Game Day 21: Oilers vs Wild
This in from Tony Brar of Oilers TV, news that Edmonton’s top two wingers, Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson, were not on the ice for the team’s morning skate, but new winger Kasperi Kapanen was, along with Darnell Nurse taking a turn as the seventh defenceman.
• No Arvidsson or Hyman on the ice
Podkolzin – McDavid – Draisaitl
Skinner – RNH – Kapanen
Janmark – Henrique – Brown
Caggiula – Ryan – Perry
Ekholm – Bouchard
Kulak – Stecher
Dermott – Emberson
Nurse
Skinner
Pickard
My take
1. Kasperi Kapanen is arriving at a time of great opportunity for him, it would seem. With Edmonton two best wingers out, there’s a chance for the newcomer to make some noise on a top line.
2. Why do I say that Hyman and Arvidsson are the Oil’s two best wingers this year given that both are in scoring slumps, with Hyman having three goals in 20 games and Arvidsson just two goals in 16 games? It’s because both have played solid two-way hockey at even strength, better than other Oilers wingers.
3. Both Arvidsson and Hyman have created a good rate of Grade A shots, either through passing, shooting or battling, with Hyman at the same rate as he was at last season. It’s just that the pucks haven’t been going in yet when Hyman’s on the ice. That will change. He wasn’t doing anything wrong before his injury, the bounces simply were not going his way. Arvidsson was also helping to create a solid number of Grade A shots but without much luck around the net. Both were played reasonably well on defence as well. What this means, unfortunately, is that it’s a major blow for the Oilers to have them sitting out with injury, just as it was a huge blow to lose Darnell Nurse just as his play was trending up fast.
4. It’s excellent to see Drake Caggiula getting another shot. He played exceptionally well in preseason — well enough to make the team on merit — and also had two solid games in a brief call-up. He brings necessary aggression and speed to the line-up.
5. I’ve been encouraged by the play of Ty Emberson. Tonight will be a huge test, however, as the Wild have a several brilliant attackers upfront, namely Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov. He’s likely going to get some shifts against those two. Emberson has succeeded to date with a combo of strong skating, good defensive positioning, decent passing and impressive physical play. He definitely belongs on the Oilers, the question being in what role exactly.
At the Cult of Hockey
McCURDY: Just in time, Oilers trending up as a team
STAPLES: Did Jackson screw up the Oilers this summer? Has Bowman fixed it?
Staples on politics
Left-wing policies put AIMCo leadership on collision course with Smith’s UCP
