Oilers fans, we’re about to be treated to what should be one of the best games of the season. Anytime we can see the likes of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Leon Draisaitl, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Jake Guentzel, etc and it’s not an all-star game, that is something to behold. If we’re lucky, both teams will let their hair down and just play hockey in its most unadulterated form. If it weren’t for the shit start time, this would be perfect. Why doesn’t the schedule maker make this a Saturday night feature on Hockey Night in Canada? Baffling.
The Pens are 7-3-0 in their last ten games and 5-3-0 at home. The Oilers’ last ten games have them sitting at 5-4-1, so they’ve got their work cut out for them if they plan on sparking a winning streak. I don’t like Edmonton’s chances to be honest. Pittsburgh has scoring right down to their 4th line and Tippett’s boys are still struggling to get any offense out of anybody not playing in their top-six. This might just fall on the shoulders of whoever is playing net for the Oilers. I like Mikko Koskinen here as I remember a 3-1 loss last season where he was just bloody outstanding for the Oilers. He really kept them in it when they probably had no business being there.
What could be Edmonton’s saving grace if the goaltending doesn’t hold up is how dominating Leon Draisaitl has been as of late. He’s got nine points in his last five matches and doesn’t look like he’s about to slow down. Can the Oilers use this to take advantage of the Penguins’ defense?
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) 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.
Oilers Rumors
These are just early-season murmurs. Ken Holland preaches patience and he practices it. I don’t see anything happening before December 1st, but as we approach the new year, where the Oilers are in the standings might have an impact on whether or not the Oilers GM decides to tinker with the roster.
- There’s some speculation out there that the Oilers are showcasing Jujhar Khaira. He’s been wildly inconsistent his entire career and Edmonton would like to get faster.
- Brandon Manning‘s name is always out there and his performances this season were quite good. If the Oilers can find a taker for his contract, there’s a good chance he’s moved. I wonder if Florida would have interest? Joel Quenneville had him in Chicago. Pysyk-Manning swap?
- Gaetan Haas is skating on thin ice and the talk of him returning to Europe is growing louder by the game. Riley Sheahan’s health status is in the air right now and that’s delaying any decision on Haas, but make no bones about it, despite his speed and gritty nature, he’s not really growing on anybody in the Oilers organization. He’s got to go much more. Scoring a goal would help his cause immensely.
- Markus Granlund‘s place on this team is also in danger. It’s turning into a Jussi Jokinen situation here. I’m curious if Holland might look to flip him for a veteran from another team who’s also having a hard time.
- Holland will go to Finland to watch Jesse Puljujarvi next weekend and my belief is that the plan is simply to gauge where the Finn on a level higher than the SM-Liiga and possibly to have a chat with Pulju to see if he’s still content with his desire to play for a different club. If Holland can convince him to return, maybe that happens after Christmas, but if Jesse’s request remains, I reckon he stays in Finland for the year and then moved at the draft when Edmonton’s salary cap constraints are lifted.
Three Players to Watch for the Penguins (8-5-0)
- #17 Bryan Rust – Five points in his last five games plus sixteen shots from the Penguins third line. He’s often been included in Puljujarvi trade rumors. Very meat and potatoes kind of player that works his ass off.
- #6 John Marino – Once a product of the Edmonton Oilers, didn’t want to sign with the club after Peter Chiarelli was let go. He’s Justin Schultz-lite. Great skater and puck mover.
- #71 Evgeni Malkin – He’s the reason I watch the Pens when I do, not Crosby. I think he’s one of the most graceful players in the league. He’ll be returning from injury and I can only imagine that he’ll be fired up and raring to go. The Oilers had better be ready for this Galactico.
As I said above, Malkin should be back in the lineup and I imagine that would take Teddy Blueger out and move Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann down but these are all provisional and changes are bound to take place.
Guentzel – Crosby – Simon
Galchenyuk – Bjugstad – Hornqvist
Kahun – McCann – Rust
ZAR – Blueger – Tanev
Dumoulin – Letang
Pettersson – Schultz
Johnson – Marino
Murray
Jarry
Three Players to Watch for the Oilers (9-4-1)
- #97 Connor McDavid – Connor takes his game to another level when he’s lined up opposite to players like Sidney Crosby. He’ll be on form for this one, book it!
- #18 James Neal – Neal returns to Pittsburgh where he spent many-a-season racking up twenty plus goals. The Oilers will need him to be shooting the lights out as Matt Murray has had some great performances facing Edmonton recently.
- #74 Ethan Bear – Now we’re going to see what this kid is made of. The Penguins are going to throw wave after wave of the league’s best offensive players at him. If he can not only survive but thrive, we’ve got a keeper folks.
No word on Riley Sheahan yet. I think Tomas Jurco would come in and Granlund would slide over to centre on that 4th line. Depending on the extent of Sheahan’s injury, the Oilers are heading home to play Arizona next, so perhaps they’d bring someone up from Bakersfield and it wouldn’t shock me if that player was Kailer Yamamoto.
Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian
Khaira-RNH-Gagner
Neal-Haas-Chiasson
Granlund-Sheahan-P.Russell
Nurse-Bear
Klefbom-Persson
Russell-Benning
Koskinen
Smith
I’m not sure if this game will get to a shootout like I predicted last week, but I’m near 100% certain that this is going to be a really good hockey game. Let’s Go Oilers!
