Sweet Jesus the man can create beauty on NHL ice. Connor McDavid’s 100th assist came on a play we’ve seen hundreds (sorry) of times, but the precision and timing were clockwork orange, blue and white. To get to 100 assists, to join 99 and 4 and 66 for all time is one thing, but doing it on that goal is something else again. Hyman from McDavid and Nurse. I’ll remember it forever. What a gift to watch him play. Oilers roster offers a plethora of line possibilities. About the glimmer twins, McLeod, Henrique and where to play the bulls Evander Kane and Corey Perry. https://t.co/aZKzQt8D5D — Low ..read more

What the Oilers really need right now is a Miro Satan. Can you imagine his value to this team moving forward? An inexpensive and brilliant winger who could cash goals like ringing a bell. Sweet and wonderful thought. The Oilers do have some useful pieces that are ready to jump in, we’re seeing it now with Dylan Holloway and some believe Philip Broberg will play an NHL game this week. There are also veterans we could see before the end of the season and most certainly once the playoffs begin. Injuries can make a distant bell into a player of importance in one heartbeat. New for @TheAthleticN ..read more

Last RT: Oilers run their lines based on what they want to do, and I think that's a fine idea. It does make you vulnerable when the other coach has an old timey checking line, though. — Lowetide (@Lowetide) April 14, 2024 I was laying in my bed last night trying to think of a way to tell you the Oilers played well, Vancouver was the better team and that you shouldn’t be worried this morning. Suddenly, my brain kicked in and said “tell them that!” and so that’s why we begin with a dull but true statement. I usually flower it up with “sometimes you have to give the other man his due” or I mig ..read more

It’s spring in central Alberta. I went for a long walk yesterday and it was so good. I thought a lot about the Oilers and their Stanley Cup chances. In the grand scheme of things, a Stanley Cup doesn’t make a bit of difference but it’s a lovely distraction in a world that delivers both the profoundly beautiful and searing pain in seemingly equal measure. It’s Hockey Night in Canada. Evander Kane had a strong night against the Coyotes. Corey Perry remains an effective winger despite playing in the league for exactly one forever. Edmonton needs both to perform at established levels this sprin ..read more

This is the 2016-17 roster (forwards) that finally made the grade and won a playoff spot for the Oilers. It took exactly one forever, or 11 years depending on how you tell time. Since then, the club has been pushing for tin, well silver, and the Stanley. I believe they are closer now than ever before. Tonight’s game, should it result in a win, would land the team two points shy (with a game in hand) of the Vancouver Canucks. The two teams play each other on the weekend, and it’s possible for this team to win the division. I believe that matters and also believe just being in this spot represe ..read more

I’m not one of those “he got into a fight and turned the game around” types, but wanted to begin the day by talking about courage. Corey Perry took on a mountain last night in the 1299th game of his NHL career. There’s much to discuss about a game that saw the Oilers do something people claim never happens (“you can’t just turn it around in a second”) in playing what I think might have been their best second period of the season. Why didn’t they do that in the first period against Winnipeg or in the game against Ottawa and (especially) Toronto? Folks, this is a winning team, they win a lot an ..read more

I wrote this on the blog a few years ago (January 2017). It’s interesting for two reasons. First, there are a pile of future Oilers on this list, including Zach Hyman (50 goals!), Connor Brown (not 50 goals!) and Connor (not Sam) Carrick. It also shows you that the Leafs, even during Auston Matthews entry deal, were being guided by a veteran manager who say things a certain way. I was convinced Kyle Dubas would take the Leafs to the promised land, and maybe it happens this year or next and he will have authored much of the roster. Still, Ken Holland besting Dubas in the Hyman wars runs counte ..read more

The flood never happened in Edmonton, and the faucet is turned off until further notice. Since Connor McDavid completed his rookie season, the best freshman to arrive in Edmonton received playing time like sand through the hourglass. There was a tiny window, when Jay Woodcroft was elevated, and it allowed Evan Bouchard, Stuart Skinner, Ryan McLeod and Vincent Desharnais to pursue hockey careers in the NHL. You may say ‘well, no one pushing is worthy’ and I would disagree. New for @TheAthleticNHL How Edmonton Oilers winger Connor Brown saved his seasonhttps://t.co/aNcalP6CxD — Lowetide (@Low ..read more

The truth is that I prefer the Sam Pollock roster plan. Pollock would wait to strike and then make the other GM look like a fool. When the Detroit Red Wings dropped Yvon Lambert because he was too slow, Pollock picked him up and focused on what he could do (score goals, play a physical style, look handsome). Sure enough, Lambert developed into a useful player. Galling, infuriating, but deadly. Pollock already had everything but he wanted more. I despised him, but when Glen Sather arrived in Edmonton with an equal amount of roster ruthlessness, well, I liked that just fine. Considering the s ..read more

One of my favourite things in sport is observing young players make the grade and become contributors. There are men in the NHL employed to keep the score 0-0 while the difference makers get a rest. Ryan McLeod is a difference maker, and he’s young and good and has the whole world in front of him. Every time this happens (frequently of late, with Stuart Skinner and Vincent Desharnais added to McLeod) it reminds me of Charlie Huddy’s arrival. He was the first, you know. Undrafted (the Flames were after him but Slats won the day), did his time in the minors. The first impression came in Novembe ..read more