Oilers Must Avoid 3 Awful Scenarios Coming Out of All-Star Break

As the Edmonton Oilers reach the midpoint of the 2023-24 NHL season, fans in the Alberta capital city are excited about their team. It didn’t start that way, but things have turned around, and with good reason. Winners of 16 straight, the expectations are high again. But, what happens if they come out of the All-Star break flat?

Connor McDavid‘s spectacular individual achievements; and, a high-scoring roster, have been bettered only by the team’s stellar defense. Goalie Jack Campbell wasn’t the guy the franchise signed long-term for big money so he was sent to the minors. Fortunately, the other two netminders stepped up and have been superb.

The cast behind these big guns is solid. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Ryan McLeod, Evander Kane, and Warren Foegele have stepped it up. And, on defense, Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm are keepers, while the others have played extremely well.

The Best-Case Oilers Scenario Is a Long Stanley Cup Run

If the team’s lineup plays up to expectations; and, if there is no unforeseen injury that takes key players – think McDavid – out of the lineup, the path to the playoffs now seems almost assured. If the Oilers can keep up even 75% of the results they’ve been getting over the past month, they’re in. Winning half of their remaining games put them at 96 points. It’s a low bar to set, but it makes life a bit less stressful.

Coming out of the break, the Oilers won’t take their foot off the pedal, but they’ve given themselves the flexibility not to be perfect now. Hockey is a funny game. There are potential difficulties if the puck bounces wrong, and continues to do so. A winning streak could turn into a losing streak. That’s really all Edmonton needs to avoid.

Here’s how…

The Oilers’ Depth Scoring Can’t Dry Up

While McDavid and Draisaitl dominate the scoresheet, the Oilers’ previous lack of depth scoring becomes a glaring issue if it shows its ugly face again. Contributing now, if players like Foegele or McLeod start hitting dry spells, the Oilers need to get Connor Brown, Corey Perry, and guys like Mattias Janmark on the scoresheet.

It’s best not to be too heavily reliant on star players. While the Oilers elite can handle it, if injuries and inconsistent performances strike, the depth needs to fill in the gaps.

The Oilers’ Defensive Success Has to Continue

Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard, and Darnell Nurse are playing outstanding hockey. Cody Ceci and Brett Kulak have been steady as can be. Vincent Desharnais has become a legitimate NHL player. It’s a six-man unit that is firing on all cylinders. The Oilers shouldn’t disrupt it, but adding some depth around the edges might help.

If their play as a group levels off, the Oilers have to go back to outscoring their problems and that formula works, but not as well as the system Edmonton has employed lately. When the defense is playing this well, the forwards are motivated to help. The Oilers need to remain confident they can win by only scoring three goals per game.

The Oilers’ Goaltending Has to Hold Up

Last season, the Oilers made a significant goaltending addition by signing Jack Campbell. While Campbell had shown promise, his play fell off a cliff to start the year. Stuart Skinner wasn’t great either, at least not until the net was all his with Campbell demoted to Bakersfield. Of late, Skinner has been arguably the best goalie in the NHL. Thankfully, Calvin Pickard has also been a solid backup.

If Skinner starts to tire, the Oilers have a problem. Thus, Edmonton can’t let that happen. That means playing Pickard a bit more after the All-Star break and softening the load for the starter.

The Bottom Line

The break is nice, but it comes at a potentially inopportune time. No team is as red-hot as the Oilers are. The All-Star break has essentially halted their momentum and it will be important they find a way to pick things up right where they left off.

Next: Three Reasons the Oilers Will Win the Pacific Division