LAING: Well, now what?

Those looking for another @Edmonton Oilers fix are going to be waiting for a few more weeks with the upcoming all-star break.

Edmonton isn’t squaring up against another opponent until the 29th for the highly anticipated BoA rematch against the @Calgary Flames.

The timing of the break is both a blessing and a curse for the Oilers. Edmonton is playing some of the best hockey they’ve played since the teams’ first dozen or so games riding a nice little 6-1-1 streak that started with a big New Year’s Eve win against the New York Rangers.

While some of the wins came on the road against the @Boston Bruins, @Toronto Maple Leafs, and @Montreal Canadiens, the team has won a few key matchups at home against the @Nashville Predators and @Arizona Coyotes in the last week.

Edmonton’s points percentage of .813 during that time — the second-best in the entire league — all the while posting the third-best goals for percentage at 60.66 per cent. Those are both elite numbers and a great representation of the things this club can do.

I don’t think there’s any denying that the recall of @Kailer Yamamoto on Dec. 29 had something to do with it. He was immediately placed on a line alongside @Leon Draisaitl and @Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the trio have been electric. Draisaitl has five goals and nine assists in eight games, while Nugent-Hopkins has six goals and seven assists in the same time.

Meanwhile, Yamamoto, a rookie, has scored a cool three goals and three assists.

There’s been an elevation in play from some of Edmonton’s depth scorers too, with @Josh Archibald scoring four goals and three assists, and @Riley Sheahan’s three goals and four assist.

And don’t forget about @Mike Smith, who has gone 5-0-1 in six starts during the last eight game stretch. He posted a .924 save percentage and helped win some key, key games.

The break is a blessing because it gives the team some time to rest up. @Matthew Benning is expected to return from a concussion post-break, while I’m sure some of the rest of the roster has some bumps and bruises that could use 10 days for some recovery.

It’s a curse because Edmonton has been playing so well for the last few weeks. The Oilers will need to look quickly to regain their form on the 29th for a huge, huge game against Calgary.

Nonetheless, Edmonton has other big games coming up too. Here’s a look at the key conference matchups between the 29th and Feb. 12: vs. @St. Louis Blues on Jan. 31, @ @Calgary Flames on Feb. 1, @ @Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 4, vs. @San Jose Sharks on Feb. 6, vs. @Nashville Predators on Feb. 8 and vs. @Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 11.

These are all games that the Oilers need to win as they fight to gain ground in a Pacific Division that sees one point separate 1st and 5th.

On Twitter: @zjlaing