Coming off a big win against the Utah Mammoth on Saturday evening, the Edmonton Oilers get a couple days to rest and recover before facing a slew of difficult opponents this week. The team only has one regulation loss this season, and if that remains true at the end of the week, then this team is for real.
Their upcoming schedule could see them face some tough opponents.
Three tough opponents
The Oilers lost every time they met the Wild last season and some of the scored were pretty lopsided in Minnesota's favor. Connor McDavid and company will hopefully channel that same "revenge energy" that saw them pile up an early lead in the rematch versus the Mammoth. Edmonton actually sits above the Wild in the Western Conference standings, but the Wild have recorded wins against good teams like the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers.
The Wild are led by league goal scoring leader Kirill Kaprizov, and recent Norris Trophy nominee Quinn Hughes, both of whom are off to strong starts this season. Edmonton has offensive answers for both, with McDavid outscoring every other forward in the league, and Evan Bouchard similarly leading all defensemen. The game may come down to goaltending, a surprising area of strength for the Oilers lately.
Cup champs and draft lottery winners
After the Wild, the best team in the league last season, the Carolina Hurricanes, will roll into town. These two franchises have shared similar trajectories ever since 2006, except for the fact that the Hurricanes have two Stanley Cup banners hanging in their rafters and the Oilers haven't added one since 1990. A true measuring stick, even a close loss will be an indication that the Oilers are a contender.
The Leafs visit on Saturday, as they often do, giving the Oilers a prime time Hockey Night in Canada appearance. Things haven't gone perfectly for Toronto, in spite of the addition of young Gavin McKenna, but there's plenty of season left to play, and the Leafs have plenty of offense to offer. The goal on Saturday evening should be avoiding a high scoring fiasco, similar to the season opening doubleheader versus the Vancouver Canucks. Edmonton can win that way, but so can the Leafs, and a more structured and smothering approach favors the Oilers.
October can already be called a success due to the team's hot start, but a strong showing this week puts the Oilers in an even better position.
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