Oilers' Eberle: 'I've never felt better'

Edmonton Oilers winger Jordan Eberle is healthy and ready to get his fifth NHL season underway. 

The 24-year-old is coming off another playoff-less season in Edmonton, made worse by a lingering wrist injury that limited him to 65 points in 80 games. Eberle opted against playing for Canada at the World Hockey Championship in the spring in order to allow his body time to heal and the decision paid off.

“I’ve never felt better,” Eberle told Derek Van Diest of the Edmonton Sun. “I think not going to the Worlds, I had an extra month to train and correct my body and I feel better than I ever have before.

“That being said, I think there’s a little bit of a difference of how you feel on the ice and off the ice, but I’ve been skating a lot more than I have in the previous years and I’m just trying to get ready for camp.”

Edmonton finished a disappointing 29-44-9 last year as miserable goaltending, spotty defense and a sputtering offense prolonged the Oilers' playoff drought to eight straight seasons. 

“Last year for me was a tough one, because coming in, I felt like we had a good team and we just didn’t perform,” Eberle said. “This year, I think anytime you get into August the optimism is there and you start getting a little antsy to get back into training camp. 

"I know we still are a month away, but you start getting excited for it. We’re still looked upon to finally getting over that hump and I feel the we can do it."