Tonight’s matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings isn’t a measuring stick. It’s not a playoff preview or some grand test of where either team stands. But it will be insightful, and that’s all you should take from it.

Both teams are coming off games against the Winnipeg Jets, who were stuck in an 11-game losing streak. The Oilers nearly let Winnipeg break that streak before mounting a comeback to win 4-3 in regulation. The Kings actually did let them break it — badly. Los Angeles got hammered, and it wasn’t pretty.

So here we are. Two Pacific Division rivals, both just played the same broken opponent, with wildly different results. Now they face each other for the first time this season. For teams that will likely be battling it out for four to seven games come April, that’s kind of odd. But that’s just how the schedule worked out.

For the Oilers, tonight’s a chance to see how they handle a team that just got embarrassed. LA will be motivated. They’ll be pissed about what happened against Winnipeg. Teams coming off humiliating losses tend to go one of two ways: they either come out flying with something to prove, or they’re still mentally rattled and can’t find their game. Which version of the Kings shows up will tell us a lot.

The Oilers showed some grit against Winnipeg. They were down 3-1, could have easily packed it in, and instead fought back to win in regulation.

This game will show us how both teams respond to different types of adversity. The Oilers nearly let a struggling team back into it before closing things out. Can they keep that edge against a better opponent? The Kings got thoroughly embarrassed by that same struggling team. Can they regroup quickly and prove they’re better than that performance?

There’s also the matter of familiarity — or lack thereof. This is the first meeting between these teams this season, which feels weird for teams that see each other for four to seven games every April. They’ve been watching each other from afar, tracking standings, seeing highlights, but haven’t actually played yet. First meetings can be strange. Teams are still feeling each other out, figuring out what’s changed since last season, adjusting to new personnel and systems.

The Oilers are rolling right now. They’ve climbed from outside the playoff picture to first in the Pacific. Connor McDavid is playing out of his mind. Key players are healthy. They’re in a good spot. But maintaining that against a motivated Kings team that just got embarrassed? That’s a different challenge than beating a team that’s lost 10 straight.

The Kings, meanwhile, need to prove that their performance against Winnipeg was an aberration. They’ve been a good team. They have talent. But getting blown out by the Jets like that raises questions. Can they bounce back immediately, or is there something deeper going on?

It’s not about proving anything definitive tonight. It’s about gathering information. How do these teams handle the whiplash of going from one type of game to a completely different one? How do the Oilers approach a motivated, angry opponent after barely escaping a desperate one? How do the Kings respond to embarrassment?

The answers won’t define either team’s season, but they’ll be revealing. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.

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