After losing the lowly Sharks while their $25-million goalie struggled in the AHL, the internet had a field day at Edmonton’s expense.
Somehow a season that was already off to a horrible start for Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers got even worse.
One month into the season, Edmonton was in second-last place in the NHL heading into Thursday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, the last-place team. It was a matchup hockey fans dubbed the “OilShark Bowl.”
While many saw this as an opportunity for the Oilers, who carried Stanley Cup expectations coming into the season, to break out of a slump over a struggling team in the thick of a rebuild, it was the worst team in the league who came out with some momentum. The Sharks won 3-2, leaving the two teams in a tie for last place with just five points each — though the Oilers have one game in hand.
The fact that the Sharks opened the season with 11 straight losses and gave up a whopping 10 goals in back-to-back games last week didn’t help matters for Edmonton fans.
The internet had a field day, with TSN Insider Pierre LeBrun calling the loss “mind boggling.”
“Man, just when you thought the Oilers had already hit rock bottom,” he opined on X.
As different variations of Oilers, Edmonton, McDavid and Draisaitl were trending on social media, many were quick to point fingers at Ken Holland, the Oilers general manager since 2019.
“Good morning #LetsGoOilers fans. Today would be a great day to #FireHolland,” one person wrote.
Asked whether he was worried about his job given the Oilers’ abysmal start to the season, head coach Jay Woodcroft told reporters he is focused on trying to improve the situation.
“No one is happy with where we are at, we all own it. We can be better and that’s where my focus is,” he said.
The Oilers didn’t get any better news from the American Hockey League, where struggling goaltender Jack Campbell made his first start with the Bakersfield Condors after clearing waivers earlier in the week. Campbell conceded four goals on 20 shots — including one particularly weak goal that went viral on X — and the Condors lost 4-1 to the Abbotsford Canucks.
The 31-year-old former Leafs goalie is in the second season of a five-year, $25-million (U.S.) contract with Edmonton.
The Oilers visit Seattle on Saturday as they try to turn their season around.
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