The Edmonton Oilers head to Chicago tonight to face a Blackhawks team that’s been through absolute chaos recently.

An illness bug ripped through the roster, taking out five starters at one point. They had to call up multiple AHL players just to ice a lineup, including an emergency goalie. It was a mess.

But here’s the thing: they should be good now. Or at least as healthy as an NHL team can reasonably be at this point in the season. The illness has passed. Bodies are back. And most importantly, Connor Bedard is back from injury.

This is not the struggling Blackhawks team that the Capitals beat 5-1 a few nights ago. That was a depleted, patchwork lineup just trying to survive. What the Oilers are facing tonight is closer to what Chicago actually is when healthy—and that’s a team that can create problems if you’re not prepared.

Watch Bedard tonight, he’s practically the franchise centrepiece. The guy the entire rebuild is built around. When he’s out, the Blackhawks lose their most dynamic offensive player and the guy who draws the most defensive attention. When he’s in, suddenly, Chicago has someone who can generate scoring chances from anywhere on the ice.

The Blackhawks need points badly. They’ve been ravaged by injuries and illness, they’ve fallen further in the standings, and they’re looking to salvage something from this season. Teams in that position play with urgency—they don’t have the luxury of pacing themselves or playing it safe.

Expect Chicago to play fast. That’s their identity when healthy. They want to create transition opportunities, get their young skilled players in space, and keep the tempo high. They’re not going to try to slow the game down and grind. They’re going to try to match the Oilers’ speed and hope their offensive chances convert.

That means Edmonton’s goalie needs to be sharp from the opening faceoff. Connor Ingram can’t afford a slow beginning. Chicago will come out trying to establish themselves early and grab some confidence. If the Oilers give up goals in the first ten minutes because they weren’t locked in, this becomes a harder night than it needs to be.

The question is, which version of Chicago shows up? Are they still adjusting after the illness and injury chaos, or are they energized by having their lineup back together? Will Bedard be in form immediately, or will he need some time to get his timing back?

The Oilers can’t treat this like an easy two points. This isn’t a lottery team rolling over. This is a young, fast team with their best player back, playing at home, needing wins. If Edmonton assumes this will be straightforward, they’ll find themselves in trouble.

The Blackhawks that lost 5-1 to Washington were missing key players and dealing with roster chaos. The team the Oilers face tonight is healthier, more complete, and motivated to show they’re better than that performance.

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