Hot Links: Thursday, December 5

Morning, everyone.

I’d imagine a sullen mood has hit the city after the Oilers took a whole human poop in their pants on live TV last night, losing 5-2 to an objectively bad Ottawa team playing their fifth straight road game and second in two nights.

Yikes.

Connor McDavid was held without a point, Oilers starter Mikko Koskinen was yanked in favor of Mike Smith who then was also bad, and the Oilers couldn’t even manage to outshoot the Senators despite trailing for half the game.

Nothing good came from yesterday. I’d argue that that would include Ken Holland’s media availability, too, but you can decide for yourselves.

Talk of what this team is and what it should do continues to be a hot topic, and the Oilers’ performance last night can only serve to muddy the waters. It’s hard to fully commit to adding a significant piece to a team that serves up that dross every time they play a bad team. At the same time, they’ve already done that a handful of times and they’re still pacing the division. What to do, what to do.

The Oilers have a day off (from games at least) to think about what they’ve done and hopefully regroup in time for Friday night’s battle with the Los Angeles Kings. Another bad team, but likely less bad than the Senators. Can it still be considered a trap game after they just got caught in a trap game and therefore should be, theoretically, more aware of the idea of trap games?

Or maybe we should simply do away with the idea that the Oilers are even good enough to have trap games? Ottawa is 12-11-1 outside of their recently busted five-game skid. Not too dissimilar from the Oilers’ 12-10-3 outside of their now distant five-game heater to start the year, really. And is anyone suggesting the Senators have trap games?

While you ruminate on that, here are your links for today:

From Us

GAME RECAP: Senators 5, Oilers 2 (Copper and Blue)

GAME THREAD: Edmonton Oilers vs. Ottawa Senators (Copper and Blue)

GAME PREVIEW: Edmonton Oilers vs. Ottawa Senators (Copper and Blue)

Hot Links: Wednesday, November 4 (Copper and Blue)

From Elsewhere

Oilers Fall Way Short Of Playoff Form In Loss To Senators (Sportsnet)

Is Oilers Latest Loss To Senators A Cause For Concern? (Sportsnet)

Senators Put End To 5-Game Skid As Sudden Surge Of Offence Stuns Oilers (CBC)

Oilers GM Caught In Middle Of Player Unrest With Mike Babcock (Sun)

Oilers Recall Colby Cave From Bakersfield Condors (Oilersnation)

For Money

Ken Holland Responds To Allegations That Mike Babcock Mistreated Players In Detroit (Athletic)

How Will Hart Voters Choose Between Connor McDavid And Leon Draisaitl? (Athletic)