PREVIEW: Oilers vs. Kraken
EDMONTON, AB – It’s the final tune-up before results start to matter in the NHL standings.
The Edmonton Oilers will look to make the most of their final 60 minutes of pre-season hockey on Friday night at Rogers Place against the Seattle Kraken by gaining some valuable feedback on some of the final roster decisions being debated, the new tactics that have been implemented throughout Training Camp, and how it'll all blend together on Opening Night next week to contribute to a fast start to their regular season.
Edmonton opens its regular-season schedule on Wednesday night at Rogers Arena with the first of a home-and-away set to begin the 2023-24 NHL season against the Vancouver Canucks.
“We pride ourselves on being open-minded and never being held prisoner to a decision that was made beforehand,” Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said. “We take a lot of pride in evaluating what's going on and what the players are showing us. We like to say they give us real-time information, and I think the way things play out or shake out is based on what we're seeing.
“I'm quite happy with the work rate of every player in Camp, but tomorrow's the last pre-season game, so it's the last opportunity for some people to make an impression.”
Coach Woodcroft has praised his group’s dedication during Training Camp and throughout the preseason, from the club’s top players all the way down to its hopefuls who are fighting for a roster spot, but acknowledges that there’s still work to be done – even after the Oilers make their final roster decisions in the coming days before the regular season starts on Oct. 11.
Their picture has remained small for the players on a day-to-day basis, but the amount of learning that’s been packed into the past 15 days of Camp by the coaching staff has been enough for them to feel confident they’re on track to start the season off strongly – a goal that’s been a major emphasis over the past two weeks in the Oilers locker room.
“I think every camp is different, and you always set out with the mindset of accomplishing or what your priorities are in Camp. I think we've done that to this point,” Woodcroft added. “We're not a finished product by any means. There's some work to do, but what I really enjoyed about our team is the mindset and the mentality that they've displayed, even before Camp started, by coming early and being together and working on their game on their own time. They've carried that into Training Camp, where we've tried to use each day as a day to get better.
“We've addressed certain parts of our game – not every part just yet – but we still have a few days left before opening night. I think [Thursday] was a key day, and it's going to set us up for an important last preseason game to try and make sure we're continuing to iron some kinks out in our game."
