The Caps visit Edmonton tonight, where the Oilers are off to a scorching hot start. The Oilers have been in rebuild mode since around the time Burr and Hamilton dueled in Weehawken, New Jersey. Could this be the year that they start to show signs of rejoining the ranks of respectable NHL franchises? With a talent like Connor McDavid, it’s certainly possible. I still think the Oilers are at least one big piece away from becoming a competitive club. Some say, oh I don’t know, like Taylor Hall. If they could acquire a talent like Hall, and put him with the maturing nucleus led by McDavid, this team might really have something cooking.
Puck drop is at 9:30 pm on CSN.
| Team | Record | Possession | PDO | Power Play | Penalty Kill |
| Edmonton Oilers | 5-1-0 | 48.1% | 101.8 | 16.7% | 87.0% |
| Washington Capitals | 3-1-1 | 55.9% | 104.3 | 12.5% | 71.4% |
Projected Lines
The change we’ve seen in the top-six at practice this week is likely to stick tonight.
Ovechkin – Kuznetsov – Burakovksy
Johansson – Backstrom – Oshie
Sanford – Eller – Williams
Winnik – Beagle – Wilson
Alzner – Niskanen
Orlov – Carlson
Orpik – Schmidt
Holtby
Reminder: Taylor Hall is good
If you trade this guy, you should probably get an elite talent back in return.
Just in case it wasn't clear who Hall's peers are https://t.co/VJgJtmTC9P pic.twitter.com/6hQRcKuOzN
— pfholden.bsky.social (@pfholden) June 30, 2016
Storylines
- The Caps are well aware that this is a dangerous Edmonton team but, come on, no one can really think they are better than the Caps.
- The Caps PK will likely be fine in the long run and Tom Wilson is one of the reasons why.
- TJ Oshie had to get his face sewn back together.
- We sounded the Chorn Horn on our podcast this week and you can expect the Caps to do the same on this road trip.
- Matt Niskanen got some love in a discussion on the PDOcast of the top 10 defensemen in the NHL.
- How Kuzy won the west and where it got us.
- Barry Trotz wants his team playing a fast style of hockey. Cheers, coach.
Awesome Jersey Alert
It’s time we talked about the Oilers’ alternate jersey. It’s one of the best in hockey and that’s just all there is to it. Look at this beauty:
Full Coverage of Caps at Oilers
Headline photo: Elsa
