Oilers were overwhelmingly #1 cup favorites going into the season. Are they still #1 today?

[McHelpus]

NHL is probably the only league I will never take odds seriously, anything can happen (especially in this sport).

 

[Bouboumaster]

I don't know if the Habs could make Monty available, but if they did, I feel like the Oilers should go after him

Skinner/Montembeault would be a solid duo, and if one of them shit the bed, the other could take over

Bad goaltending and suspect defense at best are the things holding them back

 

[kcunac]

Nothing has changed for me. They’re as much a favorite as they ever were.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

No, NJD are the cup favorites. They have no holes now that they have an actual goalie.

Depth scoring has been an issue. Last time they got a goal from a full-time bottom 6 forward was in November. Led them to recently shake up the forward group.

But yeah, kinda pointless to talk cup favorites before the trade deadline. Every team has something they want to improve. Edmonton needs a defenseman, that's no secret, and I'm sure they will do something about it. Florida is in the same boat. List goes on.

I suppose the Oilers will be in my top 3 if they add a top 4 dman.. but have to see that first.

 

[Soundwave]

Lol again, if you’re comfortable with it, cool.

The entire Panthers squad has been up and down this year, Bob has just looking like Bob and we’ve had a couple injuries and illnesses. They went on back to back deep runs, while I think they could do another, right now they’re getting through the season and turning it on more in bigger games. As I said, we need some upgrades, but the core is still the same.

We'll likely get a no.4 upgrade at the deadline, but it's not like some emergency. The team is as is top 10 in the league for GA without the benefit of a stud goalie as is.

The system Knob/Coffey employ simply works.

It was good last season (once they arrived), it was good in the playoffs, it's good again this year after a little hiccup right at the start of the season (hangover).

The Oilers aren't like some run n' gun team that just wins off offense any more, they haven't been that for a while. They play a lot more like the Penguins in their Cup window of yesterday since Knoblaugh became coach.

 

[PuckG]

I don't know if the Habs could make Monty available, but if they did, I feel like the Oilers should go after him

Skinner/Montembeault would be a solid duo, and if one of them shit the bed, the other could take over

Bad goaltending and suspect defense at best are the things holding them back

While I agree shoring up goaltending would be of benefit, what makes the defence so suspect?

They’re top 10 in goals against and have very favourable defensive stats at 5 on 5.

 

[Soundwave]

While I agree shoring up goaltending would be of benefit, what makes the defence so suspect?

They’re top 10 in goals against and have very favourable defensive stats at 5 on 5.

They were 6th best GA in the league last year under Knoblaugh.

This year they're 9th best as of today, but that probably is skewed by a really poor first 3 games, after that little hangover their D has normalized and are top 3-4 in GA actually for this season from that point on.

In the playoffs they were very good defensively too.

At some point I think people who keep claiming the D is suspect are going to have to admit the narrative is badly outdated. At least defensively they hit a coaching home run with the Knoblaugh/Coffey hires.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

NHL insider Frank Seravalli has raised the possibility that the Edmonton Oilers could potentially benefit from LTIR rules and the return of Evander Kane from injury this season.

Evander Kane has missed the entire season recovering from a complex surgery to address several injuries from last year, and he isn't expected to progress in his rehab until at least March 2025.

Kane's $5.125M salary is a massive wildcat for the Oilers' trade plans this season. If they know that he won't be able to return until the playoffs, the Oilers could add his amount in additional salary through trade, and ice a lineup over the cap in the playoffs.


//

In other words, according to Frank, the Oilers are winning the cup this year. Book it.

 

[PuckG]

NHL insider Frank Seravalli has raised the possibility that the Edmonton Oilers could potentially benefit from LTIR rules and the return of Evander Kane from injury this season.

Evander Kane has missed the entire season recovering from a complex surgery to address several injuries from last year, and he isn't expected to progress in his rehab until at least March 2025.

Kane's $5.125M salary is a massive wildcat for the Oilers' trade plans this season. If they know that he won't be able to return until the playoffs, the Oilers could add his amount in additional salary through trade, and ice a lineup over the cap in the playoffs.


//

In other words, according to Frank, the Oilers are winning the cup this year. Book it.

That is in no way a cup guarantee. But 100%, abuse that LTIR pool the same way Vegas did.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Jake Evans would look great with Oilers. He'd be #3C and Henrique could move down to #4.

jake evans looks great with the habs

 

[AvroArrow]

They are contenders but not top 3 cup contenders, I think it was foolish and lazy of the media to keep pushing the narrative that they were the top team in the league in the summer.

They have McDavid so they will always be contenders, just don't like the goaltending or depth though. Winnipeg, Colorado and Vegas are all better teams in the West IMO.

 

[HabzSauce]

jake evans looks great with the habs

I'd like to keep him too. He's more valuable to Habs than an extra 2nd/3rd round pick from trade

We'll see tho all depends on what teams are offering.

 

[Connor McConnor]

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.

I mean the stats from last playoffs and this season have them as a top 10 defensive team in the league. Ekholm is an absolute monster. I agree they probably need another top 4D but the moves they made in the offseason (or lack thereof), leaves the team with the flexibility to make that addition.

Skinner obviously scares most Oiler fans. The only silver lining is the team infront of him is playing with a lot better structure, with Drai playing the best 2 way hockey of his career.

 

[Soundwave]

They are contenders but not top 3 cup contenders, I think it was foolish and lazy of the media to keep pushing the narrative that they were the top team in the league in the summer.

