Oilers fall eight places in latest NHL Power Rankings

Things have been a little rough for the Edmonton Oilers, and it’s leading to diminished respect from those around the game.

In the weekly NHL Power Rankings posted by Daily Faceoff, the Oilers are listed 11th among the 32 franchises in the league, a massive drop from third where the team was the week before.

DFO’s Hunter Crowther had the team listed as high as ninth, while fellow contributor Scott Maxwell was willing to dump Edmonton down to 15th. However, Crowther tries to remain optimistic despite another sluggish start in Edmonton, and the lack of scoring from its captain.

“I’m writing this now to remind everyone to refill their salbutamol inhaler prescriptions and take deep breaths,” Crowther wrote. “Connor McDavid is the best player in the world, and him not scoring a goal through the first six games of the season doesn’t change that. The Oilers are famous for their slow starts, and I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt to a team that made it to two consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances. If McDavid hasn’t scored by next Sunday, then we’ll talk.”

As of Monday, the Oilers are 2-3-1 on the season, and are coming off a disappointing loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon. It was the fourth game of a five-game Eastern Conference road trip, which started off with a solid win over the New York Rangers. Yet, Edmonton took a step back, losing to both the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils.

The losses have led the Oilers to falling behind the likes of Detroit, the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens in DFO’s rankings.

The level on inconsistency the Oilers have had in the month of October over the past few years has been concerning, even with the caliber of talent on its roster. While the team has managed to bounce back and finish near the top of the Pacific Division, along with advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in the past two years, there’s a greater number of questions about the quality of play in this year’s team compared to seasons’ past.

The Oilers wrap up their swing through the East on Tuesday night, when they pay a visit to the Ottawa Senators. Edmonton will be back home on Thursday to host the Canadiens.