Edmonton Oilers Talk: “Mike Babcock might be Holland’s answer.” Says Lowetide

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Edmonton Sun

OILERS NOTES: How can Yamamoto have no shots in six straight games?

He has played on the second line all season, either with Leon Draisaitl as his centre or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and he has five goals in 27 games. He has one assist.
His leash with the coaches has been very long. In part, there haven’t been a lot of alternatives as the second-line right-winger, but off his production should he still be the there?

“We ask our top guys who they want to play with and he would be one of those guys,” he said. “There’s a saying in the league that the players know who can play and who can’t. Our top guys like what this guy brings.” – Glen Gulutzan, Oilers Asst Coach

Goalie Mike Smith has been a full participant the last few practices but Mikko Koskinen and Stuart Skinner shared the starter’s net Wednesday, so maybe Smith, out for two months with an ankle injury, won’t play against Columbus.
Zach Hyman (shoulder) wasn’t on the ice Wednesday. “I believe he’s getting an image done. We’re hoping it’s a good image. He did skate this morning before our practice,” said Gulutzan.

BLH’s Thoughts: Maybe it’s time the coaches stopped asking the top guys who they want to play with? Considering that they’re the coaches, wouldn’t Tippett and Gulutzan have the knowledge to know which players should play with each other and if having Yamo on the top line because he keeps plays alive is the only thing keeping him up there, toss Hyman over on the right side and promote Foegele to McDavid’s line. Both of them are known for their fine work in the muck too. In addition to that, I thought the team’s bottom-six is floundering 5v5, so why not toss Yamo down there and task him with providing some more offense with Ryan McLeod and Zack Kassian on the Oilers third line?

Lowetide.ca

I blame injuries for the most part, most Oilers fans blame the coach. We’re at a point where logic and reason leave the room and chaos marries the wildest fantasies of ownership. Can you list any Oilers from the golden era who are currently coaches? Former coaches? Have expressed an interest in coaching? I know you’re thinking Jay Woodcroft and a large analytics department, but Mike Babcock might be Holland’s answer. We wait.

BLH’s Thoughts: Why can’t we blame both? Toss in the goaltending and some bad bets by the GM and you’ve got a team on an extended slump.

But look, the Jets and the Avs aren’t exactly killing it either and lots of folks picked them to have outstanding years.

Shit happens. But I will say this, watch when Mike Smith gets his first game between the pipes here in the next week or so. These Oilers play with passion when he’s in the net because he keeps them accountable AND they respect him…

So when Smith’s not in net and the attitude changes with Mikko, what does that say about the character and integrity of the team? And don’t give me any shit about Koskinen allowing bad goals or his dodgy glove hand because Smith is just as guilty of allowing questionable goals plus the guy can’t stay healthy and is one Ovie shot to the nuts from turning into dust.

Maybe this team is in need of an emotional leader who plays out and stays healthy. Now, you get one to this level, but a Mark Messier or Wendel Clark-type. A player that when the chips are down can go out and provide some energy. I mean, if Tyler Benson was a better skater, he might be that kind of guy.

Ryan Lomberg (FLA) might not be good at scoring goals, but his give a shit meter never falls below “try me” and Edmonton, in my eyes, needs one or two of these skaters who could give two shits about scoring goals and more about dragging the other team into the game. At least if you had a couple of them, the fanbase would never ask, “Where’s the passion?” like they are now…

NHLRumors.com

Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News: Dallas Stars pending unrestricted free agent Joe Pavelski hopes to be able to re-sign with the Stars… There would be several teams interested in Pavelski if he hit the open market next July as he’s still producing in a top-six role.
Andy Graziano: From a New York Islanders standpoint, they don’t seem to be in a position to make a trade to get back into contention… They should start looking towards the NHL trade deadline and moving the contracts of goaltender Semyon Varlamov and Josh Bailey. They could test the market on forward Cal Clutterbuck and see if they can get a draft pick for him.