Last minute Oilers News, reports, updates heading into Oilers Vs. Devils

The Edmonton Oilers are eyeing their eighth straight road victory as they take on a tough team out in the east that has only gotten better as just a week ago they made a blockbuster trade to acquire Connor Hellebuyck to play between the pipes. Welcome back to Oilers Digest. I am your host Joseph Greco and in today's video we're going to be taking a look at what's gone right and what's gone wrong for both the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils and in particular For the Edmonton Oilers. They are in pursuit of their eighth straight road win, a team that is 7-0-0 on the road. That is the Edmonton Oilers, a very effective start to the season. They find themselves on top of the standings in the Pacific with an 11-2-2 record. Just yesterday, I broke down Mike Babcock's coaching style, his intensity, and the team really starting to play a full 200-foot game, limiting high-danger chances against and doing a phenomenal job getting leads and holding leads so credit where credit is due this team is undefeated on the road they've really really really started to look very comfortable under the Mike Babcock system but on the other side of this matchup the New Jersey New Jersey Devils have also started to look very confident in their play especially after the addition of The guy who's been the best goalie in the National Hockey League over the last, for sure, five to six seasons in Connor Hellebuck. They find themselves second in the Metropolitan Division, 9-5-0 with 18 points, and they've continued to climb since adding in Connor Hellebuyck. Now, speaking of Connors, we have a Connor of our own who's been off to an incredible start to the season. The New Jersey Devils are a team that Connor McDavid has found quite a bit of success against within the last few seasons. Always finds himself collecting a point or two in these matchups against the Devils. So McDavid is certainly looking to keep that assist and point streak alive as he has yet to go a game without collecting an assist and a point. So McDavid obviously looking to continue building momentum. But in saying that. Connor Hellebuyck is also looking to strengthen his time and his early tenure with the New Jersey Devils. Since joining them, he has been undefeated and the Devils have really started to put things together. You're talking about a team that was already so talented offensively with Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, and you add the blue line puck movers and Luke Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, a very well-rounded team offensively, a team that maybe has lacked consistent goaltending and defense in the last few seasons. Connor Hellebuyck has been very strong in just two games, and you're talking about a team that, as you can see here, has created the most high-danger chances in the early stages of the season, and that creates a lot more opportunity, or a lack of opportunities in their own end, because they spend a lot of time in the offensive zone. Since they've added Connor Hellebuck, their defensive structure has worked well, and... Against the Oilers tonight is going to be the toughest test yet because the Oilers are a team that also likes to play a lot of offense and has done a great job as of late limiting high danger chances against. So for both teams, it is certainly an interesting matchup here. The Oilers hoping to continue that stat of limiting high danger chances against and containing and maintaining leads from the opening whistle. Oilers looking to continue, and obviously Connor Hellebuck and the Devils hoping to continue playing more offense and defense and getting the saves when needed. And as I mentioned, in just two games with the New Jersey Devils, Connor Hellebuck has posted some very, very solid numbers. No surprise there. I was a little bit maybe hoping that Hellebuck would have a slow start considering he missed a large portion of the start of the season. And maybe by now he would have typically probably had. 10, 11 games under his belt, obviously sat out with the Winnipeg Jets, despite the fact that he signed a nice shiny contract just a few seasons ago, stating how committed he was with the organization, went on to win a nice gold medal and said, you know what, I don't want to play in Winnipeg anymore. So credit to Kevin Shevelday off. He sat Connor Hellebuck suspended him because He didn't want that attitude around the team. He was waiting for the best package available. I did think that Buffalo had the best package at the draft. Maybe didn't get as much as he would have hoped from the Devils, but still a good return for the Jets and for Connor Hellebuck and the Devils. A very, very, very good fit for both the player and the team. And not to mention for Connor Hellebuck, he has yet to play at home in front of the fans. Tonight against the Oilers, he will be making his home debut at 7.30 Eastern time. Evan Rodriguez was also questionable ahead of this game. He is good to go. And Brendan Dillon, a very reliable defenseman, former Jet as well, is not going to be playing tonight against the Oilers. So a little bit of fortunate news, I guess. One of their stay-at-home defensemen will not be there. So for the Oilers, positive, I guess, in that regard. Speaking of goaltenders, a guy who has had a few good games despite a lot of negativity throughout the season and people, myself included, being very critical of