Bad Talbot = Bad Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are about to reach the quarter pole in their 2018-19 schedule and netminder Cam Talbot may be on the verge of losing his spot as the team’s No. 1 goalie. With the 31-year-old still struggling with consistency, the improved play of Mikko Koskinen and the NHL standings being as tight as they are, the time for patience is something this organization does not have. 

Time For Mikko

It has been just over two months since Mikko Koskinen kicked off his return to North America and what a whirlwind it has been. After spending the last seven years tending twine in the KHL and SM-liiga, the Edmonton Oilers goaltender has gone from unknown commodity…to pre-season disaster…to fan-favourite over the course of nine weeks. Impressive to be sure but the real test will be what comes next. 

Not A Bad Spot To Be In

After not only surviving but thriving through the month of October, the Edmonton Oilers have positioned themselves in a pretty good spot as they make their way through November. How good you ask? Well, despite falling to the Stanley Cup champion Capitals in Washington last night and a pending date with the Tampa Bay Lightning later today, a pair of back-to-back regulation losses would be of no real consequence and that in itself is saying something.

Is Mikko Koskinen The Answer?

Of all the free agent signings made across the league this summer, arguably the most curious move of all was the Edmonton Oilers decision to hand Mikko Koskinen the contract they did. Though a one-year deal at $2.5 million isn’t a large chunk of change in today’s NHL, when we are talking about a 30-year old backup goalie with no resume to speak of and a roster starving for cap flexibility, it is certainly a headscratcher.

They're Not Really This Bad

Coming off what was easily their most disappointing effort of the season, the Edmonton Oilers reached a new low point for 2017-18. After being thoroughly dominated by the lowly Buffalo Sabres on home-ice and being shutout for the third time in their last five appearances at Rogers Place, much of their fanbase is ready to wave the white flag on what has been a nightmare campaign.

It's Go-Time For The Orange And Blue

Heading into the NHL’s mandated Christmas Break the Edmonton Oilers appeared to have finally started to right the ship. Despite going into the annual hiatus on a four-game win streak and with seven consecutive solid outings on their dance card, the next ten games on their schedule were always going to be imperative in determining whether or not this group could actually get back into the playoff contention.

Button Takes Aim At Good Ol' Pete

This season is starting to sound like a broken record for the Edmonton Oilers. It has been one poor performance after another, with yesterday’s 8-3 thrashing at the hands of St. Louis Blues being the new low point of the year. It hasn’t been pretty and according to TSN’s Craig Button, expecting this to simply fix itself would be nothing more than wishful thinking and it’s hard to disagree with him.

The Cam Talbot Splits

Over the course of an 82-game NHL season, the numbers an individual player or team produce tends to work itself out. However, on occasion, there will be those anomalies that don’t seem to add up. Though it is still earlier in the year, Edmonton Oilers netminder Cam Talbot is building a stat line that could lead to his 2017-18 campaign finishing up with numbers that could leave many scratching their heads. 

Take Whatever You Can Get

As much as the Edmonton Oilers slow start irked Todd McLellan, chances are the way his team was losing games is what bothered him most. Though they still give up their share of chances, last night’s overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins was the club’s third consecutive 2-1 outcome. Despite the loss, the head coach is likely pleased with their progression but man is it a drag to watch.

The Oil Report: McDavid vs Crosby and Winning Games

As we near the three-week mark of the 2017-18 campaign, the Edmonton Oilers continue to struggle to find their way. By no means is four points in seven games the end of the world but if they are not careful, this group could finish the month of October in an unwanted spot. With that said, as a hockey fan, it is hard not be excited about the coming days, as the Oilers take on Sidney Crosby, Tyler Seguin, and Alex Ovechkin over a span of five days. 

A Coaching Blunder

It’s no secret Cam Talbot hasn’t been good out of the gate for the Edmonton Oilers. Despite being pulled from two of his first four appearances, the hope was Todd McLellan wouldn’t hit the panic button and sit his starter against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, he did just that and likely cost his team two points in the process and sent the wrong message to his No. 1 goalie.

The Oil Report: Leon Concussed, Talbot Cold, Malone Recalled

As far as early disappointments in the new NHL season go, the Edmonton Oilers currently sit in a class all their own. While far from the only club to get off to a slow start, just ask any fan of the Montreal Canadiens, expectations for this group were on an entirely different level heading into 2017-18. Be that right or wrong, it is the hand they have been dealt and as of this moment, it no longer matters. Righting the ship in the here and now is priority one. 

Bring On The Jets

It is not often that we get a chance to see two teams go head-to-head in a so-called response game this early in an NHL season. In most cases, that kind of scenario has traditionally revolved around sending a message to the opponent at the other end of the rink. However, in this case, that applies to neither the Edmonton Oilers nor Winnipeg Jets. This is strictly about ensuring the rest of the league takes notice and hopefully in a good way.

Encore Presentation

Expectations can be a funny thing. Heading into 2016-17, it was apparent to anyone paying attention that Cam Talbot would play a key role in the Edmonton Oilers success or failure. If the former New York Rangers backup could come close to repeating his performance from the final four months of the previous year, it appeared as though things might finally take a turn for the better in the Alberta capital.

Little Change Is A Good Sign

Coming off a season that both re-energized and restored faith among their fan base, the Edmonton Oilers could not have asked for a better start to their 2017 pre-season schedule. As inconsequential as a 5-0 exhibition record is, keeping the core of this group intact from a year ago has greatly helped with the inevitable shift in expectation. Transitioning from a conference bottom feeder to one of its favourites is rarely an easy step to take but doing so in such a short period of time is even more difficult.

Oilers Need More From Brossoit

As great as Cam Talbot was for the Edmonton Oilers in 2016-17, expecting a repeat performance in 2017-18 would be quite the ask. In my mind, there is an extremely good chance the 30-year old will once again be among the best goaltenders in the league but to think he will do it by appearing in another 70 plus games and play over 4,000 minutes isn’t practical. So the question then becomes, is Laurent Brossoit ready to take on a bigger role?

It's On Connor...Not Peter

To suggest the 2000’s haven’t been kind to the Edmonton Oilers is what we would call an understatement. Four playoff appearances in sixteen years doesn’t leave much to get excited about and yet the masses could not be happier across Oil Country. In a blink of an eye, this club has transformed from perennial Western Conference bottom-feeder to one of the best young teams in the NHL and it has coincided with the arrival of one Connor McDavid.

Battle of Alberta - Round Two

For hockey fans of a certain vintage, the phrase “Battle of Alberta” jogs up glorious memories from the past. Unfortunately, it has been so long since both teams have been good at the same time, most fans have no idea at just how intense the rivalry between the organizations and their fan bases used to be. No question the game has changed quite a bit in the 25 years since this matchup meant something but it appears as though we are about to be treated to the modern-day version of the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames going head-to-head when it matters most.

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar

Barring another injury-riddled campaign, the 2016-17 season was always going to be a campaign in which the Edmonton Oilers made substantial gains in the overall standings. The question was whether or not the improvement would be great enough to allow them to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Considering the club finished the year as a top ten team, the answer to the question was a resounding a yes.

Another Hurdle For Young Oilers To Overcome

Believe it or not, the sun did come up this morning in the city of Edmonton. After watching their beloved Oilers end up on the wrong end of a crucial video review decision for a second consecutive game, one couldn’t help but wonder if a dark cloud was making its way over the City of Champions. As if having to deal with a team as good as the Anaheim Ducks wasn’t already challenging enough for Todd McLellan and company to overcome, this extra little wrinkle wasn’t supposed to be part of the equation.