Locked On Oilers - Daily Podcast On The Edmonton Oilers

With Zach Hyman sidelined, Coach Chris Knoblauch is putting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl back together on the first line. In this episode, we dive deep into what this means for the entire Oilers lineup. Why Knoblauch is going back to McDavid-Draisaitl pairing: The "floor vs ceiling" coaching philosophy Trickle-down effects on the rest of the lineup Lessons from the Stanley Cup Final deployment What this says about the team's playoff mindset Impact on young players like Savoie and Howard 

9:18 FanDuel sponsorship and NFL betting options 

11:51 Implications of pairing McDavid and Draisaitl 

18:34 Knoblauch's mindset and playoff expectations 

24:42 Oilers' defensive strategy and situational play 

McDavid & Draisaitl REUNITED: Why Knoblauch is Making This HUGE Change 

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The Edmonton Oilers have gotten off to disappointing starts in each of the last two seasons but can they break the cycle this year? In this episode of Locked On Oilers, we dive deep into the historical context behind Edmonton's slow starts and what needs to change. 

With The Athletic ranking the Oilers as the #2 "win-now" team in the NHL behind only Dallas, the pressure is mounting for immediate results. Host Nick Zararis explains why this upcoming season feels like do-or-die time, especially with Connor McDavid's contract situation looming and key veterans aging out of their primes. We also explore how other championship teams like Tampa Bay, Colorado, and Vegas took years to build their winning culture - and whether Edmonton has learned enough from their two Stanley Cup Final appearances to finally break through

1:32 - Why Historical Context Matters in Hockey 

3:14 - Breaking Down Last Season's Problems 

3:57 - 2024-25 Season Stats: 7-7-1 Start Analysis 

4:41 - Roster Turnover and Chemistry Issues 

6:06 - Darnell Nurse's Limited Preseason Impact 

6:46 - Connor McDavid's 2023 Overtraining Admission 

7:07 - 2023-24 Disaster: The Jay Woodcroft Era

 8:35 - First Break 

10:32 - Why Getting Off to Good Starts Matters 

13:04 - The Mental Grind of an 82-Game Season 

14:29 - How Bad Starts Led to Great Runs 

18:26 - Second Break

 19:25 - Do or Die: Championship Window Analysis 

20:52 - Building for the Future vs. Win-Now Mode 

24:55 - Preseason's Role in Success 

25:38 - Chris Knoblauch's Growth as Coach 

27:46 - Wrap-Up 

Why the Edmonton Oilers Keep Starting Slow - Will 2024-25 Be Different? 

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The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Vasily Podkolzin to a multi-year extension. Host Nick Zararis analyzes the macro and micro implications of Podkolzin's extension for the Oilers in terms of their roster building, the fit with Leon Draisaitl, why it's an overture towards Connor McDavid and his potential upside. Nick also explores why Podkolzin is such a good example of the need to take chances in roster assembly.

5:07 Oilers need to identify underutilized players 1

5:20 Podkolzin's role amplifying Draisaitl's strengths 

19:32 Oilers roster uncertainty and future outlook 

24:39 Evaluating Podkolzin's potential impact and value 

DONE DEAL: Edmonton Oilers sign Vasily Podkolzin to extension | Why deal is a win win 

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The NHL preseason has never mattered less, so much so the league is taking preseason games away next year. While established stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have little to prove in September, for teams at large and fringe players, there is no greater opportunity to get yourself noticed. Host Nick Zararis explores why players like Ike Howard and Matthew Savoie's roles in the preseason is more important than their stat production.

 0:00 Intro: NHL preseason's diminishing value 

4:37 Preseason matters most for fringe players 

9:11 Practical applications of preseason games

 13:47 Evaluating defensemen pairings and prospects 

22:33 Building confidence through preseason play 

26:38 Preseason's true purpose: Opportunity for prospects 

Discussion: What the Edmonton Oilers can accomplish in the preseason | Learning lessons 

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The Edmonton Oilers face a franchise altering decision as Connor McDavid's contract situation remains unresolved. Host Nick Zararis walks through the perspectives of both the Oilers and McDavid himself, explores potential outcomes and the trickle down effects. From roster challenges to the fate of star contracts around the league, this episode dissects the complexities of the NHL"s best player and his future with the Oilers. 

