Oilers 2010/2011 Schedule Released

Fans don't have to wait any longer for this coming seasons schedule.

In the past while we may have looked at the schedule and attempted to determine whether or not the team stood a fighting chance to get off to a good start or had a tough month here or there that could hurt them in the standings and their chances of making the playoffs, expectations aren't exactly that high this year.

The Oilers are rebuilding and with the NHL set to have one of its busiest 10 days or so, names like Dustin Penner, Ales Hemsky, Sheldon Souray or Sam Gagner who had been counted on as the stars of this Oilers squad in previous seasons could all be gone in the face of some possible sweeping changes.

Instead, the Oilers will ice a young, inexperienced but high potential team that in all reality could be another lottery pick team in 2011. Names and faces like Hall/Seguin, Eberle, MPS, Gilbert, Whitney and Smid will usher in a new area and the Oilers will hope to simply build a bit of chemistry and eliminate major problems in the lockerroom and financially over the next season of NHL action.

But, for many fans, these sweeping changes bring as much interest in the team as a team that could battle for 8th and fans will get to see this new team and the rookies who make the final cut starting on Thursday Oct 7th when the Oilers face the Calgary Flames at home. That same month the Oilers will play three more games at Rexall Place and five games on the road.

All in all, the Oilers schedule isn't terrible. Their worst road trip consists of five games away over a span of seven days and their largest home stands come twice throughout the year when Edmonton plays six games in a row at Rexall.

The only other real areas of note are that the Oilers have 11 back-to-back games throughout the season. In addition, Edmonton won't host either the Penguins and Sidney Crosby nor the Capitals and Alex Ovechkin instead playing both teams in away games.

For fans who like to get riled up and relive negative history, the Oilers fans won't have a chance to boo Chris Pronger at all as the Flyers don't come to Edmonton and Heatley haters will only get satisfaction in jeering the Shark twice. Small victories perhaps, but when the team isn't expected to win much, it's those little battles that can get fans pumped for each game.

For me the release of the schedule is the first time of the year that hockey seems closer to happening than father away. Days after the schedule is released comes the draft. Days after the draft comes free agency which holds some intrigue for a couple weeks and then before you know it, pre-season is around the corner.

The schedule tells me hockey is coming. I always find that interesting considering hockey just ended.