So.. Edmonton has to be the favorites coming out of the west, right?

[CycloneSweep]

Season Series Edmonton against Chicago
Shot Differential: -24
Goal Differential: -1
PP: 3/7
PK: 8/8

Edmonton a Special Teams spanked Chicago but Chicago dominated Oilers 5v5 Oilers were a -4 5v5 against Chicago. If the series is like most playoffs where refs put the whistles away, that advantage for the Oilers vanishes and puts Chicago firmly in the driver seat. If special teams do come into play, Edmonton makes the series much closer.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

No despite all their players being better than everyone else, including the 3 best Centres to ever play the game, they somehow have not yet won the Cup.

As opposed to the reasonable and balanced takes from Leaf fans?

Toronto Maple Leafs Have the Best Roster, and Will be NHL’s Best Team

 

[CycloneSweep]

Of those 17 goals, most were either on the PP, Short Handed, or with the Avs' goalie pulled and Mike Smith had been left high and dry.

That said it took Mike Smith an entire season to get into that level of playing shape. This break here is really going to hurt his game imo

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Smith was actually pretty good, one of the few bright spots

In the playoffs? Oh yeah, Smith was about the only thing the Flames had going for them. Colorado was like a school of piranhas in that series

 

[blankall]

That said it took Mike Smith an entire season to get into that level of playing shape. This break here is really going to hurt his game imo

Honestly, Mike Smith is a total mystery at this point. He has games where he can't stop a beachball, and others where he looks like his old self. His performance is just random. It seems to have nothing to do with the pattern of games he plays. I'm glad he's gone from the Flames. The games where he came in and crapped the bed, giving up 4 goals a beer league goalie could have stopped, were just too frustrating to watch.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Honestly, Mike Smith is a total mystery at this point. He has games where he can't stop a beachball, and others where he looks like his old self. His performance is just random. It seems to have nothing to do with the pattern of games he plays. I'm glad he's gone from the Flames. The games where he came in and crapped the bed, giving up 4 goals a beer league goalie could have stopped, were just too frustrating to watch.

Absolutely. He seems to use the regular season to feel out and start getting in shape for playoffs. This time he had months off between the season and playoffs, I don't think he will see a game because of that

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Depth wins championships and the Oilers don’t have it. Tyler freaking Ennis and a rookie Yamamoto aren’t going to cut it. Neither is that “underrated D” giving up 3+ goals a game

McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Yamamoto, Anathasiou, Kassian, Neal, Ennis, Archibald. Sorry champ, thats depth. As for Edmonton's GA, its in the same range as the rest of the top of their divison. It's not in any way concerning. If you want to chip in a negative way, know your stuff first

 

[x Tame Impala]

McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Yamamoto, Anathasiou, Kassian, Neal, Ennis, Archibald. Sorry champ, thats depth. As for Edmonton's GA, its in the same range as the rest of the top of their divison. It's not in any way concerning. If you want to chip in a negative way, know your stuff first

We’ll see

 

[mouz135]

Will the Oil get past the Hawks?

These boards will be glorious and full with oil meltdown if they lose to the lowly hawks.

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

These boards will be glorious and full with oil meltdown if they lose to the lowly hawks.

I will be in full meltdown if they win as well due to certain other teams being 1st round duds.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

It'll be interesting to see if the Oilers forwards click or not with everyone healthy. They didn't get many games in with the new look and certainly seemed out of sync a bit in the last handful of games.

Also a couple guys were injured so who plays with who now is a total mystery. It'll be extremely easy for Tippett to go full blender mode if they don't have success right away which could be tough for guys to get chemistry going.

Not ideal by any means. But having McDavid is huge when everyone is trying to get their legs going.

 

[Gargyn]

Meh. Pens showed that you can win with an elite pair of centers and hot goaltending. I don't see this being a problem for them.



Of course I know that he is, I just don't see them not going with Fleury here. He's been their franchise player and honestly, what has Lehner proven? He won a round last year but got swept right after.

Where is the hot goaltending coming from in Edmonton? Smith? Gross

 

[blankall]

McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Yamamoto, Anathasiou, Kassian, Neal, Ennis, Archibald. Sorry champ, thats depth. As for Edmonton's GA, its in the same range as the rest of the top of their divison. It's not in any way concerning. If you want to chip in a negative way, know your stuff first

When you're holding out Josh Archibald as "depth" you're pulling at straws. No one considers Archibald the type of depth that results in a Stanley Cup.

Several of the other guys you've listed don't score unless stapled to McDavid, which is kind of the point people are making. The Oilers don't have many forwards that can generate their own offence, when McDavid and Draisaitl aren't gifting it to them.

That being said, the Oilers will be able to roll out two competent scoring lines, which is how they've played all season. Hence why McDavid was getting up to 27 minutes of TOI some games, which is absurd for a forward.

I'd also take Chicago's depth over the Oilers any day: Dach, Strome, Kubalik, DeBrincat, and Nylander has much more potential.

 

[34]

No depth. Hockey is a team sport.... not a 2 player team.

