The Oilers Have a New Coach. But Do They Have a New Team?

I have to admit, I smiled a little when I heard the reaction to the Edmonton Oilers’ first game of the season. Mike Babcock was supposed to change things. The Oilers were supposed to be harder to play against. They were supposed to use their depth. They were supposed to play with more structure and more purpose.

Then they did something familiar. They started well. Really well, actually. They could have been up three or four goals in the opening stretch. Then things went sideways.

Vancouver took a 5-2 lead. Edmonton fought back to tie it 5-5. Then the Oilers lost 6-5 in overtime. So, naturally, the question became: Did anything really change? Well, no. But I don’t think that’s necessarily the lesson.

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It Was Easy for the Oilers to Change Their Coach. But Their Team?

You don’t change a hockey team’s habits in one game just because you change the coach. Babcock can talk about playing differently. He can talk about opportunity. He can tell players there are no excuses. But when a team has developed certain habits over time, those habits don’t disappear because somebody new walks into the room.

Now, though, we’ve seen Game 2 and Game 3. Game 2 was a 9-7 win over the Canucks. But Game 4 looked more like what the Oilers wanted. The Oilers came back with a much stronger performance against Seattle and won 3-1. They looked more settled, and Devon Levi was excellent in goal, making 19 saves.

In fact, a Bobby McMann power-play goal was the only thing standing between Levi and his first NHL shutout. That’s quite a response from a goalie who gave up seven goals in his Edmonton debut. Levi has now won both of his starts for the Oilers.

Suddenly, the goaltending story looks a little different. Tristan Jarry had a tough night against Vancouver, though the Oilers didn’t make his job easy. Levi was supposed to get the second game anyway, but now he has given Babcock something to think about.

The Oilers Had a Plan. But So Far, It’s Hit and Miss.

The Oilers’ plan was one thing. Then the season starts. And the season has a funny way of telling you what your plan actually needs to be. The Oilers are also dealing with injuries to players such as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jason Dickinson, Mattias Janmark and Zack Hyman. That much-discussed Edmonton depth is being tested very early.

Maybe that’s not so bad. Babcock has been talking about opportunity, and now some players are getting exactly that. Vasily Podkolzin is one of them.

Podkolzin scored twice in the opener, worked hard, went into the corners and showed off a shot that apparently doesn’t get used nearly enough. Podkolzin had worked on that shot over the summer, and coaches and teammates like the little things he does.

That’s interesting because sometimes a new coach doesn’t create a new player. Sometimes he simply gives a player permission to become more of the player he already is. Maybe that’s what we’re beginning to see in Edmonton.

One Good Game Won’t Define the Oilers’ Season

One game doesn’t prove that Mike Babcock has changed the Oilers. Two games don’t prove it either. But a strong response in Seattle, combined with a goalie who suddenly looks very confident, gives us something we didn’t have after Thursday night. A little evidence.

And that might be all the Oilers need right now. Not a new identity overnight. Just some signs that they’re becoming a little harder to beat.

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