Oilers hype: Is HF buying in on a 2024 run?

[ManofSteel55]

They might not win it all this year, but this is their best chance yet with thier current core, and they have the best in the world who is more motivated than ever and arguably the 2nd best in the world who is in the same boat. It's the NHL though, there is rarely a top favourite at all. Like every other team, it will depend on if they can overcome their weaknesses. Check tighter than previous years, and get better goaltending, and the Oilers should be among the most dangerous teams in the league.

 

[Skolman]

The Oilers have been the laughing stock of the nhl since 2007 lol

Uh, to you maybe.

To most people that know the game & have more than a few brain cells, that isn't the case

 

[ManofSteel55]

It's crazy to me that Holland thinks the team is good enough. Ekholm should've been the first of multiple upgrades. Instead, that was his "cherry on top."

You think Holland isn't going to deal his 1st this year for another upgrade? Guess what...it's probably going to be another defensive defenseman.

 

[Mikeaveli]

Uh, to you maybe.

To most people that know the game & have more than a few brain cells, that isn't the case

You're right, missing the playoffs for a decade, needing four 1st overall picks just to make the playoffs, being outed by Chicago of all teams in the play in round and being swept out of the playoffs twice (once in the first round), none of that happened and none of it was funny.

 

[tucker3434]

I don't know. For several years now, we've heard that this was going to be the year that McDrai were going to have some help. Then... not so much. I guess I'm at the point where I won't believe it until I see it.

I just still don't have faith that 4+ goals is an automatic win for them in the playoffs. That's backbreaking. When McDrai go off and you still can't put that game in the w column, you're going to lose the series. Margins are just too thin. Teams are too good.

 

[AfroThunder396]

They are in the same tier as Toronto. Regular season Superman, but when it comes to the playoffs I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Ararana]

lol, no.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Teams have won before without a true number 1 D or a well above average goaltender.
But very few have won without both.
It could happen but it’s just not statistically likely.

 

[K1984]

I don't know. For several years now, we've heard that this was going to be the year that McDrai were going to have some help. Then... not so much. I guess I'm at the point where I won't believe it until I see it.

I just still don't have faith that 4+ goals is an automatic win for them in the playoffs. That's backbreaking. When McDrai go off and you still can't put that game in the w column, you're going to lose the series. Margins are just too thin. Teams are too good.

What year is it? 2018?

They have plenty of help. One might even say that they have more help than MacKinnon and Rantanen do on the Avalanche at the moment.

 

[mkatcherin00]

I don't know. For several years now, we've heard that this was going to be the year that McDrai were going to have some help. Then... not so much. I guess I'm at the point where I won't believe it until I see it.

I just still don't have faith that 4+ goals is an automatic win for them in the playoffs. That's backbreaking. When McDrai go off and you still can't put that game in the w column, you're going to lose the series. Margins are just too thin. Teams are too good.

This is what everybody said about Colorado too..

Remember when they had a historic terrible season? Then they couldn't advance in the playoffs?

Thats how it is with Edmonton. Nobody is going to give credit until they at least make a finals

It's nice though. They are actually good that they get talked about and a ton of haters come out from the woodshed

Feels good. Better than the 2011sh Era

 

[AvroArrow]

Goalie defence

 

[sepHF]

Their D and G suck and I do mean SUCK. Looking at their division. They will be fighting for a wildcard position. They may have the two best players on the planet--but it is their D and G that will let them down

fighting for a wildcard spot or the Presidents trophy?

 

[mkatcherin00]

fighting for a wildcard spot or the Presidents trophy?

Hey, they have been behind Boston in points for the last 1.5-2 years.

People are getting very scared of them if they get even a little better goaltending.

We are going to have a lot of hurt fans here/trolls.

 

[Svechhammer]

Much like Edm, people are way too wrapped up in their offensive skill and completely overlooking the fact that they are seriously deficient on defense and in net. Carolina, even in a weakened state without Svechnikov, overwhelmed that defense in the playoffs last year and I don't think they've done near enough to improve.

They'll score a lot of goals and win a lot of games in the regular season, but they aren't built for the playoffs.

 

[tucker3434]

What year is it? 2018?

They have plenty of help. One might even say that they have more help than MacKinnon and Rantanen do on the Avalanche at the moment.

We've heard it every year since 2018. Then last year they play Vegas in the second round and can't capitalize on a night when Draisaitl scores 4 goals, end up losing the series 4-2. That's the last hard data we have and it's not all that different from what happened against Colorado two years ago either. It's a pretty reasonable concern. It's fixable, but they've struggled to fix it. Hard to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The oilers picked up a Makar and Toews this offseason?

