Oilers notebook: Success in adversity gives Oilers sense of belief

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So does regular-season inability extrapolate to playoff probability?

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What does it mean that the Edmonton Oilers lost all four games to Vancouver Canucks, two in October, one in early November and the last one April 10?

“Not much. I’m not saying it doesn’t count for anything. They (Canucks) played well all year and beat us. But Winnipeg beat up on Colorado all year long,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid, assessing the Avs’ five-game playoff win over the Jets.

The oddsmakers still favour McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Company in the Round 2 playoff series, because of 97 and 29 and maybe because the Oilers toasted L.A. in five in a 2-3 Pacific Division matchup and the Canucks, who won the Pacific, only scored 13 goals in their six-game win over Nashville, the first wild-card.

The early-season losses to the Canucks were stingers, especially the 8-1 humiliation in Game 1, followed by a Canucks win here in Game 2. McDavid has more short-term memory than long. Does he even remember that opening night loss, where things went sideways in a hurry? More them, than the Oilers?

“It was so long ago,” said 97, not willing to offer up a few paragraphs.

The April 10 battle at Rogers Place was for first-place in the Pacific and Canucks played very well and won, so that clearly matters.

But …

“I remember not playing. I remember watching. It was a hard-fought, close game,” said McDavid, who sat out that game with an injury.

Has Vancouver seen anywhere near the Oilers best this season?

“I hope not, otherwise we’ll be out in four. I don’t think so. I hope we haven’t shown our best against them, and that’s to come,” said Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm.

“I can sit here and say whatever you want but ultimately we’ll see how it is in the series. I’m looking forward to the challenge,” said McDavid.

Certainly, the Oilers have grown since their awful start, which got coach Jay Woodcroft fired after 12 games, with three losses to the Canucks. McDavid, like his teammates, was in the throes of despair after a woeful Nov. 9 loss to the worst team in the league in San Jose, just before the coaching change to Kris Knoblauch.

“It showed our group that when we stick together, when we stick to the process … I know that’s all cliché stuff and boring, but when we focus on everyday things, keeping the picture small as they say, we can be a really good hockey team,” said McDavid. “When we start looking too far ahead, we struggle.”

Same feelings from Hyman.

“Adversity helps. The season was almost on the line and we were less than 15 games in. Unusual, right?” said Hyman. “We had to play with a sense of urgency during the year and had to learn to be comfortable in a pressure situation. I think we’re confident in our group now, we have a great self-belief.”

MEASURING AN OPPONENT

An Ekholm look-back at his days in Nashville storyline might have been an interesting playoff series chapter, but it didn’t happen for the ex-Predators defenceman.

“Obviously it would have been fun but at the same time it probably would have been a bit of an energy-drainer for me. I still know a lot of people around that organization, knowing a bunch of guys on that team,” said Ekholm

“It was out of my control, up to the hockey gods, I guess.”

“Easier from a travel perspective,” he said, referring to the Edmonton-Vancouver proximity.

“I’m pretty even-keel. You get to the second round and there’s only good teams left.”

LINEUP DECISIONS

Evander Kane and Adam Henrique missed their second-straight practice Saturday, but Knoblauch doesn’t seem worried. “Day to day, possibly back on the ice tomorrow,” said Knoblauch, but not with the team, which is taking the day off Sunday.

Kane has had a sports hernia for a long while but showed few effects of that issue in the L.A. series on left wing with Leon Draisaitl. Henrique, who has been playing on McDavid’s wing, was hurt in Game 5 against L.A., possibly an ankle problem. Fourth-liner Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown, who sat for the Kings’ series, have been top-six placeholders for the last two practices, with the Oilers off Sunday.

This ‘n that: Horse owner Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had his eye on the Kentucky Derby Saturday, along with the Leafs and Bruins Game 7. “I actually was there (at the Derby) in 2015 with my family. Back then we had a little more time (not making the playoffs),” said the Oiler winger. “Amazing event, everybody’s dressed up, having a great time,” said RNH, whose best horse has been a filly, Infinite Patience … Ekholm was sporting some stitches on his right eyelid after his old Nashville buddy Viktor Arvidsson took a healthy run at him last series with Los Angeles. It appeared to be a pressure cut, likely from his visor. “Doesn’t feel that bad, when you win,” said Ekholm, who also took a high stick in Game 6 against Vegas in 2023 and had a black right eye at the final media gathering … Canucks’ defenceman Tyler Myers saved the Game 6 win in Nashville, with a diving stop on Gus Nyquist with nine seconds left and the Preds on a power play. “Got me right in the balls,” said Myers, cutting right to the chase. The cup, as Myers said, saved him. “The boys are OK,” he joked … Canucks’ centre Elias Pettersson is one of the three finalists for the Lady Byng, along with Leafs’ Auston Matthews and Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin … Canucks’ Latvian goalie Arturs Silovs is the youngest-ever Vancouver goalie, at 23 years, 42 days, to post a playoff shutout, 1-0 vs. Nashville on Friday. Silovs was the Latvian goalie last spring at the worlds when they stunningly won a bronze medal … Canucks’ head coach Rick Tocchet and Oilers assistant coach Paul Coffey share a wonderful playing history. They were on arguably the greatest Canadian team ever against the Russians in the 1987 Canada Cup. There were 12 Hall of Famers on the Canadian team. Tocchet, not a Hall of Famer but a heckuva two-way, tough player, was on the wing, Coffey on defence … The Oilers summoned goalie Olivier Rodrigue, defencemen Ben Gleason, Phil Kemp and Cam Dineen and forwards Adam Erne, Raphael Lavoie and Lane Pedersen from Bakersfield to be Black Aces in the playoffs. They brought up Jack Campbell as a third tender and Philip Broberg as an eighth D earlier.