Extended road trips will challenge the Edmonton Oilers

With the 2011-12 season rapidly approaching, the gang at PHT decided to take a look at all 30 NHL teams’ schedules. Each team’s highs and lows will be studied in detail to give you an idea of what the future might hold for each squad.

Note: Mileage figures via On the Forecheck’s “Super Schedule.”

Edmonton Oilers schedule analysis

Total mileage: 50,006 (fourth highest total in NHL and most in the Northwest Division)

Back-to-back games: 12

Toughest stretches

The first half of the season for the Oilers is going to be challenging to say the least. From November 3 to November 26, they’ll be forced to play 10 of 12 games away from the friendly confines of Rexall Place. As if that wasn’t enough, they have a season-long seven-game road trip starting the day after Christmas. The trip starts in Vancouver, leads them all the way to Long Island, and has them visiting just about every city in between.

Easiest periods

The Oilers aren’t blessed with many breaks on their schedule, so they’ll need to take advantage when the opportunity presents itself. From November 28 – December 9, the Oilers have a six-game homestand that they’ll need to make the most of. After winnable games in Minnesota and Colorado, they will face the Predators, Wild, Blue Jackets, Flames, Hurricanes and Avalanche at home. Needless to say, they’re going to need to make a dent in the standings over the two week stretch.

Overall outlook

The team is traveling over 50,000 miles this season. Any analysis of the Oilers schedule should begin with the sheer distance the team will travel this season. They also have the most back-to-backs in the Northwest Division with 12. There’s no truth to the rumor that Steve Tambellini upset the league’s schedule makers.

The young Oilers will need to figure out a way to survive their nightmare November on the road. If they can tread water and take advantage of an easy schedule in early December, they may be able to stay in the race for the first half of the season. Then again, that seven-game road trip won’t make things easy either.