Loyal to the Oil

About Loyal to the Oil

For Oilers fans, by an Oilers fan. Just a show where I talk about all things Oilers. And bit of NHL on the side.

Publisher

Justin Holowath

Category

sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

24 Jun 2026

Latest episode

22 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Overtime Birthday Magic: Bouchard Sinks the Wild & McDavid Makes NHL History

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw truth from the heart of Oil Country. On this extended, 30-minute episode of Loyal to the Oil, we break down a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the Minnesota Wild at Rogers Place. On his 27th birthday, Evan Bouchard buries a 4-on-3 power-play rocket to push the Oilers to an incredible 7-1-1 record on the regular season. Inside today's deep tape breakdown: The Birthday Blast: Play-by-play analysis of Tuesday's overtime frame and how the Wild's "too many men" blunder cost them the game. McDavid's Record Book: Connor McDavid registers three assists to become the fastest player in NHL history to reach 20 assists in a single season. The Podkolzin Surge: Analyzing Vasily Podkolzin's 11 points in 9 games as he continues to thrive on the top line. Special Teams Autopsy: Breaking down a weekend of extremes—our historically lethal power play versus a penalty kill that is currently a total fire drill. Nuge is Back: Previewing tonight's massive home clash with the Carolina Hurricanes and how Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' season debut reshapes the forward lines. Get Involved: Where should Babcock play Nuge tonight given Podkolzin's hot streak? Drop your thoughts below! Follow, subscribe, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

2. 

   19 Oct 2026

   Salt Lake Slaughter: McDavid's 5-Point Show, Jarry's Stand, and the 6-1-1 Reality

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw truth from the heart of Oil Country. On this extended, 30-minute episode of Loyal to the Oil, we break down a massive weekend response as the Edmonton Oilers completely dominate the Utah Mammoth in a 6-2 blowout victory at the Delta Center. The Oilers bounce back from their first regulation loss to move to an incredible 6-1-1 record on the season. Inside today's deep two-week tape breakdown: The Delta Center Slaughter: Play-by-play analysis of Saturday's explosive 3-goal first period and Connor McDavid's historic 5-point night. The Historical Benchmarks: How McDavid's 23 points in 8 games matches records held by Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. The Podkolzin Engine: Analyzing Vasily Podkolzin's 2-assist, 4-hit night as he continues to drive the top line's physical identity. Crease Security: Tristan Jarry stops 26 of 28 shots to split the home-and-home set cleanly. The October Vibe Check: Contrasting this elite 13-point opening stretch with the regular-season disasters of previous years. Get Involved: Is this the most confident you've felt about an Oilers opening month in a decade? Drop your thoughts below! Follow, subscribe, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

3. 

   15 Oct 2026

   California Kingslayer: McDavid's 4-Point Night & Podkolzin's Historic Streak

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw truth from the heart of Oil Country. On this episode of Loyal to the Oil, we celebrate a perfect California road trip as the Edmonton Oilers completely dismantle the Los Angeles Kings in a dominant 4-1 victory. The Oilers push their season-opening point streak to an incredible 5-0-1, securing 11 out of 12 possible points.Inside today's deep two-week tape breakdown: The Kings Autopsy: Play-by-play analysis of Tuesday's explosive 3-goal first period and Connor McDavid's 4-point masterclass in his 800th NHL game. The Podkolzin Phenomenon: Vasily Podkolzin scores twice, extending his season-opening point streak to six games (7G, 2A). Is he a permanent top-six winger? Levi's Wall: Devon Levi makes a career-high 39 saves to silence Crypto.com Arena. The Ultimate Contrast: We contrast this historic 5-0-1 start with the October psychological horror shows of previous seasons. Mammoth Preview: Looking ahead to tonight's home-and-home set with the Utah Mammoth. Get Involved: Is Podkolzin our long-term answer on the top line? Drop your thoughts below! Follow, subscribe, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

4. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Squeezing the Sharks: Jarry's Redemption and Podkolzin's Insane Point Streak

