The Edmonton Oilers can’t love their start this season. Now 0-3 to begin the 2024-25 NHL campaign, they lost badly to the Winnipeg Jets, gave the game away to Chicago in game two, and then unraveled when goals were disallowed in game three versus the Calgary Flames on Sunday night. There is still a belief they can shake themselves out of this trouble and four key people will be the leaders if the Oilers are going to go on a run and overcome this slump.
Connor McDavid Needs To Keep It Simple
With no goals on the season and two assists, Connor McDavid is trying. You can see that he’s looking to shoot more, but he’s still stuck in the frame of mind where he needs to do everything in one rush up the ice. He’s almost trying too hard, getting caught in the rut of overthinking the game and using his incredible speed when a simple play might suffice.
Sunday’s game was a good example. Jeff Skinner scored his first as an Oiler and it came off a rebound play in the early moments of the first period. McDavid danced around the zone, gave it up to Mattias Ekholm who blasted it on the net. The rebound came right to Skinner who put it in. Simple, basic, productive hockey works and the Oilers aren’t doing enough of it. McDavid is the leader in that department and just because he can do otherworldly things, doesn’t mean he always should.
Oilers’ Oldest Player Needs to Keep Speaking Up
As odd as it might sound to call a player who won’t be a regular every night a leader and a difference-maker, Corey Perry is doing the right thing by speaking up after games and calling the Oilers out. McDavid’s Amazon Prime tirade shows he can do it when needed, but Perry’s voice as the oldest player on the roster carries weight. He’s showing up too. He’s got a goal and should have two, but the disallowed marker on Sunday night prevented that.
Perry has been there and seen it all. He’s not afraid to speak up and tell the truth. The Oilers are slow and not themselves. “You can make all the excuses in the world, whatever you want to say. Everybody’s gotta look themselves in the mirror and start to bear down,” he said after Saturday’s loss.
Kris Knoblauch Needs to Find The Right Mix
If the players aren’t going to will themselves to play the right style of hockey, the head coach needs to force it upon them. He already sat Ty Emberson, and it won’t be long until he starts to sit others who aren’t doing what’s required.
Knoblauch is not known to be firey and he’s not in the hot seat, but it won’t be long before questions start to get asked. It will be up to him to work with his players to nip this losing streak in the bud.
Bowman Needs to Step In Oilers Need Help
It’s just three games, but three games can become five, and five can become seven… If the team isn’t careful, they could dig a hole that becomes too tough to work itself out of and they can’t rely on another 16-game winning streak to change their fortunes. The plan was to wait until the deadline to make any real roster upgrades, but there may come a time when waiting isn’t an option.
The Oilers don’t want to use their LTIR reserves, but if this gets ugly, they might not have a choice. Or, if a trade is required, Bowman may need to start making some calls, just to see what’s out there. The latter will be difficult as few teams are looking to wheel and deal this early into the season.
Next: Oilers 0-3 After Disallowed Goals and Missed Chances Light Flames
