For all the excitement entering the Edmonton Oilers’ season, there were just as many questions.
While I know it's early and I'm only go to write that once the early
returns (OK, twice) are good.
Would Nikolai Khabibulin's back hold up?
Four games in and the answer would have to be yes.
The 37-year-old looks like season-ending back surgery won't have any carryover into a new hockey year.
How would Ales Hemsky respond from shoulder surgery?
Like Khabibulin's back, the shoulder seems fine and so do Hemsky's hands. The Oilers’ most skilled player looks like he's still got it and will show more of it this season.
Would Dustin Penner have a good follow-up season? His 33 goals last season don’t appear to be a one-time thing. He's off to a good start and is in even better shape. He may have lost more weight, but he hasn't lost his hands.
How would the three big rookies do?
Magnus Paajarvi and Jordan Eberle each have their first National Hockey League goals. They look comfortable or as comfortable as newcomers can be.
Taylor Hall, the youngest of the trio, may be a shade behind the other two, but that shouldn't be the case for very long.
Would the Sheldon Souray situation be a distraction?
Not at all, would be the response.
You can argue whether Edmonton should have let him come back in order to get full trade value, but when it comes to not letting any potential bad vibes from Souray affect the team, its mission accomplished.
What would the Oilers psyche be like after a last place finish?
You don't get over being 30th out of 30 teams overnight, but it looks like the summer was long enough.
The attitude around the Oilers is refreshingly optimistic. They may have wallowed in a sorry state for awhile, but that appears to be a thing of the past, as in past season.
More questions will surface as the year progresses, but the Oilers like what they see and the answers they're getting in the opening month of the season.
