The Oilers Need More Contributors

Hockey is the ultimate team game. Your star players should lead the charge, and when they do, it is easier for depth guys, but there have to be games where the depth guys contribute

In November, the Edmonton Oilers’ depth players have been nonexistent. Frankly, they’ve been awful.

In October, the Oilers’ depth forwards chipped in 10 goals in 12 games. Add in a goal from defenceman Ty Emberson, and that is 11 goals from your bottom six and your #6/7 defenceman. That is solid production. If your bottom six and #6/7 contribute close to 80 goals in a season, especially when your top stars include Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, your offence will be more than competitive.

But in November, the contributions have dried up. They’ve basically been ghosts through nine games.

Andrew Mangiapane: 1-1-2 and -9

Adam Henrique: 0-0-0 and -7

Trent Frederic: 0-0-0 and -6

Noah Philp: 0-0-0 and -4

Curtis Lazar: 0-0-0 and -3 (7GP)

Isaac Howard: 0-0-0 and -1 (6GP)

Mattias Janmark: 0-0-0 and -2 (5GP)

David Tomášek: 0-0-0 and -3 (3GP)

Mangiapane’s goal came when he played with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid on November 3rd in St. Louis. But since he’s moved down to the bottom six, he’s produced nothing offensively, like the rest of that group.

The reality is your bottom six won’t score a lot, but they need to contribute some, and this month, not only are they not scoring — they are also getting outscored. A terrible combination.

You have to find ways to contribute more than just goals and assists. Add energy. Be physical. Create momentum-changing shifts. They’ve done virtually none of that. The team needs more from them.

In November, Connor McDavid and Jack Roslovic have six goals, Leon Draisaitl has five, Vasily Podkolzin has two, Matt Savoie has one, while Evan Bouchard and Jake Walman each have two. Add in Mangiapane’s goal and they only have eight goal scorers through nine games. They had 18 different goal scorers in October. The top guys didn’t play up to their capabilities in October, and the depth guys chipped in, and now the top guys have found their stride and the depth guys have gone silent.

Right now, it is up to the depth guys to find their games. I’d argue they need to simplify things. They can’t employ the same style of playmaking, possession and successive passes that the top lines do. They need to crash the net, get bodies in front and score some greasy goals. Often coaches will give players time to figure it out on their own, but I feel Knoblauch needs to be specific about what he wants from them.

Frederic and Philp: Be assertive on the forecheck, finish your checks and move your feet.

Mangiapane: Be more of a rat and pest. Get teams off their games.

Lazar and Janmark: Cycle the puck and take it to the net or fire pucks from anywhere to create chaos.

Henrique: Shoot the puck.

The bottom guys aren’t scoring, likely because their shot totals have crashed.

Shots in October:

Henrique 23 in 12 games.

Tomášek 19 in 11 games.

Frederic 12 in 12.

Howard 12 in 11.

Mangiapane 9 in 12 (while playing mainly in top six).

Philp 6 in 6.

Lazar 1 in 2.

Shots in November:

Henrique 10 in 9.

Mangiapane 8 in 7 (Seven games in bottom six).

Frederic 7 in 9.

Howard 7 in 6.

Philp 6 in 9.

Lazar 2 in 7.

Janmark 2 in 5.

Tomášek 1 in 3 games.

Mangiapane is shooting more, but the rest have dropped off from a combined 73 shots in 12 games to 35 shots in nine games. They need to be more engaged, be physical, move their feet, get pucks on net and crash the net.

I’ve seen some mention they don’t play enough, but it’s not like their ice time changed drastically from October to November. I decided to look at all the Western Conference teams and look at the forwards’ Time On Ice at 5×5 and then overall. The table shows the number of forwards who play 11+ minutes, 13+ minutes and 15+ minutes, both at 5×5 and overall.

(I only used forwards who have played in at least six games.)

TEAM	11+min	13+ min	15+ min
CHI	11	8	1
LAK	11	5	0
STL	11	7	1
EDM	10	6	3
ANA	10	3	0
CGY	10	3	0
NSH	10	3	0
VAN	10	3	1
VGK	10	5	0
MIN	9	6	1
SEA	9	5	0
UTA	9	5	0
WPG	9	5	1
COL	8	3	2
SJS	8	5	1
DAL	7	5	2

Only three teams have more forwards playing 11+ minutes and only two have more playing 13+ minutes at 5×5.

Now let’s look at TOI in all situations.

TOI	11+min	13+ min	15+min
NSH	12	10	6
STL	12	10	7
EDM	11	8	6
ANA	11	8	8
CHI	11	10	7
DAL	11	8	6
LAK	11	11	7
SJS	11	8	7
SEA	11	8	7
VGK	11	9	6
CGY	10	9	8
COL	10	8	6
MIN	10	8	7
UTA	10	9	6
VAN	10	9	7
WPG	10	8	6

Edmonton is one of seven Western teams with only six forwards logging +15 minutes. Keep in mind I didn’t include Zach Hyman as he’s only played two games. Will the Oilers have seven forwards logging 15+ minutes a game when RNH and Hyman are regulars in the lineup? Possibly, we shall see.

But the Oilers have 11 players logging 11+ minutes and eight at 13+ minutes. I don’t think lack of minutes is the reason the depth scoring has disappeared in November. Those two lines simply haven’t played well enough.

MORE DEPTH ISSUES…

Brett Kulak is mired in his worst stretch of games as an Oiler. He’s been outscored 12-0 at 5×5 in November. He’s been outshot 55-40 and he isn’t facing the best competition. He’s just struggling. He’s missing passes, making wrong reads, and not using his best asset, speed. He’s had some egregious turnovers — and  I’m sorry, but the NHL site is a joke when it comes to turnovers. Kulak’s stat line last night said no turnovers, despite this happening:

https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1990847586178114022

Kulak has been one of the Oilers’ most consistent players since being acquired from Montreal. He’s rarely flashy, but he’s often steady. This month has been a rough patch for him, and they need him to get his game back on track. He’s the veteran on the third pairing and he’s capable of playing better.

Calvin Pickard has had one of the NHL’s worst goalie environments this season as his expected Sv% is .860. That is terrible team defence, but he’s still -4 goals saved above expected. He isn’t getting much help in front of him, but he also hasn’t played as consistent as he did last season. He will play either in Washington tomorrow or Tampa Bay on Thursday. His last six starts he’s posted a Sv% between .800 and .864. He’s allowed four, five, four, three and five goals in those five starts. He isn’t expected to be great, but he needs to be average at least.

The entire Oilers team wasn’t good yesterday in Buffalo. No one was going, but the top guys had been quite good since the start of November, and they need some help. Not a dominating amount, but some, and the depth guys have to find their stride on the final three games of this road trip.

QUICK NOTES…

— Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will not join the Oilers for the final three games of the road trip. They have Sunday off, then they will practice Monday and play Dallas on Tuesday. They then won’t play again until Saturday the 29th in Seattle. There is a slight chance RNH could play next Tuesday v. Dallas, but with only one possible practice with the team, and three days rest between Tuesday and Saturday, it seems the more realistic return date is the 29th. Not a guarantee but looking hopeful.

— Kasperi Kapanen’s earliest return will also be the 29th in Seattle. If not then, look for him to return very early in December.