After an eventful offseason filled with promising additions, the Edmonton Oilers appeared poised to ice a dominant second-line mixture. On paper, pairing two 30-goal scorers like Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson alongside Leon Draisaitl appeared like a recipe for achievement. But, only one month into the season, the road was dismantled and has but to be reunited. So, what went flawed with this as soon as extremely anticipated trio?
Heading into the season opener, Oilers followers had been buzzing about Skinner and Arvidsson, two of essentially the most thrilling new arrivals in Oil Nation. Their observe information had been spectacular: Skinner, a 15-year veteran, introduced six 30-goal campaigns to the desk, together with a career-high 40-goal season. Arvidsson, although not as prolific, had two 30-goal seasons beneath his belt. Nevertheless, each gamers have struggled to copy that scoring kind, elevating questions on their match on a line with Draisaitl and their means to supply constantly.
Why Did the Line Mixture Fail for the Oilers?
The failure of this line mixture might be attributed to a few key elements: underperforming gamers, the rise of latest stars, and an absence of chemistry.
First, each Skinner and Arvidsson have struggled to fulfill expectations. In 29 video games, Skinner has managed simply 11 factors, placing him on tempo for a mere 31-point season—one of many worst 82-game level paces of his profession. Arvidsson’s state of affairs is equally regarding, made worse by a nagging harm that has sidelined him for 11 video games. Earlier than his harm, he posted simply 5 factors in 16 video games, projecting to a disappointing 26-point season. It is a steep decline from the 59 factors he tallied final season.
With each gamers failing to carry out at their normal ranges, it’s no shock the once-promising line has faltered.
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One other contributing issue to their lackluster season up to now is an absence of chemistry. Evidently each gamers are struggling to seek out their place with the Oilers. Whereas the road confirmed glimpses of one thing magical, the general chemistry simply wasn’t there. Merely put, passes weren’t getting by way of, inflicting some expensive giveaways. Moreover, the road struggled to generate any sustained offensive stress.
Lastly, Vasily Podkolzin and the Oilers’ latest addition, Kasperi Kapanen, have been taking part in stable hockey. When positioned on Draisaitl’s wings, their chemistry was rapid, permitting them to fit into the lineup seamlessly. These on the Oilersnation Everyday show expressed their shock at Kapanen and Podkolzon’s spectacular seasons, stating, “It’s wild to suppose these two are on our second line.”.
Are Skinner and Arvidsson Getting a Truthful Shake?
One may argue that Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t give Skinner and Arvidsson sufficient time to develop chemistry. Switching groups and adjusting to a brand new group inevitably comes with challenges, and Skinner and Arvidsson had been no exception. Many consider Knoblauch saved them on too wanting a leash, not permitting them the time to work by way of their struggles and discover their rhythm in Edmonton. Skinner’s disappointing numbers, specifically, might be attributed to being buried within the backside six, which restricted his ice time and made it tough for him to show his price and generate factors.
Nevertheless, regardless of the failure of the extremely anticipated line of Skinner, Draisaitl, and Arvidsson, the Oilers have succeeded since splitting them up, changing into among the best groups within the league since November.
With the emergence of Podkolzin and Kapanen, together with the remainder of the roster overcoming early-season struggles, the Oilers are staying aggressive. They’ll look to increase their 4-game successful streak in Saturday’s matchup in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights.
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