his play. Tristan Jari is looking to continue to build on momentum after two straight shutouts as he faces his toughest test in that stretch of games. Again, a team that likes to play a lot of offense, is very crafty, very quick, very offensively minded, some great talent with the Devils. Obviously, if we take a look at Jari's recent form, very, very, very solid in his last three games, a 9-5-7 save percentage compared to those first four games of just, almost an 8-6-1 save percentage. Gave up two six-goal games in those first three, four starts. Since then has really posted a lot more consistent starts, more quality starts. So for the Oilers and Jari, building more confidence. An extremely, extremely, extremely tough test tonight against the New Jersey Devils. Obviously the goal for the Oilers here is to continue limiting those high danger chances as time and time again in the last few videos I've highlighted this stat and the fact that the Oilers have done a phenomenal job in the early stages of the season giving up very few high danger chances making it a lot easier for the goalies to just face medium and low danger chances making the easy saves when necessary and obviously when the bell does ring you hope Jari does. Answer, because against the Devils, that bell of high danger chances and offensive zone speed and just retaining the puck in the offensive zone, that pressure is certainly going to come at some point in this game. So the Oilers might bend, but they cannot break. Tristan Jari is the last line of defense. When those high danger chances come, he's got to make the saves. And obviously, when those shots from the point or the outside come, continue doing what you've been doing the last. Four games, which is make the easy saves when necessary. So again, interesting, interesting matchup. A team that's really found their stride in boxing teams out, controlling the middle of the ice, controlling the neutral zone, doing a better job gapping at the blue line, which means closing in on the attack as they cross the blue line. So they've really started to put together their defensive structure here at the Oilers, and they're continuing to build. Obviously, the Devils, as I've mentioned a few times already in this video, a team that loves to play offense, loves to cycle the puck in the offensive zone, especially once Jack Hughes gets buzzing in the offensive zone. So very nice matchup. McDavid certainly going to look to be getting his legs, but you want to see Colton Daw continue to build off of his performances and Nugent Hopkins continue to build off recent performances. And obviously, you want to continue to see that defensive structure maintained. The question of whether or not Jake Wallman will be in the lineup remains. Undetermined, the Oilers have strung together a lot, you know, two or three games here with Jake Wallman out of the lineup. So not too sure Mike Babcock and the rest of the coaching staff are necessarily jumping or looking for chances to get Wallman back in. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And it's just unfortunate for the seven million dollar man who is now sitting maybe. Another game here for the Edmonton Oilers. And speaking of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in a line that has been really clicking, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is set to make an Oilers record tonight against the New Jersey Devils, as he will become the all-time leader in games played for the Oilers. With his 1,038th regular season game with the organization, a great player and well-beloved player in oil country, obviously Nugent Hopkins has been with the organization since he was drafted in 2011. First overall, he has never once tested the market, was always loyal to the organization, did whatever he was asked. Played with his heart on the ice, night in and night out. Again, well-beloved player of the Oilers. Fan base looking to make some history tonight against the New Jersey Devils. I expect them to get quite the reception when they return home later this week. And it is a well-deserved, hopeful reception that he will get once he returns back home. Again, just want to spotlight here. The Oilers selected him in 2011. Now he's set to pass Kevin Lowe, for most games played, There's also... A very historic player for the Oilers, first draft pick, first goal with the Oilers organization. And he was there when Ryan Nugent Hopkins was drafted in 2011. So a full circle moment for Ryan Nugent Hopkins, who, as I've mentioned, has really started to find his form as of late. Three goals, four assists, seven points. Doing a great job on the power play. Great job five on five with his new linemate, Colton Dock. They're really starting to build chemistry. So hoping to continue to build that momentum as the Oilers look to collect their eighth straight road victory. Do you think the Oilers would have what it takes To get their 8th straight road win. Or do you think the Devils alongside Connor Hellebuyck Will be too much to the Oilers in this quick brief road trip. Before they go back home and return back on the road. A lot of road games coming up ahead for the Oilers. Try close out this one tonight against the Devils. In a tough, tough, tough test. For both the defense, the goalie and the offense. Hope you enjoyed the video. That's all I have for you guys today. Give the video a thumbs up if you did enjoy. Subscribe if you're new. And I'll catch you in the next video. Toodles.