How to tell if the Edmonton Oilers really are Stanley Cup contenders

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One of the Edmonton Oilers’ most anticipated seasons in recent memory begins Wednesday with the start of training camp and what everyone is hoping is at least a repeat of last year’s push to the Western Conference Finals.

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That’s a lot to ask considering the puck hasn’t even dropped yet. A lot has to come together for the Oilers to repeat what they did last year and put on a legitimate run at a championship.

So what signs should we look for in training camp that this team is on the right track?

Nice that you asked. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you wait to see if the glory days return anytime soon.

CAP FRIENDLY

General Manager Ken Holland and his financial managers need to get creative and make some space, not just in the here and now, to sign Ryan (The Forgotten Man) McLeod and get Cap-compliant for premiere night, but they don’t need to spend that the entire season and trade deadline counting pennies with tied hands.

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Right now they’ve surpassed $6.7 million with only $6.3 million being taken if Oscar Klefbom and Mike Smith join LTIR. Handling big deals isn’t easy these days, but Holland has to do it.

JACK IN THE WRAP

The Oilers are married to goaltender Jack Campbell and his $5 million contract for the next five years, so his game is going to be a big factor in how this whole Stanley Cup window thing plays out.

His Jekyll and Hyde season last year is well documented so there is some uncertainty there until he proves himself here. If he’s the All-Star he was for the first half of last year, Edmonton’s goaltender woes will be over. If he fights, there’s almost a certainty that the Oilers will fight with him.

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THE SAME KANE?

Evander Kane became a huge difference maker when he joined the Oilers midseason last year. He scored 25 goals in 58 games and brought muscle and spirit to the top six. He was at his best on and off the ice and used his last chance to play a new contract.

Now that he has that security — four years and $20.5 million, plus a multimillion-dollar payout in his grievance with the San Jose Sharks — he needs to be the same player and person going forward. If so, he is the third best player on the team.

SAME NURSE?

All the Oilers want from Darnell Nurse is for him to be the same player he’s been for the last several years — a big, minute-guzzling leader logging the hard miles against the other team’s best players.

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The difference is that he hasn’t made $9.25 million in recent years. His massive contract comes into effect this season and that can sometimes result in a player trying to overdo it or succumbing to pressure from fans who expect him to be something he isn’t.

The contract is an overpayment and it’s the Oilers’ fault for not locking him up for a lot less than they had a chance to, but Nurse can’t let it change who he is on the ice.

SOMETHING WITH JESSE

One of two things has to happen to Jesse Puljujarvi for the Oilers to do better — either he explodes in training camp and grabs a top-six spot by the throat, or they trade him and vacate the cap spot.

He’s a good guy, popular with the fans, and he tries hard, but $3 million is a bit steep for a third-liner. If he can reach his full potential early in camp, the Oilers will be better off. If he doesn’t and they can move him, they’ll be better for it too.

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HOLLOWAY (OR SOMEONE)

Most elite teams end up with a surprise star in their roster, a sleeper who far exceeds what was expected of him at the start of the season. It would be great if Dylan Holloway (or someone else) jumped right in and delivered more than the organization planned for him.

If Holloway, a first-round pick of size and skill, can be a top six winger right out of the box, it would solve a lot of problems and further deepen forward units.

BLUE LINE

There’s not a lot of star power on Edmonton’s Blue Line, certainly nothing to rival what Colorado has in Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Bowen Byram, Sam Girard and the badass Josh Manson. Edmonton has a workhorse in Nurse, a rising offensive star in Evan Bouchard, a puck mover in Tyson Barrie, some veteran workmen in Brett Kulak and Cody Ceci, a question mark in Philip Broberg, and insurance in Ryan Murray.

It pales in comparison to the names they can put on the front of the marquee, but that doesn’t mean it will be the weak link. If the blue line gets up early, the Oilers will be in good shape.

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