Things We Know: Oilers need to get production from bottom-line players

EDMONTON — Things We (Think We) Know. Series 2, Volume 2. 

Things We Know 

When it was announced on Tuesday that Adam Erne was on waivers for the purpose of assignment, you could almost hear the cries from some corners of Oilers Nation. 

“Call up Raphael Lavoie!” 

Lavoie was the AHL’s Player of the Week for the week ending on Oct. 29, after scoring four times and six points — including a Gordie Howe Hat Trick — in three games for Bakersfield. 

But moments later, PuckPedia reported a new, one-year deal for Gagner, a two-way deal that pays $775,000 over $250,000. So it looks like the 34-year-old Gagner gets the call-up ahead of the 23-year-old Lavoie. 

We hear that call-up will come on Wednesday. 

Things We (Think We) Know 

The Oilers' fourth-line situation is a bit of a mess, beginning with the fact that — most nights — they go with 11 forwards. That means the fourth “line” is really two orphan wingers who kill some penalties, get a couple of even-strength shifts over the first two periods, and then sit and watch the rest of the game from the end of the bench. 

Erne received 8:19 of ice time per game, just 7:25 at even strength. It is impossible to make a positive impact while playing that sporadically, and those players end up simply trying to be “non-event” players. They know scoring a goal is as likely as getting struck by lightning, so they just try not to get scored on — or they would play even less. 

Putting Lavoie in that spot would be harmful to his development. Until the Oilers need a third-liner or better, I say leave the kid on the farm where he leads the Condors with seven points in five games. 

Gagner, by the way, has 1-4-5 in three AHL games. So if it’s a meritocracy you want… 

Things We Know 

The Connor Brown signing was always going to be about the second half of the season and beyond. Everyone knew he would start slowly, coming off that torn ACL. 

So the panic at his lack of production is misguided, and now — eight games in — the player has already taken a step. The Heritage Classic was Brown’s best game of the season. 

“I feel like my speed has really come back here over the last week or so. I definitely have a lot of jump and it's turning into generating some chances,” Brown said Tuesday. 

Things We (Think We) Know 

If you didn’t like Brown’s contract when it was signed — $775,000 in salary, $3.225 million in bonuses off of next season’s cap — that is fine. If you liked it then, but watched him play and want out, you haven’t been paying attention. 

“The first couple of games in the season I did kind of feel … a little step behind. Loose pucks, I wasn't able to jump to them,” he said. “Now I feel like I'm getting a stick on tons of pucks, winning my foot races and generating chances.” 

If the team can right itself and buy Brown the time he requires, we think he’ll be a valuable contributor. In fact, I would have thought it wouldn’t happen until December, but now perhaps he’ll catch up even sooner. 

“It's hard to be patient with yourself,” he admits. “I know my game. Once I start to feel it a bit, it will all start clicking. I know I have a good set of hands. I know I can score goals.” 

Things We Know 

The Bottom 5 has been a black hole in Edmonton. Even head coach Jay Woodcroft admitted on Tuesday, “Erne is paying the price for the group that hasn’t produced. We need more from our bottom five.” 

Cue Ryan McLeod, the third-line centre. He is pointless in eight games, playing 14:25 per night. 

“Oh, it’s been frustrating,” said McLeod, who missed the preseason due to injury, and was behind right off the bet. “It's been long enough, though. I’ve got to start contributing more and kind of getting back to where I can be.” 

Things We (Think We) Know 

On paper, I am quite fond of a third line consisting of McLeod between Dylan Holloway and Warren Foegele – three big fast players who forecheck hard and can throw their weight around. 

But Holloway, who has produced in the NCAA and AHL, still has not found his NHL hands. Foegele was playing so well that he was promoted, and McLeod had to learn how to take the puck into traffic. 

He transports the puck exceptionally well, but ends up on the perimeter too often in the offensive zone. Not enough pucks and bodies to the net. 

That’s the improvement he has to make. Go to where the goals get scored, because this Oilers team needs goals. 

“There just weren’t enough pieces going at the start of the year,” McLeod said. “Last game we saw more coming, which is good. But I think we need everyone to get going in here — and it starts with me.”