The Edmonton Oilers are navigating a challenging period but remain in a playoff spot, though the fight for a postseason berth is intensifying. Over the past two seasons, the Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final twice, losing both times to the Florida Panthers. The team now hopes to finally win its first Stanley Cup since 1990, despite what appears to be a tougher path this campaign.
In this Oilers news update, we’ll cover comments from Connor McDavid, Joshua Samanski’s unusual first NHL goal, and provide an overview of players from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
McDavid Clarifies His Comments
Following the Oilers’ loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, captain Connor McDavid praised the Lightning’s coaching, leading to speculation that he was indirectly criticizing head coach Kris Knoblauch. However, McDavid denied these rumors, stating he did not intend to criticize his coach. He clarified: “I’m not sure how it was taken that way; it wasn’t supposed to be. I understand, of course, how people could look at it that way, but it’s not what I was intending to do at all.” It appears the team is unified in the need to improve their performance down the stretch and maintains confidence in Knoblauch.
Joshua Samanski Scores First NHL Goal
Joshua Samanski, who has been playing exceptionally well recently, finally scored his first NHL goal in the Oilers’ loss to the Lightning. The goal was quite peculiar: the Lightning scored on their own net, and Samanski was the last Oilers player to touch the puck before this bizarre own goal. The Oilers will play the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday (March 24), and Samanski will be looking to build on this. Even though he didn’t “technically” shoot the puck into the net, knowing he has his first NHL goal should relieve some pressure and boost his offensive confidence moving forward.
Condors Player Update: Howard, Hutson, Akey
Ike Howard continues to be a strong offensive contributor for the Bakersfield Condors, tallying 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in his last 10 games, maintaining a point-per-game pace this season. Quinn Hutson has also performed well, with 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) in his last 10 games. Beau Akey continues to play effectively at the AHL level; while he hasn’t registered a point since January 16th, his defensive game has significantly improved. Howard and Hutson are projected to become full-time NHL players next season, while Akey may need another full season. All three are developing well and are exciting to watch at the AHL level.