Edmonton's Veterans Know the Secret: Seeding Doesn't Matter, Health Does

The Edmonton Oilers are heading into the final stretch of their regular season and, frankly, they're not sweating it. With five games left and a locked top-three spot in the Pacific Division already in hand, there's a calm settling over the team that only comes when you know what matters and what doesn't. Los Angeles would need to make up seven points in six games just to catch them for third place. That's not happening.

A Defense That's Actually Holding Up

The biggest reason for Edmonton's peace of mind: their game is locked in. The Oilers have won seven of their last 10, and it's been built on tightening up the defensive side of the puck. More than adequate goaltending from Connor Ingram hasn't hurt either. Head coach Kris Knoblauch is keeping perspective about what comes next. "We like home-ice, but we know it's not a necessity," he said flatly. "It'd be nice, but it's not necessary." The team has enough playoff scars to understand that chasing home-ice advantage down the stretch isn't worth burning out. They've proven they're better opening on the road anyway.

Captain Connor McDavid echoed that pragmatism after Monday's practice. "We still don't have an 'X' beside our name, and that's all we're focused on," McDavid said. "Seeding, positioning, it's not all that important. We feel good no matter where we start, but with that being said, we know our building, we know our home and our fans and how excited they are. It is a difference maker."

The Real Concern: Missing Firepower

What actually matters to Edmonton heading into the final five games is the absence of Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. These two are good for 85-100 goals per season, and their missing bodies have been felt. The power play has taken a serious hit with just two goals on 21 attempts across the nine games Draisaitl has missed, though the team still posted a 6-3 record in that span.

Knoblauch isn't expecting Draisaitl back until the playoffs. "Leon is going to be on the ice this week, but I don't anticipate him playing any games in the regular season," the coach said. "Sometime in that first round, if things go well." Hyman might see one or two games before the end of the regular season, but don't expect either of these guys to be leaned on before Round 1 starts. When they're healthy, everyone else gets shuffled back down. That's just how it works in Edmonton right now.

The Oilers roll through Utah, San Jose and L.A. this week with their seventh consecutive playoff appearance already assured. For a team with this much experience, that's worth staying calm for.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.