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G25: Oilers vs Canadiens - Huge Homestand |
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Losing to the Wild last on Thursday felt expected; I wrote as much in my last game day blog. A back to back against a team that the Oilers traditionally struggle with. However I predicted the team losing a dull 2-1 affair. While it was dull hockey for most of the game, the final score ended up being 5-3. This is a game Edmonton was winning 2-1 and could have locked things down to sneak out a win or at least a point.
Instead once again, Jack Campbell and the Oilers defense or lack thereof was the story. For a couple weeks it felt like we weren't talking about Campbell, Skinner had most of the starts and Campbell was in net for the exciting come from behind victory against the Rangers. Once more though his struggles are at the forefront. Campbell cannot be trusted right now for any meaningful starts. It is time to fully hand over the reigns to Stuart Skinner and see what you have.
I've seen some suggest a buyout for Jack Campbell. That conversation is far too premature. Campbell over his career has been a solid goalie with above league average numbers. A buyout starting next year would look like this for cap hit:
23/24: $1,541,667
24/25: $1,141,667
25/26: $2,341,667
26/27: $2,641,667
27/28: $1,541,667
28/29: $1,541,667
The cap may be going up in short order but that is still a massive waste of useful cap space. We have seen every GM in the past two decades have at least one anchor of a contract: Milan Lucic, Shawn Horcoff, Jack Campbell.
The next best way to help Campbell improve is to improve this defensive group. Darnell Nurse is as inconsistent as we have seen in the past 5 years and Cody Ceci is starting to look much more like a middle pairing player than a regular top pairing guy. Broberg has done some good things but it's clear he isn't immediately going to be impacting the top four.
The best option for this team remains finding a way to move Tyson Barrie. Barrie has two years left on his deal at 4.5 million and would be of value to a number of teams. I would simply look at the bottom 5 PP teams in the league and start there.
This is not a Barrie bashing post. Barrie has done some good things this season but as I've been saying since the summer his skillset is redundant on this roster. Bouchard is trending back into the green with his numbers and is finding ways to be effective both at 5 on 5 and on the powerplay when he is given the opportunity.
For those who argue Barrie is a more proven PP producer than Barrie I would say fair point. However the easy counter is the Oilers have McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH as options on their top unit as well. Barrie does some good things but those players are the reason why the Oilers regularly have one of the top powerplays in the league. Even if the PP numbers do end up taking a hit without Barrie, this team needs stronger 5 on 5 defending far more than a few extra points on the powerplay.
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Tonight Edmonton plays against a team very reminiscent of the early 2010 Oilers. The team is being led in full force by their young offensively talented players in Suzuki, Caufield, Dach, and Guhle but a weak defensive group and inconsistent goaltending is keeping them down... okay this group is alot like the 2020 Oilers too but at least these Oilers are in the playoff hunt... most of the time...
Montreal's three top scoring players are all on the same line in Dach, Suzuki, and Caufield and Edmonton will likely match with their own nuclear option of Draisaitl, McDavid, and Hyman. I still am not wild about keeping McDavid and Draisaitl together but this may be the right game to do it.
It helps that RNH and Puljujarvi have been finding some real chemistry together. RNH will once again be with Janmark and Pulujarvi though I would take off the former in Janmark and replace him with someone like Dylan Holloway.
Janmark, RNH, and JP have been outscored 2-3 at 5 on 5 but far worse is that they have been outchanced 7-13. JP and RNH without Janmark have been outscored 1-4 but have outchanced their opponents 42-39. The trio together have played 26 minutes together and JP and RNH without Janmark have played 97 minutes together. In nearly 70 more minutes JP and RNH have allowed only one more goal against than what the trio have with Janmark.
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Quick note. Evander Kane was on the ice skating today with the team which was fantastic to see. The rugged and skilled top six forward is still months away from returning but to see him skating again is a good thing after such a traumatic incident. Quick reminder what Edmonton can run as a forward group once everyone is healthy:
Kane-McDavid-Hyman
RNH-Draisaitl-Puljujarvi
Foegele-McLeod-Yamamoto
Kostin-Malone-Ryan
Your exact mileage may vary on this group but that is a great forward core with skill and strong 5 on 5 play on every line. If Skinner is the guy than the goaltending is at least fixed for this season. The defense is the most critical area that must be addressed.
Enjoy the game!
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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