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9 Things
9. Mattias Ekholm is a remarkable +25 since joining the Oilers. Prorated over an 82-game schedule that would be an astounding +108. Small sample, but this is sizing up the be the best trade of Ken Holland’s tenure in Edmonton.
8. Meanwhile, Darnell Nurse has eclipsed his previous career high in points with 12-31-43 in 79 games. This, while getting almost power play time (certainly next to no 1st unit time, just a single point with the man advantage) while also lining up against the other team’s best night-in and night-out.
7. The Oilers Power Play is on the verge of history. With 2 games remaining they are clicking along at 32.5%. The previous record is 31.9% by the 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens. Steve Shutt led that club with 16 PP markers, one ahead of Guy Lafleur. This year Leon Draisaitl has 31, Connor McDavid 21, and both Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman with 15 each.
6. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is 37-66-103 so far in 2022-23. Taylor Hall’s best year was 2017-18 (39-54-93, league MVP). Jordan Eberle’s came in 2011-12 (34-42-76). I genuinely liked all three guys as Oilers then and still cheer for them today. But considering age and injury, it is likely The Nuge will end up owning the biggest career year of those three Oilers 1st Rounders.
5. This is the 6th time in Oilers history that teammates scored 50 goals in the same season. No other franchise has equaled that frequency. And Edmonton is the first team to have done it since the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins. All the previous 6 times Wayne Gretzky was one of the 50-goal men. Mark Messier also hit that mark in 1982-82, Glenn Anderson in 1983-84 and 1985-86 and Jari Kurri in 1983-84, 1984-85 and 1985-86.
4. Veteran Jason Demers played his 700th career game on Saturday. He had one tough moment on the 1-1 goal but was otherwise solid. As I have written in this space, Demers a look just in case you need him in case of injury in the playoffs is smart. And giving a good soldier that moment is classy. But I also think Ken Holland is playing the longer game here. For an organization that has not always had an advantage with recruitment and retention, it sends a respectful message to would-be free agents about how you are treated in Edmonton.
3. I will not pretend that I have watched all of the last couple of weeks of Bakersfield Condors games. But several guys who do tell me that Dylan Holloway and Noah Philp are driving much of the Condors’ offence, along with Raphael Lavoie. Both Lavoie and Philp are pending RFA’s and need to be resigned. 6-foot-3 right shot forwards like them will be in demand in other organizations. So, the club ought to be careful with these two. Oh, and by the way, I fully expect Holloway to be re-called after the end of the NHL regular season.
2. Connor McDavid hit the 150-point mark on Saturday. That milestone is one of the most significant individual statistical accomplishments an NHL player can achieve. Part of the reason is easily explained by the exclusive company that occupies such a lofty peak. The only other NHL-ers to do that are Wayne Gretzky (9 times), Mario Lemieux (4 times), Phil Esposito, Bernie Nicholls, and Steve Yzerman (all once). This is the kind of elite level of performance that Oilers fans are blessed to witness on a daily basis. What. A. Player.
1.Stuart Skinner deserves to be a finalist for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Best Rookie. Certainly, Skinner’s numbers alone are in the same neighborhood as the past 3 NHL netminders who have captured the award. Compare Stuart Skinner in 2022-23 (27 Wins, 2.80, .912) to Steve Mason in Columbus during 2008-09 (33 Wins, 2.29, .916), Andrew Raycroft in Boston in 2003-04 (29 Wins, 2.05, .926) and Evgeni Nabokov in San Jose 2001-01(32 Wins, 2.19, .915). And keep in mind this invaluable context: Skinner is doing this in what is shaping up to be the 33rd highest scoring season in NHL history. By comparison, Mason’s year was 57th. Nabokov’s just 84th and Raycroft’s 86th.
Matty Beniers in Seattle seems to be the favorite. And look: I sure do not want to denigrate an exciting young player who is having a very fine season. That is not what this is about. But 23-33-56 points in 76 games is not “lights-out”. You can argue Stuart Skinner’s performance has been more integral to Edmonton’s playoff berth than Beniers has been in Seattle. There can be no argument that goaltender is by far the harder position of the two to play. And it is not as if Skinner plays in front of a lineup filled with Norris and Selke candidates.
I hear some concerns that Skinner might not get the required votes due to “Oilers fatigue.” Yes, Connor McDavid is the front-runner for the Hart and Lindsay in addition to the Richard and Art Ross. The league’s #2 scorer by a mile (Leon Draisaitl) barely gets mentioned in the awards conversation, it seems, and his 124 points are the 68th most all-time. He could be Top 50 by season’s end. Will that lead some voters to try and “spread the rest around”? I sure hope not. Vote for Beniers if you think he is the #1 choice, sure.
But these awards should only go to the most deserving individuals. Full-stop. And I would urge those who do fill in the ballots to do so heavily in favor of merit versus some sort of perceived equity across the league.
Participaction badges were fine in high school, I guess. But this is the best hockey league in the world.
