bucks_oil
Registered User
- Aug 25, 2005
- 8,544
- 4,869
Btw. I have no idea about the Oilers cap situation, contracts etc. but I could see them pulling a Panthers and being in the finals again next year. Got a bit similar vibes as with the Panthers last season - too many guys too far off 100% and maybe just not ready. Kudos to them for making a series out of it but losing 3 in a row to start it was just too much.
I'm sure all teams are banged up in the finals and none are feeling too great, but looking at Panthers, they sure seemed healthier than they did last year in the finals. Also back then it felt like they had to squeeze out everything they got to be there - even though they swept CARI posted it somewhere after the Tampa series this season that the Panthers didn't seem nearly as intense as last season and almost gave the vibe they sort of cruised through the series and that they'd be very scary if that's indeed true and they have extra gear or two. Turns out they did, seemed like whenever it started to look like they are getting tested, they just stepped up and were never in trouble - at least before the finals, but even there they got back to their game and got the job done when their backs were against the wall.
Oilers cap situation has been improving the last couple of years... even two-three years ago you'd have circled next year as the best cap foundation for a deep run... almost all of our dead cap will be off the books.
This summer we have the chance to gain some more: $3.9 by buying out our AHL goalie, $3.3 by trading our worst defender in Ceci, $2.75 in Foegele off the books, last year with Drai at $8.5, last year with Bouchard at $3.9, only Holloway, Broberg, Janmark, Brown and Henrique from our core need to be resigned... none of whom can/will command big coin. Kane, who more or less couldn't play in the finals is the big decision... can he be healthy and a leading playoff scorer as he was for us in 2023 and 2022, or is age taking it's toll (in which case we can trade and use that $5M on someone younger)... that's probably the biggest judgement call for the new IGM this summer.
We can essentially run it back... hopefully we start the season on time and can earn home ice.
I think your point about Florida last year vs this year is an important one. Last year they were 8th seed and ran out of gas... this year 1st seed and as you say seemed healthier. Injuries (as unfortunate as they are) are not excuses... health is earned by home ice advantage, closing series earlier and having the depth to spread the burden on more players rather than rely on a few.
That was the difference between this year's cats and last years... each year the oilers have been moving in that same direction... hoping the parallels continue next year.
