We’ve all had a few days to come to terms with the loss. A chance to reflect on a disappointing season, but also a chance to realize the sky is not falling. Despite it all, we have gotten a lot of good bonus hockey from our Edmonton Oilers in recent years. This is the shortest season they’ve had since getting swept by the Winnipeg Jets in 2021, after all.
Given what we noticed about the team during the first-round loss to the Anaheim Ducks, it should come as no surprise that they prevailed over the Oilers. Goaltending concerns are transcending onto yet another tandem. Coaching concerns with lineups, utilization, and accountability amongst players, leading to the appearance of being outcoached.
But perhaps most relevant were the apparent injury issues and fatigue the team was dealing with. This impacted the level of play the Oilers could reach. We knew something was off with the face of the franchise, as Connor McDavid looked almost human through the series. Leon Draisaitl was hurt heading into the playoffs. Although he led the team in scoring in the series, he was not at his best. And those health issues impacted the entire lineup, top to bottom. Just yesterday, we confirmed what was suspected, as McDavid was dealing with a fracture in his foot. Explaining the lack of agility and mobility he was exhibiting against the Ducks.
With the star players hindered by injuries, that left a lot of room for other players to step up and show that they do, in fact, deserve a role on this team. Perhaps more so than the coaching staff would be giving them until that point.
To help us celebrate the depth players of this team showing no quit, we took to X this week. We asked the fans who the best Edmonton Oilers depth player on the team was during the first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks. And this list does not include any star players.
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!
A strong initial showing from the focal trade deadline acquisition
The Oilers made two main trades at this past Trade Deadline, both with the Chicago Blackhawks. One of those trades brought centre Jason Dickinson to the team to help provide a shut-down forward, penalty kill experience, and shore up the depth. Despite being injured and also dealing with a foot-area fracture heading into the playoffs, he showed up and raised some eyebrows with his performance while in the lineup.
Dickinson got off to a fantastic start as the Oilers won Game 1 in part due to his two goals. Although he missed games two and three, he returned in Game four and recorded another assist.
He has definitely earned a place on this team, and the pending UFA will hopefully be open to returning for a full season in Edmonton. But others played more of the series that got more attention in this poll, as Dickinson finished tied for third with 2% of the vote.
The best waiver pickup in team history?
Kasperi Kapanen has become one of the more versatile options in the Oilers’ lineup since being claimed on waivers back in 2024. A quick start in an Oilers uniform got him some fans quickly, and his penchant for scoring key goals has elevated him into the spotlight on more than one occasion. Last season, it was the series winner over the Vegas Golden Knights. This season, he scored a late game-winning goal in Game one to kick off the series with a two-goal game of his own.
In six games, Kapanen scored four goals and added two assists. He finished tied for third on the team in points and occupied a major role on what ended up being the best line of the series for the Oilers alongside Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin (more on him later).
Kapanen’s standout performance in this series gained him some attention as the best Oiler of Round 1. He finished second in this week’s poll with 15.7% of the vote.
Turns out the Trade Deadline was a success
The other trade the Oilers made at the deadline was to bring in Connor Murphy for some defensive assistance. A shut-down, right-shot defender to grind out puck battles, block shots, and keep the crease clear. So far, Murphy has accomplished that fairly well.
In this series, he had the most goals by an Oilers defender, scoring two, and added another assist. Murphy also blocked 15 shots in those six games while averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game.
Murphy is also a pending UFA and has likely earned some discussions for a contract extension as the team looks to improve defensively into next season. His play in these playoffs had him tied for third, however, with just 2% of the vote.
Podzilla made an appearance in this series
The overwhelming victor in this week’s poll is Vasily Podkolzin, receiving 80.4% of the vote. Podkolzin was the standout player in all facets of the game against the Anaheim Ducks. This was the result of all of his hard work and effort since joining the Oilers two offseasons ago.
Podkolzin finished the series with six points, three goals and three assists. He racked up 32 hits, leading the team and placing him fifth in the league following the end of the series. And, he gained so much adoration from the fanbase for his never-say-die mentality. At times, it seemed he was the only player able to put in a dominant effort. Including in what may be described as a lackadaisical effort in Game 6, where Podkolzin had five hits and a goal. The goal early in the third period that should have given the Oilers some pep in their step for the comeback we’ve seen them make so many times before.
Podkolzin deserves all the commendation and praise for his efforts in this series. We can only hope that it leads to more of a role next season. Something head coach Kris Knoblauch admits he did not do very well with his roster this season.
Who do you think was the best player in this series? Drop a comment down below!
