Edmonton Oilers could be younger, faster, more aggressive right ...

3 days ago

Edmonton Journal

Published Nov 09, 2024 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 3 minute read

Noah Philp (48) of the Edmonton Oilers, moves in on Dougie Hamilton(7) of the New Jersey Devils at Rogers Place in Edmonton on November 4, 2024. Photos by Shaughn Butts-Postmedia Tyler Dawson, National Post story Photo by Shaughn Butts /10106218A

Game Day 15, Oilers vs Canucks

The Edmonton Oilers could be younger, faster, more aggressive right now. Why aren’t they?

Oilers game - Figure 1 — Photo Edmonton Journal

With one quick roster move — playing Noah Philp, 26, and Drake Caggiula, 30, over Derek Ryan, 37, and Corey Perry, 39 — Edmonton would accomplish this task.

It seems like an obvious adjustment for a team that’s struggling to get out of second gear into third, let alone fourth or overdrive.

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Philp and Caggiula bring the qualities of increased speed and aggression. Both of them performed well in their brief stints with the Oilers. They created Grade A shots. They didn’t give up much in their own end. And Edmonton suddenly looked like a different team with them on the fourth line, that much more able to keep up with the thrust and burst and battle of other NHL squads.

And this is, after all, a team with just six wins and eight losses, the least hitting team in the entire NHL, just 14.5 hits per game, with NHL-leading Ottawa double that total. Last season the Oilers were at 22.6 hits per game, with 29.4 per game in the playoffs.

As for team speed, the loss of Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod, speedsters all, took a major toll. Philp and Caggiula are not speed demons, but they get around fast enough.

None of this is to denigrate Ryan or Perry, two valuable veterans who almost always find a way to contribute in games. But it is to suggest Edmonton’s mix is wrong and needs to be addressed, the sooner, the better, at least if it doesn’t cost the Oilers much in terms of cap space or trade cost, which is what makes Philp and Caggiula so appealing. Edmonton just has to call them up from the AHL and neither makes much, both at the league minimum of $775,000. Ryan makes $900,000 and Perry $1.15 million.

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Oilers game - Figure 3 — Photo Edmonton Journal

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Why haven’t the Oilers made these moves then? There’s a few reasonable reasons:

* Team chemistry. Ryan and Perry are savvy, responsible, respected, battle-tested veterans. They have earned the right to be treated decently and with respect. Sending them to the AHL just because the team is struggling might not be kosher, especially when they are far from the only culprits. Few players have done well this year, save for Leon Draisaitl, Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard (slumping recently), Vasili Podkolzin, Brett Kulak, Ty Emberson, Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson, and both Hyman and Arvidsson have been seized by bad puck luck at the offensive end. With so few performing well, this is more of a team issue than a Corey Perry or Derek Ryan issue.

* Special teams. Ryan was a key member of Edmonton’s historically-brilliant playoff PK. That unit has already lost McLeod, Foegele, Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais. Do they really want to lose another main cog in Ryan?

* There’s a chance if Ryan or Perry were sent down, another team would pick them up on waivers. Having already lost some key pieces, perhaps the Oilers fear taking that risk.

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I can’t think of any other reasons not to make this move. And, I suspect, if the Oilers lose a few more games we’ll see it happen. But perhaps this team will right itself.

That is certainly a possibility if the goalies can make a few more saves, the shooters a few more shots, if the PK and PP up their intensity and execution, if Connor McDavid comes back strong. Perhaps the Oilers coaches and managers are hoping for those items to get in order before they make such a major move.

Even as I advocate for change and from the vantage point of my living room couch I would pull the trigger on it, I can see why Edmonton still hasn’t taken action.

How do you see it?

Van vs Edm

This in from Jack Michaels:

Skinner-McDavid-Hyman

Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Arvidsson

Henrique-RNH-Brown

Janmark-Ryan-Perry

Ekholm-Bouchard

Nurse-Stecher

Kulak-Emberson

Skinner

At the Cult of Hockey