With less than a handful of games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Edmonton Oilers have almost made it through another eventful season. While the year started about as poorly as possible, the Oilers have reasserted themselves as the true perennial contender that they were expected to be. Despite all this the Oilers carry with them the burden of such expectations, the only true measure of success being playoff related. In a few days the proceedings of the regular season will become but a footnote in how this season is remembered.
With an eye on the weeks ahead, we polled our readers: which team would be your preferred opponent for the first round of playoffs?
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Predators ahead of the pack
Leading our poll as the team that Oilers fans would most like to see are the Nashville Predators. While this is true the margins were quite narrow, meaning that this should not be seen as much of a slight against the Preds. Though this is a new Predators team, in their first season with Barry Trotz as their GM, the team has followed a familiar pattern. In the last handful of seasons, the Predators seem fairly irrelevant through the first half of the schedule, only to come alive in the second half, charging their way into the playoff picture.
This season brought with it a more dramatic version of the story than usual. It was highly publicised that the team was barred from going to a U2 concert together after a poor showing in a game around the All-Star break. From that point, the Predators came alive, going on a long point streak, becoming one of the hottest teams in the league. With their backs against the wall and their season on the line, Nashville responded, showing a lot of character.
The Preds are not without skill either, with one of the best goalies league wide in Juuse Saros and a perennial Norris candidate in Roman Josi. With an elite scoring winger in Filip Forsberg and a premiere two-way centre in Ryan O’Rielly, the Preds have something to build around at each position. There have been a lot of contributions from the rest of the lineup, and the team has a trio of capable middle-six forwards in Colton Sissons, Luke Evangelista, and Tommy Novak. Trotz was shrewd in adding Jason Zucker and Anthony Beauvillier as trade deadline bargains.
While Nashville’s strong play down the stretch might be a concern to some across Oil Country, as the Preds have been forged by the pressure of playing do-or-die games for weeks now, the Oilers have had a similar experience. Both teams have faced adversity this season and pulled through as a group. There is a lot to like about Trotz’s first season as GM, and the Preds are not to be trifled with, but the Oilers would unquestionably be the favourites in a series between the two teams.
Golden Knights could be an ideal opponent
Not far behind in our poll are the Vegas Golden Knights, the team that our voters feel second most confident in playing. With a short history filled with playoff success, not to mention the reigning Stanley Cup champions and the team that eliminated the Oilers last season, the Knights are an experienced team. There is a cyclical nature to their seasons as well, epitomised by Mark Stone’s injuries lasting from February to mid-April each year. This allows the Knights to use LTIR, loading up at the deadline, and coming into full health entering the playoffs.
This season the Knights have been as bold as ever, adding Anthony Mantha, Noah Hanifin, and Tomas Hertl, yet the results of our poll suggest that Oil Country does not fear the Knights. In truth, the Knights have been a fairly average team since December, riding a hot start to an eventual playoff spot. The team has looked much more human than last season, where they bulldozed their way through the playoffs.
With that being said, there should be some fear that the Knights are merely conserving energy, that when the lights are bright and their full lineup is in action that the real team will become visible. There have been glimpses that this high level of play still exists within them, and their pedigree affords them the benefit of the doubt.
While some of the vote might have come down to the perceived quality of the team, or the lack thereof, voters might be dreaming of a matchup with the Knights to avenge last season’s loss. Having lost to the eventual champions two seasons in a row, Oiler fans know that they will have to beat the best to be the best. Almost certainly this is the mindset one would hope the Oilers hold.
Fans don’t want to face the Kings
Of the three most likely options, it is surprising that the Kings were voted the least favourable first round opponent, given that the Oilers have bested them two seasons in a row. While the Oilers would be favoured to do so once more in a playoff series, perhaps voters remember that both these previous matchups were tightly contested. Last season’s series featured a number of overtime games, and required a couple Jack Campbell relief appearances, while the season prior saw Leon Draisaitl suffer an ankle injury during a post-whistle scrum, joining an already hobbled Darnell Nurse.
The Kings have had a mercurial season, even firing their Coach Todd McLellan. At the same time they have enjoyed some hot stretches, including a strong road record through the early portion of the regular season schedule. Their biggest offseason addition, Pierre-Luc Dubois, epitomises this energy, with huge differences between his best and worst games. At his best Dubois is a force, giving the Kings three strong centres, and the ability to match lines against any team.
With Selke level defenders in Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault ahead of Dubois, the Kings boast a rare collection of talent down the middle. Their strength as a defensive team, particularly on the penalty kill, makes the Kings an interesting matchup against the Oilers. The Kings might be the best strength-on-strength challenger to the Oilers potent attack and lethal power play, mitigating many of the Oilers most salient proficiencies in a way that not many teams across the league can.
With Quinton Byfield coming into his own as a top line scorer the Kings might be more dangerous than in seasons past. The best is yet to come from others, like Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev, though it might be from Brandt Clarke that the Kings are able to reach a new level in the next season or two. While the Oilers have gotten the best of the Kings before, there might be a sense across Oil Country that the Kings will exact their revenge at some point.
Other opponents are unlikely
With so few games remaining it is all but guaranteed that the Oilers will face off against one of the Kings, Knights, or Predators in the first round. It is logical that this option received so little of the vote, as Oil Country is honed in on their likely opponents.
With 100 points for a third straight season, and with three series wins in the past two playoffs, the Oilers are among the most consistent teams in that stretch. Since the hiring of Kris Knoblauch in November the Oilers are the best team in the league, controlling the flow of play on both ends of the rink. While the even voting does speak to the potential opponents, it also speaks to the Oilers truth as one of the legitimate favourites to win the Cup this season.
The Oilers are not perfect, but to reach their ultimate goal they will need to beat 4 dangerous opponents. Their biggest hurdle might be within, to play up to their capabilities and maintain their commitment to defensive excellence. The Oilers have consistently improved over the Ken Holland era, and this iteration of the team is their best yet.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
