Looking to the future is something Oilers fans are sick and tired of hearing. They have been waiting for over a decade for their team to be a threat in the NHL. The management for this organization has been atrocious and they have sat on their hands and done nothing when they should have stepped in, and tripped over their own feet when they should have just stood pat.

Edmonton is not making the playoffs this season and every day they are closer to being a lottery team than they are a Wild Card. With the trade deadline approaching, interim GM Keith Gretzky needs to look at acquiring assets that will help the team over the summer while ensuring he is keeping real NHL options here.

Players like Alex Chiasson, Tobias Rieder, Matt Benning, and Zack Kassian should all be candidates for moving before the end of Monday. It is unlikely any of them will provide the team with much next season and should be easily replaced by cheaper options. The coaches and players will continue to speak about making a push until the day they are mathematically eliminated, the front office needs to think bigger picture.

--

Some bizarre news with Jesse Puljujarvi. After his agent very publicly stated it might be time for the team and the player to part ways, Puljujarvi now is apparently out with a lower body injury and needs an MRI. I have yet to find any evidence of which game or shift he was injured on. The JP saga continues to make no sense and I would not be shocked if we never see young Puljujarvi in an Oilers jersey again.


LINEUPS

OILERS

Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian
Rieder-RNH-Chiasson
Lucic-Cave-Gagner
Rattie-Brodziak-Currie

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Russell
Sekera-Benning

Koskinen

ISLANDERS

Lee-Nelson-Eberle
Kuhnackl-Barzal-Bailey
Beauvillier-Filpulla-Komarov
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Leddy-Boychuk
Pelech-Pulock
Toews-Mayfield

Lehner

4 KEYS TO VICTORY

1) Lost Without Connor. The Oilers managed a mere 15 shots through the first two periods against the Coyotes a couple days ago. It is so blatantly obvious how poor the Oilers are without McDavid. Luckily #97 will draw in tonight, the Oilers desperately need him.

2) Surprisingly Good. Like many, I expected the Islanders to be a fairly mediocre team this season. They lost Tavares without receiving anything in return and looked to be rebuilding. The team has been solid under Barry Trotz and have clearly bought in to his system. No one on the team has over a point per game which especially this season is odd, yet the NYI are first in the Metro Division.

3) Doesn't Matter Who Is In Net. On that same note, a large part of the Islanders success has been their two netminders. Lehner and Greiss have played 32 and 31 games respectively with SV% of .929 and .928. There may not be a true #1 in New York because the argument could be made for either.

4) Shutdown. On a last same note, the Islanders have allowed the fewest goals in the league, while only being 23 in total goals scored. The Islanders are second last in total shots taken, meaning Koskinen will need to ensure he is stopping whatever comes his way,

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