It is November 1st. That date is significant because we have flipped the page on the first month of the NHL season and now begin to learn the answers to questions like “Is this team for real?” or “When will these guys turn it around?”
The Edmonton Oilers have 14 points, they are 7-2-0, and sit first place in both the Pacific Division and the Western Conference. No matter what happens from here on in, October was a sensational month for this hockey club. The Oilers took advantage of a weaker schedule and home ice. That, to me, is an improvement over past seasons.
Tonight, however, opens up a new chapter. The Edmonton Oilers are about to be tested in a big way. The club is going on it’s first extended road trip of the season and will be leaving Canada for the first time later this week. The club will head to the east coast and play five consecutive road games, all against dynamic opponents.
It will not be an easy task, not even close, but it will tell us a lot about this hockey team. If the Oilers fall flat on their face and lose four or even all five, then there will be real concern. Win three or more games? Well, then we can start to really get excited about this squad.
The Road Ahead:
The Oilers will be met with excessive hype tonight when they take the ice in Toronto. It’ll be Connor McDavid’s first game against the Leafs in Toronto, and it’ll be the first meeting between McDavid and Auston Matthews in their NHL careers. This game, however, is a very winnable game for the Oilers.
After Toronto, Edmonton is off to New York where they’ll battle the Rangers on Thursday and the Islanders on Saturday night. Detroit is the location on Sunday afternoon when the Oilers meet the Red Wings, while the trip concludes next Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, the first ever McDavid V. Crosby showdown.
Four of the five teams you will play on this road trip made the postseason a year ago, with the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup and the Islanders advancing to the second round of the playoffs. These are very good hockey teams, folks.
Breaking Down The Match ups:
Tonight is a very good chance for the Oilers. Toronto is a young team with big time holes on defense and in net. The Leafs can score, however, and will not be a pushover. That said, if the Oilers handle business they way they have as of late, this will be a very important two points for the Oil. To me it’s a game this team must win.
The Rangers have also had a hot start, and they are putting the puck in the net at a good rate. It’ll be a pretty evenly matched game on Thursday night and one that I think could go either way. These two teams usually end up splitting their season series every year, and I think that may be the case again this time around. Either way, this will be a tough test.
The Islanders represent a team in a tough spot. Brooklyn’s team is struggling to score goals and, defensively, they have not been very good. I’m a fan of what the Islanders are building, but that’s a team struggling right now and I think the Oilers can win that game.
Detroit represents a challenge because it’s the second half of a back-to-back set, but the Red Wings aren’t exactly playing great hockey. This is a veteran team that is slower and, quite frankly, lacking in the skill department. These aren’t the Wings of years past and are a beatable opponent.
The last test, Pittsburgh, should be a really good hockey game. The Penguins are clearly a better team and they have given the Oilers fits for years. I’d rank this as the least likely game for Edmonton to win on their trip, but that’s not saying it’s impossible. If for nothing else, watching Crosby and McDavid rise to the occasion against each other should be fun.
What Has To Happen?:
In my mind, the Oilers have to win three games on this road trip to prove something to me. If Edmonton goes on the road and falls flat on it’s face, then that will show that this club simply isn’t ready to compete yet. A strong trip, over .500 to be exact, would be another big step forward for this group. Winning on the road is exceptionally tough, especially with this group of teams awaiting your arrival.
Winning three games and coming back with ten wins on the season would be, in my mind, a success for this hockey club. Your opinion may vary, but I’ll gladly take six over seven points (extra time losses are possible) out of ten any trip. I think most teams in the NHL would agree with that sentiment.
What Will Happen:
I think the Oilers will win tonight in Toronto, defeat the Islanders in Brooklyn and beat the Red Wings in Detroit on Sunday, ending this trip with the 3-2-0 mark that I’m hoping for. I think the Oilers are a better team than the Maple Leafs and, as of right now, they are playing much better than the Islanders and Red Wings. Those are games I think they can win.
That game against the Rangers is, in my mind, a swing game. While I expect them to lose to Pittsburgh, I think it’s at least in the realm of possibility that they could steal that game in New York. I lean towards them losing that game right now, but a win at MSG isn’t impossible.
3-2-0 is my goal and my prediction. Now, let’s see what happens.
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