Oilers vs. Canadiens, Draisaitl an All-Star, McDavid The Birthday Boy
A win tonight puts this Oilers roster in the record books.
Welcome to the THW Edmonton Oilers Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Oilers writers.
The Edmonton Oilers will take on the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night. It’s a game in which the Oilers can set a franchise record with 10 wins in a row. Meanwhile, Leon Draisaitl was made an All-Star, the Oilers are ahead on points versus last season at this time, and Connor McDavid celebrates his birthday.
Enjoy the game tonight and now onto the good stuff!
Oilers Ahead of Where They Were Last Season
January 13, 2024 by Dale Bochon
If you compare the Edmonton Oilers’ record in the 2023-24 season to that of last season, they look very similar in terms of points. But it’s definitely been a tale of two seasons, and the team has taken vastly different paths to get to where they are in the NHL’s Western Conference.
Last season in 2022-23, the Oilers had 42 points after 38 games, going 6-3 in October, 7-7 in November, and 7-6-2 in December for a combined total of 20-16-2. This season they are further along by three points with a 22-15-1 record, and what’s remarkable is they started off at 2-5-1 in October and were close to the bottom of the NHL standings in early November.
Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl Voted into 2024 All-Star Game
January 13, 2024 by Jim Parsons
Not really a surprise, it is now official that Leon Draisaitl will be joining Connor McDavid at this season’s All-Star game. It was announced on Saturday that Draisaitl was among five other names to be listed by the NHL as fan votes, with seven more spots still up for grabs.
Among the names listed alongside Draisaitl were Cale Makar and Alexander Georgiev of the Colorado Avalanche, Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, and Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins.
7 Reasons Connor McDavid Is the World’s Best Hockey Player
January 13, 2024 by Dale Bochon
Fans love the Annual TSN Player Rankings, which traditionally comes out before the start of the NHL’s regular season.
It creates endless debate on social media channels such as Twitter as stats and opinions are exchanged on why someone’s favourite player should be ranked at or near the top. With the rise of Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar in 2021-22 and the crowning of Toronto Maple Leaf center Auston Matthews as league MVP in 2022, should Connor McDavid still be considered the unofficial best player in the game? Will McDavid finish number one in TSN’s player rankings for the sixth year in a row?
3 Depth Forwards Oilers Linked To Ahead of Trade Deadline
January 12, 2024 by Jim Parsons
There is plenty to talk about as the NHL Trade Deadline is less than two months away. When it comes to the Edmonton Oilers, their name is front and center in the rumor mill, simply because they are among the teams now playing well, likely looking to be aggressive buyers, and a contender free agents will consider.
Most of the talk is about goaltending, but just this past week, the Oilers have been linked to three names in the forward ranks: Sean Monahan, Kevin Hayes, and Corey Perry.
Oilers vs Canadiens Pre-Game
The Edmonton Oilers are on the verge of making franchise history with the opportunity to secure a record-setting tenth consecutive win. This remarkable feat comes after their latest victory against the Detroit Red Wings in overtime, where Darnell Nurse delivered the game-winning goal, and the team celebrated their resilience against the Red Wings' netminder, Alex Lyon.
Frankly, it’s amazing to think the Oilers have come back from a 2-9-1 start to being 22-15-1 on the season. It’s been a wild swing that could have a bow put on it by doing something no other Oilers team has done.
Let’s take a look at the game preview…
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