It’s always hard to know how much stock to put in a hot start. When it comes to the Edmonton Oilers, though, there’s an ever-growing list of developments for fans to wrap their arms around.
The Oilers basically sewed up a win before the first period was over on Saturday night, jumping out to a 4-0 lead on the Chicago Blackhawks in the opening frame and more or less cruising to a 5-2 victory. The stars did their thing, as Connor McDavid opened the scoring (and later added an assist) to keep his season-long 17-game point streak alive, while Leon Draisaitl’s NHL-best 18th marker came in the form of a shorthanded dagger that deadened any Chicago hopes in the waning minutes of the third period.
While the game was bookended by the usual exploits from the big boys, the pages in between also told an encouraging story for a franchise that’s sketching away, trying to add shading and depth around two incredible lead characters. In goal, Stuart Skinner picked up his second straight win after opening the season with a pair of losses. The 23-year-old has been a riser in the organization after being selected 78th overall in 2017. With Mike Smith on long-term injured reserve and goaltending questions on this club not going away, you can bet Skinner is going to get a real shot to show what he’s got — and, right now, what he’s got is a .939 save percentage on the season with a .962 mark in his past two outings.
There are also some rays of light breaking through on the blue line. Evan Bouchard, who had two points in the win over Chicago, has taken a huge leap this season, demonstrating why the Oilers wanted him at 10th overall in 2018. Bouchard has averaged 21:35 of ice time per night and figures to get even more over the next couple weeks with lynchpin Darnell Nurse — by far the minutes king on this squad — sidelined with a broken finger. Another player who will be trying to help fill some part of the Nurse void is Philip Broberg, who picked up an assist in his first NHL game versus the Hawks. A high pick of a blue-liner himself — eighth overall in 2019 — Broberg has shown well in the AHL this year, during his first season of North American pro hockey. It’s likely this will be a year of further seasoning for him, but it’s encouraging none the less to see him up with the big club and contributing right away.
With the win over Chicago, Edmonton is the top team by points percentage (.765) in the Western Conference. And while things have gone to another level this season, success is no six-week thing in Northern Alberta. Since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, Edmonton ranks 10th league-wide in terms of regular-season points percentage (.628). That’s nothing to sneeze at for a franchise that made the playoffs just once during the first four years of McDavid’s career.
Of course, that steady progress is overshadowed by flameouts in the past two post-seasons. The Oilers have lost seven of their past eight playoff contests, which is why people who are so inclined can take a “show me something when it counts” stance with this organization.
There’s no doubt none of this early-season joy will mean a thing if Edmonton can’t find a way to prove itself a worthy playoff performer. But read between the lines a little and it’s easy to believe style and substance are starting to strike a healthy balance here.
Other Takeaways
• It looks like Matt Duchene has finally found his rhythm in Nashville. Most of us thought this was a natural fit back when Duchene inked a big UFA deal to go to Tennessee in the summer of 2019. But after a flat first year, his production completely nosedived last season, when his 0.38 points-per-game rate represented the worst mark of his decade-long career. Duchene — who netted a hat trick in a losing cause in Montreal on Saturday — has answered back in a big way, though, putting up 19 points in 17 games for a 1.12 points-per-game clip that’s the best of his NHL tenure. His 12 goals are topped by only four players — Draisaitl, Alex Ovechkin, Chris Kreider and the utterly unstoppable Andrew Mangiapane — in the league.
• Duchene’s Predators are, surprisingly, ahead of his old team in Colorado right now in the Central Division standings. That could change fast, though, as It’s starting to look like the Colorado club we all expected to roll this year is getting into gear. The Avalanche dumped the Seattle Kraken 7-3 on Friday for their fourth straight win. While the competition hasn’t exactly been stiff over that stretch — two triumphs over Vancouver, one over San Jose and the Kraken victory — Colorado has absolutely shellacked its opponents, outscoring those teams 24-8 in that short span. All that, of course, has come with Nathan MacKinnon still on the shelf with a lower-body ailment. Cue Nazem Kadri — pending UFA — and his nine points in four outings.
• Nobody is going to top Mangiapane in terms of early-season surprise goal-scoring gods. The Calgary left winger popped three more in two weekend wins for his team and now has 15(!) goals in 19 contests. That said, Kreider — who scored in a win over Buffalo on Sunday — certainly merits an honourable mention and don’t sleep on Jared McCann’s contributions to the Kraken when he’s in the lineup. The 25-year-old was forced out for a bit thanks to COVID protocol, but he’s got seven goals in 13 outings, including a power-play marker in Seattle’s Sunday night win over the Washington Capitals. McCann has demonstrated some scoring potential in the past, but he appears to be kicking things up a level while finding the net at a 45-goal pace.
Weekend Warrior
Things got off to a rocky start for Marc-Andre Fleury in Chicago, but the reigning Vezina winner has found his form. Fleury stopped 40 shots to blank the Vancouver Canucks 1-0 on Sunday, earning his fourth consecutive win. The guy who turns 37 in six days has a .936 save percentage in his past seven outings.
Red and White Power Rankings
1. Calgary Flames (11-3-5): The Flames spoiled the grand opening of UBS Arena on Saturday by downing the Islanders 5-2, then turned around and blanked the Bruins 4-0 in Boston with former ‘B’ Dan Vladar turning in another strong crease performance. This team has also played 13 road games compared to just six at home.
2. Edmonton Oilers (13-4-0): The Oilers are about to embark on a southern roadie that takes them through Dallas, Arizona and Vegas.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs (13-6-1): Joseph Woll only had to make 20 saves for his first career shutout on Sunday, as the Leafs followed Calgary’s lead and dumped the Islanders in their shiny new building.
4. Winnipeg Jets (9-4-4): Though it came in a losing cause, Kyle Connor picked up an assist on Friday to continue his career-best production. The 25-year-old is on pace for 106 points.
5. Ottawa Senators (4-10-1): The Sens will be in lockdown on the road in Colorado and California as the club returns on Monday night from a COVID-forced hiatus.
6. Vancouver Canucks (6-11-2): You had to know Friday’s win over Winnipeg wasn’t going to be enough to keep the wolves at bay and, sure enough, the boo birds were out as Vancouver couldn’t squeeze one past Chicago during a 1-0 home loss on Sunday.
7. Montreal Canadiens (5-13-2): Here’s a head-scratcher for you: the Canadiens have won just five times — including on Saturday versus Nashville — in 20 attempts this year, but they’re outscoring opponents in their victories to the tune of 23-6.
The Week Ahead
• Pierre-Luc Dubois returns to Columbus as a member of the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday. The other headliner from that blockbuster swap last year, Patrik Laine, has been sidelined most of this month with an oblique strain. Sadly, the 23-year-old is also mourning the death of his dad, Harri.
• It’s turkey week in America, so no games on Thursday, but a bunch of afternoon action to soak in on Friday. (Or, if you’re in Canada, sneak in while working).
