#360USA: Oilers turning into an impressive machine

Steve Brenner 01:53 01/11/2016
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  • Inspiration: Connor McDavid.

    When you land in Edmonton, it doesn’t take long to realise what the Oilers mean.

    I was in Edmonton for a week covering the women’s World Cup in 2015. Waiting for your bags at the airport, reminders are everywhere. Nods to a certain Wayne Gretzky and the glories of yesteryear give an immediate sense of just how important ice hockey is in those parts.

    In the summer, it’s quite sleepy, yet quaint. There’s enough buzz about town to keep you occupied in the evening. Lovely people. Very welcoming. Not much else to report.

    When winter rolls in, however, it can’t be much fun. Temperatures plunge way below zero. The cold is bitter and relentless. Yet as the nights become longer, there is a permanent glow in the beautiful new Rogers Place arena following an extraordinary start to the NHL season.

    The team and its fans, who have spent a decade out of the play-offs – the worst run in hockey – are on the crest of a wave following seven wins from their first eight matches. Stanley Cup glory was last tasted 26 long years ago. They came close in 2006, falling at the final hurdle to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Oilers haven’t been to the postseason since.

    Hope abounds in this campaign, though, thanks in no small part to the wonderkid dubbed ‘McJesus’. Connor McDavid is just 19, the youngest captain in NHL history and producing performances Gretzky, who has a statue of himself holding up the biggest trophy in sport outside their new stadium, would be proud of.

    Averaging around a point per game, fellow upstarts like Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Winnipeg ace Patrik Laine know they’re in serious company. He dished two assists in the 4-1 thrashing of Washington last Wednesday, a seismic performance to put the seal on Edmonton’s best record in the first seven games of the season since 1985-86.

    And guess who nabbed the winner on Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks? It’s early days but excitement is already building.

    “You can definitely sense they’re expecting a lot out of us this year,” said Ontario native McDavid whose speed around the ice is blowing both rivals and pundits away. “But that’s good, we’re expecting even more out of ourselves. We want to remake the Oilers name.”

    Legend Gretzky added: “At the end of the day he loves playing the game. “I’m really impressed with how mature he is. He is mature beyond his years and it’s wonderful for the game.”

    There is, however, more to the resurgence than McDavid’s brilliance. A huge front office reshuffle instigated by general manager Peter Chiarelli following his arrival last year has reinvigorated a franchise which had been losing its way more often than not.

    There’s a definite Chicago Cubs feel about the Oilers – something which shouldn’t surprise anyone considering Chiarelli knows Wrigley Field miracle worker Theo Epstein well following their spells in Boston with the Bruins and Red Sox respectively.

    Yet, while one Canadian powerhouse looks to roll back the years, another is also joining the party. The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more times than any other franchise. The famous old trophy has been lifted an incredible 24 times. You have to travel all the way back to 1993 for the last one though.

    As in Edmonton, Montreal have flown out of the blocks, creating history along the way. Their sixth win on the spin last Thursday over Tampa saw them become the first ever NHL team to win at least seven of its first eight games three years in a row.

    The Canadiens are goal hungry while their defence is playing above themselves, but a lot rests on outstanding keeper Carey Price’s shoulders.

    There’s a long way to go. Yet, without doubt, the sleeping giants are awake and up for a fight.

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