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw truth from the heart of Oil Country. On this extended, 30-minute episode of Loyal to the Oil, we break down a clinical 3-1 road victory over the San Jose Sharks that extends the Oilers' season-opening point streak to five games (4-0-1). Inside today's deep tape breakdown: The Patience Trap: Deconstructing how Mike Babcock's structural system completely neutralized Macklin Celebrini's return to the Sharks' lineup. Jarry's Redemption: Tristan Jarry answers the critics with a spectacular 19-save, .950 SV% performance at the SAP Center. The Scoring Race: Connor McDavid logs his 13th point of the season to take the standalone lead in the NHL scoring race. Podkolzin's Surge: Vasily Podkolzin scores his 5th goal of the year, extending his season-opening point streak to five games alongside the captain. Roster Architecture: Evaluating the depth scoring as Alex Formenton and Mattias Ekholm chip in to seal the road win. Get Involved: Is Tristan Jarry back in your good graces? Does Podkolzin belong in the permanent top-six? Drop your thoughts below! Follow, subscribe, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

5. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Five-Goal Fury: Bouchard's Masterclass and Levi's Crease Takeover in Anaheim

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the uncut truth from the heart of Oil Country. On this episode of Loyal to the Oil, we break down a wild, bipolar 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center. After a sluggish first period left the squad trailing 2-0, the Oilers unleashed an absolute second-period avalanche, burying five unanswered goals to stun the Ducks. Inside today's 30-minute tape breakdown: The Second Period Avalanche: Play-by-play analysis of the 5-goal explosion on just 11 shots. Bouchard's Historic Pace: Evaluating Evan Bouchard's 3-point night as he leads the NHL with 6 goals in 4 games. Draisaitl's Vision: How Leon Draisaitl dismantled Anaheim with 4 primary assists without scoring a single goal. The Crease Takeover: Devon Levi stops 29 of 31 shots for a .935 SV%. Is the number-one job officially his until Andersen returns? Waiver & Roster Notes: Tracking lines with Nugent-Hopkins sidelined. Get Involved: Is Devon Levi the undisputed starter moving forward? Drop your take in the comments! Follow, subscribe, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

6. 

   6 Oct 2026

   Identity Crisis: The 9-7 Circus, The 3-1 Rebound, and the Crease Debate

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw truth from the heart of Oil Country. We hit the home studio desk to break down a completely chaotic opening week of Edmonton Oilers hockey. On paper, a 2-0-1 start with 5 out of 6 points looks like a roaring success. But beneath the surface, this team is fighting a massive identity crisis under Mike Babcock. What we unpack in today's episode: The 9-7 Circus: Breaking down Thursday's wild track meet in Vancouver. McDavid goes nuclear with 5 points, but how did we allow 7 goals on just 22 shots? The 3-1 Rebound: Analyzing Saturday's polar-opposite defensive lockdown against the Seattle Kraken. Is this the grinding blueprint Babcock truly wants? The Crease Debate: Tristan Jarry is struggling, Devon Levi just logged a stellar .950 bounce-back game, and Frederik Andersen remains out [url]. Who deserves the net moving forward? The RNH Impact: How Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' morning-skate injury forced Babcock into a top-heavy line deployment, and why it's strangling the middle-six depth. The California Road Trip: Previewing this week's divisional matchups against Anaheim and San Jose. Get Involved: Are you riding the hot hand with Devon Levi, or do you play Jarry to protect his confidence? Do you prefer winning 9-7 or 3-1? Drop your thoughts below! Hit FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to lock into our Monday and Thursday cadence. Stay loud, stay passionate, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

7. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Opening Night Meltdown: Jarry's Struggles and Babcock's Broken Lines

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw, uncut truth from the heart of Oil Country. The regular season is officially underway, and it is an absolute firestorm. We break down the chaotic 6-5 overtime opening-night loss to the Vancouver Canucks. We look directly at the Tristan Jarry crisis after a brutal .739 save percentage performance, evaluate Evan Bouchard's historic 5-point hat trick, and call out Ryan Shea's costly overtime turnover. Plus, we deconstruct Mike Babcock's top-heavy line combinations with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins sidelined by injury and preview tonight's high-stakes rematch in Vancouver. Follow, subscribe, and stay loud!

