The Edmonton Oilers were among the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup heading into the 2023-24 season, yet through 11 games, they don't look much like a contender, posting a 2-8-1 record through their first 11 games. Things don't look to be getting better anytime soon either, as they are fresh off a 6-2 loss at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, and have lost seven of their past eight games.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatl haven't been playing at the same level as fans are accustomed to seeing from them, registering ten and 14 points, respectively. Cody Ceci is the only full-time player who has a plus/minus rating that isn't negative (it sits at an even zero right now) and the one player whose rating is positive is Sam Gagner, who is +2 over three games played.
Let's face it; When a team that was labeled a Stanley Cup contender entering the season starts the year out with a 2-8-1 record, there are a lot of disappointments. The main issue with this team, though, falls on one position that has resulted in quite a few losses, and while there hasn't been much to like for Edmonton on the ice, they have received some surprising contributions from a fan favorite who has made a long-awaited return to the team. So with that being said, let's dive into the biggest surprise and disappointment from the Oilers start to the season.
Biggest Surprise: F, Sam Gagner
The Oilers' season has been so bad that their biggest surprise is Sam Gagner, who has only played in three games so far. Gagner spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Oilers, before returning for another shortened stint during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. Prior to these three games, Gagner played 542 games with Edmonton, netting 111 goals and 206 assists.
With Gagner unable to land a contract this offseason after spending last year with the Winnipeg Jets, the Oilers brought him in on a professional tryout contract after he underwent double hip surgery in the offseason. Gagner didn't play in any games during their preseason action, but he ended up signing a one-year contract with the Bakersfield Condors, the Oilers AHL affiliate. Gagner tallied five points in three games during his quick stint in the AHL before earning a call back to the NHL with the Oilers to complete his comeback.
It was viewed as unlikely that Gagner could make an impact this season due to his offseason double hip surgery, but he has hit the ground running in his first three games. Gagner has racked up three points (two goals, one assist) in three games, and while it is a small sample size, he is the only player on the team with a plus/minus rating above zero.
This isn't a knock on Gagner, but the fact that he is the team's biggest surprise may be more of an insult to the rest of the team's performance than an endorsement for him. If the Oilers can get back on track, the return of Gagner to Edmonton after all this time away to make a Stanley Cup would be the kind of storyline that makes sports great.
Biggest Disappointment: Goaltenders Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell
Ask anyone why the Oilers have only two wins in their first 11 games, and they will all answer the same way. Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell have done nothing to help the team succeed when they have found themselves protecting Edmonton's goal. Skinner has a 1-4-1 record with a 3.99 goals-against average and a .856 save percentage, while Campbell has a 1-4-0 record with a 4.5 goals-against average and a .873 save percentage. Numbers like that may not be good enough to win you games at the local recreational league, let alone in the NHL
Campbell has four years left on a five-year, $25 million contract. he signed during the 2022 offseason, and the last thing the Oilers were expecting was that they would have to waive him for purposes of sending him to the AHL. However, that is exactly what they did on November 7th so that they could recall Calvin Pickard from the AHL.
Pickard has 116 games of NHL experience, and he posted a 2.03 goals-against average and .912 save percentage this season in the AHL with the Condors. The Oilers are likely exploring the trade market to try and find a more experienced goalie to fill this gaping hole, but for now, they may have to lean on Pickard and hope to catch lightning in a bottle to get this team some wins.
The fact that the Oilers may waste prime seasons of McDavid and Draistatl's careers due to their goalies being unable to give them NHL-level production would be a hard pill for fans to swallow. However, that has been the reality through 11 games, and unless something drastic changes, that appears to be the path this team is on this season.
Follow Us
Subscribe