We are three games into the 2024 NHL playoffs with the Edmonton Oilers currently holding a 2–1 series lead over the Los Angeles Kings. As it is the third consecutive season that these teams are facing off in the playoffs, it is understandably getting feisty.
Even in just these three games, we have gotten to see a variety of different versions of this Edmonton Oilers team. We’ve seen them dominate at times in game one and through game three. As well as struggle to implement their own game as they did through most of game two.
So far, pretty much everyone on the roster has delivered some sort of contribution helping guide the team to a small series lead. But a few players have stood out with their impact thus far. We left it up to you fans to vote on which Oiler has had the most impact over the first three games of this series in this week’s Oilers Sunday Census!
Want to take part in Sunday Census polls? We send them out every week on our Twitter at @oilrigEDM. Follow along or send in ideas for the next poll!
Hy-Money is on a roll
Fresh off of a career year offensively after scoring 54 goals in the regular season, Zach Hyman has continued to work hard into the playoffs with great success. In the first three games of the postseason, Hyman has six goals, including a hat trick in game one.
Hyman, on his own after three games, has scored more goals than the Washington Capitals and tied in goals scored with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
His offensive contributions are a testament to his insane chemistry with Connor McDavid, knowing exactly where to be at every moment and, at times, acting like a backboard for McDavid to bounce pucks in off of. But you know what? He is damn good at it. Hyman will fight relentlessly in gritty areas to score off of rebounds and can get his stick in just the right spot to pot a quick rebound goal before anyone else can react.
All of this is why Oilers fans voted Hyman as the most impactful player of the first three games, as 51.7% of the vote share went his way.
Captain Connor outscoring entire teams
Closing out the final three quarters of the season on an absolutely unreal pace (119 points in 62 games), McDavid has not skipped a beat heading into the playoffs. In the first three games, he leads the league with nine points (one goal and eight assists). He has more points than half of the playoff teams have goals after three games.
His performance thus far is a huge reason why 30.3% of fans feel he has been the most impactful Oiler through three games of the postseason.
McDavid’s impact on this season and playoff run go way farther back than just one week ago when it started. Before the team even took the ice for training camp, he and the rest of the leadership group had gotten together with the team for captain’s skates to help get everyone ready even sooner. Although the year started on an atrocious note, they turned it around soon enough to earn home ice advantage in round one of the playoffs.
How could we forget about Drai?
Not everyone forgot about Drai. Leon Draisaitl‘s seven points in three playoff games is somehow only good enough for third on the team behind McDavid and Hyman (by way of goals scored). And it is also good enough for third place in this week’s poll, as Draisaitl is believed to be the most impactful Oiler by 11% of voters.
As expected, Draisaitl has been a major part of why the Oilers powerplay has been so deadly since the playoffs started. They are currently converting on 50% of their opportunities through three games. Leon and his absurd ability to score from bad angles is contributing to that.
Additionally, Draisaitl has quietly become one of the best face-off takers in the league. As of Saturday afternoon, he sits fourth in the league amongst players with over 30 faceoffs, winning 61.9% of his draws.
Kane’s Gordie Howe Hat Trick
It wasn’t always an easy regular season for Evander Kane. He started out hot but went extremely quiet down the stretch, only re-finding his game at the very end of the season. As it turns out, Kane has been dealing with a sports hernia through the year which would definitely impact his ability to perform night in night out.
But early on in the playoffs, Kane has been working his way to being one of the most impactful players on the ice. It started with a big hit on Drew Doughty in the second period of Game 2, which was a bit of a turning point towards an Oilers attempted comeback that fell short.
Game three is where he really turned it up a notch. Ending with a Gordie Howe hat trick, Kane was engaged physically, generating offence, and earning the admiration of his teammates with his involvement in the game. The Los Angeles Kings were relentlessly targeting him with questionable plays in an attempt to goad him into retaliating. But he did not.
All of this has given him 6.9% of the fan vote in this week’s poll of the most impactful Oiler through three games.
Who would you vote for as most impactful Oiler through three games? Drop a comment down below!
Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire
