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Edmonton Journal
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Oilers veterans have been waiting long time for this as Cup final return looms
Article content The Oilers were fulfilling everyone's pre-playoff prophecy that predicted they'd be bowing out in the first round. They've gone 11-2 since, treating the 105-point L.A. Kings, the 110-point Vegas Golden Knights and the 106-point Dallas Stars like punching bags. They won four in a row to dump the Kings, four out of five to eliminate Vegas and are now 3-1 up on the Dallas Stars, one win away from their second straight Stanley cup final. It has been a run for the ages. And for veterans like 40-year-old Corey Perry, one of the oldest players in the league, and 32-year-old Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the longest-serving member of the Oilers, this is as much fun as hockey gets. 'It just keeps getting better and better, it's unbelievable,' said Nugent-Hopkins, who has been in Edmonton for 959 regular-season games, 90 more in the playoffs and can't imagine lacing it up anywhere else.
Vancouver Sun
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
At gut-check time, what separates the Oilers from the Leafs and Jets?
When you're a goalie who has a couple of bad playoff starts in a row, loses the starting job and the entire world seems like it's crashing down on you, how do you not curl up in a ball and wait for the noise to stop? When you're down by two goals, half a period away from falling behind 3-1 in your series with the L.A. Kings, how do you not get flustered and let it all slip away? How do you recover from the shock in time for Game 4 when Vegas scores the game winning goal with .4 seconds left in Game 3? Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. This is how: Stuart Skinner responded with back-to-back shutout wins to close out the Golden Knights. The Oilers scored twice in the third period to tie it, won it in overtime and didn't lose another game to the Kings. Edmonton outshot the Knights 15-5 in the first period of Game 4, took a 2-0 lead and didn't allow another Vegas goal the rest of the series. When people talk about a playoff-hardened hockey team, this is what they mean. Back in the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years, the Oilers have evolved from the young, inexperienced lions of the past into the scarred, battled-tested team you see today. 'We have that maturity level,' said Skinner, who's become a poster-boy for mental toughness. 'We've been here before, we know what to do, we know what to expect. Whatever comes your way, there is a lot less chance of you getting rattled.' The Oilers kept their calm and pushed through the aforementioned adversity because they've seen it all before. Skinner lost the job last year and recovered wonderfully, so he knew he could do it again. So did his teammates. The Oilers trailed in games, and in series, last year, and the year before, and the year before, so they know what formula works and what doesn't. When you come back from 3-0 down in the Stanley Cup Final to force a Game 7, there isn't much anyone can throw at you that's going to weaken your knees. 'Experience has so much to do with going forward and being able to find ways to win,' said Skinner. 'We have a veteran team, guys who've won the Cup, guys who've been to the finals, guys who've played a long time. It gives us a huge advantage.' The Oilers were on the other side of the composure scale back in the early days of this group's evolution. They were the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs all rolled into one — rock stars in the regular season, raising everyone's expectations for the playoffs, and getting mowed down in the first round in back-to-back years. Those lessons hurt. People called the Oilers chokers, said they didn't have the spine to win when the going got tough. At that point, it goes one of two ways — your leaders either go pointless and minus two in another Game 7 loss and start screaming at their teammates on the bench and calling them passengers in the post-defeat interviews, or your team starts digging in and winning those hard, angry battles. The Oilers went the second way, but it took some time. It always does. Consider that Connor McDavid , Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse have all played a full regular season's worth of playoff games (85, 85, 85 and 83) in their careers and are still behind Corey Perry (226), Mattias Ekholm (125), Mattias Janmark (102), Zach Hyman (96), Brett Kulak (87), and Evander Kane (86) in post-season caps. In all, Edmonton boasts 10 players with more than 80 games of playoff hockey and 14 players with more than 50. No wonder, then, that when things are tight and the pressure is at its greatest, they are the team that steadies its nerves and forces the other guys to blink first. 'Experience is a big thing, it helps you in those situations, when it's a little bit tougher,' said Ekholm, who hopes to be playing playoff game number 126 any time now. 'When you go down in a series late in the playoffs, do you know what to do, when to stay calm?' It's no accident that of the 40 players who've been in the most post-season games over the last four years, 35 of them are from this year's final four: 11 Florida Panthers, 10 Dallas Stars, nine Oilers and five Carolina Hurricanes. 'If you look at every team in the league that's won the Stanley Cup they've been on the cusp of getting there for many years,' said Oilers defenceman John Klingberg who's been in 73 playoff games and went to a Stanley Cup Final with the Stars. 'Dallas has been there, Edmonton's been there. Florida. Carolina's been there, too. That stuff doesn't lie. It shows how hard it is to win in this league.' And how easy it is to lose. 'You need guys who've gone through it,' said Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch. 'In the playoffs there is a lot of pressure and a lot of stress on everyone. The more that you've gone through it, the more it helps.' E-mail: rtychkowski@ Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters . You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
Calgary Herald
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
At gut-check time, what separates the Oilers from the Leafs and Jets?
