Since the NHL resumed its regular season, the Edmonton Oilers have been very disappointing, losing in consecutive outings by lopsided scores. With the trade deadline closing in, General Manager Stan Bowman delivered a harsh message for captain Connor McDavid and the rest of the team to pay attention to and respond accordingly.
Edmonton is still sitting in a comfortable spot in the NHL standings. With a nine-point cushion over the last wildcard team, the Vancouver Canucks, the Oilers should have their berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs secure, barring a historic collapse.
Yet, that’s the biggest fear in Alberta right now. McDavid and the Oilers have lost its first two games since the 4 Nations break, and in embarrassing fashion. After 6-3 and 7-3 losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals, respectively, GM Bowman addressed the team’s performance, delivering a blunt statement to the players in the locker room.
“I’m worried about everything,” Bowman said, via Sportsnet. “I mean, part of the job is to be concerned about having not only the right group of players, but also having them perform to their fullest. To be on top of their game. Most of our guys have had good seasons, but not everybody. So there is room for improvement.”
Bumps in the road
After scoring the game-winning goal for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Championship Game against Team USA, McDavid returned to his Oilers’ duties with a tall task ahead. Edmonton’s NHL schedule resumed with a very challenging five-game road trip, which hasn’t gone as expected so far.
The Oilers will look to get back on track, as they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning before a highly-anticipated Stanley Cup Final rematch with the Florida Panthers. The road trip will have its final stop in Raleigh, where the Carolina Hurricanes await.
This tough stretch is a make-or-break one for the Oilers’ campaign, as they face off against four of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. So far, the Oilers’ performance has been disappointing, but they could turn things around with a bounce-back victory in Tampa.
Play for the badge, and for The Great One
To add insult to injury, during Washington’s blowout win over Edmonton, Alex Ovechkin scored a hat trick, cutting Wayne Gretzky’s lead to only 13 goals in the NHL’s all-time goals record. The Oilers’ deflating performance was a letdown for both fans and the franchise’s greatest legend, whose record is more at stake than ever.