The city of Edmonton is buzzing once again, as the Oilers are off to the Western Conference Final for the second straight season and the third time in four years.

One of Canada’s remaining stars offered a perspective on the pressure of playing north of the border. Leon Draisaitl, speaking Monday as the Edmonton Oilers prepare for the Western Conference Final, addressed whether the intense environment around Canadian teams creates a unique challenge.

Former NHL winger Riley Cote explains what he loves about this Edmonton Oilers team ahead of the Western Conference Finals.

Suffice it to say, the perception of the Edmonton Oilers has changed quite a bit in a month. They’ve gone from having major question marks surrounding them before their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings to looking like a powerhouse heading into their Western Conference final rematch with the Dallas Stars.

This affiliate content is not influenced by our advertising relationships, but AP and Data Skrive might earn commissions from our partners’ links in this content.

McDavid is currently the reigning Conn Smythe winner despite the fact that his Oilers fell to the Florida Panthers in last season’s Stanley Cup final. McDavid was the sixth player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe on a losing team.

A suspiciously similar path appears to have opened up before the team that wound up on the wrong side of the deciding goal in Game 7 of the championship series against the Florida Panthers. It began — as it always does — with an opening-round matchup against the Los Angeles Kings, which Edmonton won 4-2.