SAN JOSE, CA – Gearing up for another deep journey into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Next stop: Los Angeles.
“It's the best time of the year,” Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse said on Friday afternoon following Edmonton’s first practice of the postseason. “There's been some guys getting themselves physically ready for what's to come, and I think we're all really excited to play.”
As the Oilers prepare to face the Kings in the first round for the fourth straight season, the group is spending a few extra days together in San Jose recuperating and preparing for another long run before they travel to Los Angeles ahead of Game 1 of the series on Monday night.
“It's a good opportunity for our group to regroup and get some rest and prepare ourselves, while also being together and spending some quality time together – especially with what's to come,” Nurse said.
Having gone all the way before, they know what to expect and what it's going to take.
After an eventful regular season filled with ups and downs, the Oilers are excited to get back into the playoff environment they’ve thrived in over the previous three years, playing the most playoff games in the Western Conference (53) and getting all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season before falling short.
Nurse said that navigating the difficult 82-game schedule has put this veteran Oilers group into an even better frame of mind to deal with the emotional and physical challenges of the playoffs, believing they’re a more mature group this time around heading into Game 83.