The Edmonton Oilers are fastly approaching a new season. After losing too early during the postseason for another year, this team is out looking for something more in 2021-22.
The Edmonton Oilers have added new faces, and in the eyes of general manager Ken Holland, they have improved their roster for a run to the postseason.
The Oilers will be back in their old division this season, the Pacific Division. A division led by the Vegas Golden Knights, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and newcomer Seattle Kraken. Being back in the Pacific should open the door up for the Oilers to succeed.
It is a long road to the postseason. 82 games need to be played before fans around the league can say their team is in the postseason. For the Oilers, that means there is a lot to improve on and follow before April. The season is a little over a month away, and with that in mind, here are ten things to keep an eye on before puck drop and throughout the entire regular season.
1. Will Connor McDavid have another career year?
Connor McDavid is entering another season with expectations for his roster after another season of being let down in the postseason. McDavid probably has a right to be upset after last year’s series against the Winnipeg Jets.
The Jets did their best to shut down McDavid and, in doing so, won the series because Edmonton had nothing else to throw at them. Maybe if the Oilers actually bought in at the deadline, things would have been different, but no one will ever know now.
McDavid had a remarkable regular season, putting up over 100 points in 56 games. Yet his year still ended with the same long summer and the same short postseason run. Maybe there will be an extra spark under him to see the team do well this season, or maybe some frustration will hurt his game. Time will tell.