Oilers were overwhelmingly #1 cup favorites going into the season. Are they still #1 today?
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Luigi Lemieux
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- Sep 26, 2003
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They're still one of the top favorites but I'm not totally convinced they can win with Skinner in goal. They had a lot go right last year and still ended up short.
That said imo the top 4 contenders are Florida and NJ from the east, Edmonton and Vegas from the west.
Winnipeg and Carolina seem like they're perennial pretenders with no killer instinct despite being very solid teams.
LA and Washington aren't as good as their records.
Tampa and Colorado are both dangerous, but both rosters are lacking defensive depth.
Two wildcards (not literally) are Minnesota and Dallas. Not totally sure what to make of them. They could flop or go on a deep run, neither would surprise me.
That said imo the top 4 contenders are Florida and NJ from the east, Edmonton and Vegas from the west.
Winnipeg and Carolina seem like they're perennial pretenders with no killer instinct despite being very solid teams.
LA and Washington aren't as good as their records.
Tampa and Colorado are both dangerous, but both rosters are lacking defensive depth.
Two wildcards (not literally) are Minnesota and Dallas. Not totally sure what to make of them. They could flop or go on a deep run, neither would surprise me.
Hard to argue against it now. The way they win games is unbelievable. When they were down vs Boston and San Jose with a few minutes left, you can tell that the oilers were going to find a way to score and win it.
Florida seems to be posing a problem for the oilers but I can't really see Florida getting through all the way again. There are a few teams that will give Florida problems in the playoffs this time around
Florida seems to be posing a problem for the oilers but I can't really see Florida getting through all the way again. There are a few teams that will give Florida problems in the playoffs this time around
TheLegend27
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Their goaltending is the only thing holding them back from the #1 favorite lmo. I expected Skinner to improve this year and contract year Bouchard to put up a career season. Ouch. Hope those two turn it around.
TheBeastCoast
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For the past month, Oilers lead the league with 11 wins in 13 games. Hyman seems to have remembered how to score goals, and Skinner isn't getting absolutely torched.
If they can maintain this form, I'd say that it's reasonable to consider them to be the cup favorites.
If they can maintain this form, I'd say that it's reasonable to consider them to be the cup favorites.
Not with Skinner in goal and their current D. Things overall will be more clear after the deadline…but anything can happen in the playoffs.
JarvisFunk
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Their D is actually quite good, only can be questioned because of the guy backing them up.
FlameChampion
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- Jul 13, 2011
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Not sure if new to the Oilers but this is basically their script the last few seasons. They start slow and then get fully rolling after the new year. I expect the same this year.
As a fan, still not super confident with them. Too inconsistent for my liking personally. Some of that has been Skinner. I still don’t know what to make of their forward group. But they play a pretty solid team defense.
I don’t see many threats around the league as an Oilers fan. Vegas, Florida stand out.
As a fan, still not super confident with them. Too inconsistent for my liking personally. Some of that has been Skinner. I still don’t know what to make of their forward group. But they play a pretty solid team defense.
I don’t see many threats around the league as an Oilers fan. Vegas, Florida stand out.
I don’t think so, not for a deep run again, but that’s where the deadline comes in. Think we need help back there as well.
snipes
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- Dec 28, 2015
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Top 3 seems fair. Skinner has been playing well lately but he can be pretty damn inconsistent. The team is playing really well. They are not a run and gun team like they used to be, they play a pretty structured and disciplined game.
Also the Oilers are having more success with sustained zone time instead of just relying rush offence or the PP like they used to 3-4 years ago. They are a grizzled and experienced team. Strong analytics and possession numbers along with their playing style all bode well come playoff time. Could be a bit more physical but I expect that to ramp up during the playoffs.
Having said that it’s tough with the salary cap, but every team is in the same boat. Every top team has some holes in it due to the salary cap constraints.
The playoffs are such a grind as well, lots needs to go right for any team.
The Oilers could add a bit more size and physicality with some speed in the bottom 6 and a top 4 D man at the deadline should be high priority along with getting Kane back before the playoffs.
All in all I like their chances as much as anyone. This year seems pretty wide open for the taking for them but the same could be said for a couple of other teams as well like Florida, Vegas, etc.
Also the Oilers are having more success with sustained zone time instead of just relying rush offence or the PP like they used to 3-4 years ago. They are a grizzled and experienced team. Strong analytics and possession numbers along with their playing style all bode well come playoff time. Could be a bit more physical but I expect that to ramp up during the playoffs.
Having said that it’s tough with the salary cap, but every team is in the same boat. Every top team has some holes in it due to the salary cap constraints.
The playoffs are such a grind as well, lots needs to go right for any team.
The Oilers could add a bit more size and physicality with some speed in the bottom 6 and a top 4 D man at the deadline should be high priority along with getting Kane back before the playoffs.
