Captain’s Log, stardate October 25, 2016: We are approaching a far away galaxy whose properties appear similar to our own, yet at the same time, entirely different.
Here, the Chicago Cubs are in the World Series, and the Edmonton Oilers are in first place in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.
What’s up is down. Down is up…
“Kind of an alternate universe, huh?” laughed Oilers goalie Cam Talbot.
Seriously. This just isn’t logical.
Talk about exploring strange new worlds. Or boldly going where no one has gone before.
OK, it’s fair to say the Cubs are legit. But the Edmonton Oilers?
Just six games into this young season, folks here are trying to put the air brakes on all this optimism.
“They’ve already got a full year under their belt of being a good team. We’re en route,” winger Pat Maroon, a St. Louis Cardinals fan, said of the hated Cubs. “We’re learning how to be a good team. To play the right way, the smart way.”
Edmonton is 5-1-0 and stood atop the West the night before Wednesday night’s visit by the Washington Capitals. In the second season under general manager Peter Chiarelli, certain roster improvements are undeniable.
But the Oilers finished dead last in the West last season with 70 points, and likely need to make up at least 22 points to make the playoffs this season. Is it even possible to look at this hot start and declare that this team is for real? That they have a legitimate playoff opportunity?
“It’s still so early in the year, we’re still … a growth team. Our club has a lot of work to do,” cautioned head coach Todd McLellan, who will try to keep this team under the radar as long as possible. “There’s just way too much hockey in front of us, too much improving that has to happen with our team.”
The Oilers are seeking a wormhole to Game 80. Or, at worst, some way to cryogenically preserve some of the stats they’ve built up so far:
• Heading into play Tuesday, Edmonton was tied for second in league scoring with 23 goals (3.83 goals per game). Last season they finished 25th (2.43).
• Edmonton sat behind only Montreal with a plus-7 goals differential. Last season they ranked 28th at minus-42. The Oilers never once hit the ‘even’ mark throughout 2015-16.
• With Talbot having played all but 10 minutes of Edmonton’s season, the Oilers rank seventh with a team save percentage of .920. In the previous three seasons, Edmonton’s team save percentages have been .905, .888 and .901 (source: Sportingcharts.com).
It’s their best start since 1985-86. So we asked Talbot, what should we be looking for as evidence that these Oilers are actually for real?
“It’s the response games. Or (more so), what happens after we give up a goal,” he said. “Do we hang our heads on the bench? Or do we go out there like, ‘We get the next one.’ I feel like, so far this season, other than that one game (vs. Buffalo) any time the other team has scored an early goal we’ve always responded. We haven’t hung our heads, where maybe we might have in the past.”
The past is what makes us doubt the present. As such, the job of the many newcomers here is no different than what the Cubs young leadership group had to do: Expunge the losing history, so that a new present can take over.
“Whatever happened since ’06, everyone is sick of it. Everyone is sick of hearing about the Edmonton Oilers being in last place,” spat Maroon. “The guys are starting to realize that, for guys to have good reputations moving forward — the guys who have been here before — we have to win hockey games.
“They see the leadership group that’s really taking charge, telling people what it takes to win. I mean, there are some guys in here who don’t even have a (career) playoff game. Once they get there, they’ll be like ‘This is what you guys always talk about?’”
A year and three days ago, the Oilers were 3-4. Then the Capitals walked into Rexall Place and beat the Oilers for fun, 7-4. The score flattered the home team, who were simply no match for a team of Washington’s caliber.
On Wednesday the scenario is nearly identical.
“It’s one of the top teams in the league, a Cup contender,” Milan Lucic said. “You talk about them coming in here last year and kicking the snot out of the guys. You know they’re coming in with the same type of swagger and confidence…”
Edmonton shouldn’t be that easy for the Washingtons and St. Louis’ anymore. Just the way Wrigley Field has become.