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. 

The Yamamoto Timetable

In the span of just under four months, Kailer Yamamoto has gone from a potential first-round pick in the 2017 Entry Draft, to turning heads at his first pro training camp, to making the Edmonton Oilers’ opening night roster. Not too shabby for a kid who had been told for years he had next to no chance of making the NHL due to his lack of size but still managed to do so at 19-years of age.

Far From An Ideal Start

The key to the Edmonton Oilers 2016-17 campaign was the month of October. They used a pillow soft schedule to go 7-2 and used it to help propel them to a great season. Fast forward to the present day and while their schedule isn’t quite as cushy as a year ago, there was every reason to believe this year’s edition of the Orange and Blue would get off to another strong start in 2017-18.

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.