The Oilers haven't been perfect, but they're one of the best teams in the NHL through two-thirds of the season.
The Oilers haven't been perfect, but they're one of the best teams in the NHL through two-thirds of the season.
Two-thirds of the way through their season, (most of) the Edmonton Oilers are getting a well-deserved break.
While Connor McDavid, Mattias Ekholm, and Viktor Arvidsson are representing their countries at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the rest of the Oilers' roster will get the next two weeks to rest and recuperate for the final stretch of the season.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHBymSP-gwQ[/embed]
It also gives us a chance to take a look back at the first 55 games of their season and take stock of all that's happened. To that end, today we're going to highlight some of the biggest surprises and disappointments of the season so far, before returning tomorrow to look ahead to the final third of the regular season and beyond.
The Good
Leon "Rocket" Draisaitl
While he couldn't take the lead in the scoring race against Nathan MacKinnon on Friday, Draisaitl has levelled up his game this season. He hit the 40-goal plateau for the sixth time in his career with a two-goal game against the Avalanche, seven goals ahead of the next-highest scorer, and sits second in the league in points with 83.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q73xrLoA33s[/embed]
Better yet, Draisaitl has massively improved his defensive game, vaulting him to the top of the Hart Trophy conversation along with MacKinnon, Quinn Hughes, and Connor Hellebuyck. There's no reason to believe he can't keep this up and capture his first Rocket Richard Trophy and second MVP at the season's end.
A Defensive Juggernaut
The Oilers' long-held reputation as an all-offence firewagon is dead. This year, they boast one of the tightest five-on-five defences in the league, sitting sixth in expected goals against with 105.85 according to MoneyPuck.
Combine that with their still-elite offence (third in the league in xG with 129.41), and it's no wonder the Oilers are the consensus Stanley Cup favourites.
Trending Oilers Articles
Connor McDavid Centres Surprising Line At Canada's First Practice
Oilers At 4 Nations Face-Off: Schedule For Canada And Sweden
It's Time For Oilers To Bring Back Fan Favourite
Stuart Skinner And Massive Giveaways Cost Oilers Big Time
The Bad
New Forwards Fall Flat
Much was made of the Oilers' improved secondary scoring over the summer after the additions of Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner in free agency. The two veteran wingers were lauded as consistent top-six scorers upon their arrival in Edmonton, but so far they've been anything but.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0M58XEb_4U[/embed]
Skinner's had a particularly trying season, with just 20 points in 49 games while being regularly scratched and pushed down the lineup. He's turned his game around of late and seems to have earned his way back into the top-six for now, but his Oilers tenure certainly hasn't gone the way he hoped.
Arvidsson, meanwhile, has struggled to the same degree in relative silence. He's scored only 7 goals and 18 points in 40 games with a dismal 7.2 shooting percentage. Arvidsson missed 15 games in November and December due to injury and is scoring at one of the lowest rates of his career.
Trouble In The Crease?
The Oilers' goaltending isn't necessarily a problem, but it could certainly be better. Their .900 save percentage is exactly average, tied with Chicago and Vegas for 16th in the league.
That's why, despite their sparkling xGA numbers, the Oilers' overall defence also sits in the middle of the pack. According to MoneyPuck, Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have allowed a combined 5.9 goals above expected this season, just enough to potentially be a serious problem come the playoffs.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-hkdhDH5pY[/embed]
The Oilers have professed their trust in Skinner as their starter, and the goaltending market is extremely thin, but if he can't show some more consistency after the break the Oilers could be in real trouble.
The Whole
All in all, the Oilers' season so far is an unqualified success, middling secondary scoring and goaltending notwithstanding. They sit tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for first in the Pacific Division, and tied with Vegas and the Dallas Stars for third in the league, with a relatively easy schedule the rest of the way.
With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the charge and some positive regression from the rest of the lineup, there's almost nothing these Oilers can't do.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.