painful: Edmonton Oilers acquire a Painful Trade And Risky Trade That Take Them More….

admin | March 8, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

painful: Edmonton Oilers acquire a Painful Trade And Risky Trade That Take Them More….

In addition to two forwards and a defenceman, the Edmonton Oilers picked up a valuable lesson in advance of Friday’s NHL trade deadline.

Turns out it doesn’t really matter what your roster looks like or how deep and talented you think your team might be. If you don’t start on time, bear down on your chances and focus on the details, the other guys are going to hand you your lunch.

Edmonton Oilers acquire a painful lesson at the trade deadline | Edmonton Journal

And so it was that the Columbus Blue Jackets force fed a team that fancies itself a Stanley Cup contender a big, smelly slice of humble pie Thursday.

If the Oilers came into this one thinking their new-look lineup, featuring Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick, would cruise through the last-place team in the Eastern Conference they got slapped to reality in a big hurry.

Columbus lit them up for three goals in the first 15:21 and closed the door for a 4-2 victory to remind the Pacific Division contenders that nothing is going to come easily.

Edmonton’s first loss since Feb. 24 against Calgary snaps their winning streak at five games and is another example of their offence drying up at the wrong time. The defence has been stellar, allowing just three goals in their previous three games, but they’ve managed just two goals in three of their last four starts.

Not good enough in a 3-2 league.

They pulled one from the fire in Boston, scoring in the final seconds and then winning 2-1 in OT, but there was no Hail Mary to be found on this night.

Zach Hyman’s 43rd goal of the season in the second period and Corey Perry’s second goal in three games midway through the third brought the Oilers just close enough to be foiled by an empty netter with 20 seconds to play.

The Oilers wasted no time in getting the new guys into the mix, starting Henrique on the left side with Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane, but the alignment lasted just one period. With Edmonton down 3-0 at the first intermission, head coach Kris Knoblauch loaded up his first line with McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman.

That’s not to say the original plan is dead, however, just on hold for 40 minutes.

“He (Henrique) is on pace for 25 goals this year so he’ll be a good complement for Leon,” said Knoblauch, who wants more offence from the second line. “The most important thing for us right now is seeing if there’s some chemistry and something to build on.”

Henrique knew a trade was coming — as a pending UFA he knew he’d be on the table — but the whole thing happened so fast it still caught him by surprise. One day he’s sitting at home in Anaheim, the next he’s lacing up for the Oilers in Columbus.

“I was having flashbacks to the first day of school,” he laughed. “It’s exciting. It’s a quick turnaround but in this situation it helps. Coming in, meeting the guys and being thrown right into the fire. Just pack up and go.”

Carrick centred the fourth line with Mattias Janmark and Derek Ryan and it wasn’t long until he made his presence felt. With the Oilers down 2-0 and Mathieu Olivier stirring things up in the face-off circle with Janmark, Carrick lined up next to Olivier and had a long, solid scrap (Carrick’s eighth of the season) with the guy who wiped up New York’s six-foot-seven rookie Matt Rempe.

McDavid’s second period assist extended his points streak to 13 games and has amassed 100 points for the seventh time in his nine-year career.