GENE'S BLOG: Back From The Break

The Edmonton Oilers were winners on Thursday night over Winnipeg. It evened the season series with the Jets at one game apiece. The Oilers only gave up one goal and had a goal achieved by Ryan McLeod as he scored his first of the 2023-24 campaign.

The team then hopped on a plane and headed home to do nothing. Well, nothing hockey related anyways, for at least two days. It was a scheduled leave of absence from the rink as they weren't expected back at Rogers Place until Sunday when the team convened for the first of three straight days of practice before their return to action Wednesday vs. Carolina.

The players, coaches and staff had 48 hours to do what they wanted, when they wanted and how they wanted with no ties to a stick, puck or set of skates.

Everyone was present and accounted for on the flight back from Winnipeg, including the captain. Number 97 headed back West before heading back East once again to Toronto. It's hard to get time off from being Connor McDavid, as there always seems to be something to do, which in this case was becoming the youngest member of Canada's Walk of Fame.

The Walk of Fame acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a series of maple leaf-shaped emblems embedded in 13 designated blocks' worth of sidewalks in Toronto in front of Roy Thomson Hall, the Princess of Wales Theatre and the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King and Simcoe Street.

From Hart to Art Ross to Ted Lindsay to NHL All-Star, the individual awards continue to arrive for a team-oriented person. Despite a long couple of days with return flights to both Winnipeg and Toronto, there he was at practice on Sunday, saying he wanted to be back in time to rejoin the team. Again, proving he wants no special privileges.

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch also took a walk, but his was down memory lane. The former University of Alberta Golden Bear went back to campus on Friday night for a chance to watch the team with whom he once starred and won a University Cup. In fact, it was alumni weekend at the U of A and Knoblauch had a chance to catch up with some of his teammates from his five seasons with the Green & Gold.

One thing he said was different about this job than previous ones was getting recognized out in public. A new phenomenon for the new bench boss of the Edmonton Oilers. Maybe it was still a surprise to him while at Clare Drake Arena that he was requested by people to be in photos with them. It made for an enjoyable night off from the stress and anxiety that normally comes with watching hockey.

The Golden Bears beat Edmonton rival MacEwan University 5-3, but the result didn't matter as much as the experience for Knoblauch of going back to one of the stops along his journey back to Edmonton.

For anyone related to the Oilers, now is the time you want to be seen in the city as the team is on a season-high four-game winning streak. In fact, the numbers have been impressive for Edmonton. A three-game winning streak followed by three losses in a row and the current stretch of success has added up to seven wins in the last 10 games.

The recent results have allowed the Oilers to claw back within seeing themselves near the playoff cut line. With their current momentum, maybe it would have been nice to keep playing every second day, but soon enough that will be the case.

Starting Wednesday and up until the end of the month, Edmonton will play 12 games, and that includes a four-day Christmas break. By the time the Oilers host the Hurricanes in the middle of this week, only one team (Ottawa) will have played less games than Edmonton.

Zach Hyman was asked on Sunday about getting time off when you are riding a season high of success. He joked it was better going into the break on a heater than the alternative.

This falls under the category of not being in control of your schedule. However, you can control what you do with the time off. Whatever the Oilers did, they'll be rested and raring to get back on the ice and in the win column.