Oilers Thoughts: Missing Hyman, Howard’s Reset, and a Plea to McDavid

The Oilers’ first road swing gave us a bit of everything — a power play without bite, a rookie still finding his place, and a few questionable lineup calls. There’s plenty to like and plenty to fix, but one thing’s clear: this team misses Zach Hyman.

Missing Hyman

Without Zach Hyman, the Oilers’ power play lost its bite — and nobody’s stepped up to replace him.

David Tomasek had every chance to score his first NHL goal but couldn’t finish. Thatcher Demko was dialled in, sure, but Hyman buries one of those. That’s the difference between “almost” and “elite.”

Tomasek’s finding ice and getting looks, which is good, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Hyman’s out until early November, which gives Tomasek a short runway to figure it out. If he doesn’t, someone else will take his spot.

Bouch Bombs

The Bouch Bomb has been missing in action.

Steve Peters, former Coyotes video coach, broke it down on Oilersnation Everyday Friday. His take? Two issues. First, Evan Bouchard isn’t moving the puck quickly enough. Second, there’s no net-front presence. Without Hyman (and with Tomasek struggling to find his spot), one of Edmonton’s biggest weapons is neutralized.

It’s also worth noting that Tomasek never played the net-front role on the power play in the SHL. So why is he doing it here? It just shows how much Hyman is missed.

The power play is still clicking at 85% through four games, but it feels clunky. Getting Bouchard shooting again from the point will open up the interior — and it needs to start now.

What’s Next for Isaac Howard?

The conversation around Isaac Howard’s spot in the lineup is heating up. He played just over seven minutes Tuesday against the Rangers and just shy of nine on Long Island. Knoblauch gave him one third-period shift Tuesday — it ended with a turnover and a lazy change while the puck went the other way. A simple dump-and-change might’ve earned him another look.

This isn’t a rip on Howard. The game was tight, and Knoblauch didn’t trust him. Fair. But if you’re only getting seven or eight minutes a night, you’re not developing — you’re surviving.

Howard needs AHL time. Not as punishment, but as a reset. He’s a confident player. Let him go to Bakersfield, run wild, and touch the puck again. Fans went through this same argument with Evan Bouchard during COVID — and that turned out fine.

With Mattias Janmark close to returning, Edmonton’s going to need to clear a roster spot anyway. Howard going down is the obvious move — and the right one.

Save Percentage

Save percentage might be the most overrated number in hockey. Anything under .900 and everyone screams “bad game.” But that’s lazy.

Take Stuart Skinner’s night on Thursday on Long Island. Two Bouchard turnovers led to breakaway goals, and Bo Horvat scored on a set play on the power play. Skinner ends up with an .875 save percentage and a “bad game” on paper — but if you watched, you know he was solid.

That’s two quality starts in three games, and he was one mistake away from three-for-three. The narrative never matches reality with goalies in Edmonton. The numbers don’t always tell the truth — the tape does.

Bring Back Noah Philp

Not seeing Noah Philp in the lineup on Tuesday was a head-scratcher. The kid scores his first NHL goal — then gets scratched? Knoblauch did the same thing to Jeff Skinner last year. Build players up, don’t bench them.

Philp was on the ice for two five-on-five goals against before Thursday, which probably cost him his spot. Still, I’d have him back in Saturday against New Jersey, even if Janmark’s ready. The team looked flat, and Philp brings speed, defensive awareness, and now, a little offence too.

He’s done more than enough to stay in.

Potential Lineup vs. New Jersey

Assuming Alec Regula’s still out and Jake Walman isn’t ready, the blueline stays the same.

Nugent-Hopkins – McDavid – Savoie

Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Roslovic
Manigapane – Henrique – Frederic
Janmark – Philp – Tomasek

McDavid needs help at five-on-five. The offence isn’t flowing, so give him two workhorses — Nugent-Hopkins and Savoie. They can keep pace, win pucks, and still produce.

Draisaitl? He can play with anyone.

In the bottom six, I’m swapping out Kapanen and Howard for Janmark and Philp. The group needs some jump. Manigapane and Frederic have looked better away from McDavid, and the third line could finally win some matchups.

Sorry, Curtis Lazar — no revenge game this time.

Please Shoot

Dear Connor McDavid,

Please shoot the puck. You’re the best player in the NHL. Trust yourself.

Signed,
Every Oilers fan who watched you pass to Troy Stecher instead of shooting.

That is all.

Another Solid 2025 Draft Pick

Last week, we talked about David Lewandowski from the Oilers’ 2025 draft class. This week, it’s Tommy Lafrenière’s turn.

He came back to Kamloops slowly — three points in six games — but since being bumped to the top line, he’s been flying. Four goals and an assist in his last two, now up to a point per game. He’s attacking with confidence and showing exactly why the Oilers took him in the third round.

I tried to recruit Lafrenière to Sherwood Park when I was head scout, but he signed in the WHL soon after. Seeing him produce now feels like validation — the kid’s legit.

Even without an early pick, the Oilers’ 2025 class looks solid.

Jeans Bouchard

You learn something new every day. Thursday night, it was the “Jeans Award” — thanks to Aaron and Brett on 

Oilersnation After Dark. It goes to the player who looks like someone from the crowd got subbed in. Safe to say that honour belonged to Evan “Jeans” Bouchard after a tough night.

Knoblauch said post-game, “I’ve seen Evan play better.” Ekholm added, “One of Evan’s superpowers is his ability to forget quickly.”

They’re both right. We know what Bouchard is — and what he isn’t. He’s going to make defensive blunders, then turn around and win you playoff games with his poise and passing.

It’s Game 4 of 82. Take a breath. When it matters, Bouchard shows up.

Let’s just hope he plays well enough this season that we can stop hearing about his contract.

Adrien Kempe’s Future

What if Adrien Kempe became available this summer?

David Pagnotta stated on Oilersnation Everyday that Kempe wants to stay in Edmonton. However, the LA Kings are struggling to come to terms with the money that he’d demand. Pagnotta speculated that Kempe was $11-$12 million, and the Kings want it to start with a nine. That figure won’t cut it in the NHL.

Negotiations have been paused and will reconvene later this month, but what if they continue poorly? Could Kempe sneak his way to free agency?

With so many players recently re-signing, Kempe would easily become the #1 player available on July 1st. Plus, if the Kings continue to struggle, maybe he’ll just say he’s good and try somewhere else.

We’ve obviously watched him a ton the past few years in the players, and I am sure Oilers fans appreciate the kind of player he is. He’s the guy Edmonton threw the chequebook at this summer. He’s the player that you put next to McDavid and watch the magic happen.

We are still many months away, but it’s something to watch for.