All in all I like their chances as much as anyone. This year seems pretty wide open for the taking for them but the same could be said for a couple of other teams as well like Florida, Vegas, etc.
I don't think there is a single team in the league that is head and shoulders above the rest to be considered the #1 favourite.
But I do think the Oilers are in the top three. And if anyone wants to argue there are three other teams above them, then they would not be too far outside of that.
But I do think the Oilers are in the top three. And if anyone wants to argue there are three other teams above them, then they would not be too far outside of that.
I think there's a good chunk of teams with a good to decent chance to go all the way, Oilers among them - however I never saw the Oilers as the overwhelmingly big favorite to win it all.
If Florida comes out on top in the east, Oilers wont beat them.
If Florida comes out on top in the east, Oilers wont beat them.
I think the Oilers are definitely a top Cup contender especially if they are able to make any adds at the deadline. Their defensive play overall as a team has been really good this season and their overall style of play is right where it was that got them to game 7 last season. They are going to be one of the toughest teams to beat in a 7 game series. I don't like the idea that a team is the number 1 Cup contender, but I think they are one of the top 3 teams definitely.
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PuckG
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- Feb 26, 2015
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Top 3 (which seems like the consensus) is probably a fair assessment.
The parity of the league makes it that any team that gets hot at the right time has the chance to knock out any contender though, so more consistency from goaltending, continued contributions from depth will make a substantial difference.
The parity of the league makes it that any team that gets hot at the right time has the chance to knock out any contender though, so more consistency from goaltending, continued contributions from depth will make a substantial difference.
Luigi Lemieux
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They're not great at defending but it doesn't matter that much since they usually own the puck
Cats2TheCup
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We need another top four defender and a goalie who can hopefully push S. Skinner into a backup role by the time the playoffs arrive. Bonus points for an experienced 4C who can skate and win draws:
RNH-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Skinner-Henrique-Kapanen
Janmark-xxxxx-Brown
Perry, Ryan
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-xxxxx
Kulak-Emberson
Stecher
xxxxx
Skinner
I would feel very good about that roster with some combo of Pettersson/Provorov/Murphy/Jensen and a goalie who is top 30 in most categories as opposed to top 75, and that's even without Kane who probably slots in for one of J. Skinner or Kapanen as he gets up to game speed late in the year.
RNH-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Skinner-Henrique-Kapanen
Janmark-xxxxx-Brown
Perry, Ryan
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-xxxxx
Kulak-Emberson
Stecher
xxxxx
Skinner
I would feel very good about that roster with some combo of Pettersson/Provorov/Murphy/Jensen and a goalie who is top 30 in most categories as opposed to top 75, and that's even without Kane who probably slots in for one of J. Skinner or Kapanen as he gets up to game speed late in the year.
Except when it does matter, high octane offenses don’t always do well in the post-season.
HabzSauce
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- Jun 10, 2022
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Jake Evans would look great with Oilers. He'd be #3C and Henrique could move down to #4.
From the way Oilers insider Bob Stauffer has been talking, Matheson is our #1 target on D which makes zero sense to me. The only silver lining in that trade would be us somehow getting Evans too, who I think would kill it in our bottom six.
Oneiro
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- Mar 28, 2013
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I really don't think much of their run last year. People are anchoring to that way too much. If the format didn't have Dallas and Colorado meeting that early, who knows. But I don't expect Edmonton back in the final this year.
I also think the Capitals are being under-esimated. An experienced and deep squad with great coaching. No one wants to believe it, I didn't want to, but it's probably the first re-tool with legs I've seen in a while, possibly ever.
I also think the Capitals are being under-esimated. An experienced and deep squad with great coaching. No one wants to believe it, I didn't want to, but it's probably the first re-tool with legs I've seen in a while, possibly ever.
The Oilers have been a good defensive team for like a year+ now, ever since Coffey and Knoblaugh arrived, this narrative really is badly outdated.
Look at the goals against even this year, even with a bit of a Cup hangover, the Oilers are way better at preventing goals than a lot of teams that somehow have the reputation of being good defensively.
Edmonton - 95GA, 2.79GA (9th best in the NHL)
Florida - 108GA, 3.09 GA (21st in the NHL)
Vancouver - 103GA, 3.18 GA (23rd in the NHL)
Colorado - 120GA, 3.33 GA (26th in the NHL)
The last three teams there is what bad defensively actually looks like.
Take out the first 3 games where the Oilers were admittedly in post-Finals funk, the GA improves to like top 3 in the NHL from the 3rd game onwards.
The system Coffey/Knoblaugh has works defensively. They wouldn't have made the Cup Final and pushed it to game 7 otherwise, the idea that this is just a "run n' gun" team is badly outdated. They play a lot more like the Penguins in their Cup window now.
SeanAveryTheGreatOne
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- Jul 4, 2021
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