Edmonton Oilers

Cleaning Up Two Oilers’ Woes: Goaltending and Team Defense

The Edmonton Oilers laid an egg in game one of the season, being blown out by the Vancouver Canucks 8-1. What went wrong for the Oilers?

by
Old Prof
October 13, 2023

The Edmonton Oilers’ highly anticipated season opener turned into a nightmare. What was supposed to be the start to a season where the Stanley Cup was in view, took a turn into the Twilight Zone – and quickly. The Oilers’ offense barely showed up, and the defense did not show up at all. And that includes the last line of defense — the goalies.

The result was an onslaught from a team coming off a disastrous 2022-23 season where they didn’t even make the playoffs. The Vancouver Canucks handed the Oilers their pucks on a platter. The game so so lopsided that the Oilers’ frustration seemed to be transparent.

On one play, Oilers star Leon Draisaitl took a nasty penalty for what seemed like no good reason. At the time, I wondered if he was just embarrassed and just wanted to get off the ice to hide.

But give the Canucks credit. Led by Brock Boeser’s surprising four-goal performance, the home team stunned the Oilers with an 8-1 victory in the opening game of a home-and-home series. Now the team from the prairies head into their second game of the season with several unanswered questions.

Discussing the Oilers Issues in Game One

The topic was picked up even outside the Edmonton area. In an episode of the Too Man Men Podcast, Shayna Goldman joined Jeff Marek to discuss the Oilers’ recent struggles. By doing so, they talked about the team’s goalie play and the vital role that Matthias Ekholm plays as a stabilizing presence on the team’s struggling blue line.

In the video below, they discuss these problems.

Issue One: The Oilers Goalies

The conversation dove into the Oilers’ recent performance, analyzing the challenges the team faced, particularly in the area of goaltending. Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell both faced 16 shots, with each goalie surrendering four goals in the game. The discussion expressed concerns and frustrations regarding the team’s ability to defend effectively and the stability of their goaltending.

It’s difficult to blame either goaltender for the loss. At the same time, neither was able to save the defense from bad play in front of them. Sometimes you need a goalie to help steal you a game. That certainly wasn’t happening.

Issue Two: The Weak Oilers’ Blue Line

As the discussion unfolded, the conversation emphasized the importance of Ekholm’s presence on the Oilers’ blue line. Both highlighted how much of a crucial role he plays in maintaining defensive stability.

They also discussed how Ekholm’s absence can lead to significant challenges for the team. Without him on the ice, there is a need for additional defensive support. The hosts also touched on the dynamic of running 11 forwards and six defensemen. It is a rare setup that isn’t seen that often. However, both the Canucks and the Oilers employed that kind of lineup.

The Bottom Line

In summary, the podcast shed light on the Oilers’ defensive woes and acknowledged the critical role Ekholm plays in the team’s success. They underlined the need for the Oilers to address these issues as they aim to contend for a championship.

All this said it was only one game and the first of the season. A three or four-game winning streak would make this old news. We’ll see how the team responds in Saturday night’s game against these same Canucks.