The NHL returns from a three-week Olympic break tonight with eight games and the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks will be the nightcap. The race for home ice advantage and playoff spots in all four divisions will be electric with 23 teams vying for 16 playoff spots. Some of those 23 teams could opt to sell before next Friday’s trade deadline, depending on the outcome of their next four games.

The Oilers (64 points) and Ducks (63) are separated by one point in the race for second place in the Pacific Division. Seattle is right in the mix with 63 points while the Los Angeles Kings have 60 and the Sharks have 58. Vegas leads the Pacific with 68 points, and they play in L.A. tonight. I feel San Jose is hanging on by a thread, but I could see Sharks GM Mike Grier buying and selling as the deadline approaches. He will move out some pending UFAs, but if he can add a player to help him next season and keep his team competitive down the stretch he will. The next nine days will impact how teams approach the deadline.

The Oilers are buyers. No question. They are looking for a second pair right-shot defender. They would also like a veteran third-line centre, preferably a right shot. I’m curious to see how aggressive Ducks’ GM, Pat Verbeek, will be. Anaheim has missed the playoffs the past seven seasons. They aren’t a Cup contender yet, but they want their young players to gain some playoff experience. They are right in the mix, and I think Verbeek has to look at adding something. They’ve been without the top centre, Leo Carlsson, since January 10th, but have stayed in the race. Carlsson returns to the lineup tonight and he should give them a similar boost as a trade acquisition. Carlsson had 44 points in 44 games prior to his injury and he’s one of the most exciting young players in the game. Sweden would have been better with him in the lineup at the Olympics and the Ducks are much more dangerous with him in the lineup.

Here’s a quick look at games involving the six Pacific Division teams leading up to the trade deadline. Edmonton and Vegas have home games the evening of the March 6th deadline.

Vegas and Edmonton are mainly on the road, while the Ducks, Kings and Sharks will try to take advantage of home stands. Edmonton needs a good start. Recently they haven’t been very good when resuming play after time off. They can’t afford to feel their way into the season again. They need to match the desperation, intensity and excitement of their opponents.

Last season they lost their first four games after the break for 4 Nations. The lost 6-3 in Philly, 7-3 in Washington, 4-1 in Tampa Bay and 4-3 in Florida. When the season resumed on February 22nd, the Oilers sat in first place in the Pacific Division with 72 points in 55 games. Vegas also had 72 points but had played 56 games. The Oilers were fourth place in the entire NHL, but then proceeded to win three of their next 10 games and on March 13th they had plummeted down to 12th in the NHL and ranked third in the Pacific division, six points back of Vegas and one behind LA. They never overcame that sluggish start and finished third in the Pacific.

I believe home ice advantage early in the playoffs could help the Oilers. It would reduce travel. The Oilers have done well starting on the road, but history still favours the home team in a series, and the Oilers should be looking ahead, not assuming they will mimic previous playoff success. This is a different season and a different team. They are still in a good position, despite losing their final three games heading into the Olympic break.

The break should have allowed them time to reset as a group and as individuals. Paul Coffey is back and the organization is hopeful the defence, and Tristan Jarry, can play better. The Oilers’ depth forwards need to contribute more, and the top lines need to reduce their goals against 5×5. The Oilers have more skill than most teams. There is zero reason why they can’t finish first in the Pacific Division, and with three of their remaining 24 games against Vegas, and an overall favourable schedule, the Oilers must compete for home ice advantage.

It starts tonight in Anaheim. The team, outside of Connor McDavid, should be well rested. Leon Draisaitl hasn’t played a game in a week while the rest of the team hasn’t played in 20 days. Fatigue shouldn’t be a factor, and the Ducks had just as much time off so rust can’t be an excuse either. The Oilers simply need to dig in and compete. They should be excited to play and there should be no lack of motivation with the Ducks trailing them by only one point.

As Adam Henrique said, “A lot of those teams are now in the playoff hunt, and you can see they have that desperation in their game. We have to find that level and raise the bar within our dressing room.”

— Joel Quenneville is one win shy of becoming only the second head coach in NHL history with 1,000 victories. Only Scotty Bowman (1,244) has more. Tonight, will be Coach Q’s 1,825th game as a head coach (fourth most all time) and the Ducks would love nothing more than to give their coach his 1,000th win. The Oilers will try and delay him reaching 1,000 wins.

— Kasperi Kapanen had 5-5-10 in his last 13 games since returning from injury and was an impressive +10 at 5×5 (15-5). He’s been very good when he’s in the lineup, but he’s battled injuries all season. He skated yesterday, but when the Oilers engaged in battle drills, he sat out. He won’t play tonight or tomorrow and is a maybe for Saturday. He’d be in my top six when healthy.

— Evan Bouchard has had a solid season, but he’s ramped up his play in 2026. He is tied with Connor McDavid for the team lead with 26 points since January 1 and he leads all defencemen in scoring with 63 points. Only 12 D-men in NHL history have scored 90 points in a season, and Bouchard is on pace to do that. He’s having an outstanding offensive season, and outside of the odd glaring error early in October and November, he’s been really sound defensively. I expect him to be a main contributor down the stretch as he’s one of the most skilled players in the NHL who got a three-week rest.

— McDavid is four points shy of his ninth 100-point season. Only Mario Lemieux (10) and Wayne Gretzky (15) have more. He will reach the century mark at some point on this three-game road trip most likely. It will also be his sixth consecutive 100-point season which ties him for second longest with Bobby Orr, Mike Bossy, Guy Lafleur, Peter Stastny, Steve Yzerman and Lemieux. If the 2020 season hadn’t been shut down due to COVID, McDavid would have 10 consecutive 100-point seasons. He had 97 points in 2020 and had 11 games remaining. You are witnessing one of the greatest offensive decades in NHL history.

— Anaheim is 4-12 against the Oilers since 2022, however, they have won three of the past five meetings and the last two games in Anaheim. The Ducks have improved, but the Oilers defeated them 7-4 in Edmonton on January 26th. The Ducks give up a lot of chances, and they have the fourth highest goals against average at 3.48. The Oilers should be able to generate chances, but they have to respect the Ducks’ offense. They can score and they get a big boost with the return of Carlsson tonight.

— The Oilers skate into Anaheim on a three-game losing streak. They haven’t lost four games in a row, since their first four games after 4Nations last season.

— I like the potential of a big, heavy, straight-line third line with Podkolzin and Frederic on the wing. Hope coach gives them some time to create chemistry.