It has been yet another excruciatingly slow start to the season for the Edmonton Oilers. Beginning the year with a 3–4–1 record was not how the team commonly projected to win the Stanley Cup (again) wanted to begin the season (again).
Despite putting up solid underlying numbers (again), the Oilers have been doomed by a league bottom PDO, shooting percentage, and save percentage through the first part of the season (again).
Noticing a trend?
Nevertheless, as the Oilers look to find their mojo and return to form, us fans are left wondering if the team made the right decisions over the offseason. A few notable players who were projected to have big roles on the team were let go or traded, leaving holes that have been filled by new acquisitions.
But as we start to see this roster and some of its flaws, it leaves us feeling nostalgic for some of the players who left the organization.
This week, we left it up to the fans to determine which former player the Oilers are missing most right now.
Want to take part in Sunday Census polls? We send them out every week on our Twitter at @oilrigEDM. Follow along or send in ideas for the next poll!
Bro(berg), we miss you
By far, Philip Broberg was the player voted most missed by Oilers fans with week. Amongst voters, 53% chose the Swedish defender.
His development with the Oilers was a lengthy and sometimes tense process. He really seemed to never be given a true shot at earning a place in the lineup and he went through lengthy periods of barely playing anywhere, sitting as a healthy scratch for months last season.
But after a successful second half in the AHL, Broberg rejoined the Oilers for the playoff run and made his presence felt. After he drew in for Game 4 of the Conference Final against the Dallas Stars, he cemented a place in the lineup very quickly, playing alongside Darnell Nurse through the Cup Final.
He was expected to resume that role into this season. Until the offer sheet, that is. Now a St. Louis Blue, Broberg is playing just shy of 20 minutes per game and has 7 points in eight games.
Wouldn’t that be nice to have on the Oilers’ second pairing that has different personnel for every game?
Missing your smile, McLeod
One of the most iconic Oilers in photographs over the past few seasons was the toothless grin of Ryan McLeod. He had developed into a very well-liked defensive-minded centre who hadn’t quite found his offensive touch in the NHL on a consistent basis.
With some of the moves made this offseason, he became expendable as it looked like he had reached his ceiling. Sure enough, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres.
What McLeod brought was a high end defensive forward presence with elite speed that is frequently ranked among the top ten in the league.
As the Oilers struggle with speed and with their penalty kill, McLeod’s presence is missed. He ranked second in this week’s poll with 23% of the vote.
Need more Vinny-Skinnyc
Now it’s not as if the team would have gotten many of these so far this season anyways, but the thought of it being an option is nice. Vincent Desharnais was let go in free agency and joined the Vancouver Canucks, which left a hole at 3RD and on the penalty kill where he had spent most of last season.
Now, that right side defensively has been a revolving door of players with Nurse, Troy Stecher, Travis Dermott, and Ty Emberson all spending at least a game on that side.
It would be nice to have the consistency of a regular player in that spot. Especially one of Desharnais’ playstyle. A big, physical defender who would help counter the fact that the Oilers are dead last in the league in hits and 28th in blocks thus far this season according to NHL.com.
Desharnais finished third in this week’s poll, earning 14% of the vote share.
Hollywood gone
Finishing last in this week’s poll is Dylan Holloway with 9% of the fan vote. Holloway has started the season decently well with the St. Louis Blues after signing an offer sheet this past offseason, but his speed, physicality, and potential are sure missed in an Oilers lineup that has gotten older, slower, and surprisingly far less physical.
Perhaps the most notable part of Holloway’s absence in Edmonton’s lineup is the role he was expected to fill. With Warren Foegele leaving in free agency, there was a wide open spot in the middle six for Holloway to permanently hold.
Although the decisions made over the offseason may have put that in jeopardy, with the addition of wingers like Jeff Skinner, he was poised to finally break into the Oilers’ lineup for good. With the replacement of the replacement having left too, however, the team had to find others to fill that spot.
Which former Oiler are you missing most on the team this season? Drop a comment down below!
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
PROBABLY
PROBABLY OVERALL-BROBERG missed the most, then I believe Ryan Mcleod and Foegle had brought size,speed
and hard work to his job. Maybe through it all however missing Kane is the real big thing , but he’ll be back, Thank God
I don’t miss any one of them.Beat Detroit and Columbus and back over .500
This team will be fine.Remeber it is only October.