After winning the Western Conference for the second straight year, the Edmonton Oilers revamped their supporting cast while preparing for another run at the Stanley Cup.
But they are just 4-4-2 in their last 10 games heading into Monday’s road game against the St. Louis Blues.
“We’re not playing our best hockey, and we knew at the beginning of the season that it was going to take a while to build this and get our identity,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “It’s going to take a while. Some of it, we’ve solved things. Our schedule now is going to get a little more difficult.
“We’ve got a lot of change at the beginning of the season with the players that we have coming in. We’re trying to settle things out and put lines together with everyone understanding what our systems are and playing the way we know we can. It’s a long process and hopefully we’re trending in the right way.”
Edmonton’s changes included adding free agent forward Jack Roslovic after the season began. Roslovic scored a goal Saturday as the Oilers edged the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime.
Roslovic has scored two goals and earned three assists in his first 11 games after arriving in Edmonton.
“He was great, he’s been great since he’s been here,” Oilers center Connor McDavid said. “It’s pretty impressive, he doesn’t have a (training) camp, jumps right in and has looked really dangerous every game.”
McDavid assisted on all three goals against the Blackhawks after producing just three points (two goals, one assist) in his previous four games. On the other hand, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl has been on a roll with four goals and five assists in his last five games.
The Blues carry a seven-game winless streak (0-5-2) into this game. Losing top center Robert Thomas (upper-body injury) and winger Jake Neighbours (lower-body injury) has magnified their problems.
Coach Jim Montgomery has been searching for signs of progress as the Blues’ downturn continues.
“We’re trying to stay in the moment,” Montgomery said. “That’s the way we always are with our process. And right now, the last two games, our process has been good and as we continue to improve upon it then the results will come.”
The Blues’ 3-2 loss at Columbus on Saturday night represented their best defensive showing since their 2-1 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 21.
“What I liked was our defensive habits were significantly better,” Montgomery said. “And I liked our first period and our third period. The biggest dislike from the game was too many turnovers, trying to go east-west against a team that had three back all night long.
“In the third period, we got in behind them and worked and forechecked and ended up generating a lot of scoring chances.”
Since Montgomery started Joel Hofer in goal against the Blue Jackets, he could go back to No. 1 netminder Jordan Binnington (2-4-2, 3.21 goals-against average) against the Oilers.
Edmonton has started Stuart Skinner (4-3-2, 2.52 GAA) in net the past three games.
