Eleven months ago, the Edmonton Oilers struggled at the start of the season, losing 10 out of their first 13 games, which led to the firing of coach Jay Woodcroft.
Kris Knoblauch stepped in as the new coach, and the team turned things around, making it to the playoffs and winning the Western Conference. They ended up losing in Game 7 of a thrilling Stanley Cup Final to Florida.
Now, the Oilers have begun this season with three straight losses at home, being outscored 15-3. This is surprising for a team expected to be a top contender for the Cup. When asked if he sees any similarities to last year, Knoblauch noted, “When I got here, one of the things I noticed, obviously, was the frustration.
It’s only three games in. But that frustration, definitely it’s there — but not at the point that it was when I came here. But obviously we have to correct what’s going on right now.”
Despite having stars like Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, the Oilers have only scored two goals at even strength. Their power play has managed just one goal in three games with only five chances, and they have given up five power-play goals.
One word that kept coming up in discussions about the team’s performance this season was “disconnected.”
McDavid expressed concern, saying, “We’re getting beat in a lot of battles, we’re getting beat in a lot of different ways. The puck play has been bad all over.
Guys have been fumbling it, guys not handling it. Passes in the air, passes behind guys, it’s just not good enough in terms of the puck play.”
The team lost key players like Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele, who were crucial for the penalty kill last season. McLeod was traded to Buffalo, and Foegele signed with Los Angeles. Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais also left the team.
The Oilers have brought in forwards Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, who are expected to help boost scoring on the second line. However, with the departure of Foegele, McLeod, and forward Dylan Holloway, the team has lost some of its speed. They are also the oldest team in the NHL, being the only one with an average age over 30.
“Sometimes, I think there can be a bit of an adjustment with new faces,” said veteran forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “But I don’t think it’s the new guys or personnel — it’s about getting back to what makes our penalty kill tick.
I think maybe we’re a little hesitant with our routes. Later in the season, it’s just so natural — it’s kind of finding it, again.” Knoblauch mentioned that some of the problems can be fixed through practice.
“Obviously, we have to play with more desperation,” he said. “When you had a season like we did last year, coming back, and the expectations being really high, I don’t think there’s enough desperation … This game is about playing with desperation, but, right now, we’re lacking that.”
The Oilers played games on Saturday and Sunday, will host the Flyers on Tuesday, and then travel to Nashville on Thursday and Dallas on Saturday.
McDavid believes the team can bounce back from this rough start. “We’re not quitters in here, we never have been,” said McDavid. “Losing three in a row off the bat is not ideal, but it’s nothing we can’t work our way out of.”
