Oilers lean into their playoff maturity ahead of Game 1 against Ducks

The Edmonton Oilers climbed a playoff mountain the last two years, but didn't plant their flag on the summit.

They reached the Stanley Cup final, only to fall to the Florida Panthers in a Game 7 in 2024 and in a Game 6 in 2025.

The Oilers embark on what they hope is another marathon post-season, but with the lifting of Lord Stanley's trophy in June.

Edmonton hosts the Anaheim Ducks, who return to the playoffs after a seven-year absence, in Monday's Game 1 at Rogers Place.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven affair is Wednesday before the series flips to Anaheim for Friday's Game 3 and Sunday's Game 4 at the Honda Center.

"We're here, we're in the playoffs and we have an opportunity to play Game 1 tomorrow and that's exciting and I know this group is excited for it," Oilers captain Connor McDavid said Sunday after practice at Rogers Place.

"The regular season has become a little bit monotonous for this group and I think you see that through the day-to-day, but this is what we get excited for."

The Oilers boast a half-dozen players in their lineup who have appeared in 14 playoff series over the last six years.

"I would say just knowing what to expect, knowing what it's going to feel like, the environment, the game, the pressures, the momentum swings," McDavid said. "Playoffs is really a different game. It really is. You have to understand all of that. This group understands that.

"We've been through plenty of runs and played in plenty of big games. Tomorrow's no different."

Edmonton went 4-10 in series-openers in those 14 series.

"We talk about lessons and we've learned how important Game 1 is throughout the course of our playoff career," the captain said. "Struggled in them for early in our career and really put an emphasis on