Oilers: Tonight starts a long run to the Stanley Cup
By Jim Lynch
The Edmonton Oilers start their journey to the Stanley Cup tonight with a game against the Vancouver Canucks. For the Oilers, the run to the Stanley Cup cannot come fast enough.
Last season ended in disappointment for the Edmonton Oilers.
After a good regular season and one of the best individual seasons ever by a player with McDavid putting up 105 points in 56 games, the Oilers were bounced in the first round by the Winnipeg Jets. This year the team will be looking for a different result.
The playoffs are not just a goal, but an expectation for this team and anything in the postseason is where this group needs to shine. After a disappointing end, the outcome for this season won’t be decided until later in the year when Edmonton gets to the postseason. Similar to Tampa Bay a few years ago and Toronto right now, Edmonton won’t be satisfied with the season until they can have some playoff success.
At the same time though, that goal of playoff success cannot get in the way of the task at hand.
It is a long season in the NHL. 82 games is a lot, especially considering the league has not played a full season since 2018-19 due to the pandemic. Edmonton needs to take things one game at a time starting tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, yes there are some important matchups in the next few weeks, and yes the postseason is all that matters this year, but that can all be lost right now.
Game one of the season is tonight, and that is all that matters. The playoffs cannot be won in October or November, but they can be lost with a bad start and overacting to any outcome in the next few weeks.
I cannot wait to see the energy for the home opener tonight. So far the home team has won their home opener one of two times this season, with Vegas beating Seattle while Tampa lost to Pittsburgh. Hopefully, the Oilers can start the year off right with a win against the Canucks!