind of linemates where one could expect a lot from him. His agent must have felt the same, as Chiarelli put the word out that the Oilers would be willing to move him mid-season. Slepy can definitely shoot the puck, no doubt about it. He can also skate and play a physical game. Which makes one wonder why the coaching staff didn’t give him much opportunity. Could be KHL bound. Sad if it happens, because he can play in this league.
Grade: C
Ty Rattie: 14-5-4-9-(+1)
What a story. Rattie was called up, put on McDavid’s line, and the rest is history. Smart player who has complimented McDavid and Nuge very well. Below average skater at this level. Sometimes you see glimpses as to why he hasn’t made it as a full-time NHLer yet. Will be an intriguing one to watch if the Oilers choose to bring him back.
Grade: B+
Pontus Aberg: 16-2-6-8-(+1)
Brought in at the trade deadline for Mark Letestu. Aberg is an interesting prospect. Man can he ever skate. Showed some offensive instincts playing with Draisaitl. Unfortunately, he’s been healthy scratched 4 times since coming here. There was the off-ice issue on the Florida road trip, and then recently when McLellan called him out for having a lack of passion. A bit troubling, but at this point, he’s just a prospect so hopefully he learns and grows from it.
Grade: C
Iiro Pakarinen: 40-2-1-3-(+1)
I like Iiro. He’s a very good penalty killer. Won’t provide much offence, but that’s not what he’s here for. Plays a hard game in limited minutes. I don’t know if he’ll be brought back. Good guy.
Grade: C+
DEFENCE
Darnell Nurse: 82-6-20-26-(+15)
Unquestionably the Oilers best defenceman for the first 45-50 games. Had a bit of a dip in play in January and February (along with the rest of the team), but finished strong. His skating is amazing for a guy his size. Physical. An elite shutdown defenceman who can neutralize other teams stars. Can take the puck by himself into the offensive zone. Showed flashes of an improved shot, and has more to give in the future on the offensive side of things in general. Led Oilers defencemen in games played, goals, assists, points, plus/minus, and penalty minutes. An absolute stud. Only 22 years old. The most untradeable member of the Oilers not named McDavid or Draisaitl.
Grade: A-
Oscar Klefbom: 66-5-16-21-(-12)
Brutal year for Klef. He simply wasn’t the same player who emerged in a big way last season becoming our #1 defenceman. Was injured all season, which didn’t help matters either. Made more mental mistakes than I can ever remember seeing from an Oilers defenceman. Often looked like he was actually daydreaming on the ice at times. Was awful on the powerplay where he couldn’t hit the net with a shot, and often bungled simple breakout plays as well. Had a good few games before being finally shut down for surgery. It was a season to forget, and I hope he forgets it. A huge part of the team moving forward. If he doesn’t get traded that is…
Grade: D-
Kris Russell: 78-4-17-21-(-7)
The most polarizing player on the Oilers. Was his usual self this season. Almost always leads the league in blocked shots. 20 points is all you really ask for on the offensive end. He’s prevented more than that on the defensive end. Yes, he could move the puck quicker at times, but really he’s not the problem and helped the team more than he hurt it this season. Was injured many times but always came back being the warrior he is. I’m happy he’s an Oiler.
Grade: B
Matt Benning: 73-6-15-21-(+5)
That’s a very good stat line for Benning, but this is a case where the stats are a bit generous to his overall play. Was counted on to mitigate the loss of Sekera in the first half of the season, but it did not go as planned. Made some pretty bad mental mistakes. The pairing of him and Klefbom can only be described as a disaster. Constantly missed guys on breakout passes, bobbled pucks at the blueline, and blew a lot of coverage in his own end. Having said that, he has a physical (almost nasty) edge to his game at times and could be a solid 3rd pair defenceman in the NHL. But top 4 minutes and powerplay time isn’t ideal. His grade is bumped up because he played above his weight class.
Grade: C-
Adam Larsson: 63-4-9-13-(+10)
Larsson’s story this season is well known. The pairing of him and Nurse was one of the bright spots of the first 1/3 of the season. They locked it down. His play started to dip before the tragic loss of his father. When he came back from that, he was the elite shutdown defenceman we’ve come to know over the last two seasons. Physical. Nasty. He makes it a long night for opposing forwards trying to score on us. A huge part of the future on the right side. Larsson isn’t flashy offensively, but he puts the word “defence” in defenceman. Another stud.
Grade: B+
Yohann Auvitu: 33-3-6-9-(+4)
Solid addition as a spare 7/8 defenceman. Auvitu no doubt has some offensive instincts. Can skate pretty well, makes some solid passes, and a decent shot. Usually is good for one defensive blunder per game, however. Never gained trust from the coaching staff for that reason. I think he deserved to play more than he did (especially with the defence core missing so many games), but also understand why he didn’t.
Grade: C
Andrej Sekera: 36-0-8-8-(-15)
Horrible. Tore his ACL in game 5 of last years round two series with Anaheim. By all accounts had a “successful” surgery and recovery. Practiced with the team for a full month before returning as an extra precaution. And wow did he ever suck. Couldn’t skate which is understandable. But his mental errors just giving the puck right to the other team in prime scoring positions were inexcusable even being on one leg. Didn’t provide much in the way of defensive coverage. Provided next to nothing offensively. A major liability on the powerplay. The “shinpad assassin” gets nearly every shot attempt blocked, and the play often ended in odd-man rushes going the other way. Re-injured the surgically repaired knee late in the season, which makes one wonder about Sekeras future with the Oilers.
Grade: F
Ethan Bear: 18-1-3-4-(-10)
Some highs and lows for the rookie in his first taste of NHL action. It was apparent right away that he can move the puck. Probably already the best one at that on the Oilers. Has great offensive vision and a solid point shot. Looks like he can be the point man on the powerplay. Bear still has work to do in his own end though. Wouldn’t hurt for him to get a little bit faster in the offseason to try and help secure himself a roster spot on opening night. Exciting prospect.
Grade: C+
GOALIES
Cam Talbot: 67 GP 31-31-3 3.02 GAA .908 SVPCT 1 SO
Another player where the overall stats are a little generous in relation to his quality of performance. Cam sucked this year. From allowing goals on the first shot of the game time and time again, failing to make the big save when we needed it, and looking tired and fatigued for the majority of the season. Has developed a really bad habit of dropping to his knees for shots from the slot and beyond, resulting in many many high glove or high blocker attempts become gimme goals. Had a pretty decent finish to the season which saves him from the dreaded F. Simply put, he has to be better for the OIlers to have a chance at the playoffs next season.
Grade: D-
Al Montoya: 9 GP 2-2-2 2.94 GAA .906 SVPCT
Brought in mid-season from Montreal, Montoya basically did his job. He’s not a guy who will challenge Talbot, but he provided some quality starts and came in relief giving the Oilers a chance to win a few games. Not a positionally sound goaltender by any means. Entertaining to watch though. Put Ryan Rishaug in his place which bumps him up a bit in my books.
Grade: C+
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Laurent Brossoit: 14 GP 3-7-1 3.24 GAA .883 SVPCT
What a disaster. Was counted on to be the backup after a very strong showing in limited action last season. He failed miserably. This young man did not look like an NHL goaltender. When Talbot got hurt and Brossoit became the starter for a couple weeks, it basically ended our season with no hope of recovering.
Grade: F
COACHING
Todd McLellan put on one of the most disappointing coaching performances in Oilers history this season. The fact people are starting to compare him with Eakins says a lot. Powerplay: Worst in the NHL by far. Penalty KIll: Right near the basement. Got outcoached at home with matchups where he had last change to prevent such outcomes. Line combinations were a disaster as well, constantly going back to McDavid with Draisaitl when it clearly wasn’t working and shredded the depth of a pretty thin lineup to begin with. The defence lacked any kind of structure which we had last season. Often a day late and a dollar short when he needed to pull the plug on Talbot. Never held officials accountable. Never used timeouts when we needed them. The worst timing of goalie pulls for an extra attacker I’ve ever seen. One could have made a case to fire him mid-season when the team appeared to quit on him with 5-0 shutout losses piling up in short succession. Refused to develop younger players even when mandated to do so after the trade deadline. Employs two of the worst assistant coaches in the NHL. Finally trying Nuge with McDavid might save his job, but it won’t save him from the grade I’m giving him.
Grade: F-
GENERAL MANAGER
Peter Chiarelli is not a popular man among Oilers fans. That’s a massive understatement. I’m focusing only on the 2017-18 season for this. Didn’t give the team the best opening roster, having to play 18-year-old Kailer Yamamoto because of the lack of RW depth. Overestimated the ability of the defence to make up for the loss of Andrej Sekera. Waited way too long to find a backup goaltender. Many argue (myself included) that the coaching staff should have been fired in November or December to give the team a chance to turn it around. A couple minor trades were wins with Cammalleri for Jokinen and Aberg for an expiring Letestu contract, but that doesn’t say much. Crucial offseason ahead for the much-maligned Oilers GM and President of Hockey Operations.
Grade: F
Thank you for reading. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on the grades, and let’s keep talking on Twitter during the offseason. @DirtbagDonny
