The Edmonton Oilers are no strangers to a slow start to the season, but you might have thought that Connor McDavid signing a short and modest extension the day before this season would have revved the engine a bit sooner.
Tuesday’s 6-3 win over the surging Utah Mammoth, in which McDavid exploded for two goals, was certainly a start. Before that, though, the Oilers were 4-4-2 to start the season, and McDavid only had one goal. Should we worry?
Head coach Kris Knoblach could just be playing the long game and trying to get a peek at all of his line-combination options for the playoffs while the season is still young, but his constant shuffling of the lines has been hard to watch.
Edmonton is sorely missing Zach Hyman for a finishing touch offensively, and we may well see McDavid pick it up when Hyman returns and gives the lineup an answer to once again complete its first line.
However, the offense is falling flat without Corey Perry, and the Oilers are still waiting for Hyman’s return.
For once, the goaltending isn’t the problem, as Stuart Skinner has had some strong performances, such as his shutout at Madison Square Garden, to will the team into the win column. Still, the defense has had some notable blunders, and the lack of chemistry between Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm is troubling.
Will the Oilers settle down and find some easier scoring once Hyman returns to the lineup, or will the early lack of cohesion across the roster persist? Either way, they were definitely spooking us before the potential turning-point win over Utah.
