3) Jay Woodcroft
We’re taking a bit of a different approach with the third dud, in selecting Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft. And yes, we appreciate the coach isn’t actually out there playing on the ice.
However, we still believe Woodcroft is worthy of being pointed out for his failings on the night. Like it or not, he is responsible for formulating the game plan and getting the players ready to go out there and execute.
In this respect, the buck has to stop with the 47-year-old. It was alarming how lackadaisical the players were on Thursday night, lacking any urgency from the word go.
This is the second time the Oilers have been accused of this so far in 2023-24. This would be inexcusable for two games over the course of a 82-game schedule, never mind just four contests, and that’s on Woodcroft.
When the Toronto native made significant line changes prior to the game in Nashville, this was described as desperate and too soon by critics. In fairness it did seem to work versus the Predators, but clearly fell apart against the Flyers.
So where do Woodcroft and the Oilers go from here? While it is only four games into the season, the coach is already under pressure to get the team back on track, with his previously accused of looking out of his depth at key moments, particularly in playoff games.
For his part, the former player seemed calm and positive on Friday. Speaking to the media at practice, he said:
"“I think there’s a lot of room for improvement, but we also know that the necessary pieces to make sure it gets taken care of, are in our room. We just have to execute at a better level and get more people up and running, and contributing to us moving forward.”"
Overall, harsh or not, the Oilers essentially got what they deserved on Thursday night. They need to follow the example of Dylan Holloway, whose been arguably the most consistent player on the team so far in 2023-24, when hosting the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.