The Edmonton Oilers currently sit in the second Pacific Division standings spot and although things have started looking up lately, it was just over the last few weeks that the club was in dire straits.
The Oilers were within a few points, or a bad losing streak away from getting knocked out of a playoff spot completely. That has been their story this year, despite being inside a weak division, they have been fighting and clawing their way into a postseason berth and at this stage of the season, nearly every game feels like a must-win.
They are not out of the woods yet and there are no guarantees at this stage of the year but it seems likely that the club will make the postseason. If things do not change, they will be playing against their division rival Vegas Golden Knights in the first round.
That is why when the Golden Knights make a major shakeup, firing head coach Bruce Cassidy and hiring John Tortorella, it is important to the Oilers.
How Tortorella could impact the Golden Knights
Heading into the Tortorella era, the Golden Knights are in a rough patch. Despite being positive in shot share and expected goal share, they currently rank amongst the league's worst PDO with a 97.57 (according to hockeystats.com).
This means that by most metrics, Vegas was playing well and in many cases was top of the league. They rank 11th in xGF/60, 2nd in xGA/60, 12th in SF/60, and 1st in SA/60. However, they ranked 21st in shooting percentage and 32nd in save percentage.
Typically, a low PDO -- which is just shooting percentage and save percentage added together -- is an indication that a team is unlucky. Further context is needed in some cases where a team may just be a bottom ranked team but with the level of parity in the NHL, it usually means that they are simply not getting the right bounces.
So, with a new voice behind the bench and especially one like Torterella who is famously a loud and large personality with a Stanley Cup ring and plenty of experience behind NHL benches, as a guy who is known as a motivator with a short shelf-life, he could turn things around in short order. Especially if the team is in their current position with a strong team getting bad luck, it is possible this move could reinvigorate them.
There is also a strange phenomena where teams receive a short term boost in team performance and results after making a coaching change. This was seen this season with Rick Bowness righting the ship with the Columbus Blue Jackets who currently sit in a playoff spot.
If the Golden Knights receive this boost, it could be bad for the Oilers who as stated before, are set to face them in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the next few weeks. The change may not only have an impact on their actual game play but could also prove right many Oilers fans who want to see changes made, especially if it works for Vegas.