The cupboards are bare. Article content

The future’s been mortgaged. Article content Article content

The pipe has run dry.

At least, that’s been the narrative in Edmonton over the past couple years, after the Oilers made back-to-back runs to the Stanley Cup Final.

But down in California, somewhere between Los Angeles and San Jose, there is a farm busy reseeding annually, where the whole purpose is to grow the next crop of talent for the organization.

The Bakersfield Condors have been the Oilers’ American Hockey League affiliate since the Connor McDavid Era began in 2015.

At that point, playoffs were hardly a concern, with the Oilers just emerging from the Decade of Darkness. And the next five years were hit or miss when it came to post-season qualifying.

“If I go back to my firs

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