FEATURE: Archibald earns extension with hard work and penalty killing

EDMONTON, AB -The purveyor of penalty killing is staying put.
On Friday, the Oilers announced that Josh Archibald signed a two-year contract extension with the club through the 2021-22 season.
Archibald tucked his 12th goal of the campaign against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday - matching the career-high in goals he established with the Arizona Coyotes last season - and has 20 points on the season.
But the feisty, speedy and rambunctious forward adds value to the club in ways that extend beyond offence.

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Coming in at 5-foot-10 and 176-pounds, the winger packs a mean punch despite animating a diminutive scale. In addition to his 12 goals and eight assists, Archibald has accrued 160 hits, 42 blocked shots and just 12 penalty minutes this year.
But the Saskatchewan product has become best known in Oil Country for his stingy penalty killing. Archibald's suffocating play shorthanded assisted in the Oilers going from a 74.8 percent PK in 2018-19 to having the NHL's second-best rating at 84.5 percent in '19-20.
Archibald, in his first availability since signing on the dotted line, detailed how profound earning a two-year deal is.
"The one-year contract was just an opportunity to prove to myself and to prove to everybody else that they're giving me a chance. I got to go out and show them they made the right decision," Archibald said.
"This extension here is a by-product of hard work. Them believing in me and me believing in them."
While he's become a crucial cog to Edmonton's penalty killing, Archibald's also made many friends within the room. His teammates heaped praise for the demanding way he maneuvers on the ice.

"Archie's been a hell of a player for us all year," forward Zack Kassian said. "He's the first one over the boards when we have a big penalty to kill. He plays with speed, is physical and blocks a lot of shots.
"He's a guy that every team needs. I'm happy he re-signed and happy to be his teammate for the next couple of years."
As far as his penalty-killing prowess goes, Oilers Associate Coach Jim Playfair divulged just how impactful Archibald's contributions have been.
"He's a real smart killer," Playfair started. "I think he sets the pace and the tone for our penalty kill. He does a really good job of that."
"Goaltending is such a big part of it but I think it's the structure and the commitment to compete that the players have bought into," Playfair continued. "We block a lot of shots, we get into a lot of scrums and stay in the scrums until the job is done. We do a lot of detail things but collectively, they have confidence in what they're doing out there together. I think that's a big part of your penalty kill."

What was once a facet of the Oilers game that needed dire intervention has become an area of strength for the club, thanks in part to Archibald. The Oilers have gone 164-for-194 on the PK this season and 49-for-54 in their last 19 outings, navigating a 10-6-3 showing over that time.
"They wanted to bring me in as a penalty killer," said Archibald. "Shea (Riley Sheahan) and I have created a lot of chemistry and have done a good job of that, so far, this year and have been able to pitch in offensively, too."
Putting the PK aside, the Oilers have welcomed everything Archibald brings to the table and look forward to having it in the lineup for another two seasons.
"At the end of the day, I'll do exactly whatever the coach wants me to do and tells me to do."