Hey y’all! Welcome back for another season of Edmonton Oilers hockey! I’m BLH and I’ll be giving you the skinny on today’s game!
If you’re new here and are wondering what 3P2W means, well, it stands for Three Players to Watch and seeing I’m as lazy as I am, I figured we’d shorten it to 3P2W.
So with that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about what’s been going on lately in the Oilogospehere and then get into the player’s I’ve put under the spotlight for today’s matchup!
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Random Pontifications
Buckle up kids… You’re about to witness a donnybrook.
- It’ll be the first regular season meeting since “The Slash” between these two clubs and while the Knights are slumping (One win in their last five) and the Oilers are streaking (three wins in their last five). I reckon there’s going to be some serious fireworks and I’m okay with that. Hell, even if Edmonton loses this game but they go down swinging, I’ll be completely satisfied.
- Getting back to the goalie rumors, nobody’s said anything about Florida’s buried blue-chipper, Spencer Knight and that makes me curious. He was once one of the more higher rated young netminders over the last five years or so and now… Nadda. Has he lost it already? Did the Panthers botch his development?
- How would Edmonton look with a duo of Knight and Skinner in the pipes? Would that be any better than Rodrigue and Skinner?
- Knight shares an agent with current Oilers prospects Ryan Fanti and Phil Kemp.
I wrote about Philip Broberg as a trade option at The Athletic and I do think the changing of the guard in management puts him front and center as a possible trade piece. Dylan Holloway might suffer the same fate eventually, but his injury puts him in the file drawer for a deal. I see this club needing a strong backup goaltender, a veteran two-way winger and a veteran defenseman who can push Vincent Desharnais or replace an injured hand in a pinch. The coaching staff (as detailed in my article) doesn’t see Broberg as that solution. – Lowetide
- In a Ken Holland-managed team, you cannot get attached to young players as he’s made it a career-long habit to turf them for help in the immediate.
- I still like Philly Broberg and believe he needs his reps but they’re not going to happen in Edmonton unless one of Darnell Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, or Brett Kulak go down.
- Vinnie Desharnais has stepped up VERY recently but in reality, Broberg should be splitting duties with him about 50% of the time. Then again, maybe Broberg is another Anders Eriksson considering he never developed into a Nik Kronwall.
- It’d be a shame of Edmonton gave up on Holloway so soon. Unlucky injuries shouldn’t see him viewed in a lesser sense. He just needs time and I think there’s a ready-made spot on the roster for him once Foegele and Janmark are gone. He’s exactly what this team’s 3rd line needs, energy and his give-a-shit meter is red-lining all the time.
- A strong back-up might mean Jake Allen but for some reason I can only see it happening closer to the deadline when prices come down a bit.
- Maybe Fleury out of Minnesota… However I feel like that’s a long shot.
- Vejmelka could be an option but they seem to be reaching out to upgrade their roster with the likes of Noah Hanifin rumored to be on their radar, so that would lead one to believe they’re not aching to rid themselves of a starting goalie.
- I can’t remember who, but one of the insiders was bringing up MacKenzie Blackwood and he isn’t impressing me much.
- Eric Comrie out of Buffalo? Who knows…
- How do you feel about Nathan Bastian or Mikey McLeod out of New Jersey? Big boys with some speed and muscle. McLeod can take a draw…
- Would you bring Bjugstad back? I would.
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Three Players to Watch for the Bad Guys
- #9 Jack Eichel (8g 12a 20pts) – Jack vs. Connor has always been a fun rivalry. It’s not held up to the Sid/Ovie one but there’s still time considering that they may play out their careers in the same division.
- #27 Alex Pietrangelo (1g 8a 9pts) – I don’t think he’s going to show up on the score sheet very much but he will be getting some “special attention” tonight, you can be sure of that.
- #81 Jonathan Marchessault (9g 5a 14pts) – This guy shows up against Edmonton very consistently. In 20 games vs. the Oilers he has 11 goals and 8 assists.
Three Players to Watch for the Good Guys
- #97 Connor McDavid (7g 18a 25pts) – Mother of God. He’s back.
- #29 Leon Draisaitl (9g 19a 28pts) – Reckon Leon does something suspension worthy tonight?
- #22 Darnell Nurse (3g 5a 8pts) – His last game was one of his best in quite a long time. Is he a $9M yet, no, not unless he can turn into a 60pt dman as well as a superb defensive defender too. All that said, when Edmonton plays the likes of the Knights, Bruins, or Avs; they need Darnell to step the f*ck up. Tonight’s gonna be a fun one.
