Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch not concerned by blowout loss

Wednesday was a rough evening for the Edmonton Oilers as they fell 6-1 to the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre. The Jets iced a lineup full of NHL vets while the Oilers sat a number of regulars, including superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch wasn't surprised by the outcome, saying that having less top talent on the team made for a tougher game, something that was by design in the hopes of managing workloads through the pre-season.

The veteran-laden lineup for Winnipeg began to take control early inside the game. Neal Pionk had the most rampant night with four points, but it was a well-rounded attack that saw Adam Lowry, Brad Lambert, Colin Miller, Kyle Conner, and Nikolaj Ehlers find the back of the net. It was a combined effort that gave the Jets their first win of the preseason in a game that showcased just how strong and together their NHL regulars are. The Winnipeg team was dominant from start to finish and showcased just how large of an experience gap was present between the rosters.

The lone highlight for Edmonton came courtesy of a goal from Connor Brown. Goaltender Stuart Skinner made his preseason debut, stopping 23 of 27 shots before being replaced by Collin Delia for the final period. Delia faced 10 shots, saving eight. One-sided, the game did well in providing game-time experience well needed for some of Edmonton's younger and fringe players vying for key roster spots.

The Oilers will continue to cut more from their roster as the preseason progresses. Coach Knoblauch suggested that the veterans would start to get more ice time in the remaining games, testing key line combinations such as one with Draisaitl, Jeff Skinner, and Viktor Arvidsson. The final four preseason games likely sort the lineups out and build that chemistry with players who are supposed to be impact players once the regular season does get underway.

While it was a pretty heavy defeat, the game served a valuable purpose for the Oilers' coaching staff since it gave them a better idea of just who might and could make the team. With the competition for the fourth-line center and elsewhere starting to round into shape, it's on to the final process of firming up the opening-night roster. The Oilers are going to have to regroup in a hurry as they try to set their team for the 2024-25 season.