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!
- Youtube: Beer League Heroes Channel
- Twitter: @beerleagueheroe
- Instagram: @beerleagueheroes
- Facebook: Beer League Heroes
Lowetide.ca
- Broberg was the best Condors player on the ice by some margin, and the rest of the prospects (Lavoie, Berglund, Niemelainen) of note were good and bad.
- Samorukov seems to be reaching a point where the training camp injury and lack of preseason is no longer an issue, and Konovalov is not grabbing the AHL starting job in the days that Skinner is away.
- A recall option? Broberg is the standout, Niemelainen and Samorukov are additional options. Marody is the only forward worthy of a recall, and purchasing the contract of Brad Malone isn’t a terrible idea.
BLH’s Thoughts: Koekkoek left last night’s game in the 2nd period after getting hung up near the benches with one of the Jets forwards and the Condors are on a bit of a break. I wonder if the Oilers might recall one of these defensemen LT has mentioned even if nothing more than to practice with the big boys.
Cult of Hockey
The last big problem on the Edmonton Oilers isn’t getting any closer to a fix
- Edmonton is getting whipped when the third and fourth lines are on the ice.
- …when third and fourth line players are asked to carry the load, the Oil have been caved in so far this year, outshot 147 to 122 and outscored 20 goals to nine goals.
- That’s just a 31 per cent goals for percentage for the third and fourth lines. That’s the kind of nasty goal differential you would expect from a lottery team, not a team that’s now deemed as a Stanley Cup contender.
- At centre, not one of the players is keeping his head above water so far this year, all of them leaking more Grade A shots against than they’re creating on the attack.
- Indeed if there’s one thing we know, it’s that while Shore might hang in there as a fourth line winger, he’s not a centre. The defensive reads get the best of him consistently.
- If Benson or Sceviour don’t get the opportunity, or fail to step up if they do get it, and if Archibald’s return isn’t in the cards (I’m not betting on it, based on the general stubbornness of the anti-vaxxers), maybe rookie Dylan Holloway will be good to go in March, after he returns from injury.
- It’s not the most difficult thing in the world to find a fourth line winger who can skate, hit and play defence. The Oilers have found such players in the past and not paid a high price.
BLH’s Thoughts: Edmonton’s bottom six got worked again last night according to the fancies, but at least they didn’t get scored on.
If the Oilers want to improve their bottom six, they’re going to need to upgrade the centers on both the 3rd and 4th lines. I fear that the club might’ve waited too long on Ryan and he’s wading into Kyle Turris waters. Mr. McLeod’s got potential but would he not be a really good option on the wing with spot duty at center this year?
I’ve always said that the strength of a team is determined by the quality of its spine (four centers, top 4 defense, and the starting goalie). Do Ryan McLeod, Derek Ryan, Devin Shore, and Colton Sceviour make Edmonton’s opponents nervous before each game? Do they force the other team’s coaching staff to plan around them? No, they do not and I imagine they rather enjoy when Tippett throws his 3rd and 4th line on the ice. That needs to be rectified.
Curious why Foegele isn’t producing like he was in Carolina? Jordan Staal isn’t his center and Staal is one of the best two-way centers in the whole league…
A really good center will cut down those Grade A scoring chances against massively. I wonder what a guy like Radek Faksa (DAL) would do for the Oilers 3rd line?
The Daily Goal Horn
- With Carey Price still not ready to return, GM Marc Bergevin could be scouring the market for another goaltender. Allen’s injury may have the Habs looking to make a bigger move than just a temporary replacement.
- With Friedman’s info, Montreal is more than likely making calls for defenders that can transport the puck out of their own zone. Considering Cole Caufield is still in the minors, could he be used as a trade chip for one?
- Filip Forsberg talks in early stages… David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported on NHL Network that the two sides have begun talks. Albeit in the very early stages.
