The Edmonton Oilers will start February with a well-deserved rest. They play on January 30th, and then not again until February 3rd, versus the Vegas Golden Knights. That will lead them straight into the National Hockey League's All-Star break, which has a significantly different format this year.
Connor McDavid and the other Oilers stars are unlikely to get the weekend off, but the pace and punishment isn't nearly the same at the NHL All-Star game, so it should still be relatively restful. Meanwhile, the rest of the squad, having only played the single game since January 30th, won't see work again until Friday, February 12th. That's enough time for bruises to heal, and tired legs to get their spring back.
February Matchups
Continuing the theme of recovery time, Friday's game against the St. Louis Blues is technically the fourth of their longest homestand of the season (They start the stand versus the New Jersey Devils on January 28th). That's followed by four more home games, stretching all the way to February 22nd. And they don't have a road game until the 25th. That equates to 28 straight days without a road game.
While the travel is easy, the opposition will continue to be a challenge. The Blues are a team on the rise, followed the next night by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Edmonton has allowed four or more goals to Sidney Crosby's club in each of their last three matchups. Next the Colorado Avalanche will be in town, similarly winding up for their own run at the Stanley Cup. After that, the homestand finishes with games against the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators.
Edmonton finally heads back on the road for their final two games of the month. First they'll visit the Nashville Predators, then cap things off with a battle against the Dallas Stars. The Jason Robertson saga should be over by then, but with or without the star forward, Dallas is always a tough team to beat.
Predictions
The rest should benefit the Oilers, as well as the relatively spread out schedule. While they do have a single back-to-back on their February itinerary, their fresher legs should translate into a great record. I have Edmonton at 5-2-1 for the month, with a loss to the Knights ahead of the All-Star break, an overtime decision that doesn't go their way during the homestand, and a bit of a fizzled out end to the month with a loss to the Stars.
February is loaded with Oiler birthdays: Jake Walman, Ryan Shea, Max Jones, newcomer Matthieu Joseph, and future captain Trent Frederic. Happy birthday guys, spring is on its way, and with it comes another shot at the Stanley Cup.
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