It was 11 months ago when Kris Knoblauch was brought in to coach the beleaguered Edmonton Oilers, who were near the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 3-9-1 record.
The team had endured a shocking start to the season. Frustration was at a high, confidence was at a low. But, the team recovered from that start, roared into the playoffs, won the Western Conference, and got within a game of winning the Stanley Cup.
Fast forward to this season, and the Oilers are enduring another miserable October. They鈥檝e started off a season-opening homestand with three straight losses and have been outscored 15-3.
So, does Knoblauch see any similarities between last year鈥檚 Oilers team and this year鈥檚?
鈥淲hen I got here, one of the things I noticed, obviously, was the frustration,鈥� he said after the Oilers鈥� 4-1 loss Sunday to the rival Calgary Flames. 鈥淚t鈥檚 only three games in. But that frustration, definitely it鈥檚 there 鈥� but not at the point that it was when I came here.
鈥淏ut obviously we have to correct what鈥檚 going on right now.鈥�
The offence has sputtered, despite having the likes of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, who are usually at the top of the NHL scoring charts.
The Oilers have scored just two even-strength goals. And the power play, led by McDavid and Drasaitl, has just one goal in three games, with only five chances.
There is one word that consistently crept into what Knoblauch and his players said about the team鈥檚 play so far this season: 鈥淒isconnected.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e getting beat in a lot of battles, we鈥檙e getting beat in a lot of different ways,鈥� said McDavid. 鈥淭he puck play has been bad all over. Guys have been fumbling it, guys not handling it. Passes in the air, passes behind guys, it鈥檚 just not good enough in terms of the puck play.鈥�
鈥淥bviously, we have to play with more desperation,鈥� said Knoblauch. 鈥淲hen you had a season like we did last year, coming back, and the expectations being really high, I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 enough desperation 鈥� This game is about playing with desperation, but, right now, we鈥檙e lacking that.鈥�
The Oilers penalty kill gave up just four short-handed goals in two months of playoff hockey this past spring. However, they surrendered five power-play markers in the first two games this season.
Player turnover can be partly to blame for those woes. Forwards Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele took regular turns on that almost unstoppable penalty kill of the previous spring. In the off-season, McLeod was traded to Buffalo and Foegele signed with Los Angeles.
Defenceman Cody Ceci was traded to San Jose, and rearguard Vincent Desharnais signed with Vancouver in the off-season. Those players also played roles in short-handed situations.
Yes, the Oilers have added forwards Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, who should add scoring prowess to the second line. But, in losing Foegele, McLeod and forward Dylan Holloway (to St. Louis), the Oilers have lost foot speed. They鈥檙e also the oldest team in the NHL, the only squad in the league with an average age over 30.
鈥淪ometimes, I think there can be a bit of an adjustment with new faces,鈥� said veteran forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the team鈥檚 short-handed about-face. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 the new guys or personnel 鈥� it鈥檚 about getting back to what makes our penalty kill tick.
鈥淚 think maybe we鈥檙e a little hesitant with our routes. Later in the season, it鈥檚 just so natural 鈥� it鈥檚 kind of finding it, again.鈥�
Knoblauch said that some of the issues can be addressed through practice, but the hectic schedule to start the season gives the team no real time for those needed sessions. The Oilers played Saturday and Sunday, have a mandated off-day Monday, host the Flyers Tuesday and then are in Nashville Thursday and in Dallas next this coming Saturday for a matinee.
McDavid is sure, however, that the team can find its way out of it once more.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not quitters in here, we never have been,鈥� said McDavid. 鈥淟osing three in a row off the bat is not ideal, but it鈥檚 nothing we can鈥檛 work our way out of.鈥�
