‘FAMILY’ DYNAMIC GUIDES THE OILERS BACK TO RELEVANCE

Every day and every game is a study as Edmonton’s growingbefore-your-eyes, two-stepsforward-and-one-step-back NHL team proceeds along the Stanley Cup playoff trail.

The Oilers one night prove that they’ve come a long way.

The next night, they prove they have a long way to go.

But as their coach said the other day almost in passing, they have grown into a very close group. And in there, somewhere, provides the hope that they can go further than anyone expected them to go in their first season back in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 11 years.

“We do have a close group,” said Connor McDavid. “It’s fun to come to the rink and see these guys every day. It’s great for everything. When you have a close group and times are tough, it makes it easier. These are guys you want to dig in for and do everything you can for.”

It’s visible to the naked eye and whatever happens in this second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks, it’s not going to go away.

“Over the last two years, we’ve grown as a group,” said goaltender Cam Talbot.

“As a whole, you can tell this group is so much closer this year. I think that’s why we are so much better at rebounding after games like the other night.

“Everyone believes in this room and there is not one guy who points fingers at another guy. Everybody tends to look at themselves first. I think that’s the biggest thing.

“A team can’t start pointing fingers in the playoffs. You have to look in the mirror first. That we’re all like that in this room says a lot about this team.”

It isn’t easy in a place like Edmonton.

“It’s tougher because you are under the microscope more here,” said Talbot of Gotham on the North Saskatchewan compared to New York, where he previously played for the Rangers.

“In New York, there are six or seven other professional teams to worry about. They are not always focused on the Rangers. Here, there’s such a focus that it might be easier to deflect some of it. But guys are great at owning it and that’s what it takes to be a great team.”

Leon Draisaitl says the Oilers players “love playing for each other.

“We’re a very tight team,” he said. “We’re a family and I think you can see that every night.”

The players are cognizant and appreciative of that family feeling carrying over as changes are made by Chiarelli, the team’s general manager.

“Everybody that we brought in has augmented that, too,” is how Mark Letestu phrased it.

“Adam Larsson. Zack Kassian. Pat Maroon. Everybody just kind of hangs together,” Letestu said. “It’s just a good group. It feels special in here.

“The precedent was set early. The guys were willing to fight for each other. Guys were willing to go battle. We care for each other. We have each other’s back. When things don’t go well, we just kind of come together and we’ve done it all year.”

McLellan made the comment at the top of this column earlier in the playoffs.

When your correspondent asked him to view this team togetherness going forward prior to Wednesday’s Game 4 against the Anaheim Ducks, he had more to say.

“When you are around teams that don’t quite have that, you can certainly pick up on the vibe and the heartbeat of the lockerroom,” he said. “Our group was disappointed in the result of the game the other day, but we pick ourselves up in there. They are a close group. They are supportive of each other.

“I think it’s a real good sign to have that. I think we’ve earned that throughout the year, too, building it as we go forward.”

Keep that in mind as this series goes to Game 5 Friday in Anaheim.

“We’re a very close group. I think a lot of the misery that a lot of our players have been through has resulted in that to some extent. As it began to turn, players were unified. They believe in each other and do a lot of things together. The players that were added by Peter Chiarelli and his staff fit the personality of the team.” — Oilers head coach Todd McLellan