Oilers / Canadiens Schedule Updates

Edmonton’s schedule has been flexed a bit in order to make up last week’s missed games in Montréal. They’ll make up one of the three missed games on Tuesday of this week.

The Oilers are not benefitting from this hopscotch schedule. With rest already at a premium, they’ll be forced to play even more than previously scheduled.

They’ll make up one of last week’s postponed events on Tuesday of this week. That’s great, except the Oilers are in Toronto tomorrow. They’ll play the Maple Leafs in a critical game on Monday, they’ll be in Montréal the next night on zero days rest, then they’ll be back in Edmonton to take on the Flames on Friday, April 2nd. By the time Edmonton finishes Tuesday’s game against the Habs, they’ll have played three games in four nights, which has me less than enthusiastic.

The two remaining games which were postponed last week will get tacked on at the end of the regular season in May. That’s not the worst thing in the world, but the Oilers go from playing two games in three nights to playing two in two. I’d like to think that the Oilers are going to be locked and ready for the playoffs by that time, but a possible four point swing in the division could be huge, especially when there are just 56 games in the season.

The game between the Oilers and the Canadiens which was originally scheduled for April 20th has been pushed to April 21st. A time change of one hour will take place on April 26th between the Oilers and Jets, puck drop will be at 7 PM instead of 6.

The Oilers now have a big test coming in the next 48 hours as they face Toronto tomorrow and the Canadiens on Tuesday night. Can the Oilers navigate the waters of a choppy schedule?