The Oilers start their defence of the Western Conference title against the Jets on Wednesday night.
We're finally here.
The temperature is dipping, leaves are starting to fall from the trees, the MLB postseason is in full swing, and the NHL regular season is underway. It's a time of hope for all hockey fans, especially fans of the Stanley Cup favourite Edmonton Oilers. Now, it's time to see how long that hope will last.
Last season, hope faded quickly in Edmonton. They entered 2023-24 as Cup favourites, only to get their doors blown off in the season opener with an 8-1 loss to Vancouver. Things spiralled from there, as the team started 2-9-1 before firing head coach Jay Woodcroft and demoting goalie Jack Campbell.
Last season's remarkable comeback, ending up just one win away from the Stanley Cup, is now the stuff of legend, but everybody in Edmonton knows one thing this season: they absolutely cannot start like that again.
The Oilers had a busy offseason, adding two new top-six wingers and losing three key defencemen, among others. They're placing big bets on relatively unproven players like Ty Emberson and Vasily Podkolzin, while trusting that their wealth of star power can carry them back to the Stanley Cup Final.
They get their first real look at their new additions tonight, as the Winnipeg Jets come to town. The Oilers were 2-0-1 against the Jets last season, including an overtime loss during their disastrous October and their own overtime win in March.
The Jets are trying to repeat their excellent 2023-24, when they rode their improved team defence and a Vezina-winning performance from Connor Hellebuyck to a 110-point regular season as the second seed in the Central Division. That all came crashing down in the postseason, however, as Hellebuyck struggled and they fell in the first round to the Colorado Avalanche in only five games.
Now, under new head coach Scott Arniel, the Jets are running back essentially the same roster in the hopes that last year's regular season success is sustainable. They'll face a tough first test in the Oilers' vaunted offence.
Tonight will also be a big test for the Oilers' new second pair of Darnell Nurse and Ty Emberson, who will have to contend with two of the league's fastest wingers in Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers. The Oilers' season might just come down to how well Nurse and Emberson can defend the rush.
We'll also get the opportunity to see how the Oilers' new-look second line of Leon Draisaitl, Jeff Skinner, and Viktor Arvidsson play together. They'll have plenty of opportunity tonight, as the Jets' excellent top pair and checking line will have their hands full with Connor McDavid, leaving the second line to feast on the weaker competition.
Every game from here on out counts, and the Oilers will need to show that they can start this season on time, despite a short offseason.
You can catch the Oilers' season opener on Sportsnet at 8:00 PM MT, with puck drop scheduled for 8:17.
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