Author: Stephen Vani
Ghosts Of Oilers Past: Dustin Penner
It was the summer of 2007; the Anaheim Ducks had just won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Edmonton Oilers, a year after going to the Stanley Cup Finals, started the first year of what would eventually be a ten year Playoff drought, finishing 24th place in a league that still had 30 […]
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What’s next for the Oilers?
You could’ve made a drinking game out of all the times Ken Holland used the word “devastated” when talking about the mood of the Oilers franchise in this week’s end-of-season press conferences. Instead of starting Round 3, they cleaned out their lockers earlier than they wanted. Three 100+ point players, including Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for the […]
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Oilers Playoffs Preview: Round 2 – Game 6
A repeat scenario for the Edmonton Oilers heading into tonight’s Game 6. They were in this position in Round 1 last year. They lost Game 5 in OT and looked destined to have the Kings knock them out in the sixth game on the road. But they pulled through with a win, the winning goal […]
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Oilers Playoffs: Round 2 – Game 5 Preview
After Game 4, the Oilers have an 8-0 record this season (including regular season) following a loss. This record is only relevant when a team, well, wins. While resiliency has been a strong aspect for Edmonton, it’s not something they should always keep looking to. They’ve proven that they can handle adversity at times, but […]
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Oilers Playoffs: Round 2 – Game 4 Preview
I couldn’t sit and watch Game 3 on Monday night. I could only check the score on my phone every once in a while. I was out of the house that whole evening but did make it home on time to watch the third period if I wanted to. But I felt there was no […]
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Oilers Playoffs: Round 2 – Game 3 Preview
Exactly which critiques am I supposed to give? That they only scored five goals instead of six or seven? That Leon only scored half the amount of goals he did on Wednesday night? Draisaitl tied the lead for goals in last year’s Playoffs, and we’re only two games into the second round. Before Game 2, […]
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Oilers Playoffs: Round 2 – Game 2 Preview
Before the hockey talk, here is a quick tribute to former Oiler Petr Klima, who passed away at the age of 58 on Thursday. Traded to Edmonton from Detroit in 1990, the year the Oilers won their last Stanley Cup. He only scored five goals in the Playoffs, but the most memorable was in Game […]
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Oilers Playoffs Preview: Round 2 – Game 1 Preview
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl scored goals in an elimination game on Saturday night, as you expect superstars to do in big moments. And yet, it’s not even their goals that were talked about. It was evident throughout the first round that the Edmonton Oilers no longer fit the one- or two-man team narrative they’ve […]
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Oilers Playoffs: Round 1 – Game 6 Preview
The Oilers put on a dominant performance in Game 5 after a stellar comeback win in Game 4. The roles on both sides of the rink are reversed from last year. Edmonton went into Game 6 in LA, needing to force Game 7 back at Rogers Place. This year, after the aforementioned Games 4 and […]
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Oilers Playoffs: Round 1 – Game 5 Preview
“Up and down like a toilet seat.” Monday night was the return of Ken Holland’s famous words for the first time in these Playoffs. Whatever was said in the Oilers locker room after that first period worked. Down 3-0 after 20 minutes, they started the game looking deflated. They looked like they were too afraid […]
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