from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,
“We’re going to make the playoffs.” Cam Talbot looks you right in the eye as he says it.
The Edmonton Oilers goalie is a true pro. And a true pro knows that the negative thought, no matter if you are coming out of the All-Star break 10 points south of a wildcard spot with five teams to pass, can never be allowed to enter the mind of a winner.
Alas, mental strength has been an issue here in Edmonton this season. A team that allowed itself to believe things would come around naturally spent the first half of the season waiting for things to turn. Somehow, nobody really seemed to really do anything about it. The fan base seemed far more desperate than the players in the dressing room, though we learn now that was never the case.
“Early in the year we were putting way too much pressure on ourselves,” said Milan Lucic, whose game — like too many of his teammates — has not been good enough for long enough this season. “Right now, I feel like we shouldn’t put any pressure on ourselves. Let’s just go out and play.
The Oilers are probably the most disappointing story of the season at this point.
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