Oilers remain undivided as the losing continues
NASHVILLE Every player at every level of hockey has been where the Edmonton Oilers are. Unfortunately. Prolonged slumps, where it feels like the net is only two feet wide and the world is caving in around you, happen to everyone.
And everyone agrees the quickest way out is to somehow stay positive, as difficult as that is when it seems like there’s nothing much to feel positive about.
“Every team goes through it at least once a year, if not more,” said Predators defenceman Ryan Ellis. “The biggest thing is that you have to find your confidence. If the team sticks together and the group sticks together, eventually it turns around for everyone. The hockey gods listen, I guess you can say.”
That’s where the Oilers are right now. They might be wrestling through the worst stretch of their season, but they say it hasn’t split the room at all.
They’re in this together and they plan on getting out of it together.
“I’ve said this all year long, the commitment to each other and the belief in our group is going to continue, those are just the kind of guys we have in this room,” said Darnell Nurse. “We never count ourselves out. It’s just finding a way to stay level and start winning some hockey games.”
LOUD AND CLEAR
The message wasn’t lost on Drake Caggiula. Being a healthy scratch so a converted defenceman could fill his spot on the wing was a humbling experience.
“It definitely lights a fire under your ass,” said the 23-year-old, who was back in the lineup on Tuesday in Nashville.
Caggiula knows what he needs to do to be effective — play a fast, aggressive game that involves a handful of shots every night.
“Playing with energy and playing with speed,” he said. “Getting pucks to the net. I’m supposed to be a shooter and there have been times this year where I haven’t been shooting enough or not at all.”
TIME TO DELIVER
Head coach Todd McLellan was also asking more from the top end of his lineup at the morning skate in Nashville. His top six have been out-produced by a rather significant margin during this 1-5-1 slide and it’s up to the big guns to respond.
“We’re talking a lot about the players who come in and out of the lineup, but we need that from everybody,” said McLellan.
CATCHING HIS BREATH
Andrej Sekera is back in the lineup after getting a rest on Sunday in Chicago. He’s had a heavy workload since returning from surgery and McLellan felt he needed a break.
“It’s taxing, the amount of hockey he’s played since he came back,” said McLellan. “We had four games in six nights with a back-to-back situation.
“We can’t just focus on the knee. There are other parts of the body that get sore and you get worn down a little bit.
“... We have 40-some games left and we need him healthy.”
DECOMPRESSION TIME
The Oilers arrived in Nashville on Sunday evening, had Monday off, and will get Wednesday off as well to attend a team function with owner Daryl Katz in Palm Springs, Fla.
They’ve had 11-straight days of either practising or playing, so getting a breather feels good.
“We need a chance to rest our bodies a little bit,” said McLellan.
“But also the mental part, the get away from the rink, get away from the media and the questions and get some therapy that way because, obviously, nobody is happy with the way it’s going.”