The Edmonton Oilers’ playoff run officially gets underway Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks. They have not faced the Ducks in the playoffs since the memorable 2017 second-round series. This series ended in heartbreak for the Oilers after an awesome run.
Lots has changed since then, and the Oilers will be looking for some long-awaited revenge. Players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be very important (once Draisaitl is healthy), but there are many other players who could make a significant difference in this series.
Let’s take a look at which players the Oilers will need to step up.
Matt Savoie is cruising
The first player the Oilers need to stay hot is young forward Matt Savoie. The 22-year-old forward has been crushing it lately. He recorded his first career NHL hat-trick against the Vancouver Canucks in the final game of the regular season. Savoie has four points in his last two games and looks to keep it going into the playoffs.
With the injury to Draisaitl, Savoie has been a regular on the first line alongside Connor McDavid. Adding Hyman to the line makes the perfect blend of skill, speed, and forechecking. The three showed how dominant they can be in the last game against Vancouver. Savoie also got some first-line power play time in the absence of Draisaitl and certainly made the most of it. As long as Draisaitl is out, Savoie needs to remain a regular goal-scorer for this team.
Once Draisaitl returns, Savoie may be bumped down in the lineup. Even if that happens, he still remains a valuable secondary scorer. It is tough to determine how well the young player will perform in the playoffs, considering it will be his first playoff run, but all of the pressure will be on the Ducks. Do you think Savoie can continue his offensive surge in the playoffs?
Tristan Jarry could be relied on
Goaltender Tristan Jarry could be important in this series and the entire playoff run. Backup goalies can prove to be extremely valuable during the playoffs, as slumps and injuries can occur at awful times. I have confidence in Connor Ingram being the guy going forward, but a bad couple of games could turn the responsibility over to Jarry.
Jarry had a rough go with the Oilers during the regular season. Through 19 games, he posted an .858 save percentage alongside a 3.86 goals against average. These stats worry many Oiler fans, but hopefully, the fresh start of the playoffs could put those stats behind him. There is the chance that the Oilers never have to rely on Jarry in the playoff run, although I would be surprised if he does not make an appearance.
On a brighter note, Jarry has had some previous playoff success with an Edmonton sports team. The goalie spent his junior hockey career as a member of the Edmonton Oil Kings. Here, Jarry was part of the 2013–14 WHL championship team that went on to win the Memorial Cup. If the Oilers ultimately want to avoid playing Jarry, Calvin Pickard was recently recalled and could be a backup option.
Jake Walman is a significant depth piece
An underrated piece of this team going into the Anaheim series is Jake Walman. The defenceman is coming off a bit of a rough season, where he dealt with a couple of injuries. When healthy, Walman appears in the Oilers’ bottom-four defensive core and gets some time on the secondary power play unit. Depending on how much the Oilers need secondary offence, Walman could become a very important piece.
Walman joined the Oilers at the trade deadline of last season. From then on, he became a key part of the push to the playoffs and the legendary run to the Stanley Cup Final. Through 22 playoff games last year, Walman posted two goals and ten points. Walman was solid throughout the entire playoff run, logging an average ice time of 20 minutes a game. Along with that high amount of playing time, Walman led the team with 66 blocks in 22 games.
I think Walman will be just as important this year.
Colton Dach can set the tone
The last important depth piece is Colton Dach. He is a new, younger part of this Oilers team that has fit in well. Dach provides the same physicality that Trent Frederic has brought to the fourth line. Dach’s recent game against the Canucks was phenomenal, as he recorded a Gordie Howe hat-trick with a goal, an assist, and a fight.
Although Dach is just a member of the fourth line, he can be a great guy to set the tone in each game. With him and Frederic on the same line, that could be a duo to cause some damage on the forecheck. Both players combined for a total of 412 hits in the regular season (Dach at 219 and Frederic at 193). Yes, Dach will not be one to rely on offence for, but his physicality will be needed to stand up for teammates and help make things difficult on a young Ducks team.
Which one of these players do you think will have the best impact on the Oilers’ playoff run?
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