It was not the start the Edmonton Oilers wanted; the runners-up to the Stanley Cup last season have seen their 49-27 record from last season turn into a winless run of three straight games against three different opponents.
A 6-0 defeat to start the season was shocking, to say the least, against the Winnipeg Jets. Then came a 5-2 defeat to the Blackhawks, followed by a 4-1 pounding by the Flames. Losing is one thing, but getting manhandled has Oilers fans, pundits, and coaching staff very worried.
This is not unfamiliar territory for the Oilers, as last season Kris Knoblauch came in as coach after the team began the campaign 3-9-1. The rest is history, as the club would eventually reach the Stanley Cup finals and lose the series in the final game to the Florida Panthers.
Kris Knoblauch on Edmonton Oilers’ Poor Start to NHL Season
Kris Knoblauch told the media after his team’s latest defeat, “When I got here, one of the things I noticed, obviously, was the frustration,” recalling how things were when he arrived last season. “It’s only three games in. But that frustration, definitely it’s there — but not at the point that it was when I came here. But obviously, we have to correct what’s going on right now.”
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid have gone cold to start the season; worse yet, the team is giving up a lot of goals per game, no less than four in all three matches so far.
“We’re getting beat in a lot of battles; we’re getting beat in a lot of different ways,” said Connor McDavid, assessing the situation. “The puck play has been bad all over. Guys have been fumbling it, guys not handling it. Passes in the air, passes behind guys — it’s just not good enough in terms of the puck play.”
“Obviously, we have to play with more desperation,” Knoblauch added, while Corey Perry poured cold water on the situation. “It’s a new season. There are new guys. Guys left… It’s not the same team, and we have to figure out how we want to play, the style we want to play. Right now, it’s 6-0 the first game, and then we give up another five in this game. That’s not the recipe.”
Up next for the Oilers is a winnable match against the Philadelphia Flyers, who are 1-1 to start the season. The game will be played at home, which can only help the Oilers get back on track.