EDMONTON — There has been a theory quietly circling the Edmonton Oilers all season long, borne from the painful experience of losing in the Stanley Cup Final last spring.
It goes something like this:
In debriefing from their Stanley Cup Final loss to Florida, the Oilers believe they need to have more left in the tank when the playoffs start this season. And, theoretically, when/if they are still playing for a Stanley Cup in June.
The Oilers feel like they were out of gas when the Cup Final started last season, and though they found a second wind to force a Game 7, falling behind 3-0 in the series — with Connor McDavid the only Oilers to produce more than a single point in first three games — was a bigger issue than coming up short in Game 7 by a 2-1 score.
But it’s tricky.
Playing a season with the emergency brake on could lead to being done after one round of playoffs — or not making the post-season at all.
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It’s dangerous to even think about “saving” anything for playoffs — and no player would ever put a voice to anything of the sort. But if you get to Round 4 again and you’re totally spent, well, what did you learn from the last time?
Fast forward to today, March 31, when everyone is ramping up for the playoffs.
The Oilers are a solid playoff team, despite an elongated malaise that saw them post the NHL’s 13th best points percentage since Jan. 1 (.583), and 22nd (.472) best since the league reconvened after the 4 Nations.
Their overall game is improving, but still some distance below its best.
Now, some of their recent travails have come as a result of a wave of injury, to be sure. But well beyond that, this has been arguably the least productive season of Connor McDavid’s career, Evan Bouchard’s season has lagged, Zach Hyman’s numbers are down, Mattias Ekholm’s game has been somewhere below his best all season, goalie Stuart Skinner has stepped it back, the third line hasn’t produced, the penalty kill has been meh, and the list goes on.
Now they have a slew of injuries — and only nine games to get it together for Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings three weeks from now.
The plan is being tested.
“Last year, we were very fortunate. What we went through was minimal,” Knoblauch said. “Right now, this is about as bad as it gets: Your two superstars (are/were) out, possibly your best defenceman, (your starting goalie) and then numerous other guys.
“The worst case scenario would be that those guys aren’t ready for playoffs, but we’re very fortunate that none of those guys— besides Evander (Kane) — are even remotely looking like (they won’t return) before the regular season ends.”
So, with 16 days left in their regular season schedule, the concern over resting some of their top players has shifted to allowing them ample recovery time over the final nine games. And it looks like these top players will get every day of rest they require — and perhaps a couple more — regardless of opponent or standings as the Oilers head down the final stretch of games.
Edmonton’s charter took off for Vegas on Monday without McDavid, Ekholm, Skinner and recent addition John Klingberg.
Trent Frederic and Kane — the latter of whom will not play until the playoffs — will practice with the team on this trip.
McDavid has what is believed to be a groin or abdominal issue. He’ll get as much rest as he needs, knowing that when he plays in the post-season, his minutes will be heavy.
An elongated rest for McDavid could cost the Oilers a chance at second place, sure. But a rested, 100 per cent healthy McDavid opening on the road in L.A. is better than home-ice advantage with McDavid at just 90 per cent, a tactical decision being made by the Oilers front office.
“The most important thing is that he is healthy and 100 per cent for the playoffs,” said Knoblauch, who pushed back on our theory. “But to say that the regular season is not that important, we’re not playing for anything, we’re just putting in time… I think, is a little far-fetched. We’re not in that position.
“When he is healthy, we want him joining. We want him playing, but we’re not going to push something that might get worse.”
Ekholm, Oilers fans will be pleased to learn, has an injury that can be healed by playoff time, Knoblauch said.
The Oilers’ top-pairing defenceman has been either sick or injured since the beginning of February. In many ways, he’s as important as McDavid to this team’s Stanley Cup aspirations.
“He did have an injury after the 4 Nations. He took a little bit of time off, came back, and now we’re taking a little more time for it to heal,” Knoblauch said. “It’s something that can get healed, and it’ll be 100 per cent. It’s not like Evander Kane last year, (an abdominal injury) that was ongoing, and it didn’t matter how much time off he had, it was going to be ongoing. (Ekholm’s) is not an injury like that.
“He can move on and be 100 per cent. He just needs some time.”
Frederic’s high-ankle sprain has been tricky, as they usually are.
Skinner’s concussion, the Oilers hope, won’t linger.
The plan to have a more rested team was a good one, we believe.
Coupled with all these injuries, however, it’s getting complicated.
