You’ll be able to’t choose a crew when it doesn’t get any goaltending, and that was the case because the Oilers misplaced 6-2 in Seattle on a tough night time for farmhand netminder Olivier Rodrigue.
Edmonton outshot the Kraken 30-23 — 23-16 over the past 40 minutes by which all eight objectives have been scored — however Rodrigue left them, needing seven to win on an evening he’ll need to neglect, because the Oilers pre-season document falls to 3-4 with one recreation left to play — Friday in Vancouver.
For those who watched carefully, nonetheless, you noticed components starting to fall into line for Edmonton. The facility play was extra organized, the penalty kill went an ideal four-for-four, and the Oilers seemed extra like themselves, having greater than their share of the sport regardless of the ultimate rating.
The crew will head to Vancouver for a team-building train on Thursday — the annual pickleball match — and conclude their pre-season (fortunately) towards the Canucks on Friday night time.
Right here’s what we noticed in Seattle:
Travis Dermott — The previous Maple Leaf is with out a contract (on a PTO), however he’s giving the Oilers pause along with his efficiency at camp. He’s a little bit of a tweener — small, however not an enormous factors producer, very similar to Troy Stecher — however he scored as soon as and went to the web successfully in Seattle. The query is that if Dermott can defend properly sufficient to steal a job from both Josh Brown or Stecher, with one pre-season recreation left to play.
Olivier Rodrigue — At 24, Rodrigue is six seasons previous his draft 12 months and nonetheless hasn’t performed in an NHL recreation. He was under common on this one, permitting 4 objectives on 5 second-period pictures for Seattle. He’s a pleasant American League goalie, and can share the pipes in Bakersfield with Collin Delia this season.
The Energy play — The Oilers power-play unit went one-for-five, however had by far its finest possessions of the pre-season. They squandered 1:02 of five-on-three time, and though the general image was an more and more acquainted one, the aim mild solely went on as soon as when Leon Draisaitl completed a pleasant passing play for his first of the pre-season. It’s near being the unit we’ve turn out to be accustomed too, and we’d predict that the second unit will get extra time this season than in years previous.
The Second Line — This was their finest night time of the pre-season, however like the facility play, there may be nonetheless loads of room to enhance. Draisaitl is Draisaitl. Viktor Arvidsson’s recreation is simple to understand — he’s a employee bee with a lot braveness and many abilities. It’s Jeff Skinner who’s the query mark so far, because the left-winger hasn’t had many moments this fall. He’s been quiet, with by far the furthest distance to journey of the three, no query, earlier than the video games start to rely.
Noah Philp — Each recreation he’s performed, he’s been good. To the purpose the place it’s onerous to see anybody else being the thirteenth ahead when the rosters are introduced on Monday afternoon — if certainly the Oilers carry 13 forwards. Philp had a few good scoring possibilities in 10:17 of ice time, and received 5 of seven faceoffs, after coming into the sport at simply lower than 60 per cent this fall.
Brownie Factors
Josh Brown spent 2:51 on the penalty kill Wednesday, because the Oilers PK unit was excellent. He’ll get consideration for the highest six primarily based on his dimension and skill to assist that unit.
“We misplaced a number of parts up entrance (Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod) but additionally on the fitting facet of the defence (Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais). That’s an enormous a part of (Brown’s) DNA,” stated Knoblauch. “We’ve acquired (Ty) Emberson, whom we really feel assured can kill, and (Brett) Kulak did much more of that within the playoffs after not doing a lot in common season. We’ve additionally talked of Bouchard doing a little penalty-killing, so we’ll wait and see.”
Arvidsson blocked a few pictures on the PK as properly, and appears like he’ll greater than fill in for Foegele or McLeod.
Pickin’ and Grinnin’
Backup goalie Calvin Pickard was practising with the non-game gamers Wednesday, and seems like he’ll be good to go as Skinner’s backup when the season begins subsequent Wednesday. He may even get some work in Vancouver Friday, after being pushed into his web body in a collision between teammate Noah Philp and Seattle’s Yanni Gourde on Monday.
“Fairly massive collision, however all issues thought of, I’m fairly pleased the way in which I’m feeling the previous few days,” stated Pickard, who has performed simply 42:37 within the pre-season. “I don’t know if it’s a priority. Final 12 months I performed one (pre-season) recreation however acquired off to a extremely good begin to common season. Mentally I’m in a great place.
“There was some rust there however everyone’s coping with it.”