Shore makes good first impression with Oilers

It didn't take long for Devin Shore to get in the good books with the Edmonton Oilers.

Looking for work this off-season, Shore was invited to Edmonton on a professional tryout and did enough to earn himself a one-year contract in a shortened 10-day training camp without exhibition games.

Four games into a shortened season, Shore has looked impressive on the penalty kill and in a bottom-six role. He scored the lone goal in a 5-1 loss against the Montreal Canadiens on a short-handed marker to spoil Carey Price's shutout bid, and did an excellent job to keep the Toronto Maple Leafs' top guns in check in a 3-1 win Wednesday.

Shore, 26, will be back in the lineup when the teams face each other again Friday (5 p.m. Sportsnet West) in Toronto.

“He's played well, he's a smart player, a versatile player, kind of a jack-of-all trades,” said Oilers head coach Dave Tippett. “We tried him a little bit on the wing, a little bit at centre and each game he's getting a little better and getting a little bit bigger role on our team. And he's a player, as a coach, you know what you're going to get from him.

“He understands the game and he understands how you want to play situations and understands the time of the games and how to play accordingly. He's a good pro, a good veteran, he's been a good pickup for us.”

Selected by the Dallas Stars in the second round (61st overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Shore scored 20 goals and had 33 points in his first NHL season.

He spent two-and-a-half years in Dallas before being traded to the Anaheim Ducks. The product of Ajax, Ont., was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, just before the NHL pause.

Columbus did not tender Shore a qualifying offer, which made him an unrestricted free agent.

“It was an interesting off-season, definitely, but it's exciting to be here,” Shore said. “As a player, that's the only thing you can do, is go in each day and try to get better and try to help in any way you can. (Wednesday) was a fun one and I'm looking to keep it going.

“It's a great organization and the guys have been awesome right away. It's a really good group of guys in that locker-room, so from an individual standpoint, it makes it a lot easier to come in and feel comfortable and feel confident that you can help the team. I definitely appreciate that and there is a long way to go, but it's a fun group to compete with each night.”

SECOND HELPING

The Oilers put in a much better effort in their second game against the Vancouver Canucks last week and are expecting the same from the Leafs Friday.

“It kind of brings you back to my college days, when you play a weekend series against the same team,” Shore said. “There won't be any secrets out there and I know when you win or lose that first game, you want to get points out of the series, so we expect a big pushback from them and it's up to us to respond.”

After taking on the Maple Leafs for a second time, the Oilers will play the Winnipeg Jets twice before returning home.

In the all-canadian North Division, teams will play each other up to 10 times per season. The Oilers will face the Maple Leafs nine times this year.