Are the 2024-2025 Edmonton Oilers the biggest preseason cup favourites of all time?

[Green]

I see them degressing from last year and I will bet Hyman is off of Mcdavids line by December and he ends the year with like 20 goals

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

I wonder what McDavid is saying in-between periods?

“WE’RE IN A f***ING HOLE!!!

DIG THE f*** OUT!!!”

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Oilers take October off every year lol

 

[Crow]

Of all time? Have to think several past habs teams in a comparatively tiny league would be far more favored.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

I see them degressing from last year and I will bet Hyman is off of Mcdavids line by December and he ends the year with like 20 goals

Some concerns and why they should not be heavily favored:

They lost significant speed with the departures of Foegele, McLeod, Holloway and Broberg

They are one of the older team in the league. Foot speed will be a significant issue

Jeff Skinner, was bought out for a reason and his preseason play and demotion to third line for opening night, does not inspire confidence. I believe his best days are behind him.

Draisaitl will likely regress

Dismal showing in preseason

Everyone is aging on this team. Kulak, Nuge, Nurse, Ekholm, Hyman, will all likely regress, possibly a steep drop off. This is evidence based for most players in their 30s.

Kulak-Stecher/Dermott pairing will be liability.

Oilers power play has regressed since their historic season 2 years ago. It will continue to recess. It will still be elite, but it won't be enough to lean on for wins.

Stuart Skinner is not reliable.

 

[Monsieur Miz]

Nurse, Kulak, Emberson, Dermott.

How can you look at these names and say "yup, I'll win a cup with these 4".

Putrid D squad.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Getting Josh Brown in should settle things down

 

[tabness]

McDavid must have thought this game was the Conn Smythe presentation

 

[Erep]

Some concerns and why they should not be heavily favored:

They lost significant speed with the departures of Foegele, McLeod, Holloway and Broberg

They are one of the older team in the league. Foot speed will be a significant issue

Jeff Skinner, was bought out for a reason and his preseason play and demotion to third line for opening night, does not inspire confidence. I believe his best days are behind him.

Draisaitl will likely regress

Dismal showing in preseason

Everyone is aging on this team. Kulak, Nuge, Nurse, Ekholm, Hyman, will all likely regress, possibly a steep drop off. This is evidence based for most players in their 30s.

Kulak-Stecher/Dermott pairing will be liability.

Oilers power play has regressed since their historic season 2 years ago. It will continue to recess. It will still be elite, but it won't be enough to lean on for wins.

Stuart Skinner is not reliable.

Yeah, I don't really see why anyone would have them as favorites at all. The defense still sucks. The goalie is w/e.

It took absolute godly performances from McDavid and Draisaitl (and Bouchard) to get them even through the second round, let alone the final. Some stuff has changed, and they are still the truly elite players, but to count on performances like that again, when it wasn't enough the first time is nonsense.

 

[Hint1k]

One game will define their season.

well, one game did defined their previous season

 

[archangel2]

after game 1? Not even a playoff team. Talk about shitting the bed at home

 

[Rubi]

I'm sure they will come out strong and dominate the Blackhawks, Flames, and Flyers in the next three games.

 

[Half Clapper]

Well that is why we have a thing called the playoffs, so that two teams can go head to head in a long series.

Oettenger hasn't done anything in this league to be given superstar treatment, Skinner destroyed him head to head in that series, sorry if you don't like the numbers but that is how it went down.

How did Skinner play last night? I take Otter all day any day bud.

Also, anybody who watched Arizona last year can tell you that Stecher / Dermott will be a train wreck haha.

 

[Cup or Bust]

My concern level is at 0%. The same as last season.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Yeah, I don't really see why anyone would have them as favorites at all. The defense still sucks. The goalie is w/e.

It took absolute godly performances from McDavid and Draisaitl (and Bouchard) to get them even through the second round, let alone the final. Some stuff has changed, and they are still the truly elite players, but to count on performances like that again, when it wasn't enough the first time is nonsense.

No one including the Oilers expect the roster to be the same entering the playoffs as it is now. They have made a series of transactions this offseason specifically to maximize cap space at the deadline for the purpose of upgrading the team. Also McDavid, Drasaitl, and Bouchard have had great playoff performances for multiple seasons now, not just last year. There is no reason to believe they won't play great in the playoffs again this season.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

They will be good cause Kane + an upgrade on defense should help the group.

Should probably inject some speed into their depth too.

 

[HugginThePost]

Don't worry, it's panic now, but they'll beat Chicago and the parade will be back on!

Book it!!

Such are the wild swings of the Edmonton loyal.............

 

[kk]

My comment has NOTHING to do with last night's 6-0 beatdown by the Jets. I don't see EDM as the biggest preseason Cup favorites at all. They overachieved somewhat last season and barely got to the Cup Finals. They made a series of it of course. But nah, that team still has issues and I don't see them as the faves.

Reading a lot of pre-season predictions and what not, they are in the mix for sure. But all-time? Nah. There's been bigger juggernaut teams going into a season that were more of a media written lock as top contender than this EDM team this year imo.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

As long as they don't upgrade goaltending I don't see them winning a cup

 

[Zalos]

Do people on here ever learn? It's one f***ing game, jesus christ! The Oilers will be great.

 

[Curufinwe]

I see them degressing from last year and I will bet Hyman is off of Mcdavids line by December and he ends the year with like 20 goals

Is that like regressing but mainly on defense?

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Edmonton is a flawed team like we were in the Pizza Line era. Just two super-scorers and a middling supporting cast is not enough to win a Cup, let alone be a contender. We had Alfredsson at least, who was a two-way beast.

Oilers are missing:
A Selke-level forward. This could be McDrai if either of them were willing to shave their points total for the greater good.
A Norris-level "D". Bouchard might be this...some day, but right now he is still growing into himself.
Vezina-level "G": Not a chance here. Pray Skinner can be average and steal some games.

Overall age and team speed is a concern as well. This looks like the last chance for this core; McDrai will be beloved forever by the Oil fanbase but other teams are at various levels of improvement and won't roll out a red carpet for them come playoff time.

 

[Coffey]

well, one game did defined their previous season

Yea, but it wasn't their first.

 

[BelovedIsles]

Okay, this thread is just a handful of ppl going back and forth; was wondering why it got to 7 pages. This isn’t even thread worthy.

With that said, I don’t see enough depth.

 

[ProjectPanthers]

When Dominik Hasek was traded to the Red Wings in July of 2001 it pretty much guaranteed the Red Wings winning the cup that year and everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knew it. Scotty Bowman was coming back for one more year, everyone knew it was an absolute lock. They won the President's trophy by 15 points that season. Just look at this roster:

Reads more like a Hall of Fame list than an NHL Roster.

The only team that challenged them that year was the Avalanche and they almost had them in game 7 of the Western Final, and the Avs themselves were an incredibly constructed team having just come off a cup.

Detroit winning in 2002 was maybe the most sure-thing bet you could've made in terms of championships in sports history.