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The 2017-18 Regular Season Opener - Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers Game Preview

Hello out there. We're on the air. It's hockey night tonight.

By Jeff Chapman
The 2017-18 Oilers' season begins tonight with a Battle of Alberta.
The 2017-18 Oilers' season begins tonight with a Battle of Alberta.
Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports


Calgary

vs
Edmonton
0-0-0, 0 points, 0.0 p/g Ranks 0-0-0, 0 points, 0.0 p/g
1st, Pacific 1st, Pacific
- Points per Game -
- Special Teams -
- Shots on Goal -
- Goals Against per Game -
8PM MDT
TV:  Sportsnet
Radio - 630 CHED
Rogers Arena

The opposing view

PROJECTED LINES

Patrick Maroon - Connor McDavid - Leon Draisaitl
Milan Lucic - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Kailer Yamamoto
Drake Caggiula - Ryan Strome - Jussi Jokinen
Jujhar Khaira - Mark Letestu - Zack Kassian

Oscar Klefbom - Adam Larsson
Kris Russell - Matt Benning
Darnell Nurse - Eric Gryba

Cam Talbot
Laurent Brossoit

EXTRAS
Iiro Pakarinen
Yohann Auvitu


Let The Battle Begin

The 2016-17 saw the Oilers begin to erase a decade of disaster.  Edmonton finished with 103 regular season points, a playoff berth, and a push to the second round of the playoffs before succumbing to the Anaheim Ducks.  Today marks the beginning of the 2017-18 regular season; a season where they look to do all of that and a little bit more along the way.

The 2017-18 regular season begins with an inter-provincial Battle of Alberta with the Calgary Flames.  Can the Oilers begin the new season on the right foot?

Let's go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

"Obviously, there's big expectations and I think everybody feels the pressure...While we don't want ourselves ,I think everybody can see the potential of the team, particularly led by Connor.  We're in this thing to win, but I think we have to not get ahead of ourselves and everyone has to keep their feet on the ground"

Source

That's Oilers owner Daryl Katz on the expectations for this year's Edmonton Oilers.

ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

There are big expectations.  The books in Nevada suggest that the Oilers are the team to come out of the West this year.  Some even have them going all the way.  That's almost surreal to hear after the last decade.  Getting to the playoffs is the first start.  Start by winning tonight.

The opponents are saying

That's Flames goaltender Mike Smith.

Along with a few Flames, this will be goaltender Mike Smith's first game in a Battle of Alberta.  Along with Smith, Calgary newcomer Travis Hamonic will get his first taste of the BOA.

Have some of this

  • THE FORWARDS: Here they are, in glorious technocolour.  Looks like Leon will be up top with Patrick Maroon and Connor McDavid If in the next twelve hours Chris Kelly doesn't get a deal, you can look for Kailer Yamamoto to get his NHL debut after a monster showing this preseason.  Yamamoto will likely be teamed up with Lucic and Nugent-Hopkins which is a pretty fair sized gamble for Chiarelli to start the season.  Ryan Strome is at centre on line three alongside Drake Caggiula and Jussi Jokinen, while the fourth line of JJ / Letestu / Kassian seems all but locked.
  • THE DEFENCE: Yeah.  Has anyone checked on Andrej Sekera?
  • MUCH ADO ABOUT CALGARY'S DEFENCE: Acquiring Travis Hamonic from the Islanders was a nice move for Calgary this offseason.  A top four consisting of Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, TJ Brodie and Travis Hamonic looks very good on paper.  Can they handle Edmonton's top six?
  • MUCH ADO ABOUT JAROMIR JAGR: After Calgary signed Jaromir Jagr to a one year deal on Monday, there was much noise made.  He wasn't on Calgary's opening night roster, and because of this there's no Jaromir Jagr for Calgary tonight, you guys.  There is still, however, a Troy Brouwer.
  • You'll remember Cam Talbot, the guy who played 73 games for the Oilers last season en route to a .919 all-situations SV%.   Cam Talbot will start between the pipes tonight for the Oilers.  The Flames will go with Mike Smith.
  • Let's.  Go.  Oilers.