(Edmonton) As the Edmonton Oilers took stock on Wednesday, they were still feeling the pain of losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The playoffs capped a roller coaster season for the team, but the goal was still not achieved.
After collecting three straight victories to tie the final, the Oilers dropped the final game 2-1 against the Panthers on Monday in Florida.
“It’s obviously disappointing and frustrating,” center Leon Draisaitl said. Only one team can win, but I am very proud of what we experienced this year. »
Getting over the loss will take time, added Connor McDavid, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player. McDavid, however, wanted to highlight the positive aspects.
“There were a lot of happy moments throughout the series,” he said. Lots of good times that I will remember for the rest of my life. »
He declined to comment on McDavid’s undisclosed injury, saying he didn’t have much information. Evander Kane also played injured, he added.
“Leon fought all through the playoffs – the ribs, the hands,” Knoblauch said. At times it was worse than others. There were games where we weren’t sure he was going to play. But he got through it and he did very well. »
“And then Evander with the sports hernia, that’s something that bothered him all season long. This limited his play and unfortunately we missed him. »
Expectations for the Oilers were high heading into the campaign, but the team was 2-9-1 in mid-November.
The team then fired head coach Jay Woodcroft and hired Knoblauch. Soon after, the Oilers won 16 straight games.
“It was going to change no matter what. Our players are too good not to score more goals and win more matches,” summed up striker Mattias Janmark.
Edmonton finished the regular season with a 49-27-6 record, second in its division.
Several players had notable achievements, including McDavid, who scored 100 assists, and winger Zach Hyman, who scored 54 goals.
“You’re often defined by whether or not you win the last game,” Knoblauch said. We were so close, but there were so many positives to be happy about throughout the season. »
Connor Brown signed a one-year contract as a free agent last summer. He struggled to return to full health after knee surgery.
Limited to four goals and 12 points in 71 regular season games, the 30-year-old forward provided two goals and six points in the playoffs in 19 games.
“[Next season], I intend to be this version of myself from the start,” he mentioned, referring to his contribution during spring ball.
As an unrestricted free agent, Brown’s future is unclear. But the Toronto native said he hopes to reach a new pact with the Oilers.
“This is where I want to be. My heart is here, he said. It’s a really special place to play. »
The club will also be able to sign extensions with some high-profile players starting Monday, including Draisaitl.
The German star, however, said he had not thought much about his future.
“I’m obviously going to talk to my agent, talk to the Oilers, see what their plan is and what mine is and start there,” he said. I love being an Oiler more than anything. »