Lots could go wrong. It’s always a crap shoot to win the Stanley Cup. Things broke right for them last playoffs dodging Vegas in the 1st round, beating the Nucks after they were almost down and out. Don’t get me wrong everyone needs a break here and there but they are far from a sure thing to get back.
That being said they will be in the mix for sure.
Absolutely correct. Every year, the best team in the league is a significant underdog to win the cup. Plurality != majority, bla bla bla. So for me, I draw one distinction: "If X won the championship, would I be shocked"? As much as I loathe the Oilers, clearly the answer is "no".
Having said that, I cannot overestimate how many "out-of-town breaks" they got in that tournament last year. That's gonna be the tough part to repeat.