The Edmonton Oilers suffered another humiliating defeat Tuesday night, falling 8-3 to the Dallas Stars. The loss represented yet another embarrassing chapter in what has become a nightmarish season for the franchise.
However, the defeat highlighted defensive and goaltending issues that have plagued Edmonton all year. A series of damning statistics emerged following the blowout that paint a disturbing picture of just how bad the Oilers have been defensively. The numbers reveal a team in complete disarray that has hit rock bottom through 25 games.
Statistical Evidence Shows Just How Historically Bad The Oilers’ Defense Has Been
The most alarming statistic involves Edmonton’s goaltending performance. The Oilers currently sport an .860 team save percentage through their first 25 games. That mark represents their lowest save percentage through 25 games since their inaugural NHL season in 1979-80.
The comparison to the franchise’s expansion year shows just how disastrous the netminding has been. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have combined to provide league-worst goaltending that has cost Edmonton countless games.
No saves are being made when the team desperately needs them. The defensive breakdowns have led to historically bad goal-against totals. Edmonton is the only team this season to allow seven goals on three separate occasions.
The repeated shellackings demonstrate systemic issues that go beyond just one bad performance. Most teams might suffer an occasional blowout loss during an 82-game season.
However, allowing seven-plus goals three times in 25 games represents a pattern of complete defensive collapse. The Oilers cannot prevent opponents from generating high-quality scoring chances. Another statistic highlights how quickly games get out of hand for Edmonton.
The Oilers are the only team this season to trail by five-plus goals through two periods on multiple occasions. They fell behind 6-1 to Colorado through 40 minutes on November 8 before ultimately losing 9-1. Tuesday’s disaster against Dallas followed a similar script.
The Stars built a commanding lead through the first two periods before coasting to victory. Edmonton showed no ability to weather early adversity or mount comebacks. The combination of poor goaltending and porous defense has created a perfect storm.
The blue line struggles to transition the puck cleanly out of the defensive zone. When opponents do generate chances, the goaltenders fail to provide timely saves. The result has been embarrassment after embarrassment.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch has tried every possible line combination and defensive pairing. Nothing has worked. The issues appear systemic rather than personnel-based. Whether Edmonton can dig itself out of this historic hole remains the biggest question facing the organization.
For now, the statistics tell a damning story of a franchise that has completely lost its way defensively. Rock bottom may somehow get even deeper.