a·cu·men [ak-yuh-muhn] noun: keen insight; shrewdness

Welcome to Oil Acumen. All Oilers, all the time... Occasionally other stuff.

Sunday 25 December 2016

ONE OF THE BEST OILERS TEAMS IN 20 YEARS

How lucky are we to be watching an Oilers team with 18 wins at Christmas? It's a feat that this franchise has only managed four times in the past 20 seasons, including this one. Because of the two lockouts, it's also only the fourth time in 22 years.

It's Christmas time, so for just a moment let's all forget about the Hall trade, the loss the other night to the Sharks, the five game losing streak. What we are witnessing is the third-best Oilers season at the Christmas break in the last twenty.

They've only had a winning record at Christmas seven times. Just two years ago, the Oilers were 7-21-7 at Christmas and in last place. Merry Christmas, Oilers fans. You're in [almost] uncharted territory with this team. Take the time to enjoy it. Below is a list of Oilers records just after Christmas since 1995/96:

18-12-6 <== YOU ARE HERE
15-18-2
7-21-7
12-24-3
Lockout
15-16-3
12-15-6
15-18-4
15-14-3
16-18-3
18-15-2 (7th in Conference)
21-11-4 (Leading division, SCF year)
Lockout
12-16-6-0
16-12-4-3
20-12-5-2
17-14-5-1
11-11-9-5
14-16-3
11-18-9
15-18-4
11-19-6