Resilient might be the best single word to describe the 19/20 version of the Edmonton Oilers. Everything we have seen up to now has shown us that this is in fact a playoff team. They are not and should not be viewed as a contending team yet but we have seen enough to show us that this is a team that should make the post season and perhaps even make some noise once they are there.
So far this team has checked plenty of boxes when it comes to in-season "tests"
- Start the season strong - Check
- Win games letting the top talent run the show - Check
- Win games when the top guys aren't at their best - Check
- Win high octane offense and tight checking defensive games - Check and Check
- Find ways to win and gain points from the better teams - Check
- Find ways to win games when injuries have depleted your roster - Check
This Edmonton team isn't just Connor McDavid anymore, it isn't even just Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Dave Tippett has complete buy-in from this roster and the whole team is showing up shift to shift.
The one test that this team hasn't yet seemed to achieve is consistently beating teams that are well beneath them in the standings.
Edmonton has lost to teams that are just awful like Red Wings, Wild, Senators, Kings, and Sabres. In most of these games, it wasn't just a hot goaltender on the otherside; the Oilers have been downright outplayed.
Ask any professional athlete, there is always some voice in the back of your head that gains confidence stepping into a match against a weaker opponent. The best athletes and teams will stifle that voice and go about their regular business.
Edmonton's next three games are against the Wild who sit 8 points below the Oilers, the Ducks who are 16 points lower, and the Kings who are 22 points lower and sit last in the West. Both the Ducks and Kings have already made deadline moves, selling off good players in return for prospects and picks.
All three of these games should be wins for the Oilers but if Edmonton expects them to be easy wins we will likely see them get buried. Tippett needs the whole team to go about the same work ethic as two nights ago against Boston and if they are able to do so, walking away with 6 points is a likely outcome.
1.) Home Warriors - Of the 18 games that Minnesota has played since the beginning of January, only 4 of them have been on the road. Minnesota is 2-2 in those games. In fact this whole season the Wild have been one of the better home teams with a record of 17-9-5 but have the second worst record in the West on the road at 11-15-2. Edmonton needs to continue making things difficult for the Wild away from their own rink.
2.) Less Penalties - Less Ice Time - As much as I enjoy proving Darnell Nurse isn't a top pairing defenseman, I have a hard time coming down on him like some did after the Bruins game. Nurse played nearly 30 minutes against the Bruins, along with about 6 minutes on a PK that didn't allow a single goal despite giving Boston 7 chances. Nurse is an effective player at 5 on 5 but shouldn't be play more than 20-22 minutes a night. With Klefbom out the whole team needs to avoid the penalty box so Tippett doesn't have to put his guys in those positions.
3.) Light At The End of The Tunnel - McDavid will be back in the lineup soon and the team has done almost everything possible to ensure that Connor doesn't have to go supernova to keep the team in a playoff position. There was a chance McDavid was going to play today but now Sunday seems like a more likely event. Reward your captain for all his work earlier in the season and win another with him out of the lineup tonight.
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FILM OF THE DAY
The Wild are still one of the most boring teams in the NHL but can still be deadly if you give them too many opportunities. They are something like Laura from the brilliant comic book movie Logan. Laura might look unassuming on the outside, but if you aren't careful.... well watch the clip and see. Definitely NSFW
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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