Screen Shots: Oilers' Jeff Skinner Experiment, Blackhawks' Frustration And 'Expert' Predictions

This is Screen Shots, an ongoing THN.com feature in which we take on a few hockey topics and break them down into shorter pieces. Let’s get started:

The Chicago Blackhawks had their doors blown off in Tuesday’s NHL Winter Classic, getting buried 6-2 by the St. Louis Blues. Blackhawks players lashed out at their own team for not putting up a better effort.

"It’s just embarrassing to lose 6-2 in an environment like that, at home," Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno told reporters after the game. "Our fans deserve better."

Added Connor Bedard: “Forty thousand people out there, probably 30-plus thousand of them our fans, and those tickets aren’t cheap. We’re obviously, in our room, disappointed with ourselves, but I feel bad for our fan base, coming out to this and we lay an egg.”

It’s losses like these that make one believe Luke Richardson was not the problem with this Blackhawks team. It’s their roster composition that’s the problem. They’re the worst team in the league at 12-24-2, and it’s because they’re still in the midst of a lengthy rebuild.

What is certain is there will continue to be major changes to the roster as Chicago GM Kyle Davdson’s time running the show continues. Who’s kidding who – they certainly could use another top draft pick to accompany Bedard as a second generational talent. But this season and that game should tell people how far the Blackhawks have to go before they’re going to be considered a playoff team, let alone one that can be competitive at a marquee NHL event and compete for a playoff spot. That’s the lesson here.

The Jeff Skinner experiment in Edmonton is not working out.

In his last nine games, Skinner has one point. On the season, he has six goals and 12 points in 36 games, and he has logged less than nine minutes of ice time per game in three of his last five games.

Skinner’s not producing enough to play in the Oilers’ top six forwards, and he’s not built for a third- or fourth-line role. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch made Skinner a healthy scratch in Sunday’s game against Anaheim.

Needless to say, Edmonton is not pleased with the $3-million investment they made in Skinner. The contract doesn't break the bank and ends after this season, but Edmonton needs depth scoring to dominate.

That said, another team could trade for Skinner and believe they could rehabilitate his goals and points totals. He had ups and downs with the Buffalo Sabres, but he had 24 goals and 46 points last year after getting 35 goals and 82 points in 2022-23. That still shows signs of promise.

Teams make reclamation trades all the time. If Skinner isn't working out in Edmonton, teams are out there looking for offense. They could take a chance on Skinner. That’s likely for the best, as it will keep Skinner on the ice for one team or another.

Finally, had to say something on Nazem Kadri trolling "experts" over Calgary's play this year. The Flames occupy the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference despite many projecting them to not be in the playoff race this season.

"Who all had that here?" Kadri asked reporters after their win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. "Anyone project that? Anyone project that here? No? Experts."

Kadri was clearly having fun with the assembled media. But we’re also here to defend the expert predictions.

Most experts talk to people around the league – media, agents, etc. – before making predictions. Every year, some players and teams exceed expectations, some meet expectations, and some fail to live up to expectations.

That's how the sports world works, and while Kadri is right to be proud of what the Flames have done, at least as often as not, the analysts get some things right. We lay out the beliefs of much of what the hockey world thinks, and so far this year, the Flames are succeeding despite those expectations. That's good for them and great for their fans.

Anything can happen in the second half of the season, but none of us will delight in their misfortunes if they stumble. We're asked to make educated guesses about the NHL, and that's something to keep in mind when you see players, coaches and GMs lash out. If we write or discuss something that doesn't flatter someone's favorite team, it's really nothing personal. We're making our best guess, and we're dispassionate when it comes to how it all works out.

Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.

Related: Should The Columbus Blue Jackets Push For The Playoffs By Trading For Upgrades?