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9 Oilers players who have had disappointing starts to the season

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Nov 8 2024, 9:13 pm
9 Oilers players who have had disappointing starts to the season
Jessica Alcheh/Imagn Images

It’s not as bad as last year, but few would have imagined the Edmonton Oilers sitting at 6-7-1 through their first 14 games of the season.

There are plenty of reasons for their struggles, including some abysmal special teams play. At the end of the day, however, the biggest reason for the slow start is that their best players simply aren’t performing as such. Here’s a look at nine players that haven’t pulled their weight in the early going.

1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

  • 2024-25 stats: 14 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS

Absolutely no one is expecting Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to be the 100-point player he was two seasons ago, but a goal and five points through the first 14 games of the season isn’t acceptable for a player of his skill set.

The Nuge was playing left wing in the early going of the season but was recently instead tasked with centring the third line, a move some saw as a demotion. If that is indeed the case, hopefully, the message gets received, as this is a player the Oilers need in order to succeed.

2. Evan Bouchard

  • 2024-25 stats: 14 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS

While Evan Bouchard has put in work to improve his defensive game, it is still lacking compared to the average NHL defender. That means that when his offensive game is struggling, he’s a player who can often catch criticism from the fan base.

Bouchard has struggled to get going offensively, in large part due to the Oilers’ struggles on the power play. While not solely his fault, he does play a big role on the Oilers’ main five-man unit. Fans are hoping it’s only a matter of time before he gets back to producing like he did a season ago.

3. Stuart Skinner

  • 2024-25 stats: 9 GP, 3.28 GAA, .885 SV%

There is a legitimate argument to be made that Stuart Skinner deserves to be at the top of the list, as his play to start the season has been unacceptable for a second straight year. Many thought last year’s run to the Stanley Cup Final would have him in line for a big season, but that’s been far from the case, as he owns a 3.28 goals against average (GAA) and a .885 save percentage (SV%) through nine starts.

Though the Oilers have yet to give Skinner a ton of support in terms of goal-scoring, he hasn’t helped bail them out whatsoever. Doubts are again beginning to surface as to whether or not he is a legitimate starting goalie at the NHL level.

4. Zach Hyman

  • 2024-25 stats: 14 GP, 3 G, 2 A, 5 PTS

A week ago, Zach Hyman would have been higher up on this list, but he’s thankfully started to find his game with three goals over his last four outings. Still, much more is needed from a player who scored 54 goals last year, and has been a point-per-game player in each of the past two seasons.

Hyman’s slow start hasn’t only affected the Oilers, but is also bringing into question whether or not he will crack Team Canada’s roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. In order to earn a spot, he’ll need to continue producing like he has these past few games, which, subsequently, will lead the Oilers to more wins.

5. Connor McDavid

  • 2024-25 stats: 11 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 PTS

Maybe Connor McDavid is human, after all. For the second straight season, the Oilers captain has gotten off to a slow start by his lofty standards with just 10 points through 11 games. In his defence, he suffered an injury just 30 seconds into one of those outings, so in actuality he’s been a point-per-game player in the early going.

As we know, McDavid quickly rebounded from his slow start last season and wound up recording 132 points. Of everyone on this list, he’s the guy to worry about the least, as he’s capable — and probably likely — of going on an offensive tear in the near future.

6. Adam Henrique

  • 2024-25 stats:Ā 14 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PT

It was always going to be tough for Adam Henrique to score 20+ goals for the eighth time in his career on an Oilers team with so many offensive weapons. He was re-signed in large part due to his strong defensive abilities, but some secondary offence was expected.

So far, there’s been almost none of that, as Henrique has just one goal through 14 games. The positive is that he proved capable of providing the Oilers with secondary scoring to close out the 2023-24 season, as well as in the playoffs. This appears to just be a scoring funk which he will hopefully snap out of soon.

7. Viktor Arvidsson

  • 2024-25 stats: 14 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS

The biggest concern many had when the Oilers signed Viktor Arvidsson was whether he could stay healthy. So far, so good in that department, as he’s suited up for all 14 games. The issue, however, is that he isn’t making much of a contribution.

Arvidsson has found the back of the net just once, and his three assists all came in one game. That means he’s been held off the scoresheet in 12 of the 14 games he’s played so far, which is not what the Oilers envisioned when they signed him this past summer.

8. Jeff Skinner

  • 2024-25 stats: 14 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 PTS

Jeff Skinner was one of the only Oilers producing to begin the 2024-25 season. The 32-year-old had two goals and four points through his first five games and seemed to be a really nice addition to the Oilers’ top-six forward group. Unfortunately, he’s gone ice cold since.

Skinner has managed just two points over his last nine outings and has even spent time on the third line as a result. There is plenty of time for him to get things going, but like Arvidsson, it’s been a disappointing start to his Oilers tenure.

9. Connor Brown

  • 2024-25 stats: 14 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS

Connor Brown was as good as gone from the Oilers until an impressive playoff run. Thanks to his solid play when it mattered the most, he decided to come back to Edmonton on a one-year deal, which the fan base seemed to be quite pleased with.

It seemed as though Brown was completely past an ACL injury suffered in the 2022-23 season, leading many fans to believe he could get back to being a solid secondary scorer as he had been throughout his career. That hasn’t been the case, as he has managed just two points through 14 games.

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