Follow @SMaloughney Hey Oilers fans, at least you were able to enjoy one playoff run this decade so... progress?
Another 10 years have come and gone for the Edmonton Oilers with a series of different notable events having occurred.
Depending on your definition the team went through 3-5 rebuilds.
There have been 8 different NHL coaches.
There have been 5 different General Managers.
The team selected their first ever 1st overall draft pick this decade, and traded him away. After that selection, the Edmonton Oilers would select 1st overall three more times; in total two of those players still remain with the team.
From the 09/10 season to now, the Edmonton Oilers have the second fewest cumulative points of any team... the only reason they are not last place is because by that technicality, the Vegas Golden Knights who have only been in the league for 2.5 seasons have fewer points.
On that note, the Vegas Golden Knights have been to the playoffs more than the Edmonton Oilers this decade.
Edmonton has scored the 4th fewest goals in the league over this span (not including Vegas in the next couple stats) and have allowed the most goals as well, with pucks finding the back of the net 68 more times than the second worst team the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Simply put, it's been an embarrassing decade for the organization and as the ground has collapsed under the Oilers once again, the odds of them making the playoffs this season dwindle by the day. There is currently a 41.8% chance that the Oilers will make the post-season but those numbers slip away by the day.
Edmonton finds themselves out of a Wild Card spot as of today but now at the halfway mark of the season, it becomes more and more unlikely that the Pacific Division will have a Wild Card team.
Edmonton's 44 points would put them 5th in the Central Division. That is one point better than the Minnesota Wild who have a game in hand and two points better than the Predators who have three games in hand on the Oilers.
Holland had a hot team through the first two months of the season and as the numbers dropped down to earth, no changes were made... no players were called up, no trades were made. Finally at the halfway point in the season at least something is being shaken up.
Oh right... there is a game tonight.
LINEUP
OILERS
Neal – McDavid – Kassian Nygard – Draisaitl – Yamamoto Khaira – RNH – Gagner Sheahan – Haas – Archibald
Klefbom – Bear Nurse – K. Russell Lagesson – Larsson
Koskinen
RANGERS Kreider – Zibanejad – Buchnevich Panarin – Strome – Fast Lemieux – Chytil – Kakko Smith – McKegg – Howden
Skjei – Trouba Staal – DeAngelo Lindgren – Fox
Georgiev
---
3 KEYS TO VICTORY 1.) The Right Time: The first two times Yamamoto was called up to the NHL it was ill-advised to say the least. Yamamoto was not only a very young player who wasn't a top 5 draft pick, but his size or lack thereof was a huge obstacle. Yammer might never end up being an impact player in the NHL but the team is calling him up after a long AHL stint where he has had success, and are putting him in a spot in the lineup where his skill can be displayed.
2.) Leggo My Lagesson - The 23 year old William Lagesson must have thought his NHL chance was never coming. He was called up earlier in the year and stayed here for about a week without ever getting into the lineup. Fans have seen the future on display this season as Bear, Jones, and now Lagesson are all getting their shot at the NHL level.
3.) Curious Georgiev - It's still early but the Rangers look like they might have their next starter in Alexandar Georgiev. The 23 year old has played 18 games this season, nearly split with Lunqvist and has posted a 0.915 Sv% Being a rookie tender, he has still had some stinker games but has also posted 2 shutouts in his last 8 starts. Solving him will be crucial for an Oilers team whose scoring has all but dried up.
---
FILM OF THE DAY Happy New Year everyone and for those who are out celebrating tonight, please don't drive under the influence. Just as the Oilers need; let's all start out the New Year on the right foot.
Of course the movie today will take a New Years theme. While many are familiar with the George Clooney, Ocean's 11, not everyone knows that it is based off of another movie from 1960 where the heist occurred on New Years.