It feels like the build-up to Christmas right now in Edmonton. The players are starting to roll in for captains’ skates. The youngsters are on the ice preparing for Young Stars. PTOs are getting handed out, making up for lost numbers over the off-season. All in preparation for the big day!

With leaves now covering golf courses everywhere, it’s fair to say we are all ready and excited for hockey season to begin.

Throughout the summer months, I try to push the idea of hockey to the back of my mind. However, as we edge closer to the start, a few things started to float around in my brain.

Have you ever heard the saying, “If you love something, let it go”? In most scenarios, that doesn’t make sense at all, but this time it does. After Philip Broberg wasn’t matched and signed with the St. Louis Blues, speculation began on how the Oilers would replace him. The options were limited, but Tyson Barrie’s name was thrown into the mix. Barrie was a solid Oiler during his time here; however, his form dropped after he was traded to the Nashville Predators. If he had signed a PTO with the Oilers, would that have been good for either party? There isn’t room for him to play power play, thanks to Evan Bouchard, and he isn’t strong enough defensively to play on the second pair with Darnell Nurse. It would’ve been a situation that likely would’ve ended with Barrie not signing here and putting a damper on his Oilers career. Accepting the offer to try out in Calgary was a much better play from the Barrie camp. Their blue line is weak, and it gives Barrie the chance to rejuvenate his career. So, in this scenario, letting Barrie go did make sense.

Speaking of the Flames, next season, they’re going to struggle, and as an Oilers fan, I’m excited to watch them crumble. I said on Oilersnation Radio the other week that they’d finish last in the NHL. That was for podcasting purposes only, but I do believe they’ll finish below the Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division. The Flames claim they are “retooling,” not rebuilding, but their roster would tell you otherwise. Anaheim has been basement dwellers for a while now, and they’ll want to change that. The young core has experience under their belts now, so taking that next step shouldn’t be too much to ask. Either way, we are talking about fifth and sixth in arguably the worst division in hockey.

Rookie camps started around the NHL this week, so we’ve entered the part of the off-season where prospect groups get graded. Unsurprisingly, the Oilers’ prospects sit towards the bottom end of most lists, but that’s okay. What does bother me is when it’s suggested that the organization doesn’t have prospects coming through the system. It’s an unfair statement. Matthew Savoie is the top dog, but behind him, you’ve got Olivier Rodrigue, Max Wanner and Noah Philp—three players who don’t get the appreciation they deserve from outside Edmonton. Even the addition of Roby Järventie and the gradual progression of Raphael Lavoie give hope that the Oilers could have youth contributing in the lineup. By no means is the Oilers’ prospect pool elite, but it shouldn’t be tossed to the side because people assume a former seventh-round pick won’t make the NHL.

The junior hockey landscape in the Edmonton area shifted last season with the Sherwood Park Crusaders and the Spruce Grove Saints moving to the BCHL. The AJHL was lacking representation in the city, so this summer, the Devon Xtreme were born. The Xtreme are coached by former Edmonton Oiler Kelly Buchberger and also have Ladislav Smid involved as a development coach. Devon has already attracted exciting local talent, Harrison Boldt, who should be one of the team’s top forwards. If you’re looking for something to scratch that hockey itch, maybe check out the Xtreme this Saturday in their home opener versus the Bonnyville Pontiacs. Even if you’re not living in the area, go support your local junior hockey team as they begin their campaigns.