Saturday, February 25, 2023 – 12:30 P.M. EST
Nationwide Arena – Columbus, Ohio
TV: Bally Sports Ohio; Radio: 105.7 FM
Opponent’s Blog: Copper and Blue
Edmonton Oilers (32-19-8, 72 points, 3rd Pacific, 4th West)
at
Columbus Blue Jackets (18-35-5, 41 points, 8th Metro, 16th East)
It’s Kids Day at Nationwide Arena, so we get a rare 12:30 start time. I appreciate game times that are convenient for families to attend, and it’s a great opportunity to make new fans for life as they watch the greatest player on earth.
Player to Watch
Connor McDavid
There’s no other player worthy of this spot today. McDavid has been the best player in the league since his first Hart Trophy (won when he was just 20, in his second season). Somehow this season he has found a way to take his game into the stratosphere. In his two Hart seasons (how has he only won 2? He’s been top 5 in voting for six straight seasons), he had 100 points in 82 games (again, as a second year player) and then 105 points in the 56 game 2021 season. This year? Already 109 points in 59 games, on pace for 151. He set a new career high in goals last year with 44, but that was overshadowed by Auston Matthews’ 60 point season. Like Michael Jordan in the 1990s, it seems that McDavid took that personally, and is on pace to top that himself. He’s at 46 already.
Will it be enough to get the Oilers back to the Western Conference Finals? I don’t know, but I’ll enjoy watching him try.
Jackets Notes
Cole Sillinger missed Thursday’s game with illness, but was back at practice yesterday…Vladislav Gavrikov continued to practice with the extra skaters, suggesting that his scratch for “trade related reasons” will continue, despite a proposed trade with Boston falling through.
The Other Bench
McDavid and Co. put the hurting on Pittsburgh on Thursday, and that rules. Watch the highlights of the Oilers dropping a touchdown on them…Evander Kane did not make the trip, as he is day-to-day with an upper body injury…Ryan Murray is also on IR since December with a back injury. Poor guy.
Season Series
01/25/2023 CBJ 3 @ EDM 2 (OT)
02/25/2023 EDM @ CBJ
Stats
| Edmonton | Columbus | |
|---|---|---|
| 3.81 (1) | GPG | 2.50 (30) |
| 3.24 (21) | GAPG | 3.67 (30) |
| 32.2% (1) | PP% | 16.2% (30) |
| 75.0% (26) | PK% | 77.4% (20) |
| 51.6% (8) | 5v5 Shot Attempt % | 45.8% (28) |
| 50.8% (14) | 5v5 Unblocked shot attempt % | 45.7% (29) |
| 8.8 (10) | 5v5 Shooting % | 7.5 (28) |
| .915 (18) | 5v5 Save % | .907 (26) |
| Connor McDavid, 46 | G Leader | Boone Jenner, 17 |
| Connor McDavid, 63 | A Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 37 |
| Connor McDavid, 109 | P Leader | Johnny Gaudreau, 52 |
| Klim Kostin and Darnell Nurse, 49 | PIM Leader | Mathieu Olivier, 77 |
| 18-8-3 | Home / Road | 12-18-2 |
| 5-1-4 | Last 10 | 3-5-2 |
Projected Lineups
| Johnny Gaudreau | Boone Jenner | Kirill Marchenko |
| Patrik Laine | Jack Roslovic | Kent Johnson |
| Liam Foudy | Cole Sillinger | Emil Bemstrom |
| Eric Robinson | Sean Kuraly | Mathieu Olivier |
| Tim Berni | Erik Gudbranson |
| Nick Blankenburg | Andrew Peeke |
| Gavin Bayreuther | Adam Boqvist |
| Joonas Korpisalo |
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| Zach Hyman | Connor McDavid | Ryan Nugent-Hopkins |
| Vincent Desharnais | Leon Draisaitl | Kailer Yamamoto |
| Warren Foegele | Ryan McLeod | Mattias Janmark |
| Derek Ryan | Devin Shore | Jesse Puljujarvi |
| Darnell Nurse | Cody Ceci |
| Brett Kulak | Tyson Barrie |
| Philip Broberg | Evan Bouchard |
| Jack Campbell |
| Stuart Skinner |