8. 

   24 Sept 2026

   The 84-Game Gauntlet: Official Season Preview & Roster Crunches

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw truth from the heart of Oil Country. With the regular season opening on Tuesday, September 29th, we drop our official 2026-27 Oilers Regular Season Preview. We break down the best and worst-case scenarios for a roster trying to win a Stanley Cup amidst unprecedented off-ice media distractions, a rigid new head coach, and a broken goaltending insurance policy. Plus, we recap the 2-0 preseason start, detail yesterday's roster cuts, and analyze the impending 29-man waiver crunch Bowman must solve by Monday. Note: Due to travel schedules, our next episode will drop on Thursday, October 1st! Follow, subscribe, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

9. 

   21 Sept 2026

   The Divide in Oil Country: Formenton Scores, Fans Protest, and the Waiver Crunch Begins

   No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw, uncut truth from the heart of Oil Country. On this episode of Loyal to the Oil, we break down a highly complicated Saturday night at Rogers Place. On the ice, the Oilers rolled to a 5-2 pre-season victory over the Winnipeg Jets behind a four-assist masterclass from Evan Bouchard and a first-star performance by Ryan Shea. But outside the arena gates, the reality of Stan Bowman’s offseason choices officially came home to roost as passionate fans gathered to protest the controversial signing of forward Alex Formenton. What we break down today: The Arena Divide: Analyzing the atmosphere outside Rogers Place, the fan protests, and the reality of Alex Formenton scoring in his pre-season debut. The Bidding War: Debunking the corporate spin around Formenton’s contract following reports that Bowman beat out two other franchises to win a PR nightmare. Babcock’s Structural Blueprint: Deconstructing the ice product and why Mike Babcock's rigid neutral-zone trap looked sluggish despite the talent mismatch. The 29-Man Puzzle: Tracking Tristan Jarry's solid debut in net and the impending roster moves as Bowman faces a six-player crunch before next Monday's deadline. Get Involved: Did the 5-2 win make you forget about the off-ice noise, or are you completely out on this front office? Are you buying the Ryan Shea top-four hype after his three-point night? Hit FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to lock into our regular Monday and Thursday schedule. Stay loud, stay passionate, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

10. 

    17 Sept 2026

    A Bitter Pill to Swallow: The Chaos of Camp Day One

    No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw, uncut truth from the heart of Oil Country. After a months-long hiatus, Loyal to the Oil is officially BACK—and we are jumping straight into an absolute corporate tire fire. Today was supposed to be a celebration as Main Camp officially opened at Rogers Place. Instead, General Manager Stan Bowman has managed to turn day one into a masterclass in reputational disaster, moral compromise, and devastating injury news. What we pull back the curtain on today: The Atomic Bomb: Dissecting the deeply controversial, tone-deaf signing of forward Alex Formenton to a one-year deal and the immediate fan backlash. The Reinstatement Reality: Why hiding behind Hockey Canada and using a Matt Savoie injury to justify inviting a media circus into a championship locker room is a spineless management move. Superstar Blowback: Analyzing the immediate public backlash Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are facing over their corporate-spun comments regarding Mike Babcock's official arrival on the ice. The Broken Insurance Policy: The devastating news that marquee offseason acquisition Frederik Andersen is already injured, leaving the crease entirely in the hands of Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi. The 4-Game Sprint: Looking ahead to Saturday's pre-season opener against Winnipeg and why Babcock has zero time to mess around under the new, expanded 84-game calendar. Get Involved: Will you be supporting the fan protests outside Rogers Place this Saturday? Are you buying Stan Bowman's defense of the Formenton contract? Hit FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode as we transition to our brand-new Monday and Thursday schedule. Stay loud, stay passionate, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

11. 

