The Oilers keep finding ways to win, even while the injury bug keeps chewing through the roster. On a night when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was hurt enough to miss most of the game, Edmonton still came away with another victory, with the Glimmer Twins doing their usual heavy lifting and a little help along the way. Le sigh.
That keeps the Oilers on pace for 30 points in 20 games, and in a league like this, that kind of early cushion matters. Vegas is rolling and still sits three points behind Edmonton, which is exactly why these wins now can pay off later when the inevitable rough patch hits.
One of the more encouraging signs came from the Dickinson line. Formenton-Dickinson-Joseph logged 9:01, outshot the opposition 4-4 and finished with a 1-0 goal edge.
The trio has only been together for 47 minutes, but the early results are there: 2-0 goals and an expected share that has climbed to 41. It’s a small sample, and nobody is pretending it’s a finished product, but it’s a start.
The other big story, of course, is the Podkolzin-McDavid-Draisaitl trio, which has become a nightmare to deal with. In 18 games, that line has piled up 35 goals, including all game states.
McDavid’s passing has been ridiculous, with a pace that points to 172 assists, while Vasily Podkolzin is on track for more than 40 goals. Zach Hyman even got a few shifts with the Glimmer Twins, and my guess is he settles back onto the Nuge line until Matt Savoie returns, at which point there could be a major shuffle.
Babcock is stubborn about keeping lines together, though, and stubborn isn’t always a bad thing.
There was also a solid night from the Michaels line, though the opponent has to be factored in there too. Jones-Michaels-Frederic spent 4:49 together and posted a 2-2 shot split.
Over 125 minutes at five-on-five, Frederic sits at a 50 percent goal share. The line doesn’t score much, but it has done a decent job keeping chances away from its own net.
Jones is 0-4, Micharls is 5-11, and Mathieu Joseph is 8-12.
On the back end, the Oilers looked good as well, even if Vancouver wasn’t exactly a stern test. Devon Levi made some impressive stops late when the game was still in the balance, and Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm stood out.
Ryan Shea drew praise too. The rest of the group, though, still doesn’t feel settled.
Bakersfield had a better performance than the final score suggests, but the goals just weren’t there. Nathan Day stopped 32 shots in a regulation 1-0 loss, which says plenty about the goaltending and not much about the offense.
Mat Tompkins is back down on the farm, but the Condors’ problem isn’t in net. They need more skill.
Atro Leppanen should clear at noon today, and Max Jones is expected to be in California when Matt Savoie returns.
In Other News...
Oilers Get The Win They Needed But One Concern Just Grew
The Oilers got the result they needed with a 4-2 win over Vancouver, and the night had the familiar fingerprints of Connor McDavid all over it. He kept his point and assist streak rolling to 18 games, setting up goals for Mattias Ekholm and Leon Draisaitl, while Zach Hyman returned to the lineup and chipped in an assist as Edmonton continued to lean on its top-end talent to get through a tight divisional matchup.
But the bigger picture for Edmonton was not just the two points. Devon Levi was back in goal and stopped 20 of 22 shots, giving the Oilers a steadier look in net, yet the game still carried a late concern that could matter more than the standings in the short term. One of their regular forwards left with an issue after taking a puck to the face, and his status will be worth watching as the Oilers try to keep building momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Have A Trade Chance With Ryan McLeod Suddenly In Limbo
Ryan McLeods place in Buffalo has become a little less certain of late, with the forward recently sitting as a healthy scratch and no longer looking like a regular fixture in the Sabres lineup. For Edmonton, that kind of uncertainty naturally invites a familiar kind of conversation, since center depth is always a topic worth revisiting and McLeods name still carries some appeal in Oil Country.
The trade angle here is still just that, an angle, with no confirmed indication that the Oilers and Sabres are actually working on anything. Even so, McLeods contract and the kind of assets it might take to pry him loose make for an interesting fit check, especially for a team that could always use another option down the middle if the opportunity ever becomes real. [Read more 🡒]
Devon Levi Showed Oilers Fans Exactly What Matters Most
Devon Levis return to the Oilers came with the kind of perspective coaches and teammates tend to appreciate, especially this time of year. After getting back into the lineup, the goaltender talked less about his own numbers and more about the kind of games he wants to be part of, saying he likes the pressure of tight contests and the chance to help Edmonton come away with wins. He also made sure to note how meaningful Hockey Fights Cancer night was, a reminder that some moments around the rink carry more weight than what ends up on a stat sheet.
Levis approach felt rooted in something bigger than one game or one outing. He pointed to the winning mindset he learned from his grandfather, and it showed in the way he framed his job: the team comes first, and the results matter more than individual metrics. For an Oilers club that leans heavily on every detail in the crease, that kind of attitude is hard to miss, even if the rest of his story is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]