Oilers’ Max Jones is making a strong case to lock down a fourth-line spot in the playoffs |
Oil Country is starting to feel a bit less tense these days. The Edmonton Oilers are riding a five-game winning streak, playing a more complete game, and starting to get bodies back in the lineup.
Curtis Lazar recently returned after missing nearly a month of action, and Trent Frederic made his return to the lineup last game against the Chicago Blackhawks, having missed a few games.
Yet, with bottom-six players getting healthy and returning to the lineup, there aren’t enough spots for everyone moving forward, with players like Adam Henrique, Josh Samanski, and Max Jones also all in the mix for fourth-line jobs.
As the Oilers position themselves for a playoff spot, and with the possibility of Leon Draisaitl returning to the lineup in the future, deciding who gets a spot on the fourth line won’t be easy. Each of the players mentioned is making a case for themselves, one way or another, to have a role in the playoffs — should the Oilers make it, of course.
That said, Jones has been playing lights out in limited minutes as of late, and based on that play, if he continues it, I feel he should be a lock for one of those fourth line spots. Also, it’s a topic that Tyler Yaremchuk and Liam Horrobin recently discussed on “OilersNation Everyday,” with Horrobin saying, “He’s done a great job of forcing himself into the conversation. Game 1 of the playoffs, I don’t know how you don’t play him.”
Jones has scored a couple of big goals, been a hitting machine, and tilted the ice for the Oilers since his recall, and that strong play is backed by very strong analytics, which we’ll dive into below.
Jones’ advanced metrics rank at the top for the Oilers and the entire NHL since March 13
Jones played eight games with the Oilers in December during a two-week stint but was sent back down to the AHL before the new year. However, when Colton Dach suffered an injury and went on LTIR on March 13, the Oilers recalled Jones from the Bakersfield Condors, and he’s made an impact in his limited ice time ever since.
He........