If the Edmonton Oilers’ early record was a mirage, it might be time to panic

Do you know what happens if you lose four games in a row in the postseason? Fans of the Edmonton Oilers who watched last year’s all-Canadian Playoff series between the Oilers and the Winnipeg Jets certainly do. Beyond that, you can’t lose four out of five, or six, or seven.

String together a playoff record like that and you’ll be cleaning out your locker before you know it. We aren’t in the sudden-death portion of the 2021-22 season just yet, but it’s pretty clear there might be a problem with this year’s version of the Oilers.

Injuries are a part of the equation

Maybe we should all take a deep breath, recognize that Edmonton’s defensive and goaltending corps have gotten the injury bug and that the team’s recent results aren’t indicative of what a healthy roster is capable of achieving. Mike Smith, when he’s on the ice, is the team’s best goaltender. Youngsters such as Evan Bouchard, Philip Broberg, and Markus Niemelainen should be playing behind $18 million worth of veteran defensemen, with limited exposure to elite opposing talent.

But injuries happen in the playoffs as well. Arguably more often, as teams put forth maximum effort in the chase for Lord Stanley’s Cup. If the Oilers, who have committed themselves to more than one player in the twilight of their career, are unlucky enough to get a similar series of injuries in the postseason, this same depth will be asked to get them through whatever number of games, or series, they’re without the hurt players. Today it isn’t clear that they’re up to the task.

Ken Holland Should Be Looking to Improve

If there will ever be a “win now” period for the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl Oilers, then this is it. As the team’s two top players produce at a pace reminiscent of Lemieux/Jagr or even Gretzky/Kurri, it is incumbent upon their Hall of Fame general manager to surround them with teammates who can do more than tread water when they’re off the ice. He may have believed he’d done so this summer with multiple signings and depth maneuvers, but the team’s 5-on-5 scoring, shots against, and chances allowed whenever the stars are off the ice say otherwise.

The team needs more than one piece. Holland needs to do more than add a complementary player with the $1.8 million in cap space he has available. He needs to send salary away, even at the cost of future picks and prospects, so that he can turn the Oilers into more than a one (okay two) trick pony.  Defensive depth, the kind that can either add offence or step into a top-four role is a must. A playoff vet, the Yanni Gourde sort, who will bring everything they have to each shift. And a goalie. The Edmonton Oilers still need a goalie.

Mike Smith might come back and stay healthy. That shouldn’t be Plan A, but it’s possible. What is clear is that no matter how Smith’s health goes, Mikko Koskinen and/or Stuart Skinner can’t be the backup plan. Holland has known this since he arrived in Edmonton, chasing UFA’s and attempting to trade Koskinen’s albatross of a contract without success. Well, it is now time to prove that he can build a champion here in Edmonton by getting a deal done.

It won’t be easy, but you don’t get paid $5 million a year to do an easy job. Holland needs to deliver 97 and 29 the assistance they’ve earned through their dedication to their craft and their loyalty to a club that always seems to take steps in the wrong direction. There can be no excuses, no more early exits, or it will be time to admit that OEG once again chose wrong when it came to hiring a general manager.