The Oilers have been the #1 powerplay team, by some distance, for a couple of years now. They were 2% better than any other team last year with a 27.6% PP. They were more than 4 percent better than anyone else in 19-20 with a 29+% PP - a better PP than any helmed by Gretzky, Lemieux, Ovechkin, Crosby, or the dynasty Red Wings. Zach Hyman will take over for Alex Chiasson in front of the net. It's not hard to see how a big number here is possible.
But the Oilers have quietly been a pretty good shorthanded team as well. Last year, after a rough start, the Oilers were the best PK team in the NHL down the stretch and finished 9th with an 82.5% rating. In 19-20, they were second in the NHL with an 84.4% rating.
This summer the Oilers have added to lead penalty killers Darnell Nurse, Josh Archbald, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with Cody Ceci (2:32 TOI/G, one of the highest minute getting PKing defenseman over the last 5 years), Zach Hyman (1:58 TOI/G, the top Leafs penalty killing forward in 4 of the last 5 seasons) and Derek Ryan (a centre who has excelled 4v5 his whole career, is a clear upgrade on SH faceoffs over Jujhar and RNH). They were essentially already a high-end PK team who have added several other teams top penalty killers at the expense of two regulars in Adam Larsson and Jujhar Khaira.
The Oilers collective special teams percent was 110.1 in 20-21 & 113.9 in 19-20 (the best in modern history). Can they top that and hit 115%, which is elite on a level no team has achieved in the post expansion era?
Why or why not?
But the Oilers have quietly been a pretty good shorthanded team as well. Last year, after a rough start, the Oilers were the best PK team in the NHL down the stretch and finished 9th with an 82.5% rating. In 19-20, they were second in the NHL with an 84.4% rating.
This summer the Oilers have added to lead penalty killers Darnell Nurse, Josh Archbald, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with Cody Ceci (2:32 TOI/G, one of the highest minute getting PKing defenseman over the last 5 years), Zach Hyman (1:58 TOI/G, the top Leafs penalty killing forward in 4 of the last 5 seasons) and Derek Ryan (a centre who has excelled 4v5 his whole career, is a clear upgrade on SH faceoffs over Jujhar and RNH). They were essentially already a high-end PK team who have added several other teams top penalty killers at the expense of two regulars in Adam Larsson and Jujhar Khaira.
The Oilers collective special teams percent was 110.1 in 20-21 & 113.9 in 19-20 (the best in modern history). Can they top that and hit 115%, which is elite on a level no team has achieved in the post expansion era?
Why or why not?
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