Protection Will Be a Concern for the Edmonton Oilers This Season

Plenty of Passengers for the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday Evening

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button joined Jay Onrait on SportsCenter to debate what occurred because the Edmonton Oilers have been blown out on residence ice by the Winnipeg Jets.

NHLRumors.com Transcriptions

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Jay Onrait: “I keep in mind final 12 months when the Oilers misplaced even greater of their season opener, eight, one to the Canucks. So we gained’t hit the panic button simply but, however what, what did you particularly see from this Oilers staff on the opening evening that involved you?”

Craig Button: “Okay, so three issues I noticed from the Edmonton Oilers that concern me. Primary, an absence of urgency and depth that’s humorous, after every little thing that occurred with Connor McDavid in that Prime Video, like, what’s happening? In order that their lack of element, I imply, they have been simply flying by. You already know, it’s like, okay, let’s learn to place ourselves.

After which the protection. We all know it’s not superb. And Stan Bowman is aware of it’s not superb, however he’s watching this, and he’s received to ask himself, like, how shortly do I received to get some reinforcements in, proper? As a result of it simply isn’t ok. There’s no different approach to put it. The fence that went to sport seven within the Stanley Cup last final 12 months. The staff will not be on the blue line will not be Cup caliber.”

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Onrait: “They’re lacking Cody Ceci.”

Button: “How about they’re lacking Broberg? Yeah, that they’re lacking gamers. They’re lacking Desharnais. It’s not pretty much as good a blue line because the one which completed the season.”

Onrait: “They didn’t match Broberg. They need that flexibility. We’ll see the place they go along with it.”

What Went Fallacious for the Edmonton Oilers

TSN’s Edmonton Bureau Chief Ryan Rishaugh joined Jay Onrait on SportsCenter to debate what occurred with the Edmonton Oilers and the way did every little thing go so mistaken on opening evening.

NHLRumors.com Transcriptions

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Jay Onrait: “What a efficiency by the Winnipeg Jets of their opener on the highway in Edmonton, six nothing over the Oilers. Kyle Connor scores a aim, changing into the primary participant in NHL historical past to file a aim in seven straight season openers. Edmonton looses 6-0 after dropping their first sport final 12 months 8-1 to Vancouver. So I assume in the event you’re on the lookout for a constructive. It’s not 8-1, its 6-0 however Ryan Rishaugh our Edmonton Bureau Chief, is becoming a member of us now. Ryan, put, what occurred to the Oilers on Wednesday evening?”

Ryan Rishaugh: “Effectively, Jay, merely put, the goaltending wasn’t superb, the protection wasn’t superb, and the offense wasn’t superb. Again to you, actually, it seems that straightforward, proper? I imply, all aspects of the sport. We’re simply not ok tonight, whether or not it’s the construct up, you recognize, weeks and weeks by way of coaching camp and the pundits all choosing the Oilers, there have been rather a lot to choose them final 12 months too. And keep in mind how they began final 12 months, proper?

I can’t assist however assume possibly there’s one thing in that build-up that may throw a staff off a bit bit within the early going. So pay attention, Connor McDavid didn’t have a shot on web tonight. Connor Hellebuyck was respectable, however the Oilers didn’t make the evening very troublesome on him. So, the offense positively wasn’t practically the place it wanted to be.

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And I believe the Oilers did get outworked in various necessary moments in tonight’s (Wednesday’s) sport, however defensively, it simply wasn’t ok, proper? Plenty of new pairings that we noticed that didn’t final all the sport. And I consider all of the issues that went mistaken tonight, in the event you have been to say what’s essentially the most regarding, in all probability what we noticed defensively from this staff tonight.

As a result of I believe Jay, everyone knows that the Oilrsoffense goes to be okay. Stuart Skinner will in all probability get himself squared away. However the protection proper? That’s what all people is questioning. Is that this blue line going to be ok this 12 months?

And this was not a great evening for the D core normally, for the entire staff defensively, however yeah, to reply that query, J, protection, goaltending, and offense.”

Onrait: “Principally every little thing.”