 

[MCR74]

We've heard it every year since 2018. Then last year they play Vegas in the second round and can't capitalize on a night when Draisaitl scores 4 goals, end up losing the series 4-2. That's the last hard data we have and it's not all that different from what happened against Colorado two years ago either. It's a pretty reasonable concern. It's fixable, but they've struggled to fix it. Hard to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The oilers picked up a Makar and Toews this offseason?

Not exactly.

 

[Oleksiak]

You think Holland isn't going to deal his 1st this year for another upgrade? Guess what...it's probably going to be another defensive defenseman.

Which they need, considering that their only two NHL quality blueliners are Nurse and Ekholm. The problem is that they need to replace the other four pylons and the money and trade chips aren't there.

 

[K1984]

We've heard it every year since 2018. Then last year they play Vegas in the second round and can't capitalize on a night when Draisaitl scores 4 goals, end up losing the series 4-2. That's the last hard data we have and it's not all that different from what happened against Colorado two years ago either. It's a pretty reasonable concern. It's fixable, but they've struggled to fix it. Hard to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The oilers picked up a Makar and Toews this offseason?

They don't have a Makar and Toews, but Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins and Kane are far better than what the Avalanche have as a group up front after Mackinnon and Rantanen. Speaking to the "they have no help!!" nonsense.

The Oilers have a deficit at #4 RD and maybe could use a single bottom 6 upgrade. Solvable problems, and very far from the "no help!" narrative. Goaltending is a wild card, but such is life with basically every NHL team other than a handful in today's league.

 

[Avsfan1921]

I mean, they have all the pieces needed to accomplish it… just like a good 6-8 others do. Health, luck and timing are the key. Anyone from T.O to Jersey to Dallas to Rangers have just as good of a chance, among a handful of others I’m too lazy to list.

It’s ridiculously hard to win it all on this league and if they fail they will get mocked but it’s not as easy as saying they aren’t good enough because they definitely can be when everything goes right.

 

[Cup or Bust]

There are usually about 5-7 teams to start every season that have Cup potential and no team is perfect with no weaknesses. If there were teams that were 100% locks to win the Cup every season there would be no reason to watch. They are definitely a contender but like every other contender it depends on how their season goes, injuries, additions they make during the season for any deficiencies they might have. A whole list of things need to happen to win the cup. Game 1 hasn't even happened yet.

 

[tucker3434]

They don't have a Makar and Toews, but Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins and Kane are far better than what the Avalanche have as a group up front after Mackinnon and Rantanen. Speaking to the "they have no help!!" nonsense.

The Oilers have a deficit at #4 RD and maybe could use a single bottom 6 upgrade. Solvable problems, and very far from the "no help!" narrative. Goaltending is a wild card, but such is life with basically every NHL team other than a handful in today's league.

Depends on which version of RNH and Hyman we get moving forward I guess. If they can put up 180 points between them, okay. But they've each had that type of season one time. The rest of their careers have been 30+ points short of that, each. If they fall back to career norms, there's not much special there. And that the Oilers were only a second round team with those two guys having the years they had is part of the reason for concern.

So again, they didn't have enough help last year, and the roster didn't change all that much. A lot is riding on just dudes playing better this time around.

 

[K1984]

Depends on which version of RNH and Hyman we get moving forward I guess. If they can put up 180 points between them, okay. But they've each had that type of season one time. The rest of their careers have been 30+ points short of that, each. If they fall back to career norms, there's not much special there. And that the Oilers were only a second round team with those two guys having the years they had is part of the reason for concern.

So again, they didn't have enough help last year, and the roster didn't change all that much. A lot is riding on just dudes playing better this time around.

Even their average over the past few seasons is better than what the Avalanche have.

 

[Azrael89]

Some Oilers fans can't stand that Nate and Makar won the Cup first. Lol

 

[tucker3434]

Even their average over the past few seasons is better than what the Avalanche have.

Nichushkin and Johansen combined for more points than RNH and Hyman just two years ago. And even with that, I still know that we need get very lucky with Tatar and Drouin on their cheap deals to have any real shot at the cup.

 

[FlameChampion]

Ultimately it depends if the teams mentality has changed. Are they tired of losing? Is the team (forwards and defense) going to play a better defensive and composed game? How will the goaltending perform (if the team is better infront of them)?

I think the Oilers are one of the most talented teams in the NHL. But they beat themselves a lot.

I think the first 10-15 games of the season will be telling. They had a lot of bad habits last year that ultimately came back and exposed them in the playoffs.