15 seconds into this game Connor McDavid coughed up the puck at the Rangers blue line (a big no-no at any level) and sent a red-hot Mika Zibanejad on a partial breakaway. Lucky for Edmonton, Mike Smith was up to the task and he stopped the Swede from getting his 9th point on the year. But I’ll say honestly, that wasn’t a good sign for me. However, they did it folks! The Edmonton Oilers, for the first time in franchise history, defeated all three New York-based NHL teams on a single road trip, but that’s not all! They won the possession battle as well! More on that in a second.
I just want to comment on something I’ve read since the game ended from another other Oilers blog that I found interesting,
Kurt Leavins from the Cult of Hockey wrote this in his latest 9 Thoughts post,
There continues to be some talk that the Oilers may be interested in Julien Gauthier in Carolina. The right-shot winger was the Hurricanes 1st over-all pick in 2016. That’s the same draft as you-know-who. Gauthier scored 27 for AHL Charlotte last season and 2 more in 2 games this year before his call-up. If indeed Edmonton scouts watched Saturday’s ‘Canes game against Columbus they would have seen Gauthier play 4th line minutes (8:25 TOI, and all but a few seconds of it 5×5) and register 0 points, 0 shots and 2 hits. One thing that perhaps may make the player attractive in such a deal though is the fact that Gauthier is waivers exempt. He could go to the AHL without fear of losing him for nothing.
I still don’t think that a Puljujarvi for Gauthier trade is a good trade. Puljujarvi is leading his team in scoring and the entire SM-Liiga in shots. His NHLe is good for 37 points at the NHL right now and I get that if the Oilers did make the swap, there’s some value in the fact that Gauthier could be sent down but at the sacrifice of who when he gets there? Yamamoto is on the first line, Currie is on the 2nd line, Gagner is the 3rd line winger, and Peluso is on the 4th line. But let’s say he stays in Edmonton, that creates another issue, who is he displacing on their roster? Kassian, Neal, Archibald, Chiasson, or Russell?
It’s simply a trade that unless the Oilers are trading someone from their AHL or NHL roster, it doesn’t make sense to me. But if they dealt Josh Currie or Sam Gagner, then absolutely. Puljujarvi for Gauthier just causes roster problems. The other thing is, they have a player in Kailer Yamamoto who has started the year in even better form who is also waiver eligible. The NHL is getting faster and quicker every year and from my viewings, Julien Gauthier’s first few steps need work. Yamamoto, not so much.
Notes
- According to Bruce McCurdy on the Cult of Hockey’s post-game podcast, the Oilers went 5-0-3 in afternoon games last season. Perhaps the curse is lifting…
- Oscar Klefbom is third in scoring for defensemen with seven points (1g-6a-7pts) and I hope for the sake of every Oilers fan’s sanity, he stays healthy. He’s an absolute rock for this team and it’s a bloody shame he wasn’t officially given an “A” to put on his jersey. No other defender on this team is as impactful as he is at both ends of the ice.
- Special teams are humming along. Both the PP (41.2%) and the PK (94.1%) are 2nd in the league.
- The Oilers are the first team in NHL history to start a season 5-0-0 by overcoming a deficit in each game. (h/t to Dan Rosen)
- With the way that Ethan Bear, Joel Persson, and Matt Benning are playing, what happens when Adam Larsson returns?
- Colby Cave has been waived and assigned to Bakersfield. We’ve already spoken about the traffic jam going on with the wingers down there, the one at center is no different. I have a feeling some sort of roster move is going to take place. Maybe nothing substantial like a trade but more someone getting moved to Wichita or loaned to another AHL club.
Game Grades
Mike Smith – 4 – His posts were playing as well as he was! Humor aside, he came up mighty large early in the game stopping that Zibanejad breakaway as well as a Panarin one-timer on the PP and a point-blank scoring chance by Lias Andersson. New York didn’t test him very much but when they did, Smith was up to the task. He toned down his stretch passes as well and stuck to the short passes for the most part. Saved 20/21 and threw up a .962 SV%.
Josh Archibald – 2 – The play where he shot the puck way wide and subsequently in the back of the net thanks to Kaapo Kakko, I don’t think Archibald was being careless. Either he was trying for a hook pass or the puck rolled on him and just got stuck on the end of his blade when he was releasing the shot/pass. Maybe a bit too much mustard on it is what I might critique. Right after that, he fired one off the iron. So an excellent bounce-back shift. Wallpapered Brett Howden later in the second period. The 5×5 fancies LOVED him though. 83% CF% and a CF% rel of 17.88… What?!
Joel Persson – 2 – Dominated the possession metrics with Klefbom. 78% CF% and 18.95 CF% rel at 5×5. I loved his little dangle and shot in the Rangers’ zone with about six minutes gone. He shows a bit of flair now and then but he’s smart about it and doesn’t get caught.
Joakim Nygard – 2 – Great pass on the first 2v1 with Chiasson and then did a fine job of drawing the defender on the second 2v1. I feel like he’s getting buried a bit in the lineup but perhaps his lack of offense is a factor there. That said, the team is winning so why muck around with it?
