Edmonton Oilers tired of hearing about regular-season losses to Vancouver Canucks
The Edmonton Oilers are sick and tired of hearing about it. They don’t want to be asked anymore about it.
They know full well that the Vancouver Canucks swept the four games between the two teams in the regular season. They also know from experience that regular-season results mean nothing during the playoffs.
Yet, the Oilers can’t shake the narrative heading into their Western Conference second-round series against the Canucks, which begins Wednesday in Vancouver.
“I don’t know how much more we need to talk about this,” said Leon Draisaitl, who was dominant in the Oilers first-round series win over the Los Angeles Kings. He had 10 points and was also a major part of the penalty-killing unit that didn’t allow a goal in five games.
“We’re going into Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. We don’t care about what happened in the regular season. And I bet you that they don’t either, as much as you think. We’re a different team now. It’s going to be tight-checking, with two really good teams going at it. The team that plays better hockey will win.”
Draisaitl referred to the fact that three of those Canucks wins over Edmonton — including a season-opening 8-1 demolition — came very early in the season, when the Oilers were undergoing a crisis that eventually cost former coach Jay Woodcroft his job.
The Oilers started the season 3-9-1 under Woodcroft. After coach Kris Knoblauch took over, the team went 46-18-5.
“It is old, for sure,” Oilers defenceman Vincent Desharnais said of the season-series talk. “It’s been so long. People keep asking about it … Those first three games were, like, six or seven months ago. We’re a different team. And, at the end of the day, whatever happened in the regular season doesn’t mean anything.
“The most important part is the first game on Wednesday, the rest doesn’t matter.”
Core players like Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and defenceman Darnell Nurse know the “regular season doesn’t mean anything” mantra all too well. Back in 2020-21, they were on the other side of this discussion, with the Oilers winning seven of nine regular-season games against the Winnipeg Jets, including all six final matchups, only to be swept by the Jets in the first round of the playoffs.
The Canucks-Oilers series is a de facto Canadian NHL championship, as the winner will be the final team standing from north of the border.
“It’s exciting,” said Draisaitl, comparing it to the Oilers’ playoff series win over the Calgary Flames two seasons ago.
"The Battle of Alberta was great, it was a lot of fun to be part of. I’m sure this series will write its own story. We’re ready.”
The Oilers will have had a full week off by the time the second round starts on Wednesday, providing extra time for forwards Adam Henrique and Evander Kane to recover from whatever has been keeping them away from the ice. Both players missed Monday’s practice, but Knoblauch expects both to be skating Tuesday.
“We are hopeful they are available for Game 1,” said Knoblauch.
If one or both of them can’t go, Knoblauch was noncommittal about how he may have to shuffle the lineup. Henrique played the first round as a winger on the top line with McDavid and Zach Hyman, while Kane moved up to the second unit to play with Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
“We got a lot of guys who can fill in that spot,” said Knoblauch of the potential vacancy on McDavid's line. Mattias Janmark played there in practice.
“I don’t think there’s one guy who can play there and do it all, but I think we can maybe do it by committee. Different guys, different situations. We also have the opportunity of Zach Hyman playing left wing, if we need someone else to play right wing.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Severe thunderstorms, 15 cm of snow: Canadian weather forecast highlights
Well into spring, some parts of Canada could experience a wintry comeback, while other areas are bracing for severe thunderstorms, according to local forecasts.
Pope apologizes after using 'homophobic terms'
Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church's ban on gay priests.
At least 60 reports of Lyme disease so far as Ontario enters tick season
Peak tick season is only just beginning but reports of bites – and tick-borne illnesses – are already higher than normal in Ontario.
Spy watchdog's foreign interference review finds 'unacceptable gaps' in accountability
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Public Safety Canada lacked a system for tracking who received and read specific intelligence on foreign interference, creating 'unacceptable gaps in accountability,' the national spy watchdog has found.
Tornado touches down west of the Island of Montreal
Emergency services in the town of Rigaud, Que. are investigating after a tornado touched down shortly after 5:30 p.m.
Man convicted in attack on Pelosi's husband back in court after judge's error
A man who assaulted U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband in 2022 will have another day in court on Tuesday after the federal judge overseeing the case failed to allow him to speak during his sentencing hearing earlier this month.
Teen was doing homework at family's Mississauga, Ont. restaurant when gunman opened fire: testimony
The 13-year-old sister of a young man killed in the attack on her family’s Mississauga restaurant in 2021 took the stand in a Brampton courthouse on Monday to describe the terrifying moments of coming under fire.
WATCH Airline pilot treated to stunning northern lights show during U.S.-Portugal flight
An airline pilot got quite a show on May 11 while flying from San Francisco to Lisbon when a solar storm caused stunning auroras.
Richard Dreyfuss' comments about women, LGBTQ2S+ people and diversity lead venue to apologize
The actor Richard Dreyfuss showed up in a dress at a 'Jaws'-themed event in Massachusetts, where the blockbuster 1975 movie he starred in was shot, and then proceeded to make demeaning remarks about women, LGBTQ2S+ people and diversity.