January should give the Edmonton Oilers a little more breathing room than the month before, but it still opens with a test. They begin the new year on the back end of a six-game road trip, then come home for a six-game homestand. After that, they finish the month with a four-game road swing before returning for two more home games, the start of a stretch that keeps them in Edmonton for nearly a month.
The good news for the Oilers is that there are no back-to-backs in January, so the schedule at least offers proper rest between games. They also get eight of their 15 games at home.
The slate itself is a mixed bag. Some of the opponents are heavy hitters, including the Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers, who have won two of the last three Stanley Cups. Others look far less imposing, with the Nashville Predators having officially committed to a rebuild and teams like the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders still trying to climb out of their own situations.
One opponent stands apart from the rest: the Winnipeg Jets. That matchup carries extra weight because of former Oilers starting goaltender Stuart Skinner.
There is also another reunion on the schedule when Edmonton visits the Pittsburgh Penguins, where newly signed free agent defenseman Ryan Shea spent years.
The biggest date on the calendar could come Sunday, January 17, when Skinner is set to make his return to Edmonton after being traded last December. He signed with the Jets this summer and appears likely to back up Connor Hellebuyck, or potentially form a tandem if Hellebuyck is moved.
Tristan Jarry could also be in the mix depending on how things shake out, which would be a worrying thought for Oilers fans.
Skinner already made one return to Edmonton last season with the Penguins, but this one figures to draw plenty of attention given the Oilers’ goaltending situation.
In Other News...
Ducks Get Pulled Back Into Another Morgan Rielly Rumor
Morgan Rielly is back in the rumor mill again, and this time the chatter has less to do with public posture than with the quiet work happening behind the scenes. Chris Johnston reported that even after Torontos public comments have pointed toward Rielly staying put, general manager John Chayka is still looking into trade possibilities for the veteran defenseman, keeping a familiar storyline alive for a player whose future has been debated for months.
For Western Conference teams watching from a distance, the intrigue is obvious, but the practical hurdles are still there. Riellys contract runs at a hefty $7.5 million for the next four seasons, and the clubs most often tied to the discussion are dealing with cap pressure and roster changes that make a deal difficult to engineer. For now, a move does not appear imminent, which leaves the situation simmering rather than boiling over. [Read more 🡒]
One Analytics Model Is Much Lower On The Oilers Offseason
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The models view is blunt, but it also leaves room for the kinds of variables that do not show up cleanly in a spreadsheet. Coaching changes, chemistry and fit can all swing a teams trajectory in ways the numbers cannot fully capture, and Edmontons offseason has included a new voice behind the bench in Mike Babcock. Whether those factors can offset the models minus-8 outlook is the part that will matter once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Should Resist The Temptation Of An Evander Kane Reunion
Rumors around a possible Evander Kane return have started to surface again, and it is easy to see why the idea has some appeal for Edmonton. Kane knows the market, once brought a heavy, direct style to the Oilers, and there is always a temptation to chase familiarity when a team is trying to keep its window open. Even so, any discussion of a reunion has to start with where his game is now, not where it was when he first arrived.
Kane will be 35, and while the speed and shot power are still part of the package, the accuracy has slipped and the broader concern is whether there is enough left for Edmonton to justify the risk. His play was never quite the same after the wrist injury that changed his shooting touch, and the off-ice baggage that has followed him for years only adds to the caution. A low-risk deal might sound reasonable on paper, but for the Oilers, the safer move may be to resist the urge altogether. [Read more 🡒]