Oscar Klefbom – 4 – Scored a goal from the point not with a huge clapper but a subtle wrister. Then assisted on McDavid’s goal. He was the best defenseman on the ice for both teams hands down. His positioning was great and his passes were the tape. He didn’t waste any time or energy being careless (apart from the Kakko goal). He’s on his game right now and the Oilers are the beneficiary.
Riley Sheahan – 2 – Solid performance. Gifted with a short-handed chance off of the Kassian penalty that was stopped and then nearly another on the same PK but Lundqvist beat him to the puck. 70% on the dot.
Zack Kassian – 2 – Woof! He made some shocking plays in this one. Who gives up a breakaway like that? I know Leon is on fire right now, but Zack has to be a bit more selfish there. He must be getting tired because his mistakes looked like mental ones. Took a questionable penalty that negated a goal early in the second frame. I’m wondering if the staff at MSG have scraped Brendan Smith off of the boards after Kassian creamed him.
Connor McDavid – 4 – Gastly night on faceoffs (37.5%) and misplayed the puck on more than one occasion. Took a lazy penalty in the final frame too but not 30 seconds after leaving the box, drew a penalty. On that PP, 97 banked the puck in off of Jacob Trouba’s leg and that was all she wrote. Two more points for the GOAT.
Leon Draisaitl -5 – Wretched first period, but he wasn’t alone. Got his shit together in the first intermission and then made up for the gaffe by getting in on the Oilers’ final three tallies and also by making Jacob Trouba look very foolish on his empty-netter.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – 4 – Won a very important faceoff that lead to Oscar Klefbom’s goal. Was really buzzing in the second and third periods as he had multiple scoring chances with Neal and Jurco doing the heavy lifting. It’s getting obvious that if it’s possible, they want Neal in front of the net when Nuge has the puck. They’re going for the screen and/or tip or at least they did against the Rangers a lot.
Ethan Bear – 4 – Another day and another Ethan Bear pass up the middle of the ice start a breakout that would end up with the Oilers scoring a goal. Had puck ride up his stick and catch him in the hand at the end of that horrid first period. Luckily, no damage down though. I hope he can keep this great play going, but I can’t help but remember Caleb Jones going on a similar run last season before fizzling out a bit.
Jujhar Khaira – 2 – Was really good on the PK. I feel like JJ and Nuge are forming quite the partnership on the PK. They’ve been very efficient with a man down so far.
James Neal – 2 – No goals for The Real Deal, but he pinged one off of Henrik Lundqvist’s cranium that had him grinning. Bit of an up and down game for him, he tried to hit Kaapo Kakko in the 2nd but missed and got a taste of the old Sherwood sandwich instead. Was THIS close to getting goal #8 off of an RNH tip that might’ve gone in the net had Neal not touched it.
Tomas Jurco – 2 – Tough night for Oilers taking pucks off of sensitive places. Jurco got one in the face half-way through the second. His size and skill are very apparent and really important to his line. Defensively he’s meh, but with the puck going the other way, I like how he’s utilizing his strengths. To be honest and I love Puljujarvi, but it’s how he should’ve been playing when he was in Edmonton.
Darnell Nurse – 4 – I really enjoyed this game from Darnell. He simplified his game a bit. His passes were much more precise and on point. He wasn’t trying to do more than he could or should. He was awarded an assist on Leon’s empty-net goal.
Alex Chiasson – 4 – I liked his game. He had a hilarious little battle with Marc Staal late in the second period where Staal sent Chiasson’s stick flying in the air, the Oiler then grabbed Staal’s stick out of his hand, took a step and then dropped it when he could grab his own. Fair play I say and good on the refs. Nearly scored on a 2v1 with Joakim Nygard. He brings a very different element to the roster when he’s in. He’s physical and aggressive but also kind of clever around the net. Had the third best SF% rel 5×5 (12.17), meaning when he was on the ice, the shots on goal share was very much in Edmonton’s favor. I wonder if he might get a look beside Sheahan and Khaira?
Matthew Benning – 4 – VERY solid game. Took on some of the Rangers’ biggies and held his own. He’s had a quiet but effective start to the year. I suppose that has a bit to do with progressing as an individual but also because he’s being deployed correctly. Took a nasty shot off the back of the hand in the first but it didn’t slow him down, however, he nailed the post in the third period.
Markus Granlund – 4 – Well well well… Look who decided to show up. Actually, Granlund played a really good game to the eye. The move to center seemed to reinvigorate him somewhat. He looked way more engaged in the play compared to his previous four games.
Kris Russell – 2 – Nothing spectacular on the night. A Good recovery after a poorly executed pinch at his own blue line as his pass block around 5 minutes into the 2nd period prevented the puck from being moved right into the middle or Royal Road to a wide-open Ranger. His CF% rel was fugly though at -19.49…
What did you think about the game? Let us know in the comments below!
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick
