Here we are once again, with the offseason just around the corner, talking about how the Edmonton Oilers fell short in their quest for the Stanley Cup. They finished the regular season going on a 14-0-1 run and many felt they had the right pieces to go the distance. However, despite not reaching their ultimate goal of winning a championship, they have plenty to be proud of, so with that in mind, let’s explore five silver linings from the Oilers’ 2022-23 campaign.
Another Oilers Learning Experience
Depending on how you look at it, the Oilers exiting the playoffs in the second round might seem like a failure, but truth be told, the Vegas Golden Knights are a good hockey team, who just punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final. Now, you must be getting tired of hearing every season that Edmonton fails to bring home Lord Stanley that, “there’s always next year”; however, that saying carries more weight than ever, as this group is the best team assembled in the Connor McDavid era, and also with the captain in the prime of his career.
They have their core players intact for at least the next couple of seasons and with some strategic retooling in the offseason, I feel the group coming back will truly challenge for the Cup next year. That said, I’d imagine they learned some valuable lessons this season, especially in the playoffs — like the importance of commitment to attention to detail in the defensive zone, because any slight mishap can lead to the puck being in the back of your net. They learned they need to be better overall at 5-on-5 (outscored 18-9 by Vegas at even strength), and that their top six wingers need to score goals. As well, hopefully, head coach Jay Woodcroft learned to recognize when one goalie is running out of gas and shouldn’t hesitate to start his other.
All the little things that posed a challenge for the Oilers in these playoffs are things that can be taught for the most part. But what bodes extremely well for them are things you cannot teach, and that’s having two of the most dominant players in the sport, McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, in the prime of their careers. The Oilers won’t ever have a problem producing offence, but with some little defensive improvements, and lessons learned this season, they have a chance to come back stronger than ever next year and truly challenge for the Cup.
The Oilers’ Power Play Was Remarkable. Can It Elevate Next Season?
For many Edmonton fans that supported the team through their decade of darkness, watching the Oilers’ top power play in the NHL over the last few seasons is like the gratifying payoff for sticking with the team during the tough times.
Related: Edmonton Oilers 2022-23 Season Awards
Yet, when the Oilers traded offensive defenceman Tyson Barrie just before the trade deadline for the steady Swede Mattias Ekholm, many felt Edmonton’s power play would decline as a result, as their unit was first in the NHL, clicking at a 31.9 percent rate. With Barrie gone, it was time for young blueliner Evan Bouchard to show what he’s made of, and despite a slight adjustment period, he lived up to expectations. In fact, the Oilers became more lethal on the man advantage and converted at a 33.9 percent rate with Bouchard on the top unit and finished the season at 32.4 percent — which was the best in NHL history.
Moreover, this was the first time in league history that a team had four players — McDavid, Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman — score 15 or more power-play goals in the regular season. Additionally, they converted at an even more astounding 46.2 percent rate in the postseason and surely if they were as successful at 5-on-5, there’s a chance they could’ve been the team playing in the Stanley Cup Final.
Can it get even better in 2023-24? With a full season of Bouchard on the first power play unit, I can’t see why not. Their core of five players on the top unit has their set plays, but at the same time, their chemistry is so effortless and intuitive that they’ll continue to have success, even when they’re closely scouted by the opposition.
The Growth of Evan Bouchard Is an Encouraging Sign
Speaking of Bouchard, overall, it was a Jekyll and Hyde season for the offensive blueliner, as he suffered the effects of a sophomore slump in the first few months of the regular season, but stepped up his game near the end. Initially, he was prone to turnovers, and leaving his man unchecked, which resulted in goals against. Offensively, quite often his “Bouch Bomb” from the point was getting blocked, leading many to believe that not having the veteran Duncan Keith as a calming presence beside him had a huge effect on his overall play.
