2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM14: Oilers @ Blue Jackets – Three Players to Watch

The Edmonton Oilers are starting to feel the effects of that easy schedule wearing off. After starting the season red-hot, they’ve cooled off completely going 1-3-1 in their last five games. The top line is the only one scoring still (barely) which is a bummer because before at least the second line was contributing as well. The goals for/goals against is 7/15 in that time frame, and another thing that has gone ice-cold is the Oilers’ special teams. The PP is clomping along at an 8% rate (25th overall) and the PK is sitting at 76.9% (23rd overall).

So to say the Oilers have their work cut out for them is understating it a bit. On the other hand, Columbus is coming off of a three-day break, whilst the Oilers are playing their second game in two days. So hopefully, the Oilers haven’t cooled down from losing to a team that hadn’t tasted victory for three weeks… The Flyers scored a touchdown on the Blue Jackets in Columbus’ last game if that’s any consolation.

Calling Yamamoto Up

Don’t do it. Plain and simple. Don’t sacrifice the plan with these kids because the vets that were signed this summer are going through a dry spell. The other thing is, Yamamoto hasn’t even played more than 40 games in a season since he was in his draft year with Spokane. Sure, he’s having a good go so far for Bakersfield and he IS their most noticeable player with his speed and aggression, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready for the NHL. He’s marginally better than Benson and Josh Currie is playing just as well, but you’re not bringing those fellas up.

The other thing that happens when you leave the prospects down in the AHL to marinate is that it allows those players to grow together and form bonds. There’s a good chance that they’ll be teammates in Edmonton in one or two seasons. I would argue that contributes to a team’s culture as well.

I get it, the Oilers lack speed, so Holland should go out and address that via trade. Nashville has already sent speedy and tenacious winger Daniel Carr through waivers. He’d be perfect for the Oilers and he’s a local lad. I brought up Mikkel Boedker recently and it sounds like Ottawa is begging other teams to come and take him off of their hands. That guy can absolutely fly! What about Sven Baertschi? Make. A. Deal but leave the kids alone. Let them go through the challenges of becoming a professional hockey player and don’t worry about the playoffs because nobody thought that the Oilers were even going to be in them anyhow.

Does the GM have a responsibility to do what it takes to improve the roster if there’s a chance Edmonton could see post-season play? Sure, but I would say there’s a bigger task at hand than a one-off appearance in the playoffs and that’s creating a developmental system that can continually feed the parent team as it becomes one of the best teams in the NHL.

Oh, if only Puljujarvi would reconsider his stance. He’d be an excellent addition to this roster. Funny, I’m still hearing Edmonton media claiming Pulju should come over and “earn it” while in the same breath saying Yamamoto should be called up and thrown into the top-6.

The Next Ten Games

The first ten games of the 2019/20 season went quite well for the Oilers, more so at the start than the end, mind you. I predicted they’d go 6-4-0 and they ended up going 7-2-1. It’s not going to be as easy in these ten games, but it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility if they did better than anticipated.

10/24 Washington: 7-2-2 (h) – I like Washington here. Too much depth and firepower (LOSS) WIN
10/27 Florida: 4-2-3 (h) – If Barkov is still out, I’ll take the Oilers. (WIN) LOSS
10/28 Detroit: 3-7-0 (a) – It was a tough go in their first meeting, but I reckon Edmonton turns it up in Detroit for their GM. The first game in a B2B for the Oilers. (WIN) LOSS
10/29 Columbus: 4-3-2 (a) – Edmonton has had trouble with tough-checking teams so far but Columbus’ goaltending doesn’t impress me. The second game of the B2B for Edmonton. (WIN)
11/2 Pittsburgh: 6-5-0 (a) – Crosby and co. are an intimidating bunch. I’ll go with a shootout loss here. (S/O LOSS)
11/4 Arizona: 5-2-1 (h) – Coyotes are a lot deeper than years previous. (LOSS)
11/6 St. Louis: 4-2-3 (h) – The champs will give the Oilers are really hard time. However, the Blues will be on the latter half of a B2B. (LOSS)
11/8 New Jersey: 2-4-2 (h) – New Jersey’s defense and goaltending just isn’t coming together. The Devils will be playing the 2nd game of a B2B as well. (WIN)
11/10 Anaheim: 6-4-0 (a) – John Gibson has been amazing and this team is rallying behind Dallas Eakins. These games are usually very intense and this one shouldn’t be any different. (WIN)
11/12 San Jose: 3-5-1 (a) – Martin Jones has completely lost the plot and Vlasic is coming up in trade rumors now? (WIN)

*Records as of October 24th, 2019.

Three Players to Watch for the Blue Jackets (5-4-2)

#18 Pierre-Luc Dubois – Forever will be connected to Jesse Puljujarvi. PLD is now the Blue Jackets’ no.1 center and has three goals in his last five games.
#22 Sonny Milano – There was a time when Milano was on the brink of being considered a bust. This slick playmaker toughed it out and is now plying his trade on the 3rd line. He’s got a bit of the Schremp to him. Very clever puckhandler and has good speed. Four points in his last five.
#52 Emil Bemstrom – Last year Bemstrom played in the SHL for Djurgardens and was that league’s best goal scorer (23), the rookie of the year, and he scored the most PP goals (10). Only two points so far to start his NHL career, but there might be a player here.

Columbus got hit hard with a couple of injuries to key players in their last game. Alex Texier and Ryan Murray will both be out as long as one month after getting hurt vs. Philly. Here are their provisional line combos, subject to change of course,

Foligno-Dubois-Atkinson
Nyquist-Wennberg-Bjorkstrand
Milano-Jenner-Anderson
Lilja-Nash-Bemstrom

Werenski-Jones
Nutivaara-Savard
Gavrikov-Kukan

Korpisalo
Merzlikins

Three Players to Watch for the Oilers (8-5-1)

Sam Gagner – Much better effort vs. Detroit. He was hard on the forecheck and set up Nuge on a couple of occasions for grade-A scoring chances.
Gaetan Haas – I loved his speed and aggression. He was jacked to play against the Red Wings and it showed. Donuts on the scoresheet but I look forward to another promising effort.
Mike Smith – Hopefully he’s all healed up and ready to go. Getting pulled at his age can’t be a good feeling. I’m looking for a solid bounce-back here from Smitty.

Draisaitl – McDavid – Kassian
Khaira – Nugent-Hopkins – Gagner
Neal – Haas – Chiasson
Jurco – Sheahan – P. Russell

Nurse – Bear
Klefbom – K. Russell
Manning – Benning

Smith

This is yet another case of the Oilers going up against a team whose goalies are struggling, but in previous cases against teams like Detroit, Chicago, Florida, etc. Edmonton has failed to show up. What kind of sorcery is this?! How can a team psyche itself out so badly in these scenarios? I’ll be watching as I always do, but probably with a cynical mindset going in… Let’s Go Oilers!