‘I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves, we want to get off to a good start. That’s our focus’ <\/p>\n
Published Oct 05, 2023<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 11\u00a0hours ago<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/span> <\/p>\n Exactly where the Edmonton Oilers will end up this year is anybody\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n REGISTER TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n And guessing they are.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n These days, everybody and their dog seems to have an opinion and are letting it be known with all sorts of predictions, presumptions and prognostications as the season is set to open next week. And some of them \u2014 whether entirely unfounded or not \u2014 even consider themselves experts in the field.<\/p>\n Is this the year they go all the way? Or will it be a third straight season of underperforming in playoffs against the team that goes on to win it all? Do injuries mean they fall well short of expectations?<\/p>\n But inside the home dressing room at Rogers Place, the focus of the pre-season has been on the here and now as the initial steps set the foundation for the long journey to come. Regardless of where the experts think they will end up.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019re getting ahead of ourselves, we want to get off to a good start,\u201d said Connor McDavid, whose squad will wrap up the pre-season at home against the Seattle Kraken on Friday (7 p.m.). \u201cThat\u2019s our focus.\u201d<\/p>\n Recommended from Editorial <\/p>\n Should he stay or should he go? Raphael Lavoie poses risky dilemma for Edmonton Oilers<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n No matter how or when, Oilers stomping the Flames is always fun<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n That doesn\u2019t mean the Oilers are without lofty goals for themselves. But it\u2019s first things first every step of the way.<\/p>\n \u201cIn terms of how important it is, every team wants to set themselves up as best as possible heading into the playoffs and that includes home ice,\u201d McDavid said. \u201cObviously, if you win your division or you win your conference, you get home ice throughout the playoffs and that always helps.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cBut our focus is the next game here and getting ourselves ready for an important start to our season.\u201d<\/p>\n Even if all eyes right now are focused on how it will end.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve said it all throughout camp, it\u2019s a long, long way away even being in a playoff series,\u201d McDavid said. \u201cSo, there are so many things that have to happen. No season looks the same, no team is the same from year to year. We\u2019ve got to continue to build our identity as a group and our game as a whole.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s our focus. That\u2019s it. That\u2019s not for us to decide, what you experts \u2014 like you said \u2014 like to pick.\u201d<\/p>\n With that in mind, let\u2019s take a look as some of the bolder predictions surrounding the Oilers for the 2023-24 season:<\/p>\n \u2022 ESPN\u2019s Greg Wyshynski has picked Edmonton to win the Stanley Cup. Again. Just like he did a year ago. This time, it\u2019s over none other than the Toronto Maple Leafs in the final. Though, admittedly, his predictions have turned into more of a curse.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u2022 DraftKings Sportsbook lists Edmonton\u2019s odds at hoisting the Stanley Cup in a futures bet at +432, second only to the Colorado Avalanche at +383. The San Jose Sharks come in last at +9967.<\/p>\n \u2022 The Athletic has the Oilers among its top five, at 9.7 per cent of the vote for favourites to win the Stanley Cup, which puts them fourth. The list was headed up by the Carolina Hurricanes (45.2 per cent), the Colorado Avalanche (16.1 per cent) and the Dallas Stars (12.9 per cent), with the reigning champion Vegas Golden Knights in a tie with the New Jersey Devils for fifth (6.5 per cent).<\/p>\n \u2022 Bovada also has the Oilers in their top five to win it all, stuck in a four-way tie with the Hurricanes, Avalanche and Devils at +900, followed by the Leafs at +1,000.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cIf the Oilers hold up defensively, they are a clear contender to appear in their first Stanley Cup Final since 2006. That includes their questionable goaltending situation with Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell,\u201d wrote thesportsgeek.com.<\/p>\n In and out:<\/strong> On Thursday, the Oilers signed F Brady Stonehouse to a three-year entry level contract. The five-foot-10, 192-pound Ontario native was with the team in the early stages of training camp after leading the Ottawa 67s with 37 goals and 66 penalty minutes and becoming one of 16 Ontario Hockey League players tagged by Hockey Canada for the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation world junior championship.<\/p>\n E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com<\/strong><\/p>\n On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge<\/strong><\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n Comments<\/p>\n Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications\u2014you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. <\/p>\n![\"Connor](\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/edmontonsun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/DSC_2734-1-scaled.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=ZOSYDq7tFnf7ZzKAzEke1A\" "\\"\\"")
Connor McDavid (97) of the Edmonton Oilers plays the puck in front of Calgary Flames goalie Dan Vladar at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023.<\/span> Photo by Shaughn Butts<\/span> \/Postmedia<\/span> <\/p>\nArticle content<\/h2>\n
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