There is no reason the Edmonton Oilers should have a slow start to the season.

After a strong first 10 minutes of their season opener, they were sloppy in the final 50 minutes against Vancouver, and it cost them. Tonight will tell us a lot about the psyche and determination of this team. Will they play how they are supposed to, or will they continue to give up too many quality chances? It isn’t coaching. It is a willingness to play the right way. It’s only Game 2, but we are already asking whether this team can commit to playing consistent, smart hockey. We shouldn’t be asking this question early in a season, but here we are, and it isn’t overreacting.

They have a new coaching staff. They have some new players. It can’t just be about coaching and goaltending and avoid the elephant in the room, which is a lack of commitment to consistency. Play hard. Play smart. Execute and don’t have mental gaffes that lead to high-danger chances repeatedly. No doubt, Tristan Jarry needed to stop the Canucks’ third goal. And you’d like him to stop one of the tough chances. He needs to play better, but the Oilers’ ability to surrender breakaways, whether it was on a stretch pass, a give-and-go in at the blue line, or from a lost battle in the defensive zone, it led to three Canucks going in all alone on Jarry. Those situations need to be once or twice every few games, not three times in a game.

It was only one game, and I expect the Oilers to limit those chances tonight, but the fact it happened on opening night after a five-month break wasn’t ideal. They’ve proven they can go long stretches playing sound, defensive hockey, but they’ve also shown they can be leaky far too often. They need to make the leaky games rare, not frequent.

SNAPSHOTS…

- Zach Hyman is injured. The Oilers are now down four of their top nine forwards with Matt Savoie, Jason Dickinson, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman. Not good, but it creates opportunities for others. Mike Babcock is sticking with his pre-season and training camp plan and had Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl with Vasily Podkolzin this morning, so players on the second, third and fourth lines should get more minutes. Players all want more opportunities, and tonight they will get it. We will see who steps up.

- How good has Evan Bouchard been since training camp started? Really damn good.  He had four points in his first exhibition game, then one in his second and started the regular season with a three-goal, five-point night. He’s looked awesome so far. He is slightly quicker this season, and from day one of camp he’s looked even more confident and determined. He is more relaxed and conversational during his interviews. He looks poised for a dominant season, and after scoring 95 points last year, it is not a reach to think he could push for 100 points, while also being more consistent defensively.

- Vasily Podkolzin tallied the third two-goal game of his career in the season opener. His tying goal was a rocket. He had a career-high seven shots on goal, and he almost beat Kevin Lankinen five-hole on a first-period shot, but it went through his pad and slid just wide. Podkolzin has a great wrist/snapshot, and he told me this summer he worked on his puck management. He wants to make more plays with the puck, he said, and he wants to shoot more. He had seven shots and two goals in the opener, and that should only boost his confidence. He could emerge as their go-to winger, especially if Hyman is out for any extended period of time.

- The penalty kill is still a work in progress. Going 50 per cent in game one, allowing one goal on two kills, is not how they wanted to start, but they can’t let it snowball. They need to get through a game without giving up a PP goal.

- Devon Levi will make his first NHL start since Jan. 20, 2025. Levi has gained a lot of experience and confidence over the past 21 months, and he is confident he is more NHL-ready now. Last week, he said he felt spending a full year in the AHL last year was actually good for him. He feels more prepared now, and most importantly, I sense he believes he is ready to be an NHL goalie. There is no doubt. He looked good in pre-season, and I know it is only pre-season and five periods of hockey, but he believes he can carry that into the regular season.

Lineups…

Oilers…

Podkolzin-McDavid-Draisaitl

Jones-Dach-Kapanen

Formenton-Michaels-Joseph

Howard-Samanski-Frederic

Ekholm-Bouchard

Walman-Murphy

Shea-MukhamadullinLevi

All four lines are different from opening night, mainly due to Hyman’s injury and Josh Samanski’s recall, and changing lines is normal in the NHL, especially when injuries occur. The players will adapt, and the Oilers just need to play smart, sound hockey. The Oilers will need someone to emerge from lines 2-4. Kasperi Kapanen had a strong opening night, and he will need another good game. Depending on how the game goes, I could see Babcock look at having Kapanen play with one of Draisaitl or McDavid to give them two potentially dangerous lines. But tonight, the top line needs to carry them offensively.

The Oilers have more skill than Vancouver, even without four of their top nine forwards, but they have to outwork the Canucks. Skill doesn’t beat will if you don’t match their work ethic.

Canucks…

Debrusk-Pettersson-Lekkerimaki

Ohgren-Rossi-Boeser

O’Connor-Sasson-Karlsson

Bains-Cotter-Gallagher

Buium-Hronek

Oleksiak-Willander

E.N. Pettersson-Schenn

Lankinen

No lineup changes for the Canucks. Lankinen was excellent on Tuesday. He made some massive saves in the first period before the Canucks opened the scoring. But he still allowed five goals. He’s beatable, and he has a tough time seeing around traffic. The Oilers have made a concerted effort to get more bodies to the net, and it paid off on a few of Bouchard’s point shots. Look for more of that from Edmonton tonight. With Hyman out of the lineup, Trent Frederic, Colton Dach, Podkolzin, Kapanen and Alex Formenton need to park their big frame in front of Lankinen.

TONIGHT…

Photoshop by Tom Kostiuk

GAME DAY PREDICTION: Edmonton rebounds with a more precise effort and win 4-2.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Bouchard keeps rolling and picks up another two points.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Howard scores his first of the season.

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