In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, Jack Campbell says he was surprised by his demotion to the AHL. He knows he’s got some things to work on, but thought he was playing fairly well. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid says he’s healthy, but, like the rest of the group, his confidence is shaken. Finally, has such a lousy start basically killed any chances of this team making the playoffs?
Campbell Didn’t Think He Was Playing Badly
After a disappointing start to his run with Bakersfield (four goals on 20 shots) Jack Campbell responded to being waived and demoted by the Oilers: “Pretty tough, I’m not gonna to lie. It’s not been fun up there this year. We’re working through it and obviously looking to get results, and hearing the news was very difficult.”
A goaltender who has been known for having a lack of confidence, he added, “I’m pretty hard on myself, I think that’s pretty well documented around the hockey world. I felt I was playing well, has some confidence. But, obviously, the numbers weren’t good enough.” He talked about needing to work on somethings and that doesn’t change, even if he’s not in the NHL while he’s working on it.
Woodcroft Could Be Done If Oilers Lose In Seattle
According to TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, the Oilers were likely never going to make a coaching change during the road trip, but if it’s deemed that a new voice is needed behind the bench, that could happen after tonight’s game versus the Seattle Kraken, win or lose.
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“I’d expect Woodcroft to be behind the bench for Saturdays game,” Rishaug tweeted on Friday. “All things will be evaluated after this road trip.” Many believe that this is not on Woodcroft, but that if a change has to be made, the easiest thing to do is change the coach. Trades are tricky to maneuver and the Oilers are tight to the cap. Woodcroft was asked if he’s worried about his job and he noted that he’s only focused on the day-to-day for the team. He needs to help this group pick up a win.
McDavid’s Confidence Is Not High, But He’s Not Injured
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic writes that McDavid is like many on the team, his confidence is not where it needs to be. “It’s right there along with the rest of the group — not very high,” McDavid said. Many fans have wondered if he’s being hampered by a nagging injury, but he says he’s fine.
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Nugent-Bowman writes:
McDavid is adamant that he’s in “excellent” health since returning to the lineup. Provided he’s being truthful, that rules out that reasoning for his subpar play. Ever since the outdoor matchup against the Flames, it looks like he’s flying early in games and then slows down as they progress.
source – ‘Connor McDavid says confidence ‘not very high’ as Oilers’ losing ways continue’ – Daniel Nugent-Bowman – The Athletic – 11/10/2023
Are the Oilers Out Of This Already?
Some are wondering if the Oilers are out of the playoff mix already. The Winnipeg Jets got in with 95 points last season. The Oilers currently have five points after 12 games. That leaves 70 games to get 90 points.
If the Oilers go 43-22-5, that would put them at 91 points to close out the year. The way they are playing it’s not happening. But, if the Oilers can find their game and go on a bit of run, it’s definitely possible. This is a team that went 9-0-1 in the last 10 games of the 2022-23 season. They were the hottest team in the NHL.
A far cry from that group right now, the Oilers don’t need to get that hot to get in. It starts with a win against Seattle. Anything is possible if they gain some confidence.