It’s Game Day Oil Kings fans, and the team is headed to Saskatchewan for a Wednesday night showdown with the Pats of Regina. They will look to shake off an unfortunate outcome in Calgary last Saturday and find their way back to the win column in The Queen City.
The Oil Kings came out of the gate hot with a pair of wins against Red Deer while many players were still off training with NHL Teams. The game against Calgary saw the debut of Max Curran, and the returns of Adam Jecho and Blake Fiddler to the lineup, yet the reinforcements did not swing the game in Edmonton’s favor. Though Edmonton started strong and had a 3-2 lead early into the third period, a missed Landon Hanson penalty shot seemed to swing momentum into Calgary’s favor. Instead of being 4-2 Edmonton on a penalty shot goal, only 22 seconds after Calgary tied the game at 3’s and never let off the gas.
This week, we have seen both Miroslav Holinka and Parker Alcos be returned to Edmonton from their NHL camps, so the Oil Kings will be at 100% Strength for the trip to “The Land of the Living Skies.” Returning players, especially with NHL training camps under the belts, should be seen as a massive boost to a roster. Yet, in situations like Edmonton’s we may yet see some growing pains. These players being away for as long as they were has limited the exposure to new head coach Jason Smith, limiting his ability to evaluate team fits and line deployments. So I think we may want to temper expectations for another game or two to allow some time for the full roster to find its rhythm and determine the best line combinations and defensive pairings.
In order to make room for Holinka and Alcos' return, Edmonton has reassigned Matt Williams who will be heading out to join the Whitecourt Wolverines. Williams had played in both Red Deer games of opening weekend, and finished with 1 Assist and a +2 rating. He was a healthy scratch in Calgary and now finds himself headed to the AJHL to be able to get some playing time.
If you have been following our daily Roil Recollections, you will already know that Edmonton is historically 5-1-2 on the first day of October. If you haven’t been following, and wish to see what else has happened on this day, make sure to check it out HERE.
On The Throne
Those players that are considered to be trending upwards, on a hot streak, or otherwise impressing will be seen as being On The Throne.
Luke Powell - What a start to the year it has been for Luke Powell. He got the Oil Kings first goal of the game in Red Deer, added the eventual game winner, had the primary assist on Andrew O’Neill’s game winner in Edmonton, and now potted his 3rd goal of the season to extend his season starting scoring streak to three games. Powell finished last season with 2 goals and 8 points through 42 games, so he is well on his way to shattering those marks in this new season. He has been the most consistent player on the team, and even making the move from playing with Matt Williams and Jack Toogood, to joining Andrew O’Neill and Joe Iginla in Calgary couldn’t stop his streak. He has been an extremely pleasant surprise so far.
Max Curran - The Oil Kings biggest offseason addition slid into the lineup and looked like he had been there all along. Having a few extra days to get acclimated (and recover from a minor injury) since his return from Colorado clearly helped Curran fit in for his first game as an Oil King. He found himself centering a line between early season upstart Dylan Dean, and the recently returned St.Louis Blues prospect Adam Jecho, and made sure that his was the first name on the score sheet as he had a quick response to Calgary’s opening goal when he tied the game at 1 only 22 seconds later. He had 74 points for Tri-City last year, and we’re expecting big things from him in Edmonton.
Blake Fiddler - We expected Blake to spend a little more time in Seattle, so it was bittersweet to see him back in the Oil Kings sweater this early in the season. That said, he came back and looked the part of the #1 D that he is. Calgary dropped 6 goals on Edmonton but only 1 counted against Fiddler, a seeing-eye point-shot that went through 6 bodies on its way past Ethan Simcoe, and none of them was Fiddler. He responded by getting the primary assist on the breakout feed that led to Joe Iginla’s first of the season, and the Hitmen’s 4 goal third period was all during shifts where Fiddler was on the bench. Clearly teams will be looking to roll their top players away from the Oil Kings top defender, because when he is on the ice the blueline will be a hard line to cross.
Off The Throne
Players that are struggling through a rough patch, on a cold streak, or possibly battling the puck at times will be viewed as being Off The Throne.
The First Line - It has been a tough start to the year for the Oil Kings 1st listed line. With only a combined 2 assists combined through 3 games for Hodnett, Hanson, and Sawchyn they surely want to start producing more. The Calgary game went from bad to worse for this line, as Hanson missed his opportunity on the penalty shot, and then finished a -3 in the game. Hodnett and Sawchyn each finished a -4. Some combination of these 3 players were on the ice for 5 of 6 goals against in the game, and put up zero points of their own. Everyone is going to have bad days now and then, but with the talent and expectations on this top line, and their roles as leaders on the team, you know they are going to be itching to get the momentum going in their favor soon.
