RALEIGH, NC -Tonight is all about opportunity for the Oilers.
It's an opportunity to start another wining streak, an opportunity to leapfrog a few teams and get back to second place in the Pacific Division, and an opportunity for some players to grab a bigger role moving forward.
Edmonton was left with a gaping hole in their top-six when Evander Kane was cut by a skate last game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The sniper will miss the next 3-to-4 months while recovering, but according to Head Coach Jay Woodcroft, Kane is doing well after the scare.
"He's in good spirits, came through his procedure pretty well. Everybody seems to be in a good spot with where it's at," Woodcroft said. "The good news for Evander and our team is that he's meeting us down in Florida. He's in a good spot stabilizing, he's going to be around his teammates and then eventually he'll fly home with us when we go back to Edmonton."
"He's in a good space physically and a good space mentally," he added. "Now it's just about making sure he takes the time to convalesce properly and get up to speed and let kind of time take its course."
The loss of a player who can be counted on for 20, 30, 40 goals on a given year is impossible to replace on a whim. However, Woodcroft continues to look at things through a positive lens. Kane's absence opens up some opportunity for others on the team to step up and seize some additional ice time with the club.
"I look at it is a great opportunity. Next man up. And I think all hockey players crave for a little bit more ice time, a little bit more responsibility. They want to be elevated in a line up," Woodcroft said. "Well, now is the time that we're going to have people step up and try and take some of Kaner's ice time that is open now that now he's not in the lineup. I think it's a great opportunity for us and allows us to evaluate where people are at, and we're excited about trying some people in some new spots."
One of the biggest opportunities available is a chance to ride shotgun with either Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid. First up, it looks as if Dylan Holloway will be given a chance after a successful run in the preseason in that spot.
"I think for Dylan, he's had the opportunity to play the first ten games of his career and learn some lessons along the way, learn how good this league is night in and night out," Woodcroft said. "We've kind of moved him around the lineup. There are nights where he's played a lot and nights where he didn't play a lot, but for me, I think he'll be excited. He has some chemistry with Hymen and Draisaitl going back to their training camp and I think he's excited about the opportunity."