They have McDavid so they will always be contenders, just don't like the goaltending or depth though. Winnipeg, Colorado and Vegas are all better teams in the West IMO.

When you make a Cup Final you get the benefit of the doubt.

Even in the year prior, Marchessault said straight up the Oilers were the best team the Knights faced in the playoffs the year they won the Cup.

"Sexy on paper" doesn't always translate to reality.

I don't think Colorado has ever been quite the same since Landeskog has been gone either, they lost a lot of their heart and soul and just general production with that. Winnipeg has a giant asterisk with their playoff choke jobs the last couple of years, from the 3rd game onwards, the Oilers actually have a better record this year than the Jets.

 

[Regal]

They’re still really good, but their adds haven’t really played out like they’d have hoped and are probably slightly worse than last year. They’re one of the top favourites but I don’t think there’s a lot of separation these days. What plays in their favour is the division isn’t that good. Vegas is a tough out but I think Edmonton is better, and they clearly have the Kings number. And even in the Central, I don’t trust Winnipeg or Minnesota to knock them off and Dallas and Colorado seem to have taken steps back. I think they’re the favourite in the West.

 

[Skolman]

Lotsa words for…ya still have Nurse, Bouchard isn’t great defensively…but ok.

Just say you haven't watched the Oilers this season, it would save yourself the embarrassment.

Nurse has been playing very good

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

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.

In addition to Skinner, their defense is still mediocre to bad.

 

[CupofOil]

Oilers success in the playoffs will be entirely dependent on which Skinner shows up.

Could very easily be bounced in the first round

He wasn't that good (although was phenomenal in Game 4) against a Kings team that seemingly beats everybody else and won that series in 5 so the Oilers playoff fortunes depend less on goaltending than just about any other team. They could win a Cup with merely average goaltending relative to other playoff tenders.

In addition to Skinner, their defense is still mediocre to bad.

The Oilers are one of the best teams at limiting chances against so....
This is a common perception on these main boards that quite simply is false. The Oilers have been one of the best defensive teams in the league under Knoblauch, look up the numbers if you don't believe me.
The defense, on paper, doesn't look great but they've been solid as a group especially now that Nurse is playing like good Nurse again. The top pairing and Kulak pairing have always been good the last few seasons.

 

[Laus723]

Just say you haven't watched the Oilers this season, it would save yourself the embarrassment.

Nurse has been playing very good

lo
Lmao. Embarrassment. I’ve watched a few, he was great against us. Save the embarrassment yourself, or just relax with the nonsense.

 

[gritdash60]

Panthers #1 favorite for me, they are just a great team and win games almost effortless. Oilers might be 2nd but then there is these teams like Jets, Wild, Capitals, who might sneak in with the good old Knights Canes Stars. Why not Tampa or LA too? wayyyy too early to give top3, but if i have to pick one right now its Panthers.

Seen a lot of games of them and less of some others, but some nights it looks like too easy for Florida, like they are in practice giving it 80% and if needed 82%.

Edit: easily would have been way better word than effortless, which really doesn't fit with players like Barkov, Reinhart, Tkatchuk or any of their players tbh.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

In addition to Skinner, their defense is still mediocre to bad.

lazy, outdated narrative

last year they were top 10 in goals against, including some of the best analytics in the league

this year is no different

simple research is your friend

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

lo
Lmao. Embarrassment. I’ve watched a few, he was great against us. Save the embarrassment yourself, or just relax with the nonsense.

he did.... he managed to be +1 in a game where McDavid and Drai were both -2 and the team gave up 6 goals....but yes, one game against the Florida Panthers in December is a good judgement on his season thus far

time to sit this one out

 

[Laus723]

he did.... he managed to be +1 in a game where McDavid and Drai were both -2 and the team gave up 6 goals....but yes, one game against the Florida Panthers in December is a good judgement on his season thus far

time to sit this one out

Lol, oh he was a +1, he was also in the box with an extra 2 for mouthing off as well as not being able to control himself and throwing an elbow in the dying minutes putting his team on the kill. But sure, he’s worth that awful cap hit and was a “+1.” Congrats. I’ve watched more than one, not as many as the Cats, but he hasn’t changed my opinion.

I’m all for the Oil going in with that D, Skinner in net, and soft forwards, though.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

So they were better than 30 of the 31 other teams in the league. As such, I'd say it's reasonable to consider them the cup favorites. It's also reasonable to consider Panthers the cup favorites.

Did you not read what I said, or just not understand it?

I actually do not think you understand my point. Yes, we all know the panthers beat them in the playoffs for the Stanley cup. But of those few loses, one was also to the panthers yet again. So no, the Oilers are not the cup favorites. A different team is.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Lol, oh he was a +1, he was also in the box with an extra 2 for mouthing off as well as not being able to control himself and throwing an elbow in the dying minutes putting his team on the kill. But sure, he’s worth that awful cap hit and was a “+1.” Congrats. I’ve watched more than one, not as many as the Cats, but he hasn’t changed my opinion.

I’m all for the Oil going in with that D, Skinner in net, and soft forwards, though.

no one said he's worth his cap hit...doesn't change the fact his ES goal differential is 4th on the team at +11 and has been on the ice for only 15 ES goals against all season (less than any regular Panther d-man, for example)...and that's playing almost 19 mins/night

top 10 last year in goals against, top 10 in goals against this year, excellent fancy stats...all with "poor goaltending", "bad defense" "soft forwards"....make that make sense