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About the Oilers

Edmonton Oilers’ improved flow of play masked by poor goaltending -- Nick Normandeau at The Cult of Hockey
Some of the names and faces have changed, but the results have been depressingly similar for the Edmonton Oilers in recent years, but there is improvement in shot shares under both Eakins and Nelson in 2014-15 does suggest that overall, the Oilers are starting to turn things around.

The 24th Man (IR) -- Lowetide at OilersNation
Last season, Nikita Nikitin hit the IR early and often. As players age and their ability to play at a high level erodes, the wear and tear impacts more often and leaves those players on the sidelines with increasing frequency. A lot of talk these days about the Oilers having 'too many defensemen' but how many healthy blue do they have?

Desperation Time: Tyler Pitlick -- Alex Thomas at The Oilers Rig
2015-16 is it, this is Tyler Pitlick’s last call with the Edmonton Oilers. If he can’t seal the deal now, he’ll be looking for a new home come July of 2016. Pitlick, the 31st selection in the 2010 NHL draft, has done nothing but show signs since turning pro in the fall of 2011.

Oilers pick Caleb Jones looks to make his mark in Portland -- Buzzing the Net
"It was a surreal feeling (when Edmonton drafted me)," he says. "I was on the top of the world when I saw they drafted me. It’s a moment I’ll never forget and it was an honour to be drafted by a world-class organization. They are a good young team and have a bright future and a great history as well. And to be drafted in the same draft and by the same team as Connor McDavid – that’s pretty special."

Around the NHL

A closer look at NHL's partnership with MLBAM -- Sportsnet.ca
One year ago, Forbes Magazine called MLB Advanced Media "The Biggest Media Company You’ve Never Heard Of." As of Tuesday, hockey fans can brag they know. MLBAM, already the streaming-video provider for HBO, ESPN and World Wrestling Entertainment (among others), closed a deal with the NHL to run GameCenter Live, Centre Ice, the NHL Network, NHL.com and the individual team websites for the next six years.

The fallacy of a multi-year tank, as it relates to the Leafs -- Pension Plan Puppets
Something that Oilers fans can relate to: Some fans want the Leafs to tank for multiple years. They're wrong.

Shootout Game Theory: Should Shooters Want Goalies Guessing? -- Arik Parnass at AP Hockey
Assuming the unrealistic context of an NHL goalie having complete information on the shooter’s true shootout talent, ie their base rate, and the percentage of the time in which he uses a primary move relative to a secondary one, what happens?

Elite Snipers 101: Part 2 -- The Players' Tribune
The second part of Jonathan Quick's look at snippers around the NHL.

Some Golden Bears news

Lazo and Craige sign pro deals -- Matt Gutsch from Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics
University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey graduates Jesse Craige and Johnny Lazo will be continuing the hockey careers after signing pro contracts in Japan and Italy respectively.