Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

G6: Oilers vs Penguins - Uneven Start

October 24, 2022, 7:10 PM ET [16 Comments]
Sean Maloughney
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
It's been an uneven start of the season for the Edmonton Oilers and while we are seeing improvements with every passing game, the team has yet to fully put it all together. Against the St. Louis Blues, the Oilers had their best defensive outing yet as they held the Blues to a single goal while limiting their overall quality of shots. Jack Campbell was great and made some grade A saves, bailing out his blueliners a few times. Unfortunately the forward group was not able to help out as McDavid and Draisaitl both had unusually quiet nights and the other top six forwards failed to produce.

The best line for Edmonton in that game was McLeod with Puljujarvi and Foegele who played a physical game that the Blues struggled to contain and the trio probably had the best chances all game for Edmonton. It is a line I expect we will see again tonight.

So far this season I have seen positive things from every Oilers forward except for one. McDavid and Draisaitl have both been the elite play driving players they are. Hyman and Kane have both chipped in and played rugged, albeit different types of physical hockey. RNH has been a jack of all trades that can play centre or wing in the top 9, killing penalties and playing on the PK. McLeod has started great and has found the back of the net and Puljujarvi has been a bit more physical and continues to be a great defensive option.

Kailer Yamamoto has done nothing to impress me thus far. Yamamoto is being given the gravy minutes next to McDavid and is not finding anything to do with it. He isn't creating scoring chances or scoring or really adding anything to that line right now.

This isn't to say bench him or trade him or anything like that but I'm surprised how quiet many media members have been on this front while they continuously berated Puljujarvi for needing to do more. Yamamoto will be with McDavid again tonight. At some point he needs to bring something to the table if he wants to stay in that spot.

Tonight the Oilers will host the Pittsburgh Penguins who have started the season 4-1, albeit against some weaker competition. Pittsburgh may not be the powerhouse they once were but they are still a skilled and deep team that have a good enough goalie to win a bunch of games.

As always, the media attention will be on the Crosby vs McDavid debate; and for good reason. Watching these two players go head to head is always fun. McDavid has 5 goals and 18 points in his 10 career games against Pittsburgh.

Jack Campbell will get the start again tonight after a solid performance in what was a one goal loss to the Blues. So far the one thing that impresses me most with Campbell is how little he allows on secondary chances. Campbell is always in the right position and once he makes a save, he usually holds on. It's a nice change of pace from the acrobatics we had to witness game after game from Mike Smith. Hopefully this is the beginning of more solid steady play from the Oilers netminder.

This is Edmonton's last home game before starting on their first road trip of the season. A win tonight would put the Oilers at a 3-3 start. Nothing spectacular but it is something to build off of as the team as a whole works to play their best hockey.
Join the Discussion: » 16 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Sean Maloughney
» Oilers vs Kings - Round 1, Round 3?
» Oilers vs Jets - A WAY TOO EARLY Discussion about Trading Draisaitl
» Oilers Recent Floundering Show Failure To Address Real Issues
» Oilers vs Canadiens - Sorting Out The Blueline
» Oilers vs Caps - Blink and You'll Miss It