The Edmonton Oilers goalie controversy? What controversy? 9 things

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The Edmonton Oilers, at their 3^rd road game in 4 nights, earned a 3-2 win at Calgary on Saturday night.

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There were a lot of ingredients that came together in this 3-2 victory. But it wouldn’t have turned out so well if a young Edmonton-born goaltender hadn’t played one of the biggest and best games of his young NHL career.

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The Oilers goaltending tandem is the focus this week…

9 things

9. The Edmonton Oilers are officially inside by Jacob Markstrom head. If these two teams meet again in the playoffs this spring (and who hopes that doesn’t happen), Markstrom’s confidence must be a concern.

8. The Oilers’ biggest boosters would admit that the club lacks a certain element: an RHS, an outright defender. I wonder if David Savard in MTL caught by Ken Holland glance? A ceiling of 3.5 million dollars reached, he would have to release something for him to enter. The Oilers have had eyes in Montreal recently.

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7. Sometimes I think Leon Draisaitl is underestimated. Now 27, Leon’s 631 career points are the 5^e most before their 27^e anniversary among those who are still active in the NHL today. It is in good good company that Draisaitl belongs: Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Alexander Ovechkinand Nathan MacKinnon.

6. Dylan Holloway got his 1st NHL point on Saturday, an assist on McDavid’s goal. He was noticeable in a good way but only played 5:29. Unless Jay Woodcroft use his 4^e line plus, would the kid better play 20+ a night in Bakersfield for a few weeks? Mattias Janmark played for the Condors on Saturday. Personally, I think this club would be better in the long run if the 4^e the line played over. If you keep going to whip those big guys will eventually wear out.

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5. A story from last week suggests the NHL salary cap could jump $4 million in 2023-24. This is much more bullish than previous estimates. What I don’t know is if the projection includes the coming economic recession. Although it is expected to be moderate, it will still curb consumer spending. The Canadian dollar should also weaken against the US dollar. So while the cap-strapped Oilers are hoping these predictions are accurate, factors well beyond the league’s control will have something to say about it.

4. If we read between the lines of the goal disallowed by Evander Kane Thursday night really smacks of a “reputation call.” If so, it’s a Dark Age phenomenon the NHL needs to get out of its game: an official’s opinion of a player clouding his judgment. Consider the legal system, where during the trial, previous convictions against an accused are not admissible. Why? Because the fact that you have been guilty once in your life does not mean that you have committed this offence. Maybe one day the NHL will realize it’s 2022.

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3. I’m not too worried Ryan Murray. Maybe it has something to do with expectations. Going in, I saw veteran D-man as depth #7 on a $750,000 contract. A guy with enough NHL reps to be useful, but also a guy who can spend half a dozen games in the press box without eroding his progress. For me, what is really worth wringing your hands over is the speed at which either Philip Broberg Where Marcus Niemelainen can develop. If Murray ends up playing a band, it won’t be good news. Niemelainen was a little better on Saturday, especially in the third period. Broberg played at Bakersfield.

2. I still see and hear a lot of people being super critical of the defensive play of Evan Bouchard. But if we compare his defensive performance this year to last, there’s statistical evidence that Bouchard’s play (albeit imperfect) is heading in the right direction. See my colleague David Staples‘ analysis here. To me, the defensive mistakes I see Bouchard making are mental mistakes. This may sound ominous, but to me, these things are teachable. It’s not like he gets pushed around physically or loses runs to pucks. I don’t worry about hockey sense either. Bouchard has plenty of them on offense. And hockey’s meaning is rarely one-sided.

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1. It certainly didn’t take long for a fascinating story to develop between the pipes in Edmonton, about the Oilers’ new goaltending duo of Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner. Both guys had some precious moments at the start of 2022-23, Skinner’s 40-save performance on Saturday perhaps the best example so far. Bigger picture is enough to stir up some memories of the Oilers’ great goaltending duos of years past. Now I want to be fair to Campbell and Skinner… they’re literally just getting started and have all 10 games played between them as a 2-man team. Talk about a small sample! But Fan-ing is supposed to be fun, so with that in mind, let’s dream a little.

Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog are among the greatest goaltending tandems in NHL history. From 1982 to 1987, Fuhr and Moog started some 400 of 407 regular season games and (predictably) all 84 postseason games. And even though their styles and personalities differed considerably, it was in every way a competitive but very friendly, collegial and productive relationship. They’ve built a 5-year resume together as ‘1A’ and ‘1B’ that will be hard to match for two other goaltenders.

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While Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner (as noted) are just beginning their NHL journey together. And their goalkeeping styles are very different from those of Fuhr and Moog. However, the comparisons that exist between them are both fun to draw and to imagine where they might lead:

-Fuhr and Skinner graduated from WHL, Fuhr with Victoria, Skinner with Lethbridge/Swift Current. Both played in a Memorial Cup. Both graduated from “showmanship” as very young men. Edmonton-born Fuhr just turned 19 in 1981 when he played his first season as an Oiler. Edmonton-born Skinner was 21 when he made his 2020 debut. Fun, huh?

-Alas, the corresponding Campbell/Moog story doesn’t quite have the same historical overlay. Campbell an American, Moog from BC Campbell signed as a free agent. Moog was written and developed in Edmonton. Moog was 21 when he started with the Oilers, Campbell is 30.

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-People close to the piece (as I am not), word is that Campbell and Skinner struck an early and easy bond together and are some of each other’s greatest cheerleaders. Despite having different personalities, Fuhr and Moog were also strong teammates.

Eventually the Fuhr-Moog pairing was too good to stay together and Andy moved on. It is even more likely, in the age of ceilings, that the same situation will happen again one day with Campbell and Skinner. And a lot of water will have to pass under the bridge before knowing if the comparable is even remotely accurate. We will have to be patient. But if so?

It will have meant that today’s Oilers goaltending duo likely achieved the same ultimate goal as their legendary predecessors:

Win a Stanley Cup together.

Find me on Twitter @KurtLeavins, on Instagram at leavinsonhockey

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