In terms of games that looked like pre-season hockey, boy, did Wednesday night’s game between the Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken look like pre-season hockey.

Low event, little effort, but what it really affords is a chance for many veteran players to shake off the rust. There was summer’s worth to shake off, as evident in the 4-1 final score in favour of the visiting sea monsters.

The juice from the Kraken side came from some of their prospects, as Jagger Firkus would get on the board in the first period set up by Logan Morrison, who scored his own in the second to make it 2-0. While Ben Meyers would score Seattle’s third in the third period and Jani Nyman would add an empty netter, it was Andrew Mangiapane who got on the scoreboard for the Oilers in the third.

Evan Bouchard carried the puck out of the Oilers end into the offensive zone, wrapping a puck around that the newest Edmonton Oiler was able to bang home.

“I thought he played well, obviously going to the net,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “He’s known as a pesky forward, gets in on the forecheck, breaks up plays, and can make some nice little dishes, or take that puck to the net in small areas.

“I saw him darting around and doing some of that tonight, and I think we’ll see more of it as he gets more comfortable with the team.”

There were other good signs from the game, too.

The Oilers gave Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl some penalty kill time Wednesday night with the team having to kill off two first-period penalties. Knoblauch said they would be used in some capacity on the kill this season, helping add a different dynamic to the special team.

“If you get two of the best offensive players, it keeps the power play on their toes. They’re on edge, and they always got to worry about giving up that shorthand goal. And anytime they’re worried about doing that, you just don’t usually execute as well.”

While Mangiapane was solid, Knoblauch was also impressed with Arto Leppanen and Quinn Hutson, the only two players to have played in all the pre-season games so far, which include a three-game in four-night span.

“I thought they both handled it really well,” he said. “Leps was really good, especially early in the game, moving the puck out and was able to find those guys. I recall a couple of shifts with McDavid and Draisaitl being able to make some nice passes. That’s what they want. They want to get the park in stride and not have to chase it down and forecheck so they can do their things. So he was excellent at transporting the buck.”

Edmonton’s pre-season continues Friday night with the Winnipeg Jets coming to town.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.