After all of the lessons they were supposed to have learned last season and all of the poise and experience they gained in the playoffs, a win over Pittsburgh Friday would leave the Edmonton Oilers exactly where they were after eight games of the 2023 October Crisis.
Just 2-5-1, with more questions than answers.
They rank at or near the bottom in all of the major statistical categories — offence, defence, power play, penalty kill and save percentage — and the only two teams they’ve beaten this season have a combined record of 2-9-1.
So, yes, fears that this year’s start will be as bad as last year’s start are being realized 60 bewildering minutes at a time.
“I don’t think we’re concerned,” said Oilers winger Mattis Janmark, always an honest voice in these matters. “We should have a better record, for sure, but you have to go about it the right way.
“Last year we had to go from scratch pretty much (after a 2-9-1 start) and the end result was we played a solid, team game. Right now we’re not doing that. We can’t skip any parts, you start with the defence and get better by finishing our chances.”
The record isn’t a big deal yet. Nobody is worried about 2-4-1 with 75 games to go. The Oilers have earned to the right to say ‘Relax, we’ll be fine.’
