Ya know, defence (and maybe an NHL trade deadline deal) wins championships

Oscar Klefbom is leading the NHL in average time-on-ice and looking more and more like a true No. 1 defenceman, while Ethan Bear has been the surprise of the season on the blue line and has fit right in among the Oilers’ top-four blue-liners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rumour has been persistent since early in this NHL season, that Taylor Hall — former Edmonton Oilers star — would welcome a trade away from the New Jersey Devils, who have faltered on the ice thus far. And his rumoured preferred destination? The Oilers. Host Craig Ellingson talks to hockey beat writer Derek Van Diest about the rumours and what a Taylor Hall trade to Edmonton would mean for the team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After playing Eastern Conference teams for more than half of their games through the first third of November, the Edmonton Oilers will face their fellow Western NHL squads exclusively for 10 straight games through the start of December. The stretch includes six road games and seven clashes with their Pacific Division siblings. What it could mean is we’ll see some separation from the pack by the Oilers or find Edmonton jostling with their rivals to stay in the playoff mix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Win some, lose some. Recent games are suggesting the Connor McDavid- and Leon Draisaitl-led Edmonton Oilers are human after all. After a torrid start to the 2019-20 NHL campaign, the Oilers have lost games they probably should have been in on — and have won games they likely should have lost. Considering the team is still getting very good goaltending and scoring from its stars, however, there is reason to believe these aren't last season's Oilers, which saw things go sideways come mid-December. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Edmonton Oilers' so-called 'bottom six' forwards have yet to score a goal — and most have yet to notch even an assist — almost a month into the 2019-20 NHL season. Hockey beat writers Jim Matheson and Rob Tychkowski talk to host Craig Ellingson about the team's secondary-scoring woes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Edmonton Oilers are flying high to start the 2019-20 NHL season, but even teams that touch the top of the standings can see their star players fall off a bit as seen in recent games. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl didn’t crowd the scoresheet in a win over Detroit and in a shutout shootout loss to the Jets, which once again underscores the need for the Oilers to conjure goals from their secondary lines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Edmonton Oilers' strong start to the 2019-20 NHL season is certainly a pleasant surprise to the team's fans. Hockey Hall of Fame writer Jim Matheson talks to host Craig Ellingson about how the Oilers can keep producing at this level, barring setbacks due to injury. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ll take Connor McDavid at less than 100 per cent if that’s what it looks like given his performance in the Edmonton Oilers’ first two games of the NHL regular season. McDavid and linemates Leon Draisaitl and Zack Kassian were in fine scoring form against the Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings as the Oilers start the 2019-20 campaign with a pair of home wins. Also: • goalie Mike Smith’s wandering ways. • the impact of Adam Larsson’s long-term injury to the Oilers' defensive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new season, a whole lot of new faces at forward to play alongside Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins et al. And as usual when new players are added to the Edmonton Oilers’ mix, it remains to be seen if the moves and gambles made by the general manager and the coaching staff will result in more sparks. Hockey beat writers Jim Matheson and Rob Tychkowski join host Craig Ellingson to talk about the start of the 2019-20 NHL season for the Oilers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connor McDavid was rusty handling the puck but his knee, injured at the end of last season, looked fine in preseason action against the Arizona Coyotes as the NHL star saw his first action since he tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Hockey beat writers Jim Matheson and Derek Van Diest join host Craig Ellingson to talk about McDavid, and the state of the team in training camp on both offence and defence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices