2022 was a roller-coaster year for the Edmonton Oilers. At the end of the 21/22 season the fans saw the Oilers go to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2006 and faceoff and beat the Flames for the first time since 1991. The start of the 22/23 season was a mixed bag that has seen the team deal with serious injuries and stretches of great and poor play.

Now it is 2023. A year from today will we be looking at the 2023 calendar year as a great success or failure for the Edmonton Oilers? Currently the team sits in the second Wild Card position. Here are some numbers from this season.

5 on 5 Goals: 74 - 20th
5 on 5 Goals Against: 79 - 24th
Total Goals: 136 - 4th
Total Goals Against: 126 - 22nd
5 on 5 SV%: 0.916 - 20th

Overall these are not the numbers of a team ready to compete for a Stanley Cup. Edmonton remains a below average defensive team that relies far too much on their powerplay and top end players to get things done. The team as it is built today cannot win a Cup in the modern NHL and there are legitimate concerns of Ken Holland being the one who can make the deals to improve this roster to get to that point.

The defense remains an inconsistent issue that in one game can look strong and focused to play a systems oriented game while the next they can look completely outmatched. At least one more high end top four left shot is needed to stabilize this backend but Holland is looking like he is gun shy on pulling that trigger. If the ask for Chychrun is Holloway and Broberg so be it. Bowing out in the first or second round of the playoffs in year 8 of McDavid is unacceptable. Missing the playoffs entirely would be catastrophic.

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There are good things to discuss though. While Campbell has been a disaster thus far, Stuart Skinner has been remarkable and ranks 3rd in the NHL with a 5 on 5 SV% of 0.932%, beneath only Hellebuyck (who stole a win for the Jets on New Years Eve) and Ulmark.

While Draisaitl and McDavid always get the press, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is having a career year and is 10th in NHL points so far this season, doing most of his 5 on 5 scoring away from McDavid or Draisaitl. Zach Hyman also is on pace for above a ppg pace with 40 points in 37 games.

Klim Kostin has become a surprise fan favorite. The 23 year old was acquired when Holland traded Dmitri Samorukov to the Blues. While Samorukov remains in the AHL, Kostin has worked his way into the Oilers top nine and has 5 points in his last 5 games going 5-4-9 in 22 games with Edmonton. The Oilers were lacking in tough to play against, hard working forwards who can score goals. That last part is the important one and Klim is looking more comfortable with the team every game and is looking like a great trade for the Oilers.

At the end of the game against the Jets, Kostin went into the boards feet first and the Jets quickly were waving for the trainers to get out on the ice. It looked ugly as Kostin had to be supported off the ice but the next day he posted that he would be ready to go for Tuesday.

Another key player returning is Leon Draisaitl as he too returned to practice on Monday. Slowly the Oilers are returning to full health with the only major piece missing being Evander Kane who likely won't return until February at the earliest.

The optimistic look for the Oilers is that it was their brilliant performance from January to the end of the season last year that propelled the team into the post-season and winning two rounds. They will be having Kane return at nearly the exact time that he first joined the team last season.

Can Ken Holland find a way to properly manage his cap space and make a legitimate add to help the team? Will Skinner continue to look like a legitimate starter or will fatigue start to set in, and if it does can Campbell bounce back? These will be the questions that we will likely keep talking about from now until whenever the Oilers season is over.

Tonight Edmonton faces off against a Seattle team they are currently tied with in the standings, though Seattle has games in hand. The Oilers embarrassed the Kraken in their last game by the tune of 7-2. Expect Seattle to come out far more prepared to play a tight defensive game and looking to get their own revenge.

Enjoy the game!

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