What Edmonton Oilers players said before Game 1 against Ducks
The wait is nearly over as the Edmonton Oilers prepare for their playoff opener against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.
This will be the first time in five seasons that Edmonton won’t line up against the LA Kings, and the novelty of finally having a new first-round opponent is adding to the excitement. For the Oilers, the focus will be on getting to a third-straight Stanley Cup Final, while the Ducks are hoping their young talent can propel them to a surprise run.
NHL experts are already crowning Edmonton as heavy favourites in the series, but players are not preparing as such. Zach Hyman says the team is not expecting this series to be a walk in the park.
“Obviously a young, hungry team… They have a ton of skill, they score a lot of goals, they’re dangerous. It’ll be a fun series,” Hyman told reporters. “This [Oilers] team has a tendency of knowing when to elevate and know how to play the right way when we need to.”
"In those last 10 games, we didn't have a playoff spot secured, didn't have home ice secured. It was time to dial things in & play to the standard that we want to."
Zach Hyman shares his thoughts on the #Oilers play down the stretch.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/1siQGGaPFc
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 20, 2026
The Oilers appear to be getting both Leon Draisaitl and Jason Dickinson back into the lineup for Game 1. If that’s the case, this will be the first time all season that this group of 16 players have all been in the lineup at the same time.
Adam Henrique will be one of those players, and he will bring a unique perspective into this series. Prior to being traded to the Oilers during the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, Henrique spent seven and a half seasons in Anaheim.
He told reporters a little about his time while playing for a Ducks team that didn’t have much success making the playoffs.
“A lot of great years there. They are trying to build where they are at now,” Henrique said. “I was part of that for a long time, and a lot of good people in that organization and from there.
“We’ve gone through a lot of tough years there… [Ducks GM] Pat [Verbeek] had a vision, and it takes a long time; you do it the right way. They’ve gone through that; they are on the other end of that now. There has been a lot of change there, but they’ve done a good job of building it.”
"A lot of our talk is what our group needs to do & what we need to do to get to our game & how we need to play."
Adam Henrique shares what the #Oilers are focused on going into Game 1 of the playoffs. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/MiQJWkRQ43
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 20, 2026
Another storyline that is sure to loom over Edmonton during the playoffs is their goaltending. Connor Ingram has been named the team’s Game 1 starter and will presumably hold that title until something goes awry.
It will be just Ingram’s fourth-career playoff start, but that is not deterring his teammates. Mattias Ekholm sang the goaltender’s praises in the lead-up to Game 1.
“He’s been playing really good for us,” Ekholm said of Ingram. “I love the way he carries himself. I love the way he approaches the game. He seems not to be phased by anything; he’s just calm.
“I love where he’s at, and I’m excited to see him tonight.”
"To be able to do that for a long time is a good thing but you always wanna finish on top. Haven't been able to do that yet. I feel I'm on a great team again, got as good a shot as anybody."
Mattias Ekholm on his 12th straight playoff appearance.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/ZV0rtoLNVm
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 20, 2026
It all starts here for the Oilers, and the focus will be getting that ever-elusive 16 playoff wins between now and mid-June.