There’s some truth to that, as the trade for Barrie for Ekholm nearly changed the young defender’s game overnight. Prior to Ekholm’s arrival, Bouchard primarily played with Philip Broberg (333:43 at 5-on-5) and Brett Kulak (219:16 at 5-on-5) and tallied 23 points in the first 61 games; however, after being paired with the steady Ekholm, Bouchard’s point production increased, finishing with 17 points in the final 21 games.
Heading into the postseason, Bouchard was not only making better decisions away from the puck, but he recorded 10 points in the opening series against the Los Angeles Kings, which put him in the company of some great defencemen, tying Paul Coffey, John Carlson and Denis Potvin for most playoff points in a series. He elevated his game to new heights in the postseason while paired with Ekholm, finishing with 17 points in 12 games and it appears the sky’s the limit for the confident young blueliner. Now, the biggest question for him heading into the offseason is what will his next contract look like. Will the Oilers take the bridge route, or will they look to lock him up long-term?
Where Would the Oilers Have Finished in the Standings if Skinner Hadn’t Stepped Up?
Stuart Skinner was likely the team’s best feel-good story of the season. He headed into the 2022-23 campaign as the backup to Jack Campbell, and once he faltered, Skinner rose to the occasion and took the reins as the starting goaltender. To sum up the fantastic season he had, he was selected to the All-Star Game, he’s a finalist for the Calder Trophy and off the ice, he had his first child back in January. On top of that, he achieved some great franchise accomplishments along the way, like setting the Oilers’ record for most wins in a month (10) and beating Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr’s rookie record for most wins (29) in a season.
He finished the regular season with a 29-14-5 record, a 2.75 goals-against average (GAA), ranked 23rd in NHL, and a .913 save percentage (SV%), ranked 16th. However, as we saw in the playoffs, Woodcroft opted to stick with Skinner as the starter for all 12 games and it seemed like he ran out of steam when it was all said and done. His numbers dipped in the postseason, posting a 3.68 GAA and a .883 SV%, which left many wondering why Campbell didn’t get the nod to start in goal.
Yet, despite missing the ultimate goal of capturing a Stanley Cup this season, the fact that Skinner stepped up and delivered solid goaltending in the regular season is a bright spot. At the same time, it’s almost as if some forget he was a rookie netminder — probably due to the fact that he handled himself like a veteran throughout the season — and he still has a lot of room to grow and improve. In his interviews, he appears level-headed with a calm demeanour, and with his experience and invaluable lessons he learned this season, he’ll use this setback as fuel to come back even stronger in 2023-24. That said, the hope for next season is that Campbell finds his form and there’s healthy competition between both him and Skinner to battle for the starting spot.
The City of Edmonton Reaped the Rewards of the Oilers’ Season
There was a lot to celebrate in the Oilers’ regular season, as they had their best finish since the 80s with a 50-23-9 record and saw their star players like McDavid (153 points), Draisaitl (120 points), Nugent-Hopkins (104 points) and Zach Hyman (83 points) all reach new heights. They led the league in power play and shorthanded goals and finished the regular season on a 14-0-1 run.
They finished with nine straight wins heading into the postseason, which created a lot of hype and the city of Edmonton was ready for it as it was alive and energetic with playoff fever. Being an Edmontonian, it was fascinating to see all the cars driving by with their car flags while being decorated in orange and blue and establishments decked out in their finest Oilers’ themed décor.
There were a lot of watch parties around the city, which is great for businesses and overall sentiment around the city. This season, the outdoor watch parties expanded to two at the Ice District outside Rogers Place, which included live bands, appearances from Oilers’ alumni, and loads of entertainment. This energetic vibe throughout the city started in last season’s lengthy playoff run and it carried over to this year. Overall, there was unwavering support from Oilers fans, which was good for the city, local businesses, and the growth of the sport, as there were many non-fans that developed a newfound passion for the team.
The Oilers didn’t get the result they wanted this season, but there were many silver linings and achievements worth celebrating. The momentum and buzz around the team will carry over into next season and will be even more electric, should they go all the way in the playoffs.
What were your silver linings for the Oilers’ 2022-23 season? Have your say in the comments below!