Article content When you're a goalie who has a couple of bad playoff starts in a row, loses the starting job and the entire world seems like it's crashing down on you, how do you not curl up in a ball and wait for the noise to stop? Article content When you're down by two goals, half a period away from falling behind 3-1 in your series with the L.A. Kings, how do you not get flustered and let it all slip away? Article content Article content Article content The Oilers scored twice in the third period to tie it, won it in overtime and didn't lose another game to the Kings. Article content Edmonton outshot the Knights 15-5 in the first period of Game 4, took a 2-0 lead and didn't allow another Vegas goal the rest of the series. Article content When people talk about a playoff-hardened hockey team, this is what they mean. Article content Back in the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years, the Oilers have evolved from the young, inexperienced lions of the past into the scarred, battled-tested team you see today. Article content 'We have that maturity level,' said Skinner, who's become a poster-boy for mental toughness. 'We've been here before, we know what to do, we know what to expect. Whatever comes your way, there is a lot less chance of you getting rattled.' Article content Article content The Oilers kept their calm and pushed through the aforementioned adversity because they've seen it all before. Skinner lost the job last year and recovered wonderfully, so he knew he could do it again. So did his teammates. Article content Article content The Oilers trailed in games, and in series, last year, and the year before, and the year before, so they know what formula works and what doesn't. Article content When you come back from 3-0 down in the Stanley Cup Final to force a Game 7, there isn't much anyone can throw at you that's going to weaken your knees. Article content 'Experience has so much to do with going forward and being able to find ways to win,' said Skinner. 'We have a veteran team, guys who've won the Cup, guys who've been to the finals, guys who've played a long time. It gives us a huge advantage.' Article content The Oilers were on the other side of the composure scale back in the early days of this group's evolution. They were the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs all rolled into one — rock stars in the regular season, raising everyone's expectations for the playoffs, and getting mowed down in the first round in back-to-back years.
Ottawa Citizen
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
At gut-check time, what separates the Oilers from the Leafs and Jets?
Article content When you're a goalie who has a couple of bad playoff starts in a row, loses the starting job and the entire world seems like it's crashing down on you, how do you not curl up in a ball and wait for the noise to stop? Article content When you're down by two goals, half a period away from falling behind 3-1 in your series with the L.A. Kings, how do you not get flustered and let it all slip away? Article content Article content Article content The Oilers scored twice in the third period to tie it, won it in overtime and didn't lose another game to the Kings. Article content Edmonton outshot the Knights 15-5 in the first period of Game 4, took a 2-0 lead and didn't allow another Vegas goal the rest of the series. Article content When people talk about a playoff-hardened hockey team, this is what they mean. Article content Back in the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years, the Oilers have evolved from the young, inexperienced lions of the past into the scarred, battled-tested team you see today. Article content 'We have that maturity level,' said Skinner, who's become a poster-boy for mental toughness. 'We've been here before, we know what to do, we know what to expect. Whatever comes your way, there is a lot less chance of you getting rattled.' Article content Article content The Oilers kept their calm and pushed through the aforementioned adversity because they've seen it all before. Skinner lost the job last year and recovered wonderfully, so he knew he could do it again. So did his teammates. Article content Article content The Oilers trailed in games, and in series, last year, and the year before, and the year before, so they know what formula works and what doesn't. Article content When you come back from 3-0 down in the Stanley Cup Final to force a Game 7, there isn't much anyone can throw at you that's going to weaken your knees. Article content 'Experience has so much to do with going forward and being able to find ways to win,' said Skinner. 'We have a veteran team, guys who've won the Cup, guys who've been to the finals, guys who've played a long time. It gives us a huge advantage.' Article content The Oilers were on the other side of the composure scale back in the early days of this group's evolution. They were the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs all rolled into one — rock stars in the regular season, raising everyone's expectations for the playoffs, and getting mowed down in the first round in back-to-back years.
