If you are going to any Edmonton Oilers home games, do your best to make it to one of these four.
If you are going to any Edmonton Oilers home games, do your best to make it to one of these four.
The regular season can't come fast enough. In the middle of summer there is little news and many speculations about what each NHL team can do to improve their chances of getting one step closer to the coveted Stanley Cup.
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We are about a month away from when players typically start to have skating sessions in their teams' arenas. The regular season for the Edmonton Oilers kicks off October 11th. In honour of that, here are the games that every Oilers fan should circle on their calendar.
Last Pacific Division Opponent
The first game on the list doesn't appear to have any immediate significance. It's against a rebuilding San Jose Sharks team in the last month of the season. The biggest reason why this game is important is that it could help decide home ice advantage during the playoffs. This April 15th game is the last game that the Oilers play against a Pacific Division team - so the points earned are doubly important.
Frozen Over Battle of Alberta
The first Battle of Alberta of the 2023-24 season will be one to remember. The October 29th game between the Oilers and Calgary Flames will be a Heritage Classic. Despite the gross oversight from the league planners in failing to capitalize on a Battle of Alberta to open each teams' regular season, outdoor games are always memorable.
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Playoff Rematch
November 28th will be the first game between the Oilers and the Stanley Cup Champions, the Vegas Golden Knights. There will be bad blood between the two squads given the intensity of the playoff series. The Oilers dropping that series gave them a chip on their shoulders and more than enough motivation to make this an entertaining game. The 2023 Playoffs birthed a rivalry that we hope doesn't die out anytime soon.
Generational Talents Collide
This game will be one to remember for everyone involved. For the first time in his rookie season, Connor Bedard will face off against Connor McDavid. The lead up to the December 12th game against the Chicago Blackhawks could be as hyped up as the first time that McDavid played against Sidney Crosby.
Bedard outscored several junior hockey totals that McDavid had - but Bedard has different tools that make him a threat. His skating isn't the same as McDavid, but his shot is lightning in a bottle. To see these generational talents face off against each other will be a once in a lifetime experience.
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