Edmonton Oilers: Everything to Know Before Game One

The Edmonton Oilers start their first playoff campaign in 10 seasons Wednesday against San Jose. They will face off for Game One at Rogers Place at 8 p.m. MT.

Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton has a lot to keep in mind prior to puck drop and will look to carry an impressive end to the season over into this new journey. Here is everything you need to know prior to puck drop.

First off, the Oilers practiced Tuesday, gearing up one last time before their campaign. Their lines will likely remain the same.

Joe Thornton practiced in a non-contact jersey and is unlikely to play in Game One. This is good for the Oilers, considering one of the Sharks’ biggest threats will be out of the lineup. Still, there are players like Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns that will be there to carry the offensive threat San Jose has to offer.

Obviously, the Oilers will rely on their first line for the majority of offensive push against San Jose, but they should be weary of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun. The Sharks second pairing plays a shutdown style and can be tough to match up against.

However, the Oilers have also seen a recent offensive push from their second line. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle finished the season strong, and both will want to play an offensive-driven game in their first-ever playoff series. Milan Lucic also finished the regular season displaying outstanding offense and physicality, and will likely carry that momentum over.

When it comes to Edmonton’s blue line, the biggest pairing will be Adam Larsson and Oscar Klefbom. Both of them finished with a dominant performance, especially Klefbom, who also proved his worth as a puck-moving defenceman. Larsson’s physicality and stay-at-home style greatly benefitted the Oilers this year.

Cam Talbot, who finished first in the NHL with 42 victories, is obviously getting the nod for Edmonton. Martin Jones will be between the pipes for San Jose.

Overall, Game One is just the first step, and though it sets an immediate tone for a series, the Oilers will likely take this one game at a time.