EDMONTON -- Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland is trying to be optimistic of his team's upcoming return to play, but admits he and his team are stepping into the unknown. 

"I've never been in a hub before," said Holland. It's a unique experience."

"We'll all have to deal with being in a hub, being in a bubble." 

Holland won't be far from home during play as he lives in the same building the team will be staying in. 

"I'm excited to see what the games look like." 

His team is slated to take on the Chicago Blackhawks in the qualifying round of the modified NHL playoffs a week on Saturday. 

Ahead of that, the Oilers are staging an intersquad game tonight at 8 p.m. followed by another exhibition game on Saturday before entering the hub city bubble on Sunday. 

"The importance of getting off to a good start and at worst, being split after two games while you're finding your game," he said. 

"From Saturday to Saturday, someone is moving on and someone's been eliminated. It's going to happen real fast."

PLAYOFF READY

Holland notes his team has been mostly free of injuries, including COVID-related issues. 

Defenceman Caleb Jones said he tested positive for the coronavirus before training camp but is expected to play in the post-season. 

"They're making good decisions. The tests would indicate they're making good decisions in regards to protecting themselves," Holland said of the Oilers players. 

Defenceman Mike Green opted out of playing, citing personal family health reasons. 

Without singling out any individual players, Holland says the team has looked strong in practices but is in need of some game time. 

"I think everybody's getting excited. We're excited about the opportunity," he said.  "They've back-checked, they've taken space away, they're trying to play the game the way we believe we need to play to be successful."

EXPERIENCED OPPONENTS

While he's optimistic that the team can go on a long playoff run, Holland also says the team is facing an unheralded but talented Chicago Blackhawks team. 

"We've got a real tough opponent right off the bat. We'll have to be at our very best to win the series," he said. 

"They've got a nice mix of veterans and leaders and their Stanley Cups aren't that far behind them," he said refenebcing Blackhawks stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane and the team's 2010, 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup wins. 

"I put an emphasis on experience. It means you've been in lots of situations and you've dealt with those situations." 

The Oilers and Blackhawks best-of-five series begins with Game 1 on the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 1. 

"The importance of getting off to a good start and at worst, being split after two games while your finding your game," he said of the first-to-three series. 

"It's a wide-open level playing field."

While it's far from an ordinary Stanley Cup playoffs, Holland says whoever lifts hockey's holy grail in little over two months time will be worthy winners. 

"The team that wins the Stanley Cup is going to be a champion just like any other year. They'll have to deal with a lot of adversity. It's going to be unique. It's going to be different."