Oilers lean into playoff maturity, prep for Ducks - BERITAJA

EDMONTON – The Edmonton Oilers climbed a playoff upland the past 2 years, but didn’t works their emblem connected the summit.

They reached the Stanley Cup final, only to autumn to the Florida Panthers successful a Game 7 successful 2024 and successful a Game 6 successful 2025.

The Oilers embark connected what they dream is different marathon post-season, but pinch the lifting of Lord Stanley’s trophy successful June.

Edmonton hosts the Anaheim Ducks, who return to the playoffs aft a seven-year absence, successful Monday’s Game 1 astatine Rogers Place.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven matter is Wednesday earlier the bid flips to Anaheim for Friday’s Game 3 and Sunday’s Game 4 astatine the Honda Center.

“We’re here, we’re successful the playoffs and we person an opportunity to play Game 1 tomorrow and that’s breathtaking and I cognize this group is excited for it,” Oilers skipper Connor McDavid said Sunday aft believe astatine Rogers Place.

“The regular play has go a small spot monotonous for this group and I deliberation you spot that done the day-to-day, but this is what we get excited for.”

The Oilers boast a half-dozen players successful their lineup who person appeared successful 14 playoff bid complete the past six years.

“I would opportunity conscionable knowing what to expect, knowing what it’s going to consciousness like, the environment, the game, the pressures, the momentum swings,” McDavid said. “Playoffs is really a different game. It really is. You person to understand each of that. This group understands that.

“We’ve been done plentifulness of runs and played successful plentifulness of large games. Tomorrow’s nary different.”

Edmonton went 4-10 successful series-openers successful those 14 series.

“We talk about lessons and we’ve learned really important Game 1 is passim the people of our playoff career,” the skipper said. “Struggled successful them for early successful our profession and really put an accent connected them now.”

Playoff maturity is an asset, said caput coach Kris Knoblauch.

“They’ve been done it truthful galore times and it could beryllium very emotional,” the caput coach said. “There’s a batch of unit connected games, games that are going to overtime, a last-minute, one-goal game, worldly for illustration that.

“We’ve seen a batch of ups and downs done our past 2 playoff runs and moreover earlier that. We’re successful a bully position to grip those momentum swings.”

The Oilers besides commencement the playoffs healthier than a twelvemonth agone erstwhile much than half a twelve skaters missed clip down the regular-season agelong pinch injuries, including McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Draisaitl hasn’t played since March 15 though because of a knee injury. The guardant will return successful the first information against Anaheim, said Knoblauch.

But the coach wasn’t saying erstwhile Sunday arsenic he awaited aesculapian clearance for some Draisaitl and guardant Jason Dickinson, who has missed six games pinch an undisclosed injury.

The Oilers didn’t person Zach Hyman for past year’s Cup final, aliases the first 19 games of this season, because of a dislocated wrist sustained successful the Western Conference last against Dallas.

It was a rustle to Edmonton’s title hopes arsenic the guardant had 5 goals and six assists and a league-leading 111 hits successful 15 playoff games erstwhile he was injured.

“Health is simply a large thing. Health passim the playoffs is important,” McDavid said. “A squad that could enactment the healthiest usually has a bully chance.

“We want to beryllium patient time one, and we’re getting person and person to that. With that being said, we cognize whoever’s successful the lineup could get the occupation done. Whoever is successful there, we expect to play well, play our game.”

Goaltender Connor Ingram will make his playoff debut for Edmonton. The Oilers acquired him Oct. 1 from the Utah Mammoth for early considerations.

The 29-year-old from Saskatoon is ray connected post-season starts pinch conscionable 3 for Nashville successful 2022.

“I don’t deliberation thing will alteration for maine regular aliases thing for illustration that wise,” the goalie said Sunday. “I’ve said it a 1000 times. My occupation doesn’t alteration nary matter what we’re doing, truthful it’s conscionable different lucky game.”

The Oilers dealt goalie Stuart Skinner, defenceman Brett Kulak and a second-round draught prime successful December to get goalie Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh. Ingram started a twelve of Edmonton’s past 15 games of the regular season.

Edmonton besides recalled 34-year-old Calvin Pickard from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors up of the playoffs. The Oilers won six playoff games successful a statement pinch Pickard arsenic the starter past year.

This study by BERITAJA was first published April 19, 2026.