29th. That’s not where Edmonton sits in the standings right now. No, they’re actually 30th. 29th is where Jordan Eberle sits in NHL goal scoring since the last lockout. He’s also 34th in total points, ahead of O’Reilly, Marleau, Koivu, and Couture – to name a few.
This season, Eberle has 4-7-11, which would tie him for 3rd in Oiler goal scoring and place him 2nd in total offense. Of course, that offense probably wouldn’t have come without some other-worldy play by Matthew Barzal, which is really just salt on the wound. As Edmonton plays the Islanders for the first time this season, McDavid’s former linemate has a chance to dig his former team deeper into the hole they’ve found themselves in.
Edmonton faced a similar challenge against the Devils and Taylor Hall and they turned in their best effort of the season. Needless to say, that’s what the team needs again today. That Devils game was the high water mark of the season with both the top line and the depth players contributing. If this game against Eberle gets the blood flowing for the Oil then I’m excited.
The Oil need to show any sign of life after that absolute stinker on Sunday. That performance was one of the worst I’ve seen from the top line and the rest of the team wasn’t far behind. There’s no wondering why Elliotte Friedman speculates that the Oilers will be the next team to make a splash in the trade market.
As Friedman notes, it’s not likely going to be on the level of the Duchene 3-way deal, but the Oilers have to address the problems in their lineup eventually. The right side is bereft of talent in the forward lines. Yes, it’s a mess of their own making and one that feels even more pronounced today for obvious reasons, but they still need a fix. Is it to wait for Puljujarvi and Yamamoto to develop? Maybe. That wont help this season though.
The Oilers are also living and dying on the right side with Matt Benning’s game. If he’s on it then they have puck movement from that side. If he’s struggling then there is nobody. Larsson and Gryba prefer to play a conservative game and defer to their partners. That’s fine, but it makes for obvious breakouts that are easier to defend.
LINEUP
Yamo is gone. Slepyshev looks like his replacement…for now.
Maroon McDavid Draisiatl Lucic RNH Slepyshev Caggiula Strome Jokinen Pakarinen Letestu Kassian
Klefbom Benning Nurse Larsson Russell Gryba
Talbot
OILERS KEYS TO THE GAME
1) Strome Is Home. Edmonton’s 3rd line center is returning to the scene of the crime, as it were. This is his first game playing against the club that drafted him and where he grew up from bright eyed rookie to a man. This has to be an emotional night for Strome, who appears to have found himself a home at center after bouncing up and down from the top 6. He might not be an effective Eberle replacement, but that doesn’t mean he cant contribute to Oiler success. If Strome can find chemistry with Jokinen and Caggiula then his line can prove vital in the push to get back into the playoff conversation.
2) McDavid’s Bounceback. The Oiler superstar had a brutal game against the Red Wings by eye and by number. The trio of Maroon-McDavid-Draisaitl couldn’t squeeze a drop and eventually had their minutes reduced to the lowest of the season. McDavid played just 15:55 in the game. In a game where the Oilers as a club were above 50% in shot attempts, the McDavid line was a team low 33% in shot attempts for. That is to say they were on for 10 attempts for and 20 against during 5v5 play. That line will be plenty motivated to bounce back tonight. McDavid doesn’t like to go more than 1 game without a point and they were embarrassed in their last outing.
3) Barzal Blazing. One of Chiarelli’s first moves came at the McDavid draft. It wasn’t taking McDavid, because that was easy. It was trading the Oil’s second 1st rounder and a 2nd rounder for Griffin Reinhart. That pick was then used to select Mathew Barzal. I don’t make the rules. That means that the trade will always be looked at as Reinhart for Barzal plus (the second). No, I don’t think the Oilers would have picked Barzal. No, I don’t care. So Reinhart turned out to be yet another left handed defender in a long line of left handed defenders in the system. He turned out to be too slow to play in the NHL for the Oilers and then for the Knights. He went through waivers completely unclaimed despite being dirt cheap. Mathew Barzal has 3-10-13 and looks like a contender for the Calder Trophy early in the year. He had 5 assists in his last game and is someone the Oilers will have to watch with more than regret in their eyes.
Puck drops tonight at 5PM mountain time on Sportsnet Oilers. Game On!
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