First there was the Oilers scoring the Connor McDavid golden ticket in the 2015 NHL draft lottery. Then came a new general manager in Peter Chiarelli, followed by new head coach Todd McLellan.
There was so much hope. And like that… it’s gone.
Here we are the quarter mark of the season and McDavid is out of the lineup indefinitely, but apparently healing quicker than expected, with a broken clavicle and the Oilers are sitting in the basement of the Western Conference with a 7-13-1 record.
THE GOOD: Taylor Hall is having an outstanding season. He’s fourth in the league in scoring with nine goals and 24 points and he’s generating a ton of chances for his team.
The kids are alright. Although he’s injured, McDavid certainly delivered on the hype in the 13 games we had the privilege of watching him play before he went down. Leon Draisaitl has been great since he arrived from AHL Bakersfield to help offset the loss of McDavid. He’s second in team scoring with seven goals and 17 points in just 11 games.
Oscar Klefbom has quieted critics of the seven-year, $29.169-million contract extension he signed in September. Nail Yakupov got off to a great start on a line with McDavid and Benoit Pouliot, but has struggled to produce in the former’s absence. Darnell Nurse is finding his footing as an NHL defenceman, too.
THE BAD: Chiarelli sent three draft picks to the New York Rangers at the 2015 NHL Draft in exchange for goaltender Cam Talbot. Talbot was supposed to be the guy who would solidify the Oilers’ perpetual goaltending problem.
Thus far, Talbot’s 2014-15 2.21 goals-against average and .926 save percentage have looked like a byproduct of a pretty good Rangers team. The 28-year-old has ceded No. 1 duties to Anders Nilsson of late, thanks to his woeful 3.09 goals-against average and .890 save percentage out of the gate. An inexperienced and often ineffective Oilers defence corps has not helped.
The Oilers have had some bad luck on the injury front, having started the season without Jordan Eberle and the deflating impact of McDavid’s busted collar bone.
TRENDING: The Oilers held their own in a 1-0 loss to the Washington Capitals Monday night, dominating the possession game and keeping pace in the scoring chance department.
The club cratered early this season, but they’ve been a better team in recent weeks. The furthered development of players like Draisaitl, Klefbom, Nurse, and Yakupov is encouraging.
BOLD PREDICTION: The Oilers are a bottom three team in the NHL right now but they won’t be at season’s end.
Hall has said the Oilers are a better team than their record indicates. Their underlying numbers through the second half of November would confirm Hall’s assessment, at least compared to their play out of the gate.
The playoffs may be out of reach, but the Oilers could prove to be a decent team as their young players continue to grow and McDavid works his way back from injury.
GRADE: C- Questions on defence and in goal abound. There’s a lot to like up front, especially with McDavid in the lineup. Hall might be a Hart Trophy candidate if the Oilers can inch their way out of the Western Conference basement.
Guarded optimism moving forward.
