The Edmonton Oilers are off to their second rancid start in two seasons, this time losing their first three games.
The hockey world has reacted with both patience and despair, humour and anger. Here is a round-up of the most intriguing takes:
The Athletic’s Jonathan Willis @JonathanWillis
The Kris Knoblauch-coached Oilers after a 3-game losing streak:
– 11/24/23: 8 straight wins
– 12/21/23: 16 straight wins
– 02/26/24: 5 straight wins
– 06/15/24: 3 straight wins
The Oilers have not yet lost four consecutive games under Knoblauch
Hockey commentator Ray Ferraro
In every portion of the game they were not very good. If this happens in November or December, you figure it out. You’ve got some other games to insulate you. Right now it’s the only thing you’ve got to look at. In my experience, you can tell yourself you’re committed, you can tell yourself you’re engaged, but you’re not quite there. When I watch the Oilers, in every faced of the game they’re not quite there. They’re not quite physical enough. They’re not quite committed enough defensively. They don’t track back quite enough. They don’t get enough saves. All of that adds up to loss, loss, loss.
TSN commentator Bryan Hayes, host of Overdrive 1050 in Toronto
The Oilers trying to literally replicate last season so they get back to the Cup Final is genius.
Oilers fan JB @JackieBee_16
I don’t care about the fancy stats – This Oilers team was better with Ceci, Desharnais, McLeod and Holloway – and they are missing Kane. There’s no solid defending, the guys they picked up are old and exhausted after 1.5 periods. There’s no grit, no energy, no toughness
Spittin’ Chiclets commentator Ryan Whitney @ryanwhitney6
The first two were ugly but getting worked by the Flames at home is gross
Oilers fan Zack Busch @busch10
1. Oilers always start slow, not panicking
2. We don’t have a gm who is too old to hear his phone ring, we might actually do something to address needs at the deadline (for once)
3. New additions looking better, only going to get better
Oilers fan TheCrazyCam @TheCrazyCam_
Bottom 6 is trash, D is trash, G is trash, team is trash, GM is trash, thus season will continue to be trash.
Edmonton sports radio commentator Dustin Nielson @nielsonTSN1260
Three Quick Thoughts
1. Played well until the Flames scored their first goal, didn’t respond well after.
2. Have wasted a sweetheart home schedule to start the year.
3. Have already juggled lines and D pairs, now what?
Oilers fan💧Jesse @97OrangeCrush29
I HATE LOVING OILERS THIS MUCH. I cry over these guys I LOVE them as much as I can love my dog or my humans. I get mad at em like only we can to our family members, but anyone beaks ’em I’m backing them 100 per cent.
Hall of Fame hockey commentator Terry Jones @byterryjones
Monumental mess. How can a team that went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final look so mentally fragile as the Oilers? Totally come unravelled to lose a game they owned early.
Lose 6-0, 5-2, 4-1. That’s 15-3. AT HOME!
What Chaos hockey podcaster Pete Blackburn @PeteBlackburn
I love the Edmonton Oilers’ commitment to being physically and mentally incapable of playing a full regular season
TSN’s Martin Biron
Your stars are not playing at their level.
ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski @wyshynski
Fire Woodcroft
Oilers fan Darcy ‘Woodguy’ McLeod @Woodguy55
I think EDM should take “when in a good shooting spot, pass the puck to a player near the boards, or button hook and pass the puck further from the net” out of their playbook.
Spittin’ Chiclets commentator Paul Bissonnette @BizNasty2point0
Oilers are broken again. Whit had the balls to ask me about (Toronton goalie) Woll on the new podcast coming out Tuesday. Buddy, worry about your own team. This might get ugly.”
Connor McDavid
Ultimately it hasn’t been good enough, I’ve said that numerous times. Up and down the lineup, myself first and foremost, everyone can be better and everyone will be better.
Oilers fan Dyl @dhockey13
It’s only 3 games in and i’m already dreading having to watch another Oilers game. Why did I choose to love this sport man.
Oilers fan BLH (Edmonton Oilers Enthusiast} @BeerLeagueHeroe
How many more years will the Oilers wait for Nurse to achieve his potential? Maybe they’ve got some internal analytics that paint him in a good light?… Hopefully…
Oilers fan Romulus’ Apotheosis @RomulusNotNuma
Per the standard narrative, the Oilers as some kind of veteran elite cup favorite should be getting calls. 3 games in and i guess the reffing crews haven’t gotten the memos.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch
I don’t think there’s enough desperation. I think we just show up and play hockey and (think) that’s good enough.
Oilers fan McOilers @McOilers
Let me preemptively say, to all of those people who will undoubtedly say it’s still early and the Oilers will figure it out and be fine, please shut the fuck up.
Oilers fan Brad Tennant @bradktennant
Oilers just don’t have big game players like Justin Kirkland.
Oilers fan DroppingKlefboms @droptheklefbom·
I’ve seen a lot of fans curse Nurse and others for the defence issue in Edmonton. How about the half a dozen turnovers Bouchard has made? Are we seriously protecting this goals hazard issue?! Oh, he puts points up… How about he does his job?
