Oilers won't make deep playoff run with lineup issue hitting rock bottom in McDavid era
The Edmonton Oilers are in a win-now Stanley Cup window, but their chances of playoff success are slim with their bottom six forwards playing the way they are.
As the Oilers have seen in the last two years, a deep playoff run defined roles and contributions from every player in the lineup. The load can't entirely be carried by star players when the margins are so thin - and the bottom six often becomes the difference.
Edmonton Oilers bottom six reaches rock bottom in McDavid era
Oilers analysts took a dive into the numbers in this emerging issue all season, and have found that this year's bottom six has produced the worst goal share of any team in the McDavid-era Oilers. Simply put, they get caved in.
The Oilers have been out-scored 17 to 41 without McDavid and Draisaitl, equating to an absolutely appalling 29 percent goal share.
To put that into perspective, the lowest the team's goal share without McDavid and Draisaitl has ever been was 36 percent. Not even the teams iced during the Peter Chiarelli era had results as poorly as this.
- NHL Sid, OilersNation
To put that into perspective, the lowest the team's goal share without McDavid and Draisaitl has ever been was 36 percent. Not even the teams iced during the Peter Chiarelli era had results as poorly as this.
- NHL Sid, OilersNation
In the last two seasons, the Oilers bottom six was stacked with veteran talent and finished just below a 50% goal share. That was a difference that could be made up by the Oilers superstars, but 29% is a costly disaster.
Just looking at the l bottom two lines, there's a lot of players who are clearly having poor seasons. Trent Frederic, Adam Henrique, and Andrew Mangiapane have all had poor starts. Mattias Janmark isn't going to score ever. Every player has trade protection too, making a deal impossible.
The Oilers have options to improve the bottom six now that Roslovic is back, and will get more help when Kapanen returns to the lineup. Quinn Hutson should be an option to them too, despite sending him back to the AHL.
The challenge is on the coach to find a combination to at least build a productive third line, and a 4th line that doesn't get caved in. It will be easier when they're healthy, but also shows that Edmonton probably needs another top 9 forward in trade.
If they can't find a better combination to the third line, making a deep playoff run with just 2 function forward lines will be extremely difficult - if not impossible.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 22 | 627 ANSWERS Oilers won't make deep playoff run with lineup issue hitting rock bottom in McDavid era Do you think the Oilers bottom six forwards is their biggest area of need? | ||
| Yes | 464 | 74 % |
| No | 163 | 26 % |
| List of polls | ||