Sunday Scaries: Oscar Klefbom is married, there’s a Goomba in Edmonton, and Jeremy Coupal is leaving

Oscar Klefbom has essentially unofficially retired from the NHL at this point. He has openly said that he is still dealing with the shoulder injury he suffered early in his career and just wants to live an everyday pain-free life.

He has been open that he would like to continue to play hockey in Edmonton or elsewhere. Still, he also has explained that his injuries have been affecting his private life and that his quality of life needs to be his number 1 priority.

During his active time with the Oilers, Oscar Klefbom made a massive impact on and off the ice. He took on the most minutes of any Oiler, and at times in the NHL. Klefbom was quickly the best defenceman on the Oilers, and having him paired with Larsson gave us a reliable and trustworthy top defence pairing for any situation. Klefbom played 378 games with the Oilers, where he scored 34 Goals and 122 assists for a total of 156 points throughout his seven seasons with the organization.

I’ve had the chance to talk to him a few times, and he is such a down-to-earth and genuinely kind person. I am so happy for him and his wife, but it was his birthday three days ago, so happy birthday Oscar!

On Thursday Ryan Rishaug reported on Twitter that the Oilers have parted ways with their video coach, Jeremy Coupal.

Coupal held us together some nights, and it might not be often that you can say a video coach won you a game, but I remember one game against the San Jose Sharks where he did just that. Coupal was able to review and get three goals called back, which ended up being the reason we won that game. In the media availability post-game, Mattias Ekholm said “If you look at it, what’s their margin of error? Offsides are sometimes by inches. And you’re supposed to always be right. They won us the game tonight.”

Games like those are my fondest memories of Jeremy Coupal for sure, that game lives in my memory because I was in the arena, and watching that many video reviews on the edge of your seat is quite memorable.

Regardless, the Oilers have some big shoes to fill, but best wishes to Jeremy Coupal with his future!

Finally, it wouldn’t be Sunday Scaries without a little shenanigans.

This is something I’m still wary of because I haven’t seen it with my own eyes, and it just feels fake to me. However, apparently at the Oilers store they have a Goomba photoshopped onto the wall??

Because I just see this and I think… for what reason? What is the relevance?

But it’s quirky and fun and silly, so I guess it doesn’t matter all that much.