The Edmonton Oilers have ensured their place in the playoffs and are currently in second position in the Pacific Division. Before the upcoming game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, the team is focused on refining their performance for the post-season. NHL “Things are getting serious,” mentioned Oilers winger. “Going forward, we need to improve, emotions will run high and intensity will increase. Anxiety levels will also rise as we progress. It’s all about managing that.”
“Stuff is getting real,” Oilers winger said after a team practice at Rogers Place on Monday. “Going forward, you’re going to have to get better and emotions are going to get higher and intensity’s going to get higher … anxiety levels are going to get higher as we move along here. It’s how you manage those.” Corey Perry Perry was talking to reporters about a moment on the Oilers’ bench during Saturday night’s game against the Calgary Flames. On television, Perry was visibly upset while talking with Evander Kane, with whom he has been playing on a line recently.
Perry addressed the media after a incident on the Oilers’ bench during the game against the Calgary Flames. On TV, Perry seemed visibly annoyed while communicating with Evander Kane, who has frequently been his teammate on the ice. Evander Kanewith whom Perry has often played recently.
“Brothers argue,” Perry commented about the interaction. “It’s just an effort to bring out the best in everyone.
“We weren’t playing our best hockey and … frustration and emotions boiled over.”
The interaction was observed towards the end of the second period during a tight game against the Oilers’ provincial rivals. Many hockey analysts have suggested that Perry’s frustration might have been triggered by a pass attempted by Kane in a previous play that ended up on the stick of a Flames player.
“We’re good,” Kane remarked when asked about the conversation that was seen but not heard on television. He added that he and Perry are partnered for a golf pool they are both involved in.
“Everything’s public when you play in Canada, right? Conversations and frustrations happen all the time. I think the world we live in, everyone’s very sensitive and safe. … Two veteran guys show a little emotion and people are uncomfortable. But I think with me and him, we’re the least uncomfortable in those situations.
Perry was part of the 2007 Anaheim Ducks team that won the Stanley Cup. He also competed in Stanley Cup finals in three consecutive seasons with three different teams between 2020 and 2022.
“That’s what makes a team work, right?” he said of being candid with teammates at times. “That’s how you win. You hold everybody accountable. You push everybody’s buttons. You do whatever you have to do to get the best out of everybody.
“At that point (during Saturday’s game), it was something him and I had, but it could be anybody. It doesn’t matter who it is, you’re just trying to be better and win each game.”
Perry joined the Oilers in January when he signed with the club as a free agent. When asked on Monday if he believes his role is partly to mentor players on how to win, he indicated that he does not shy away from giving advice but added “there’s a lot of experience here.”
“(This team has already) had big moments on big stages,” Perry said, referring to the Oilers reaching the Western Conference Final in 2022.
“In the playoffs, everything’s under a microscope,” Perry said. “A 3-2 game could be a Game 7 and all of a sudden your season’s over. So you eliminate those (mistakes) now. … You try to get those out of your game. … We’ve been doing a pretty good job.”
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Kane said incidents like the one between him and Perry on Saturday are not unusual in the NHL, and it was simply something that happened in the intense moment of the game.
“When it’s done, it’s done, and you move on and prepare for the next play, the next time you're on the ice.”
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch was also asked about his players’ discussion on Monday and said that while setting a high standard is something that should begin with him, “it’s more impactful when the players are setting that standard.”
“I think it’s very important they hold each other accountable, and sometimes there’s emotional reactions.”
Knoblauch added that ideally, those conversations would occur in a locker room rather than in public.
He added that there are occasions when a coach may need to step in during disagreements, but he observed that Perry and Kane “resolved it immediately.”
“Things were fine afterwards.”
Kane mentioned that especially after witnessing some very good NHL teams struggle recently, the Oilers “obviously want to feel good heading into the playoffs” and have their game in “top form.”
“But at the same time, when the regular season ends and the playoffs start, it’s a clean slate. It’s a new season. … It’s all about what you do in Game 1, Game 2, Game 3 and so on.”
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The Oilers will compete against the Golden Knights at Rogers Place on Wednesday night.
The Knights currently hold the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference playoff race, but with 92 points already this season, the team could still advance in the playoff standings if it achieves results in its remaining five games.
The Oilers and Knights both have 6-3-1 records in their last 10 games, but Edmonton is presently on a two-game winning streak while Vegas is on a two-game losing streak.
You can tune in to Wednesday night’s game between the Oilers and the Knights live on 630 CHED, starting with The Faceoff Show at 5 p.m. The actual game starts at 6:30 p.m.