Montreal Gazette
03-05-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
A tame first debate, but Pablo Rodriguez is main target of attacks
Quebec Politics By It wasn't what you would call a barnburner but, after shadow boxing for months, the five candidates vying for the Quebec Liberal leadership finally had a chance to debate policy and ideas with each other, face-to-face, Saturday. And as expected former federal MP Pablo Rodriguez was the target of most of the attacks, with his opponents invoking his past life as a federal Liberal cabinet minister in the government of Justin Trudeau. The first jab came early in the debate — held at a hotel in Laval before 500 Liberal militants — when the candidates were discussing fiscal policies to counter the effects of inflation. 'One thing we won't do is send everyone a cheque,' Rodriguez said. 'The other thing we won't do is give money to the L.A. Kings.' Seizing the opening, candidate Charles Milliard, the former president of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, reminded Rodriquez he was part of a government that in 2024 wanted to send all Canadians $250 cheques to help them deal with inflation. 'I'm happy to hear Pablo you don't want to send any cheques,' Milliard joked. 'Because there were a lot of them from the federal level.' Milliard went on to say the Coalition Avenir Québec government was guilty of the same policy-making, which he called the 'cheque syndrome,' a tactic designed for short-term electoral gains. Rodriguez brushed off the comment, but it was one of several lobbed his way during the debate, including references from other candidates to people who are 'career politicians.' And Karl Blackburn, the former president of the Conseil du Patronat, bluntly accused Rodriguez of being part of a federal government that 'closed the door' to more immigration by playing politics with the issue. He said the Trudeau government caved into pressure from the Legault government when there are 124,000 jobs open in Quebec because there are no workers. 'People see it (racism) as a threat when it should instead be seen as a richness,' Blackburn said. Later, the Rodriquez camp made the rounds of the media, stressing Rodriguez was already an independent MP when the cheque issue came to life and he voted against the idea. Milliard was unapologetic. 'I did it a bit tongue and cheek because we need to remember there were actions taken by the Legault and Trudeau governments in the last few years which increased inflation,' Milliard told reporters after the debate. 'It was a one-liner, but it is based on the truth.' Rodriguez later said he was not surprised the candidates took aim at him. 'It means I have a lot of experience,' Rodriguez told reporters. 'This is exactly what the Liberal Party of Quebec needs. It's tough to run a government, especially in difficult periods, but I've been there, I've done that. This is what the Liberal Party of Quebec needs. They need a leader with experience.' But it was a first debate, with the candidates politely sizing each other up for five future jousting matches. On Sunday, they will do it all over again in English at John Abbott College. The debates are being live-streamed on the Liberal Party website. 'They asked me to be a gentleman,' candidate Karl Blackburn quipped on his way out the door when asked about the tone of the debate. There were no glaring policy differences between the five. All agreed Quebec needs to take more steps to improve it's energy independence in the face of a hostile U.S. government. Allowing the construction of more gas and oil pipelines to bring energy from the Canadian west is an idea worth looking at, but any projects would need a level of social acceptability, they agreed. Rodriguez, who got the loudest cheers from his supporters who occupied a vast swath of the seating, arrived with one announcement in his pocket, saying if he becomes premier his government will tackle the problem of hungry children in schools. It was also a chance for the two lesser-known candidates, Matane lawyer and fiscal expert Marc Bélanger, and the 31-year-old Beauce agricultural producer and economist Mario Roy to get some exposure. Roy and Blackburn were the last candidates to enter the race. 'Today, I feel like David versus Goliath,' Roy said in his first remarks to the audience. He stood out from the pack by saying if he was premier he would pull Quebec out of the carbon exchange it shares with California. Unlike the other candidates who stressed Premier François Legault is the one the party has to target, Roy insisted he would go after Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. On their way out the door, some Liberals said they remain undecided, but pleased with the quality of the debate and the candidates. Among the undecided was the Liberal MNA for the riding of Saint-Laurent, Marwah Rizqy, who is married to the MNA for Jacques-Cartier, Greg Kelley. They are the only two MNAs left in the Liberal caucus who have not chosen a candidate. 'Greg and I we really wanted to see the debates,' Rizqy said. 'We didn't want to rush a decision without hearing what people had to say. I am 95 per cent decided.' Rodriguez, who is positioning himself as the candidate who can bring back Liberals who have drifted away, leads the other candidates in one area — fundraising. According to the chief electoral officer's website, as of May 2 Rodriguez has raised $209,790. He is followed by Milliard, who has raised $139,805. Blackburn, who arrived late in the race, has picked up $54,390. Candidate Bélanger raised $14,877, while candidate Roy has $3,191 in the bank.
