There would certainly be two. Nearly actually three. Possibly even 4. Heck, if the celebs aligned, maybe as many as 5 gamers from the Edmonton Oilers may have been a part of Canada’s roster on the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Regardless of the quantity ended up being, no person thought that just one Oilers participant would symbolize Canada on the inaugural worldwide match going down in February in Boston and Montreal.
And but, after months of debate and hypothesis, pleasure and anticipation, that’s precisely the situation that exists in Edmonton right this moment.
On Wednesday, Crew Canada unveiled the ultimate 17 members (eight forwards, six defencemen, three goaltenders) of its roster, and there was not a single Oiler to be discovered among the many new additions.
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That leaves Connor McDavid as the one Oilers participant on Canada’s 23-man squad. Edmonton’s famous person captain was among the many first six gamers (5 forwards, one defenceman) introduced for the group again in June.
If the minimal Oilers presence on Crew Canada doesn’t come as a complete shock, it’s on the very least a large disappointment for the group and its followers, who fantasized of a brand new period of Canadian hockey that harkened again to Edmonton’s dynasty days when the Canada Cup would function a number of Oilers carrying the maple leaf.
There will be arguments of both bias or flawed considering made towards the gamers who have been chosen to Canada’s roster as an alternative of their Oilers counterparts. And in a single or two circumstances, which may even be legitimate.
However for the Oilers to be fully shut out from the ultimate roster additions speaks volumes about this group’s subpar efficiency by way of the primary quarter-plus of the 2024-25 NHL season, and will function a wake-up name for the defending Western Convention champions.
Bouchard and Hyman Had been Anticipated to Make Crew
Just a few weeks in the past, Oilers winger Zach Hyman and blueliner Evan Bouchard have been each seen as fairly protected bets to be on the Canadian roster.
TSN’s Director of Scouting Craig Button and analyst Mike Johnson revealed their consensus line mixtures and defensive pairings for Crew Canada, which included each aforementioned Oilers, with Hyman even slotted for a spot on Canada’s high line alongside McDavid.
However Hyman has began the season mired in a dreadful droop he but to interrupt out of. After scoring 54 instances in 2023-24, he didn’t get his first aim till Halloween and has tallied simply three in 20 video games to this point this season. To make issues worse, he was sidelined for the final two weeks after sustaining an undisclosed harm, derailing any likelihood of constructing a last-minute impression to Crew Canada’s mind belief.
Bouchard is a distinct story. Whereas not on tempo to equal his 2023-24 totals of 18 objectives and 64 assists (a fairly excessive benchmark, contemplating that was probably the most factors by an Oilers defenceman in practically 4 a long time) he’s nonetheless placing up fairly good offensive numbers, rating third on the Oilers with six objectives, 12 assists, and 18 factors.
What might need harm Bouchard is a relapse in his defensive play. Throughout his breakout 2023-24 marketing campaign, the 25-year-old eradicated lots of his unhealthy habits on the again finish. However they’ve returned on too many events this season, immediately resulting in objectives for the opposition, offering superb motive to rethink his place on Crew Canada.
Skinner Might Have Made the Minimize
Button and Johnson had Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner on the bubble for a spot on Canada’s squad. Contemplating that is maybe the shallowest pool of Canadian netminders ever, Skinner ought to have been capable of make the roster. However the puck-stopper who acquired Edmonton to Recreation 7 of the Stanley Cup Ultimate is not going to a part of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
As an alternative, Canada goes with Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill, and Sam Montembeault. Not one of the three have significantly spectacular numbers this season, however neither does Skinner, who has achieved himself no favours with a save share (SV%) of .889 and objectives towards common (GAA) of two.99.
Nugent-Hopkins and Nurse Didn’t Have A lot Probability
Veteran Oilers ahead Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was at all times a long-shot to make Canada’s roster, however his two-way play, penalty killing blended with offensive skill, will at all times make him value contemplating for a match of this nature.
Johnson and Button listed Nugent-Hopkins on the board of candidates for Crew Canada, however the 31-year-old would have wanted a dynamite begin this season to play his approach on to the roster, and as an alternative he did the other, scoring simply as soon as within the first 19 video games.
Darnell Nurse is the one Oiler whose 4 Nations’ inventory might need really improved over the previous couple of weeks, because the veteran rearguard has performed a few of his greatest hockey of current reminiscence. However though there was a case to be made for Nurse, the Hamilton native was by no means actually severely within the Canadian dialog.
Subpar Begin Harm Gamers’ Probabilities
Plain and easy, the Oilers simply haven’t been a persistently good hockey group for his or her first 25 video games of 2024-25. Edmonton has a destructive aim differential, simply eight regulation wins, and if the Stanley Cup Playoffs began right this moment, the Oilers could be left sitting at house.
This group could be in a greater place if the gamers have been performing higher, and if the gamers in query have been performing higher they’d more likely be heading to the 4 Nations Face-Off in a pair months.
If there’s any silver lining to be taken from this in Oil Nation, it’s that the Oilers who’re staying house will get an opportunity to recharge, recuperate from any nagging accidents, and hopefully use any perceived slight of being left off Crew Canada to gas stronger play the remainder of the way in which.
