A fundraising effort has been unveiled by the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) to benefit hockey enthusiasts in northern Alberta.
EOCF focused on expanding the Every Kid Deserves a Shot campaign by donating $45,000 to five Fort McMurray, Alberta-based nonprofits.
inspire 100,000 children to take up hockey.
Executive director of EOCF Myrna Khan stated in a release on Wednesday, “We are proud to help bring the life-changing power of the Every Kid Deserves a Shot initiative to the kids and community of Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.”
“Empowering kids through the power of hockey can change kids’ lives and set them on the right path for the future, while also helping to build strong, healthy communities,” she said.
According to a statement from Oilers Entertainment Group, Jacinda Davis, vice-president of communications for Fort McMurray Minor Hockey, said that the funding from EOCF “will significantly advance (their) philosophy of removing barriers and promoting inclusion for all youth in sports.”
Their kind donations not only improve our programs but also help our community’s youth to grow and thrive,” Davis continued.
The EOCF’s email address is available to anyone who would like to contribute to the cause (opens in a new tab).
3 Big Issues Explain Oilers Poor Start to the 2024-25 Season
The Stanley Cup was predicted to be won by the Edmonton Oilers. Still, they’ve had difficulty. What has been the Oilers’ poor start to the season?
Although the season hasn’t started as the Edmonton Oilers may have hoped, the club did ultimately win. Hockey Central’s David Amber and team dove into the Edmonton Oilers’ dismal season debut. During their conversation, they questioned what went wrong.
The panel examines the team’s most important problems below. They provide their thoughts on how the Oilers could make things right in the video below. They discuss defensive lapses, the penalty kill, and Connor McDavid’s possible breakthrough in their analysis.
The Oilers Have Had Difficulties With Their Penalty Death
The Oilers’ penalty kill has been a major source of worry for them this season. As Amber pointed out, the team was traditionally good in this area during the playoffs the previous season, even if they are currently dead last in the NHL at 56.3%. They eliminated 30 penalties in a row. It has been challenging to duplicate that performance in the current season, though. They conceded five goals on their first six penalty kills, a startling decline.
The experts note that a major contributing factor to this setback has been the personnel changes made by the Oilers. Notable penalty-killers such as Cody Ceci, Warren Foegele, and Ryan McLeod are no longer with the squad. Roles have been rearranged as a result of their absence. The Oilers’ penalty-kill percentage is only 44% even though they played flawlessly in their most recent game. In the future, that is a major problem. Goaltending is essential for any penalty kill squad, Amber underlined. To put it briefly, the Oilers need their goalies to be more reliable in order to stabilise this area of their game.
Certain News Defensive Pairings Have Undergone Modifications
The Oilers’ defensive pairings have also received notice, especially in light of the loss of Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais. Amber and his teammates talked about the defensive structure of the club being affected by Ceci’s absence. The blue line has a void where Ceci left off, moving to San Jose. In particular, Nurse’s game has previously been enhanced by his teaming with him. The Oilers are still getting used to the new faces, like Travis Dermott, who is still trying to find his spot.
The Edmonton Oilers’ Darnell Nurse is searching for a reliable defenseman to play with.
Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard are predicted to be a strong top duo. However, it takes some time for the second and third pairings to settle. As Amber pointed out, whether the Oilers can find their defensive footing in the upcoming games will depend greatly on how well they adjust during this time.