At the Gate
Who is the man standing between the pipes, the soldier standing between the opponent’s hopes and dreams? The man in the mask, and heavy padding, is the man At the Gate. This is our section where we will look at the starting goaltenders.
Ethan Simcoe had a rough outing against Calgary, but he is in line for a big bounce back. In 3 games against Regina last year, Simcoe had a 3-0 record with a 1.98 GAA and .926 Sv%. As much as Calgary has had Ethan’s number, he has equally been dominant against the Pats. Following up a 4 goal third period on the weekend with a solid outing tonight could be the first step to restoring Simcoe as the undoubted #1 Goalie.
Parker Snell has never suited up against Regina, so from a matchup standpoint he is a relatively unknown commodity. We know what we have in Snell overall, however, as he has a 0.36 GAA and a .987 Sv% through 3 WHL games played. Absolutely ridiculous stats that warrant him being a viable starter anywhere and anytime that Jason Smith wants to lean that direction.
The Roil Ledger
How well do the Oil Kings match up with their opponents? How have they fared against them in recent seasons? Is there a lot of red in that ledger, or have the results been more positive? We’ll take a look at recent history and notable stats between the two teams.
In the 2024-25 season these teams met 4 times, and each one was a tight contest. Regina won the first game in a shootout, Edmonton took the 2nd in OT and the 3rd by 1 goal. The third ended up being a 5-2 Oil Kings win, but was still tied 1-1 after the first period before Edmonton’s offensive outburst put some separation between the teams.
Edmonton holds a small edge on the all time season series between the 2 teams, with a 33-30-3-2 record, and are 16-14-2-2 all time in Regina. The last time Regina won the season series between these teams was the 22/23 WHL Season, which was Connor Bedard’s final WHL year.
The Threats Beyond the Wall
What awaits the Oil Kings on the other side of the ice? Who should they be keeping an eye on? How has the opponent stacked up around the league? We’ll be looking at the players to watch, those high on prospect draft boards, and the ones already drafted by NHL teams. The team’s place in the standings, win or loss streaks, and other important information to prime everyone to be ready for the opposition.
Connor Bedard is a few years removed, but the Regina Pats are at a crossroads as they await their next future star. 2025 First overall draft pick Maddox Schultz has extremely high expectations, but is a year away from being a full-time player for their team. He received an exemption from the CHL for his exemplary performance at the U15 level last season, and therefore is eligible to participate in 34 games with the Pats this year while he continues his U18 development. While he has not yet scored this season, his top-tier pedigree suggests the Oil Kings should be very cautious every time he is on the ice.
It was a rough year for Regina last year finishing at the bottom of the league, but one of their lone bright spots was 2005-born forward Caden Brown. Brown led the team in scoring with 15 goals and 28 points through 41 games played. Not outstanding numbers, but solid for a top player on a bottom of the league team. He’s started this year with similar results, as he already has 2 goals through 3 games. With 1 shorthanded and 1 with a man-advantage, Brown is someone to watch on any special teams opportunities.
Julien Maze is another name to look out for, as #72 for the Pats has some flash and skill to his game. His lone goal on the year so far was a between the legs beauty. His assists have shown a diversity of feather touch passes, chip touches to keep a play alive, and speedy one-timers that mean he will always be a threat anytime he has the puck on his stick.
On the backend, the biggest name to lookout for is Regina captain Ephram McNutt. A trade acquisition last winter from Prince George, McNutt provided 19 points in 37 games after his arrival last year. He’s started this year with 2 assists through 3 games and a sturdy presence on the defense. More importantly, he’s a smart and integral leader for their team who can inspire those around him.
Between the Pipes, Regina is looking for anybody to step up and make a claim to be their number 1 guy. Taylor Tabashniuk appears to be their preferred starter for the time being, but he has struggled through his 2 appearances so far, including coming in in relief in their last game. As the youngest goalie on the roster, he has the most promise but Regina will most likely look to insulate him as best they can until they can get him up to the speed of the WHL game.
Barring a miraculous surprise return of Gracyn Sawchyn, the Oil Kings roster is now completely returned from NHL Camps and we can start seeing the overall roster take shape as soon as tonight. You can watch the game for free on Victory+, or listen along on iHeartRadio, or if you are reading this from Regina then I hope you will enjoy the game from the Brandt Center tonight. The next game will be Friday October 3rd in Moose Jaw as the Oil Kings continue this early season road trip with a Friday Night battle against the Warriors. Make sure you’re following us here at The Roil Line for all future Roil Briefings!