David Staples of the Edmonton Journal says three former Oilers forwards are off to strong starts this season, and the Edmonton Oilers are in a good spot of their own.
The timing is interesting. The Oilers sit at 11-2-2 and second in the NHL, so nobody in Edmonton is hunting for excuses this morning.
Staples wrote that the three ex-Oilers forwards are doing well, and that one departed Edmonton folk hero is not among them.
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Those stories always draw attention when a team lets forwards walk. Fans track every goal scored in another sweater and ask whether the front office got it right.
For Edmonton, the answer so far is on the scoreboard. The Oilers have scored 64 goals and allowed 44, a +20 goal differential that backs up the record.
They're first in the Pacific Division too, and the table shows how tight the race is behind them.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | DIFF | |
| 1. Edmonton Oilers | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 24 | +20 |
| 2. Vegas Golden Knights | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 20 | +8 |
| 3. Seattle Kraken | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| 4. San Jose Sharks | 16 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 15 | -12 |
| 5. Calgary Flames | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 14 | -15 |
| 6. Anaheim Ducks | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 13 | -4 |
| 7. Los Angeles Kings | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 10 | -9 |
| 8. Vancouver Canucks | 16 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 7 | -25 |
The Oilers have won three straight, most recently 4-1 at the Rangers on Sunday night. They're 7-2-1 over their last 10 games.
Oilers carry a perfect road mark into New Jersey
The road is where Edmonton has been most dangerous. The Oilers are 7-0-0 away from home, while their home record sits at 4-2-2.
That split is a little odd for a team that should be comfortable in its own building. But a team that wins every time it packs the bags isn't going to lose much sleep over it.
Tonight they get another test at the Devils, with puck drop still ahead. It's a chance to stretch both the winning streak and the road run.
The bigger question for the front office is how those departed forwards are judged over a full season. Strong starts are easy to celebrate in November, and Edmonton's 64 goals say the Oilers have not been lacking offense without them.
Stan Bowman's group can live with that for now. But if the scoring dips or those former forwards keep producing, the second-guessing in Edmonton will get louder, and a hot start for someone else is never forgotten by this fan base.
Next up is tonight in New Jersey, with the Oilers trying to keep the road record spotless.
Are the Oilers better off without the three forwards who left Edmonton?
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