    17 Jul 2026

    Episode 3: The Great Escape: Dumping Nurse’s $9M Anchor & The 84-Game Gauntlet

    No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw truth from the heart of Oil Country. On this episode of Loyal to the Oil, we have to give credit where it's due: Stan Bowman actually pulled off the impossible. We break down the absolute blockbuster trade that sent Darnell Nurse and his entire unmitigated $9.25 million cap hit straight to the San Jose Sharks with absolutely zero salary retained. But we don't just swallow the corporate hype. We dive deep into how Bowman spent that fresh cash and whether this roster is actually built to win. What we tackle today: The Magic Trick: Deconstructing the anatomy of the Nurse trade and what 24-year-old Russian defenceman Shakir Mukhamadullin actually brings to Edmonton. Quality vs. Quantity: Why signing Ryan Shea to a 5-year, $20 million deal alongside a logjam of bottom-pairing defencemen might expose our blue line under Mike Babcock. The Three-Goalie System: Why bringing in veteran Frederik Andersen and trading for youngster Devon Levi to join the crease is Bowman’s smartest piece of business. The 84-Game Gauntlet: Breaking down today's official NHL regular-season schedule release, the return of the 84-game calendar, and a brutal opening-night home-and-home battle against the Vancouver Canucks. Get Involved: Are you buying the Ryan Shea hype, or are you terrified of our defensive depth chart if an injury hits? How do you feel about a three-goalie rotation? Hit FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode of the rawest Oilers coverage on the web. Stay loud, stay passionate, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

12. 

    30 Jun 2026

    Episode 2: A Nurse in a Haystack: Finding a Taker for the $9M Anchor

    No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw, uncut truth from the heart of Oil Country. On this episode of Loyal to the Oil, we are tackling a certified offseason disaster. Just days after the controversial Mike Babcock hiring, the Edmonton Oilers are trapped in what insiders are calling a "desperation phase." Darnell Nurse has officially requested a trade, but with a massive $9.25 million cap hit and a strict list of only three approved teams, General Manager Stan Bowman is completely backed into a corner. What we break down today: The Buffalo Draft Bore: Why standing pat and picking project players like Rudolfs Berzkalns doesn't help Connor McDavid win a Stanley Cup right now. The RFA Safety Nets: Dissecting today's qualifying offers to Spencer Stastney and others while walking away from depth pieces. The Darnell Nurse Standoff: Why trade talks with Boston, Philly, and Pittsburgh have stalled, and why Nurse won't waive his NMC for San Jose or Anaheim. The Perfect World vs. Reality: Who the Oilers should be hunting on July 1st if Bowman hadn't completely choked our cap space down to $6.4 million. The Bowman Report Card: Issuing an official offseason rating for our General Manager (Spoiler: It’s ugly). Get Involved: What grade are you giving Stan Bowman's offseason? Would you trade Darnell Nurse even if it means retaining 30% of his salary? Drop your thoughts in the reviews! Hit SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a minute of the rawest Oilers coverage on the web. Stay loud, stay passionate, and stay loyal to the blue and orange!

13. 

    24 Jun 2026

    Episode 1: Fixing What Ain't Broken: The Knoblauch Mistake

    About This Episode: No filters. No management excuses. Just the raw truth from the heart of Oil Country. On the inaugural episode of Loyal to the Oil, we tackle the massive hockey universe fracture: the hiring of Mike Babcock. While front offices polish up old resumes, we dive into why trading Kris Knoblauch for a controversial, old-school taskmaster is a dangerous mistake. We unpack the introductory press conference, explore what Connor McDavid and the leadership group allegedly said behind closed doors, and look at the brutal stats proving the modern game has passed Babcock by. Don't let corporate PR gaslight you—hit play and get the real breakdown. Follow & Subscribe so you never miss an episode of the rawest Oilers coverage on the web. Stay loyal to the blue and orange!

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.