The Edmonton Oilers are looking to even their series up at two apiece tonight versus the Vancouver Canucks.
Despite controlling plenty of the play through the first three games of this series, the Oilers find themselves trailing 2-1. Much of the blame has been placed on Stuart Skinner, who will be backing up in place of Calvin Pickard tonight. While he has been far from good, he isn’t the only Oiler struggling.
While it wasn’t much of an issue against a much weaker LA Kings team, the Oilers’ depth scoring has been almost non-existent. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are giving everything they have, but if they hope to come out on top of this series, they will need far more from these five players.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
If you were to do a quick glance at the stat sheet, you would think that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was having a solid playoff run. Through eight games, he has just one goal but 10 points. A deeper dive, however, shows you that those stats aren’t what they seem.
Of those 10 points, just four have come at even strength, as the 31-year-old is struggling to create much of anything offensively. The Oilers have loaded up their top line in hopes that he can drive the play himself on the second line, but he has failed to do so to this point.
Evander Kane
The 2023-24 season was an overall disappointing one for Evander Kane, who had a rather underwhelming 24 goals and 44 points. His style of play is well suited for the playoffs, however, leading Oilers fans to believe that he would be a difference-maker with the stakes raised.
In Kane’s defence, he is playing through a sports hernia, which has limited his effectiveness. That said, if the Oilers are going to be able to come back and knock off the Canucks, they will need him to have a far bigger impact.
Ryan McLeod
Through eight playoff games, Ryan McLeod has provided next to nothing for the Oilers, as he has yet to register a point while recording just six shots. The hope was that he would step up and establish himself as a legitimate third-line centreman, but he hasn’t come anywhere close to doing so.
McLeod’s biggest asset is his speed through the neutral zone, but he has yet to show any of that in the playoffs. By no means do the Oilers need him to be a star, but the expectation was that he would be providing some depth scoring. If he continues playing like this, they could be sent packing soon.
Corey Perry
Oilers fans were quite excited when they learned that general manager Ken Holland had signed Corey Perry to a one-year deal in late January. Not only did he add Stanley Cup-winning experience to the dressing room, but he is well known for being a pest to play against, while also adding some secondary scoring.
Perry was solid during the regular season with eight goals through 38 games, but has completely fallen off in the playoffs. Like McLeod, he has yet to register a point and has been a complete nonfactor more often than not. A big night from the veteran is very much needed at this point.
Darnell Nurse
The Darnell Nurse/Cody Ceci pairing is really struggling in this series. Expecting more from Ceci may be too big of an ask, but Nurse, despite his critics over the years, is a far better player than what he has shown versus the Canucks.
Not only is Nurse struggling to defend opposing players off the rush, but he isn’t providing the physicality that Oilers fans have come to expect from him. When at his best, he plays with plenty of snarl. He needs to find a way to bring that back in a hurry.
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