The Oilers defence just had a different feel and look about it this morning during a short practice at Rogers Place before facing the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Place Tuesday.
The team is coming off back-to-back overtime losses to Philadelphia and Montreal, but somehow remain in a race for one of two wildcard playoff spots up for grabs in a seven-team logjam in the West.
For Oscar Klefbom, it’s a chance to help his struggling team on the ice, instead of watching from the press box which he’s been doing since early December.
“It’s getting better everyday, obviously it’s been a painful couple of months here, ” said Klefbom surrounded by reporters in the Oilers dressing room after a short skate.
“I’m just very excited to play the game tonight for sure and come back just to be in the locker room with the guys, talking with them and be a part of the team is something that I’ve been missing a lot,” he said.
Klefbom had hoped to join the team last week on their two-game road trip, but the pins inserted into his finger still felt stiff so he sat out as a precaution, he said.
Having him back in the lineup will not only shore up a struggling blue line, it will help boost the Oilers anaemic penalty kill which is near the bottom of the league.
‘Coaches are idiots’
The Oilers went into the third period in the last two games with leads, but defensive errors led to overtime losses.
“It’s going to be nice to have him back for sure,” said Adam Larsson, who is looking forward to reuniting with his partner. “When he went out it was a big hole to fill. So now when he’s back, he’s eating a lot of minutes.”
Klefbom was logging as much as 30-plus minutes per game before his injury. Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock says the challenge tonight will be to use his star defenceman sparingly.
“This is when coaches are idiots, because … we’ve got a long term plan to ease him in and that lasts four shifts,” Hitchcock said. “We’re all saying we’re going to ease him in, but I guarantee you that at the end of the night he’s going to play 25 minutes.”
Tonight’s game will also feature the return of former Oiler Drake Caggiula.
The gritty forward has quickly found a home with the Blackhawks’ top line with Jonathon Toews and Patrick Kane.
Popular here during his time as an Oiler, his former teammates say they’ll have their head on a swivel when the speedy centre is on the ice.
‘Such a great teammate’
“He’s a guy that everyone loved in this room, he was a such a great teammate,” said Darnell Nurse. “It’s going to be a big test for everyone to put the friendship aside and go battle tonight.”
Chicago Blackhawks forward Drake Caggiula faces the media in his first time back after being traded to Chicago on Dec. 31. (John Shypitka/CBC)
“It’s weird,” said Caggiula with a wide grin on his face in the Blackhawks dressing room. “Getting dressed on the other side of the arena, coming through a different entrance, different view of the ice, it’s a different feeling for sure.”
But Caggiula has found a home and quickly settled in with his new club.
Despite only scoring one goal since joining the team at the end of December, Caggiula is skating with with the team’s captain and its top sniper.
“He’s done a really great job with helping me out, making me feel comfortable,” Caggiula said.
“He’s kind of taken me under his wing and made me feel very welcome here. I can’t thank him enough for that, but that’s just the way North Dakota culture is. You just make everyone feel like family.”