Overrated!
Oilers fan Waddsy @waddsy19
The good? The Oilers are a playoff team, the wins will come.
They’ve got EK and a top 4 D coming as help.
J Skinner has been great offensively.
The bottom 6 is showing up.
The bad? Everything else. All of it.
Oilers fan Walton @StevenGWalton
Until that time. Is it time to split Ek / Bouch ? I hate the thought but could this work?
Ek – ?
Kulak – Bouchard
? – Nurse
? = Dermot / Emberson / Stecher
We know EK can elevate a partner
Bouch is ready to anchor his own pair (& if he isn’t could help with $ negotiations)
Sportsnet commentator Mark Spector @SportsnetSpec
Edmonton’s best players are its worst players right now.
Draisaitl, Arvidsson, Bouchard, McDavid, RNH, Hyman…
Until they show up, nothing changes
Oilers fan Rich @easternrefugee in Bakersfield
Relevant to today. This Oilers team is phenomenal. I would rather get the rust out now rather than later. Way back in the ECHL Bako started the season 11-0. OMG we were unreal. We went on to barely make the PO and got SWEPT in the first round. Moral of the story. It is now not how you begin but rather how you end
Hockey commentator Allan ‘Lowetide’ Mitchell
Oilers lost to the Calgary Flames tonight. Out-skilled for the third game in a row.
Passing. Shooting. Skating. Anticipation. Coverage. Making saves. Execution. What in h-e-double-hockey-sticks is left?
I think it’s safe to call this the lost weekend.
Oilers fan Andrew @AndrewAlberta2
I’m seriously worried about this team. Finals hangover, no will or drive. Last year Hyman was skating hard down the wing to the net, now he stops well before the net. Many other examples.
Oilers fan David Carter @davidcarterfoto
I just don’t understand how this team has two incredibly distinct forms. Where do they go? How does this happen so regularly???
Sportsnet’s Kevin Bieksa
Just give them time. They will get going. they’re a good team. They had a slow start last year. Obviously they came back.
Sportsnet’s Kelly Hrudey.
It’s a little early to panic for the Oilers.
TSN’s Craig Button
What do they have? Three goals. What do they have $78 million tied up in offence and we’re going to blame the defence? Like, give me a break. The bottom line is this team is built on offence. It’s got some of the best players on the planet. They went and got (Jeff) Skinner and Arvidsson to give more offensive thrust and more push. They haven’t done it. Until the offence improves, nothing else is going to improve. They’re not paying the price. They’re not going hard where you need to go hard. They’re not getting in and digging in.
NHL commentator Stan Fischler @StanFischler
Not to worry about the Oilers. They’ll be fine but Commodore McDavid has to come up with better quotes than, “We’re not quitters.” (We found that out last year. What about 0-3? )
Oilers fan RG3 @rascalgas
How Stan Fischler spends every morning:
• Sleeps in until 4:30 AM
• Tweets about how horrible McDavid is
• Other eye finally opens
• Eats one-third of a boiled egg for breakfast
• Listens to some modern music (from 1932)
• Tweets about the glorious(!) New York Islanders
Oilers fan Canada Mike 🇨🇦 @mikebayrak
But oh man I miss Evander Kane even more now.
Oilers fan Goodfella @DhillonSteve
Where those Ceci hating bitches at?
Oilers fan GrizzAlberta @GrizzAlberta
Although there were glimpses of improvement tonight the Oilers have a lot of work to do.
Slow, outplayed, pushed around, defense discombobulated. I sure hope they figure it out soon. I know it’s early but…….
Oilers Now commentator Bob Stauffer @Bob_Stauffer
The Edmonton Oiler have 93 SOG in 3 GP.
The have scored just 3 Goals this season.
This is a team that finished 4th in goals last season and led the NHL in goals in 2022-23.
Oilers fan Maher Borhot @MaherBorhot
Team looks slow! Inject the youth. Call up Philip and Savoie
My take
1. In their desperation to score, the Oilers are stinking it out on defence. They’re running around in their own zone and trying to do too much. They’re also too often cheating for offence but slack on the backcheck. Just like last season, if the Oilers don’t convince themselves to put defensive hockey at the top of their priority list, they’ll go nowhere fast. But if each player decides that before everything else he’ll play sound and fundamental defensive hockey, this team will win, as it’s got the offensive fire power.
2. That said, I’m worried about a lack of team speed and physical play. It looks like GM Stan Bowman will have to change up this roster sooner than later. The loss of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to offer sheets in August was a massive blow to the Oilers, taking away both speed and aggression from the roster. Edmonton is yet to adjust properly to the nuking that St. Louis gave to them.
3. Overall Edmonton has 33 Grade A shots so far this year, with 35 for the opposition. When it comes to the subset of the most dangerous shots, 5-alarmers, Edmonton has 15, the opposition 18. Edmonton has clearly been out-played but goaltending and puck luck have also played a role in Edmonton’s miserable start. At the very least, Edmonton’s luck around the net should pick up.
Staples on politics
At the Cult of Hockey
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