In past seasons, when the Edmonton Oilers would play their final game before the All-Star break in California, the only decision to be made among the Oilers players was whether to pop into Las Vegas for the break, or choose a beach in Mexico.
This year a group of them took the team charter home to Edmonton, then spent their break in the cozy mountain town of Jasper, just a four-hour drive west of Edmonton. A town that is chock full of Oilers fans.
“We were joking,” defenceman Oscar Klefbom smiled, “that this was maybe the first All-Star break where we didn’t have to flee from Alberta.”
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My, how times have changed.
“The people,” Klefbom marveled. “Everyone said ‘You’re doing a good job!’ ‘Keep it going, boys!’ And we were also in a good mood. Everybody is happy.”
Edmonton waltzed into the All-Star break in a first place tie with San Jose in the Pacific, a lofty perch earned with road wins on back to back nights in California. They smoked Anaheim 4-0 on Wednesday, then beat the Sharks 4-1 Thursday in a show of force unseen by this franchise in the better part of a decade.
They’re 9-2-1 in their past 12, 13-3-3 in their past 19 games.
“There might be people around the league who think it was just a hot stretch, but we’re starting to think that we’re a playoff team in here,” said centre Mark Letestu. “We obviously haven’t made it yet, but we’re going to have to play those (California) teams in those buildings again, and I thought it was a good showing.
[pullquote]“It was proof that there’s a good team in here.”[/pullquote]
How good is up for debate. But the fact that this perennial rebuild has finally taken off, that is no longer a discussion point. Some numbers:
• Edmonton has 64 points — fourth in the West, eighth overall — through 51 games. Since their last playoff appearance in 2006, the Oilers have compiled more than 74 points in an 82-game season only twice.
• Edmonton has the second best goals differential in the West at plus-20 (seventh in the NHL). The Oilers finished last season with a goals differential of minus-42, good for 28th in the NHL. They’re ranked eighth in the NHL in goals per game (2.92) and seventh in goals allowed (2.51).
• With a team saves percentage of .916, Edmonton’s goaltending ranks eighth in the NHL. In the past three seasons, Oilers goaltending has ranked 21st or worse, with a saves percentage of no more than .905 (source: Sportingcharts.com).
“For one, we’re a tougher team to play against,” said Jordan Eberle, the long-suffering Oilers winger. “Bigger, stronger, and later in the season we’re creating a bit of an identity. We stick up for each other.
“And defensively we’re a much better team. We’re a tougher team to get chances against.”
So, what happened?
How did this failed rebuild, this collector of No. 1 overall picks finally gain traction? Well, it starts with a new general manager last season in Peter Chiarelli, whose staff properly evaluates incoming players.
Translation: instead of bringing in players like Anton Belov, Nikita Nikitin, Mark Fayne, Benoit Pouliot etc., Edmonton now acquires helpful talents like Cam Talbot, Patrick Maroon, Adam Larsson, Kris Russell, Milan Lucic, Matt Benning — players who actually make you a better team.
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As Eberle noted, they’re bigger. So the Oilers don’t lose 85 per cent of the puck battles against big teams. The goalie makes saves now, and the defence gets the puck to forwards who can hold on to it more effectively. They get the puck and keep it, a novel concept in these parts.
And, of course, Connor McDavid helps a bit.
“People were genuinely excited for us (in Jasper),” said Letestu. “Different levels of fans, some who have been through it all and others who are just on the bandwagon now. Everyone is pretty happy with the direction the team is going.”
The project is arrows up in Edmonton for the first time in a long time. And even though a guy like Taylor Hall was jettisoned in the process, those who remain are happy they’ve been able to stick it out.
“It’s a new experience for me,” said Eberle, an Oilers draft pick back in 2008 who has nearly 500 NHL games played, but not a single one in the playoffs. “You’ve lost a lot of games, and you finally get a chance this year to play into late April. It’s exciting, and we’ve got 30 games left. We need to perform.”
Minnesota is in town Tuesday night. What better place to start?
