McDavid and the Oilers Make a Huge Statement Ahead of the 2023-24 Season

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Ryan Hall
September 7, 2023 (10:35 PM)

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It's safe to say that this season for the Edmonton Oilers is one of the most crucial in the team's history since Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier skated in the Northlands Coliseum. With contract talks looming for Leon Draisaitl, set to conclude at the end of the year, and the McDavid era reaching its peak, this edition of the Oilers is eager to kick off the season and prove that they can make a significant impact and go the distance to reach the Stanley Cup finals.

General Manager Ken Holland made minor changes to the team, removing three players from the 23-man roster, including Kailer Yamamoto, Klim Kostin, and Jesse Puljujarvi. He also traded Tyson Barrie and brought in Matthias Ekholm. Additionally, he re-signed Evan Bouchard to a two-year extension and added players like Connor Brown and Lane Pedersen during unrestricted free agency.

This team remains largely intact from the 2022-2023 edition, and as players arrive in Edmonton, filter into the gyms, and prepare for training camp, numerous players have expressed their excitement and determination to kick off the season on the right foot.

Zach Hyman, an NHL forward and children's book author who recently launched an NFT for kids chewing gum, passionately shared his excitement with reporters, saying,

"It's great to be back in Edmonton. It's earlier than usual, so it's nice to be back. It feels like we have almost our whole team back, and we're up and running already, so it's fun to be back."

Connor Brown, who has reunited with his former Erie Otters teammate Connor McDavid, also shared his perspective on the season, stating,

"Everybody is dialled in, everybody is super motivated, everybody is determined, and everybody is in it together."

However, it's Connor McDavid, the captain of the Oilers, who appears to have the greatest determination and interest, as he believes his team is extremely close to getting the job done. His message is clear: "Everybody is in early, everybody is ready to go, get comfortable with each other, and be ready."

As we are only a few weeks away from training camp, I anticipate that this season will be highly eventful and exciting for all of Oil Country. I believe this team will go further than ever before in the McDavid era.