Oilers Look to Start Road Trip Strong vs. Islanders
Meanwhile, how bad has this Jack Campbell problem become?
Welcome to the THW Edmonton Oilers Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Oilers writers.
The Edmonton Oilers are coming off two straight losses and looking to pick up points during a road swing through New York. They’ll start Tuesday night versus the Islanders. Meanwhile, we update fans on the status of Jack Campbell, and revisit the 1990 NHL Draft.
Enjoy the game tonight and now onto the good stuff!
Oilers Enter Tough Stretch of 6 Straight Road Games to End Year
December 19, 2023 by Brian Swane
The Edmonton Oilers close out the calendar year with six straight games on the road, beginning tonight (Dec. 19) against the New York Islanders. Their itinerary includes a pair of three-game trips, through the Tri-State Area and California, sandwiched around Christmas.
The Oilers are coming off a six-game homestand, in which they won four times but lost their last two contests. Overall, they are 10-5-0 since Kris Knoblauch replaced Jay Woodcroft as head coach following a terrible 3-9-1 start to the 2023-24 NHL season.
Jack Campbell Hard to Trade After Remarks by Oilers AHL Coach
December 19, 2023 by Jim Parsons
Jack Campbell‘s recent performances with the Bakersfield Condors raises serious concerns about his readiness to rejoin the Edmonton Oilers’ main roster.
There’s a potentially bigger problem. This recent stint has nullified any slight improvements he made in late November, indicating a struggle to find consistent form between the pipes. He’s not finding his stride in the minors and so much so, he’s showcasing just how much of a risk he’d be for another team that was even remotely considering a trade. It’s gotten so bad, his AHL coach has now publicly acknowledged he can’t make standard, low-danger saves.
Oilers Can Bolster Team in Multi-Player Trade With Sharks
December 18, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
Both the Oilers and Sharks have pieces they would be willing to trade and a massive multi-player move between the two teams could be beneficial for both sides. The Oilers have a goaltending and defensive issue and have struggled to find depth scoring while the Sharks are looking to add draft picks and young players to their roster. Is there a possible deal there?
Revisiting the Edmonton Oilers’ Disastrous 1990 Draft
December 17, 2023 by Brian Swane
It’s the worst drafting of all time. Excluding the last four drafts (2017-2020), only three other times did a team not have a single pick reach the NHL, and, in each case, the team made fewer picks than the Oilers in 1990 and did not have a selection as high: 2003 Phoenix Coyotes – eight picks, highest at No. 77; 2007 Vancouver Canucks – six picks, highest at No. 25; 2008 Montreal Canadiens – five picks, highest at No. 56.
Oilers vs Islanders Pre-Game
The Oilers will take on the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. It’s an important game to start a trip through New York and even more important when you consider the Oilers are coming off of two consecutive losses.
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