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Edmonton Oilers receive surprising place in recent NHL Power Rankings
Photo credit: Rick Osentoski - Imagn Images
According to an NHL Power Ranking, the Edmonton Oilers have dropped from 3rd overall last month to 11th this month.
Oilers' slow start to season has them falling as league's top-contender
According to the Daily Faceoff's weekly NHL Power Rankings, the Oilers are listed 11th among the 32 teams, a considerable drop from 3rd place the week before.
The power-rankings were arrived at by several analysts, whose opinion varied on where the Oilers fell, though none had them above 11th, while one went as low as 15th.
Nevertheless, DFO's analyst Hunter Crowther is choosing to remain optimistic about Edmonton.
«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."
Crowther is referring to the Sunday October 26 game against the Canucks, four games from now. Should McDavid not have registered at least one goal by then, I imagine the team will continue to drop as one of the NHL's powerhouses.
The loss of 8 places has Edmonton behind Detroit Red Wings, Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens, all three of which are either 1st or 2nd in their respective divisions. With the exception of Winnipeg, the Habs and Red Wings have made big gains this year so far.
Of course, the Oilers started both the last two seasons slowly and still managed to reach the Stanley Cup Finals in each year, something Oilers' fans are hoping is the case in 2025-26.
Yet, the lack of scoring, and weak penalty killing and goaltending, and some questionable coaching decisions, in particular as it concerns McDavid's and Draisaitl's ice-time and deployment, has fans wondering if the team can turn it around without making some roster changes.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 21 | 558 ANSWERS Edmonton Oilers receive surprising place in recent NHL Power Rankings In what area do the Oilers need the biggest improvement? | ||
| Goaltending | 287 | 51.4 % |
| scoring from top-two lines | 140 | 25.1 % |
| depth scoring | 106 | 19 % |
| specialty teams | 25 | 4.5 % |
| List of polls | ||