Former Edmonton Oilers forward Jordan Eberle is back in Edmonton for the first time since being traded to the New York Islanders in the summer for forward Ryan Strome.
Eberle and the Islanders practiced in Edmonton on Wednesday ahead of Thursday night’s game at Rogers Place.
“I’m happy to be back. I have a lot of friends and teammates that play here,” said Eberle who spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career in Edmonton. “A lot of good memories here too.”
When it comes to the type of reception he will receive from the fans, he’s not sure what to expect.
“I’m excited, I enjoyed my time here, I still have tons of friends on the team.
“It’s an awesome place to play, hopefully they don’t boo me and give me a warm welcome,” Eberle laughed.
Eberle scored 20 goals and 51 points in 82 games with the Oilers last season. Those stats were somewhat lower for his standards, but it was good enough to finish third in team scoring.
It was in the playoffs where Eberle struggled to produce, which lead to some criticism from the media and fans. Eberle didn’t score a goal in 13 playoff games and added just two assists, but he felt the criticism was warranted.
“The media has never been unfair in Edmonton. They just tell it like it is,” he said on Wednesday. “If you’re not playing well, they’re going to tell you.”
This season, Eberle has rebounded nicely and already has 23 goals and 47 points in 66 games. He thinks being under the microscope a bit less in Long Island has helped him regain his confidence.
“I think, for me, last year obviously struggling, and then not playing very well in the playoffs and then getting criticized – and rightfully so – but it’s never fun to have that, but its just the way it goes,” he explained. “I think when you don’t have that going on in Long Island as much you can maybe get your confidence a little bit more and, obviously, things have been going well there in terms of putting the puck in the net and I want to continue that.”
Eberle also credits former Oilers forward, and Islanders head coach, Doug Weight for helping him get back some of that confidence. Weight said it’s not just offence that Eberle has brought to the table.
“He’s been a great addition in every area of the game,” Weight said. “He’s been great with Matt Barzal. I think they’ve developed a bit of a chemistry and I think he’s been a bit of mentor for him and taught him a lot.
“Defensively he’s been gritty, just a really good forechecker, a smart hockey player and his numbers are emulating how he’s playing all over the puck. He’s just a great kid and I can’t say enough about him.”
The Oilers will play host to the Islanders at Rogers Place Thursday night. Catch the game on 630 CHED starting with the Face-Off show at 5:30pm.