Oilers Key Player Grades: No McDavid, No Draisaitl, No Problem
The Oilers celebrate their 5-4 win over Seattle. (Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images)Not bad for a team missing its two best players.
The Edmonton Oilers were in uncharted territory on Saturday night, with both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl injured for the first time since McDavid's rookie year. While they certainly missed their dynamic duo, they still managed to eke out a 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken in one of their most meaningful victories of the season.
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Key Player Grades
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: A+
Somehow, Nugent-Hopkins' hat trick on Saturday was Edmonton's first of the season. It wasn't the prettiest hat trick you'll ever see--his first took a deflection off Brandon Montour's stick and his third was an empty netter--but they all count the same, and the empty netter ended up standing as the game-winning goal.
The hat trick--his first since March 26th, 2019--brings him up to nine points in his past four games, including three three-point nights. That brings Nugent-Hopkins up to 20 goals and 48 points on the season, back in line with his career averages.
It's been a long, long time since the Oilers have relied on Nugent-Hopkins to be "The Guy". On Saturday night, he gave them exactly what they needed.
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Jeff Skinner: A
Nugent-Hopkins isn't the only depth scorer getting hot at the right time. Skinner scored his third goal in the last two games on Saturday, bringing his season total up to 14. Just like his goal against Connor Hellebuyck on Thursday, he beat Seattle's Joey Daccord with a vintage Jeff Skinner snipe.
Even more encouraging was the play of Skinner's line with Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown. Usually deployed as a checking line, the three of them led the Oilers with .724 expected goals for on the night.
Mattias Ekholm: B+
The Oilers needed a big game from their blueline on Saturday, and they delivered. Ekholm was the best of the bunch, picking up two assists while his pair with Evan Bouchard garnered 60.5% of the expected goals when they were on the ice.
Ekholm now has 34 points on the season, on pace for the third-highest total of his career at age 34.
It was far from a masterclass: Seattle won the expected goals battle 3.85-2.55 and very nearly came back with a late goal from Jaden Schwartz. But Edmonton still came away with a win in the end, far from a sure thing without their two superstars.
They'll face a tougher test on Wednesday when the Dallas Stars come to town, but Saturday's win proves that they don't have to be a two-man team. If Nugent-Hopkins and Skinner have really found their games, the Oilers suddenly look a hell of a lot deeper.
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