Things we (think we) know: Oilers goaltending raises alarm bells
EDMONTON — Things We (think we) know. Series V, Volume III.
There is high-event hockey, and then there is whatever it was the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks rolled out this week, sharing 27 goals over two wild nights.
We wondered if Edmonton could maintain its offensive prowess as Mike Babcock’s vaunted defensive structure was applied. Well, we still don’t know the answer to that one, do we…?
Things we (think we) know
Don’t forget, the Oilers are trying to replace 21 minutes a night from Darnell Nurse. Evan Bouchard has to step up (he has), Mattias Ekholm has to refuse to show his age (so far, so good), and another well-paid veteran, Jake Walman, has to be part of the solution as well.
Shakir Mukhamadullin was over his head this week. He’ll be replaced by Ty Emberson for Saturday’s game against the visiting Seattle Kraken (Sportsnet West, Sportsnet , 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. MT). But Walman has to replace some of Nurse’s ability to skate the puck out of trouble, present a strong front at the offensive blue-line, and take a bite out of the leadership void left behind by Nurse.
Through two games, Walman has stepped to the head of the line of those........
