Between the pipes, Darcy Kuemper has solidified their goaltending by going 31-11-7 with a .922 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average over 50 starts in the regular season after being acquired from Washington in the offseason.

Kuemper was part of the Colorado Avalanche team that defeated the Oilers in the 2022 Western Conference Final before winning the Stanley Cup.

“They play a really clean, simple, detailed game that goalie seemed to really thrive in,” McDavid added. “Every goalie that goes in there seems to play really well. Kuemper’s a good goalie and had a great year. He’s won a Cup before. He’s a different goalie, but the team identity is still the same.”

Both McDavid and Draisaitl used the word “resilient” to describe their team following an up and down regular season that provided a lot of adversity and growth moments to the group with guys having to take on bigger roles because of injuries.

Now, slowly but surely, they’re getting healthier as they prepare to begin anew in the playoffs, with their big guns like McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman getting the chance to take some extra rest before what they hope will be another long post-season run.

“Resilient team,” McDavid said. “I knew that about our team, but that just kind of cements it home, and it’s everybody. It’s not just a handful of guys. We had lots of different guys come in and out of the lineup, guys stepping up, guys being asked to do different things that they’re not normally asked to, and everybody responded.”

“We’re a resilient group,” Draisaitl added. “We’re in every game, no matter who’s in the lineup or who’s out. We’re capable of winning hockey games with what we have, and we’re capable of beating really good hockey teams without Connor, without Ekky or without me.”

Mattias Ekholm and Troy Stecher will not be ready for Game 1 of the series along with winger Evander Kane, Coach Knoblauch said after Sunday’s practice, but added that Trent Frederic is a possibility for the Oilers with his status still to be determined following the pre-game skate in the morning.

Despite Brett Kulak being in Canmore for the birth of his family’s second child, the defenceman is still expected to be in the lineup on Monday night.