Morning Skate Breakdown: Oilers Have a Golden Opportunity - If They Don’t Let It Slip
Things haven’t exactly been smooth sailing for the Edmonton Oilers lately. Connor McDavid’s point streak finally came to a halt, the team still hasn’t strung together three straight wins, and, well, it’s January in Edmonton - the weather’s doing no one any favors. But if there’s a silver lining heading into tonight’s game, it’s this: they’re not the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks are deep into rebuild mode - and not the quiet, behind-the-scenes kind. This is full-on, front-and-center, “embrace the tank” territory.
Fans are leaning into it, with “#TankForMcKenna” making the rounds on social media and likely to echo through Rogers Arena tonight. Vancouver isn’t just having a rough season - they’re leaning into the losses with eyes squarely on the future.
That kind of context matters. Normally, you’d say every game is a test, and the Oilers should treat every opponent the same.
But let’s be real: this is a matchup Edmonton should win. Vancouver's roster is a patchwork of young players getting reps and veterans playing out the string.
The front office has essentially told fans, “We’re building for tomorrow.” And the roster reflects that.
For the Oilers, this is a chance to bank two points - plain and simple. Vancouver doesn’t have the depth to keep pace with Edmonton’s top lines.
They don’t have the goaltending to shut down McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hyman. This isn’t a team built to win right now.
It’s a team built to develop, evaluate, and ultimately draft high.
But here’s the catch: that doesn’t mean Edmonton can sleepwalk through this one.
Tanking teams still have NHL talent. They can still win games, especially if the opponent gets sloppy.
The Oilers need to stay sharp, manage the puck, and avoid the kind of giveaways that turn into momentum swings. If they play with structure and discipline, they should control the pace from start to finish.
This is the kind of game where Edmonton’s top guys can - and should - get rolling. McDavid may have seen his point streak snapped, but his overall play hasn’t dipped.
He’s still slicing through defenses like it’s 3-on-3 overtime. Draisaitl is heating up, Hyman’s doing damage around the net, and the team has shown flashes of the dominant form we’ve seen in recent seasons.
The biggest threat tonight isn’t Vancouver - it’s complacency.
When you know the other side is more focused on the draft lottery than the playoff race, it’s easy to take your foot off the gas. That’s when bad habits creep in.
Lazy passes. Missed assignments.
Assuming the game will just take care of itself. That’s a dangerous mindset, and it’s how underdogs steal games they have no business winning.
To their credit, the Oilers haven’t been playing poorly. They’ve been on the wrong end of some tough breaks - running into a hot goalie here, losing a tight one there.
The effort and structure have largely been there. They’re not a team flailing for answers.
They’re a team that just needs to keep grinding and let the results follow.
Tonight’s matchup offers a chance to reset the tone. Get the stars going.
Build some momentum. And most importantly, avoid giving a struggling team any unnecessary life.
Here’s how the Oilers are expected to line up:
Forwards
- Podkolzin - McDavid - Hyman
- Frederic - Nugent-Hopkins - Kapanen
- Howard - Roslovic - Savoie
- Mangiapane - Lazar - Janmark
Defense
- Ekholm - Bouchard
- Nurse - Emberson
- Walman - Stastney
Goaltender
- Jarry
The mission is simple: play smart, stay focused, and don’t let a rebuilding team hang around. This isn’t about sending a message or making a statement. It’s about taking care of business.
And hey - no matter how cold it gets, at least the Oilers aren’t the ones chanting for lottery balls.