After three weeks between contests, the Oilers begin a massive roadtrip in western California on Wednesday night, beginning with the Anaheim Ducks. It’s a stretch of three games in four days against division opponents (Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose) who are all within six points of Edmonton.

The big question for the Oilers is, will Connor McDavid play?

Kris Knoblauch said McDavid was set to arrive in Anaheim on Tuesday night, but wouldn’t declare whether the league’s leading scorer would be suiting up.

“We had some discussions in January about the possibility of what happens when the tournament ends, when you fly back, and how he feels both coming back and playing immediately,” said Knoblauch.

“I think a lot of it has to do with how he’s feeling, injury-wise, health-wise, energy-wise, is probably the biggest factor, and having that decision. He’s still travelling, so obviously, there’s a lot up in the air still. Nothing’s been ruled out.”

Leon Draisaitl skated with the team for the first time since being captain of Team Germany. He doubled down on his comments from before the break, saying top to bottom, everyone on the Oilers needs to better down the stretch.

The Oilers’ lineup is also in flux due to the anticipated return of Adam Henrique and the expected resting of Kasperi Kapanen.

Still, Kapanen practiced on Tuesday after Knoblauch said he would be out for two games with a “little ailment.” Knoblauch maintained that the timeline is “probably” Saturday.

Ducks were hot

Beyond lineup unknowns, it’s impossible to say how either team will respond after such a long layoff.

Anaheim had more players at the Olympics than Edmonton, with Lukas Dostal and Radko Gudas representing Czechia, and Mikael Granlund donning the “C” for Finland in a bronze medal effort.

The Oilers certainly hope a three-week pause is a momentum killer for the Anaheim Ducks, the streakiest team in the NHL this season. Anaheim was on a 9-2 run, reeling off multiple divisional victories against Seattle and Vegas before shutting it down.

One player who didn’t get to represent his country due to injury was budding Swedish star Leo Carlsson, whom the Oilers dodged the first time due to a lesion on his left thigh.

His injury timeline slates him to return tonight, but there’s been no confirmation from the Ducks on his availability yet. Carlsson has 18 goals and 44 points in 44 games this season, but hasn’t played since January 10.

Troy Terry, who also missed the January 26 game against the Oilers, played the last two games before the pause and had two assists. Overall, he has 44 points in 45 games.

Struggling forward Frank Vatrano could also be ready to go, having not suited up since December 27.

Good at home

Just like the Oilers’ monster homestand in January, the Ducks are beginning a seven-gamer tonight.

The Honda Center has been kind to its tenants, as the Ducks have won five straight home games.

On the season, they are 17-8-1, just four wins fewer than all of last year at home. They are undefeated, 12-0-0, when scoring first at home, and 5-8-1 when they don’t.

The Ducks are 18-0-0 when leading after the second period this season, but pose a dangerous threat when trailing, too. No team in the league has more multi-goal comebacks this season than Anaheim, who’ve collected seven.

Bottom line, the Oilers cannot get complacent.

Last time

The one other matchup this year, back on January 26, was a thrilling game. Mattias Ekholm and Mikael Granlund had duelling hat-tricks, the Oilers set an NHL record with four goals from defencemen in 3:49 of game time, and the Ducks powerplay abused the Oilers’ penalty kill.

It all amounted to a 7-4 victory for the Oilers, again, with the Ducks missing some key cogs from their lineup that should be back tonight. There’s only one more head-to-head on March 28.

That began a five-game stretch where Edmonton allowed nine goals on 14 penalty kills, a putrid 36 per cent to close out the slate. In total, in all situations, the Oilers allowed 26 goals against in the last six games.

Hence, Draisaitl’s hot comments.

This will be Paul Coffey’s first game behind the bench since Game 6 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final, meaning Coffey will run the blueline, and Mark Stuart will focus primarily on the PK. Beyond that, Knoblauch also hinted at adjustments the team was working during their mini-camp.

“[There’s been] emphasis on defensive details, and we’ve been talking about that throughout the year, of how we can get better,” said Knoblauch last week. “We made some adjustments to our systems to stress certain points of being able to protect those areas a little bit better, and pressure in different situations.”

Notes:

We’ll keep an eye on if/when the Oilers call up Matthew Savoie, Alec Regula, or Josh Samanski. All three were either sent down, loaned, or put on a conditioning stint to Bakersfield after the Oilers’ last game. Savoie assisted on Regula’s first goal of the season in their lone game.
This Ducks start has been their best in over a decade. It’s the first time since 2014-15 that they’ve won 30 of their first 56 contests in a season.
Leading scorer Cutter Gauthier has points in seven of his last eight games.
Coach Joel Quenneville is one win shy of 1000 regular-season victories. Only Oilers GM Stan Bowman’s dad, the legendary Scotty Bowman, has achieved that feat. Quenneville has a record of 999-595-230.
Anaheim has 86 goals this season by players 22-years-old or younger. In the past 30 years, only one other team has more, the 2006-07 Pittsburgh Penguins who had 90 goals from u22s.
Netminder Petr Mrazek will not return this season, the club announced last week, having undergone hip surgery.
The Ducks swept the season-series against the Golden Knights for the first time in franchise history.
Oilers road record: 13-12-4.
The Oilers are 2-3 against the Ducks in their last five meetings.

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.

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