Tonight is the classic case of a dangerous offence against a stellar defence. Both the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars are winning games, but they are doing so in much different fashions.
Edmonton has averaged 3.63 goals/game (second most in NHL behind Philly at 3.68) since the start of 2020, while the Stars remain stingy defensively, allowing 2.64 goals/game.
Edmonton is 14-6-4 in 2020 and the Stars are 15-7-3. They have been the fifth and sixth best teams in the NHL since January first and both are battling for home ice in their respective divisions.
Can the Stars slow down the Oilers’ high-scoring offence? Can Edmonton penetrate the strong defensive shell of the Stars?
Stars starting goalie Ben Bishop struggled in February going 4-3-1 with a .903Sv% and 3.20 GAA. Back up Anton Khudobin had seven starts in February and didn’t lose in regulation going 5-0-2 with a .934Sv% and 2.07 GAA. Khudobin has started three of the past four games, but lost in a SO to the Blues in the Stars last game on Saturday.
The Stars announced this morning that Bishop is out with an injury so Khudobin will start, and they’ve recalled goalie Jake Oettinger from the AHL today. You could argue Bishop’s injury benefits the Stars due to how well Khudobin has played.
But the Oilers’ offence is rolling right now so they will still generate some chances. In their past 15 games, Leon Draisaitl has 14 goals and 28 points. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has 6-14-20 while Connor McDavid has 5-12-17 (in nine games) and Kailer Yamamoto has 6-9-15 in 12 games. Their top guys are producing and their depth scorers are chipping in nicely.
The Stars’ highest paid players are not producing how they should be. Tyler Seguin ($9.85M AAV) has 50 points, but only 17 goals. He’s been good, but can’t finish. However, Jamie Benn ($9.5M AAV) only has 19 goals and 38 points. Joe Pavelski ($7M AAV) has 14 goals and 30 points. Their combined cap hit is $26.35 million, yet they’ve combined for a mere 50 goals and 118 points.
The Stars are seventh overall in the NHL and comfortably in the playoffs, but if they want to beat St. Louis and/or Colorado they need more production from their top guys.
They are getting solid production from rookie winger Denis Gurianov. He has 20 goals in 60 games, and nine of them have come in his last 15. He is looking more comfortable every game. He has a great shot and is someone to watch tonight.
I really like the Stars blueline. John Klingberg, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell can really skate and move the puck. However, the Stars haven’t been able to generate much 5×5. They only have 107 goals at 5×5, 30th in the NHL ahead of the lowly Detroit Red Wings. The Stars don’t give up much at 5×5, allowing only 106 goals (third fewest in the NHL), but it is hard to play that defensive all the time.
Colorado (102) and Boston (103) have allowed fewer goals at 5×5, but they have scored 154 (second) and 137 (13th) respectively. Having the offensive punch allows you to not be so concerned about allowing a goal or two. The first goal tonight would be massive against the BB gun offence of the Stars. That being said, Edmonton has to limit the Stars PP opportunities. Dallas is ripping along at 30.4% on the PP since January 1st.
And some things to watch for tonight. The Stars are excellent at limiting scoring chances.
They are first in even strength (ES) shots from the slot against They are first in ES shots on net from the slot off the rush against. They are second in ES shot attempts from the slot off the rush against. They are second in ES shot attempts from the slot against. They are fourth in ES pass to the slot against. They are fourth in ES inner slot shots on net against.
Where they have struggled:
They are 27th on rim dump-ins recovery and exit. They are 27th on soft dump-in recover and exit.
This is where the Oilers could exploit them tonight.
Edmonton is first in pressure Ozone dump-ins without opposition exit on a forecheck. The Oilers are also excellent at controlled entries into the zone, where they sit third in the NHL. And they are fourth in offensive zone true turnovers. Leon Draisaitl is 13th in the NHL in turnovers/stripping the puck and when he does it in the offensive zone and creates more time, he is lethal.
James Neal will play his first game since January 29th tonight. Kris Russel is a game time decision and if he can’t go then William Lagesson will play. I’m curious who Dave Tippett takes out for Neal. He didn’t say who it would be this morning. Jujhar Khaira is one of their top-four penalty killers. Alex Chiasson is on the first unit powerplay, and has split time with Neal this season. Andreas Athanasiou was just acquired, and while he might be a bit banged up I’m not sure he’d come out. It is a good problem to have for Tippett. Who would you take out and why?
Last night was another prime example of why players love playing for Tippett. Riley Sheahan and Zack Kassian were on for both Predators goals in a 14-second span. Ethan Bear, Darnell Nurse and Andreas Athanasiou were on for the second one. Tippett called a timeout after the second goal, and on the ensuing faceoff he went right back to Sheahan, Kassian, Athanasiou, Nurse and Bear. He shows confidence in his players. He shows them he believes in them, and they should too. He’s done this on many different occasions this season. A few weeks ago five minutes into the game against Boston, with a defensive zone faceoff and with last change, he put Gaetan Haas’ line out against Patrice Bergeron’s line.
He shows the players he believes in them, and when he has to critique their game or sit someone down they don’t have the “He doesn’t like me,” excuse. He empowers his players and in return they want to please him. It is why I believe the Oilers have rarely had games where their effort lacked. Even if they don’t feel right, or are fatigued, we rarely see a lack of effort. I think how Tippett handles his players is a big reason their effort has been pretty consistent. He makes them feel important, and when you feel important you perform better.
The Stars top line of Benn/Seguin/Perry have combined for 41 goals and 108 points. Draisaitl has 43 goals and 107 points himself. This is a perfect illustration of just how good he has been, but also it reflects on how the Stars are really lacking a game breaker right now. Seguin is really snakebitten this season with only 17 goals on 234 shots. If he was scoring at his average SH% he’d have 25 goals.
But he is showing signs of coming around. He has six goals in his last nine games on 30 shots. So in his first 56 games he had a 5.3SH% with 11 goals on 204 shots. He is a dangerous scorer and the Oilers need to be aware he is starting to emerge from his scoring slump.
Photoshop: Tom Kostiuk
GAME DAY PREDICTION: Edmonton keeps rolling and skates away with a 4-2 victory.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Once it is decided who comes out for James Neal, there will be much debate over why it wasn’t someone else. Oilersnation is amped up for the game so this decision will spur much discussion.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: When James Neal scores no one will complain he is one goal away from the Oilers surrendering a third round draft pick. They will be more focused on winning. As it should be.
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.
The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.
Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.
He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.
Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.
Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.
The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.
Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.
Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.
Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.
WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).
Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.
“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.
“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”
Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.
Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.
Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.
Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.
The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.
Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.
The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.
WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.
The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.
Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.
Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad
Forwards
Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);
Backs
Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.
The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.
He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.
Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.
He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.
Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