5:12 Analyzing Oilers' Stanley Cup contention chances 

10:46 Oilers' roster turnover and contract challenges 

16:24 McDavid's importance as best player in NHL 

21:01 Potential impact of McDavid reaching free agency

 25:05 Predictions for McDavid's next contract terms 

Why the Connor McDavid extension story won't go away | The Oilers NEED to get this done Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Monarch Money Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnhl for 50% off your first year. FanDuel Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOOilers?sid=YouTube Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL #NHL #Oilers #EdmontonOilers

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The Edmonton Oilers penalty kill derailed their Stanley Cup final in 2025. Host Nick Zararis analyzes the Oilers penalty kill over the last several seasons and why last year's postseason was an absolute worst case scenario. Nick also explores potential personnel changes including building the units around players other than Adam Henrique and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. 3:06 Aggressive vs passive penalty kill approaches

 6:40 Importance of structure in penalty killing 

11:45 Analyzing Oilers' playoff penalty kill stats

 15:50 Impact of poor goaltending on penalty kill 

19:24 Personnel considerations for penalty kill 22:59 Challenges of maintaining discipline on PK 

26:31 Oilers' regular season vs playoff PK performance 

The Edmonton Oilers penalty kill is unpredictable | Why it should bounce back in 2025 

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The Edmonton Oilers desperately need their power play to pick up some of the even strength scoring slack. While the Oilers power play still features as much star power as ever including Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard but it took a step back last year. Now, facing a sliding doors season, the Oilers power play must return to elite status to keep Edmonton a Stanley Cup contender. Host Nick Zararis breaks down recent statistical trends including a dip in efficency last year, offers personnel suggestions and why the Oilers power play is integral to the team's overall success. 

3:16 Mechanics and strategy of Oilers' power play 

7:18 McDavid's gravity and power play options

 12:29 Importance of power play structure and principles 

15:33 Issues with relying on point shots 

21:38 Power play crucial for Oilers' Cup chances 

25:41 Creating dangerous offense through movement 

Why the Edmonton Oilers power play is at a crossroads | Star Power alone isn't enough 

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The Edmonton Oilers face an organizational crossroad in net. After this season, both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard are free agents. Neither Skinner or Pickard has inspired much confidence as a full-time NHL starter, but short of other options, the Oilers are running it back one last time. On this episode, host Nick Zararis lays out the narratives surrounding each goalie and why outside options like Carter Hart and Ilya Samsonov just aren't realistic. 

4:08 Stuart Skinner's mediocre stats and expectations 

8:42 Last chance for Skinner and Pickard 

14:20 Calvin Pickard's unlikely NHL journey continues 

19:37 Analyzing potential external goalie options for Oilers 

24:45 Ilya Samsonov as a possible alternative 

DEBATE: How the Edmonton Oilers should manage Stuart Skinner | Why this is his last chance 

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Entering the 2025-2026 season, the Edmonton Oilers return all seven of their defenseman from last year's Stanley Cup final team and it presents options for head coach Kris Knoblauch. While Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm are likely to reunite, past the Oilers first pair, there are question marks about who plays with who. Host Nick Zararis makes a case for pairing Darnell Nurse with Jake Walman and why the Oilers should give Ty Emberson a serious chance to stick at the NHL level 

0:00 Intro: Oilers defense preview for upcoming season

4:39 Core players and building a championship team

11:46 Analyzing potential defensive pairings

15:51 Ekholm-Bouchard pairing and performance stats

20:26 Strengths of Oilers' veteran-laden defense

24:29 Key questions for Oilers defense this season

28:02 Outro: Preview of next episode on goaltending

Projecting the Edmonton Oilers defense | Why Darnell Nurse is the x-factor 

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The Edmonton Oilers offense underperformed expectations last year. With expectations as high as ever, the Oilers have serious questions in their forward group beyond the regular brilliance of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. On this episde, host Nick Zararis predicts the goal total for each Oilers' forward, how he would deploy the forwards to cope with Zach Hyman missing time and what it all means narrative wise. 

4:08 Analyzing career goal averages for Oilers 

8:42 Projections for rookies and new additions 

12:52 Proposed forward line combinations 

19:32 Importance of preseason games 

23:36 Oilers shifting to more cycle-based offense 

Predicting the Edmonton Oilers forward production | Why McDavid and Draisaitl have career years

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