Game Thread: Oilers at Dallas - In Search of Offence

No wins. No goals. And now potentially no Taylor Hall. You've got to hand it to the Oilers, they can take all the hype and optimism associated with a new season and kill it quicker than any other team in the league. Of course the Oilers - and perhaps more importantly, Connor McDavid - are going to score a few goals at some point this season, likely a lot sooner than later. And they're going to win some games too, so there is no need to throw yourself off the High Level just yet. For a fan base that's long been deprived of on-ice success it sure would be nice if those goals and wins started happening, oh I don't know, tonight maybe.

How To Watch

Puck drop: 6:30PM MST
TV: Sportsnet Oilers
Radio: 630 CHED

What To Watch For

Connor McDavid and Nail Yakupov didn't spend the whole game together on Saturday night, but they did find themselves on the ice together a few times and there seemed to be a little chemistry between them. Of course that didn't translate into any goals (has the lack of offence been mentioned yet?) but right now the coaches are looking for something, anything, that'll help spark the Oilers' offence and get this team moving in the right direction. There's no reason to think that the nearly forgotten first overall pick can't be a part of that.

The Opposing View

From Defending Big D:

While Hemsky on the third line may seem like an interesting choice given his fast start to the season, there's an intriguing chemistry with Janmark that the coaching staff obviously wants to continue to foster. Also, if that duo clicks with Eakin, it looks like a very strong two-way checking line on paper, as both Janmark and Hemsky have reputations as solid defensive players as well as scoring threats.

Projected Line Combinations

From Chris Wescott: