Red Light newsletter 🏒 | This is The Athletic’s hockey newsletter. Sign up here to receive Red Light directly in your inbox.Good morning to everyone except anyone who was involved in making “The Love Guru.” If you’re still thinking about hockey these days, you’re a true diehard, and we salute you.(Sergei Belski / USA Today Sports)New Kid on the BlockOilers land another top rookieIt’s the middle of August and the NHL offseason has ground to a halt, but that doesn’t mean the best teams aren’t still out there adding top young talent. In this case, that team is The Athletic, and the talent is our new beat writer covering the Edmonton Oilers.That would be Janson Duench, who made his debut earlier this week. My first instinct was to figure out a way to make Janson skate a lap by himself. My second was to invite him to further introduce himself to Red Light readers by answering some questions about the Oilers.You’re getting settled into a new beat in a new city, but what’s your early sense of the mood of the Oilers fan base right now? Specifically, is there as much “we have to win” panic as the rest of the league seems to want to project onto them?💬 Duench: “There’s certainly an uneasy optimism about what the Oilers could be this season with a new coach and plenty of rest. Worries about goaltending remain, which is par for the course in Edmonton.“I think many Oilers fans would tell you a certain degree of the noise surrounding the team is projected from Toronto Maple Leafs fans who want to see Connor McDavid in blue and white. Still, as much as fans ardently believe their captain is in Edmonton to stay, this spring’s first-round exit, combined with the rising age of the core, is enough to make anybody start to sweat. Each year that ticks by only makes the goal less attainable, regardless of McDavid’s contract situation.”As you mention in your intro piece, so much of the focus this year will be on Mike Babcock, especially after his sideshow stint in Columbus. There are lots of people waiting for this to explode. But is it really as simple as saying that he’ll be fine as long as he wins?💬 “Many long-suffering Oilers fans will be happy with a win-at-all-costs bench boss. For others, no amount of success can augment what they already believe about Babcock.“But as is so often the case in sports, winning is king. I think the fact that McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman were at the genesis of Babcock’s hiring makes this a very different scenario than Columbus. The top dogs are clearly on board with his vision and sold on his track record. The hiring of associate coach D.J. Smith is an important security blanket, perhaps one that was missing with the Blue Jackets.“Wins will be crucial in October, and if Babcock gets the Oilers on track for another deep run, it’s not that difficult to imagine the storm around him settling down.”Coaching aside, is this team actually any better than the one that made a first-round exit last year?💬 “Even without any roster changes, it’s possible this team would have been significantly better next season by virtue of enjoying a long summer. No team has more playoff baggage since 2022 than the Oilers (81 games). That’s practically an entire regular season. Throw in the addition of Stanley Cup-winning goalie Frederik Andersen to help stabilize the crease, and full seasons of Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy, and I’m confident declaring this team has improved.