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The Edmonton Oilers are now on fire. During a six-game winning streak, the Oilers have looked like a well-oiled machine, outscoring opponents 31-13.
The bad news is that the Oilers aren't as dominant as their six-game victory run suggests. The good news is that when you have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on your team, you can get away with a lot of mistakes, especially in a weak Western Conference.
Let's go through what's true about the Oilers' strong streak, what fans should take with a grain of salt, and how it might all lead to an exciting 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.
A soft schedule could keep Edmonton on a roll
Through thick and thin, you can usually rely on the obvious with the Edmonton Oilers: plenty of scoring from McDavid, Draisaitl, and a few other top players. In this case, Zach Hyman is especially hot, slightly outscoring McDavid and Draisaitl during the Oilers’ six-game winning streak (12 points for Hyman, 11 for McDavid and Draisaitl) while earning an NHL Player of the Week nod. Another constant is that locomotive of a power play, which has maintained lofty levels with a 31.3 percent success rate during this streak.
Want more, salivating Oilers fans? On paper, the immediate schedule gives Edmonton a great chance to climb from the West’s wild-card ranks to a possible battle for Pacific Division seeding.
Date Home or away (@) Opponent + record
Wed, Jan 25 home vs. Columbus 14-30-2
Sat, Jan 28 home vs. Chicago 14-27-4
Tue, Feb 7 @ Detroit 19-18-8
Thu, Feb 9 @ Philadelphia 20-21-7
Sat, Feb 11 @ Ottawa 20-23-3
Sun, Feb 12 @ Montreal 20-24-3
Wed, Feb 15 home vs. Detroit 19-18-8
Fri, Feb 17 home vs. NY Rangers 25-14-7
Sun, Feb 19 @ Colorado 25-17-3
Tue, Feb 21 home vs. Philadelphia 20-21-7
Thu, Feb 23 @ Pittsburgh 23-15-8
Sat, Feb 25 @ Columbus 14-30-2
Overall, that looks like a very Oilers-friendly month. They also are set up for a cushy finish, as they still have three games left against the Sharks, and two games apiece versus the lowly Ducks and Coyotes.
Oilers need to learn the right lessons from this hot streak
Historically, lucky scoring runs and hot winning streaks can bring hidden drawbacks if teams assume that they’ll keep getting those lucky bounces. It’s crucial that the Oilers weigh the exhilaration of this stretch with memories of recent struggles. Take, for instance, goaltending.
On one hand, it’s promising that Jack Campbell managed a 6-1-0 record and .916 save percentage in eight January games after putting up stats that would’ve been shaky in the ‘80s. On the other hand, it’s dangerous to assume that his work is done, and that he’s certain to be Edmonton’s best option.
A real opportunity in an uncertain Western Conference
It’s not that hard to picture the Oilers nabbing the Pacific second seed, and there’s even room to win the division. Picture a variety of likely first-round matchups; while most potential series can go either way, is there really a nightmare opponent in the Pacific?
At times, Ken Holland’s been cautious regarding the Oilers’ trade deadline plans. Considering the excessive price he paid for Andreas Athanasiou last season, and how frequently trade deadline rentals disappoint across the NHL, it’s understandable if some flinch at the idea of an aggressive approach.
Daniel Weinman was crowned winner of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event on Monday, taking home a record breaking $12.1 million in winnings. Weinman had to outlast the other 10,043 entrants to take home the prize and get his hands on his share of live poker’s largest ever prize pool – a staggering $93,399,900. As well as taking home the prize money, 35-year-old Weinman also got his hands on the WSOP Main Event bracelet. The huge bracelet contains 500 grams of 10-karat yellow gold, as well as 2,352 various precious gemstones.
Daniel Weinman won the World Series of Poker's main event world championship on Monday in Las Vegas, earning $12.1 million along the way. Playing in the tournament for a 16th year, Weinman was tops in a deep pool of 10,043 players vying for $93.39 million. His victory came after just 164 hands at the final table. "I was honestly on the fence about even coming back and playing this tournament," the 35-year-old Atlanta native told reporters afterward. Weinman's final table featured Jan-Peter Jachtmann, who landed in fourth place and took home $3 million, as well as Toby Lewis, who finished seventh and secured $1.42 million. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the main event's entry pool far outpaced the previous record of 8,773 set in 2006. "I've always kind of felt that poker was kind of going in a dying direction, but to see the numbers at the World Series this year has been incredible," Weinman said. "And to win this main event, it doesn't feel real. I mean, [there's] so much luck in a poker tournament. I thought I played very well." Steven Jones finished second, securing $6.5 million. And Adam Walton settled for third and a $4 million prize.
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