Dark clouds are starting to surround the Edmonton Oilers and their pursuit of their first Stanley Cup since 1990. The team hasn’t been playing well since late January, and the bad habits the team picked up were magnified on their five-game road trip following the 4 Nations Face-Off where they lost four in a row before salvaging two points against the Carolina Hurricanes on March 1. After returning to Edmonton to play the Anaheim Ducks on March 4 for their first home game since Feb. 7, the Oilers didn’t exactly inspire confidence as they were blown out by the much younger and faster Ducks 6-2.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters after the loss that “We’re a fragile team, and when things aren’t going well, we lose our game.” That’s the second time in a week that Knoblauch used the word fragile when describing his team. He told the media after the Oilers’ 4-1 loss to the Tampa Lightning on Feb. 25 that, “We’re a fragile group right now. Confidence is a little hard right now.”
Hearing Knoblauch speak this way about his team is an indicator that something might be really wrong with the mentality of his group, and it’s easy to see how bad the Oilers are from their performance on the ice in the last month.
All Is Not Lost…Yet
Listening to sports radio, watching respected pundits and reading columns following the Oilers’ 6-2 loss to the Ducks, you’d think the sky was falling in. Last I checked, the sky was bright blue, the sun was shining in Edmonton, and the Oilers were still in a good position in the NHL’s Pacific Division. This core group led by Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse are historically a streaky group. If the Oilers were to continue playing this way in late March or early April, then there should be cause for concern, but I think it’s not too late to turn things around and ride some positive momentum going into the playoffs.
More Help Could Be On the Way
The Oilers have already made one deal before the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline, bringing in forwards Trent Frederic and Max Jones from the Boston Bruins on March 4 in a three-way deal involving the New Jersey Devils.
The Oilers sent defenceman Max Wanner, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick back to Boston. The Devils received Shane LaChance as part of the deal for retaining 50 percent of Frederic’s salary.
There’s a chance that Oilers general manager Stan Bowman could be trying to swing a deal for a defenceman and/or a goalie. I think when Knoblauch talks about his team being fragile, he might be referring directly to his goaltenders Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Both goalies have been inconsistent, especially lately, and gaining back confidence might be the number one priority for both goalies and the team as their march to the playoffs continues. Oilers fans are on pins and needles right now, and Bowman needs to make the right move before March 7 to help turn the ship around.
Oilers Are Still a Good Hockey Team
You can tell by Knoblauch’s comments, even his demeanour, that this current stretch is tough on him and the team itself. But we’ve seen this movie before in Edmonton. The Oilers have always been a second half of the season team, and with McDavid admitting that he has to improve his play, you can bet they’re going to find the answers and get things on track. Momentum is such a powerful force in sports, especially in hockey. Just because you’re underperforming in March doesn’t mean you won’t be back on top in May, and the same goes for those teams who are playing lights out right now – they could fold like a cheap lawn chair in a windstorm come playoff time.
The Stanley Cup playoffs start in mid-April. If the Oilers are playing then like they’re playing now, then Oilers fans need to be worried. There’s still a month and a half to go until the postseason, the Oilers have 21 games to go. There’s no reason to believe this group won’t gain their confidence back and get on a roll, especially with names like McDavid, Draisaitl, Mattias Ekholm and Zach Hyman on the team.