 

[Snipes45]

Season Series Edmonton against Chicago
Shot Differential: -24
Goal Differential: -1
PP: 3/7
PK: 8/8

Edmonton a Special Teams spanked Chicago but Chicago dominated Oilers 5v5 Oilers were a -4 5v5 against Chicago. If the series is like most playoffs where refs put the whistles away, that advantage for the Oilers vanishes and puts Chicago firmly in the driver seat. If special teams do come into play, Edmonton makes the series much closer.

I keep reading this over and over, but last year teams ended up getting more PP's in the playoffs. Most teams were up.

People parrot this "OHHH the whistles will be put away in DA PLAYOFFS" wayyyy too much

 

[CycloneSweep]

When you're holding out Josh Archibald as "depth" you're pulling at straws. No one considers Archibald the type of depth that results in a Stanley Cup.

Several of the other guys you've listed don't score unless stapled to McDavid, which is kind of the point people are making. The Oilers don't have many forwards that can generate their own offence, when McDavid and Draisaitl aren't gifting it to them.

That being said, the Oilers will be able to roll out two competent scoring lines, which is how they've played all season. Hence why McDavid was getting up to 27 minutes of TOI some games, which is absurd for a forward.

I'd also take Chicago's depth over the Oilers any day: Dach, Strome, Kubalik, DeBrincat, and Nylander has much more potential.

Let's look at both teams bottom 6
Chicago has what when healthy, Nylander, Dach, Caggiula, Shaw, Smith, Kampf? They put up what 42 goals combined?

Edmontons bottom 6 when healthy is AA, Archibald, Sheahan, Neal, Khaira and Chiasson and they put up 67 goals this year.

Chicago's definitely had the potential but this year Edmonton's put up the numbers. That said, that wasn't on display against eachother this year.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I keep reading this over and over, but last year teams ended up getting more PP's in the playoffs. Most teams were up.

People parrot this "OHHH the whistles will be put away in DA PLAYOFFS" wayyyy too much

Okay so then the teams are evenly matched. Chicago spanks 5v5 Edmonton Spanks Special Teams.

 

[Snipes45]

It'll be interesting to see if the Oilers forwards click or not with everyone healthy. They didn't get many games in with the new look and certainly seemed out of sync a bit in the last handful of games.

Also a couple guys were injured so who plays with who now is a total mystery. It'll be extremely easy for Tippett to go full blender mode if they don't have success right away which could be tough for guys to get chemistry going.

Not ideal by any means. But having McDavid is huge when everyone is trying to get their legs going.

Good point. AA looked like he was trying not to screw up. He looked just lost out there. The 2nd line was clicking very well with Yammo and RNH. The Oilers lack of depth is overblown if guys like Kassian, Ennis, AA, play how they can. The Hawks were brutal defensively last year. Bad special teams as well.

 

[Snipes45]

Okay so then the teams are evenly matched. Chicago spanks 5v5 Edmonton Spanks Special Teams.

I am not even picking a favourite. I watched the games and honestly Chicago did outplay Edmonton a lot of the times. They were frustrating games to watch lol. CHI did not look like some bottom team. I am an Oiler fan as well. Don't have blinders on.

 

[Draiskull]

Don't see Oilers getting past Vegas Knights so hopefully another team does them the favor.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Good point. AA looked like he was trying not to screw up. He looked just lost out there. The 2nd line was clicking very well with Yammo and RNH. The Oilers lack of depth is overblown if guys like Kassian, Ennis, AA, play how they can. The Hawks were brutal defensively last year. Bad special teams as well.

There defense looked better after they traded Gustafsson. For a team that was bad they ran circles around the Oilers in all 3 games. Edmonton only one the one game cause our pp was really good that night. Edmonton got outshot every game against them. Chicago's defense isnt that much worse than Edmonton's, imo I think they move the puck better at least.

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

No depth. Hockey is a team sport.... not a 2 player team.

Two players light years ahead of anything your team puts on the ice.

 

[majormajor]

When you're holding out Josh Archibald as "depth" you're pulling at straws. No one considers Archibald the type of depth that results in a Stanley Cup.

Several of the other guys you've listed don't score unless stapled to McDavid, which is kind of the point people are making. The Oilers don't have many forwards that can generate their own offence, when McDavid and Draisaitl aren't gifting it to them.

That being said, the Oilers will be able to roll out two competent scoring lines, which is how they've played all season. Hence why McDavid was getting up to 27 minutes of TOI some games, which is absurd for a forward.

I'd also take Chicago's depth over the Oilers any day: Dach, Strome, Kubalik, DeBrincat, and Nylander has much more potential.

It looks like you are comparing Chicago's second liners to Edmonton's third liners.

 

[blankall]

Let's look at both teams bottom 6
Chicago has what when healthy, Nylander, Dach, Caggiula, Shaw, Smith, Kampf? They put up what 42 goals combined?

Edmontons bottom 6 when healthy is AA, Archibald, Sheahan, Neal, Khaira and Chiasson and they put up 67 goals this year.

Chicago's definitely had the potential but this year Edmonton's put up the numbers. That said, that wasn't on display against eachother this year.

Except that several of those Edmonton players you've mentioned actually played in the top 6 with McDavid and Draisaitl. Neal scored almost exclusively while playing with McDavid/Draisaitl. AA scored 10 of his goals while playing in Detroit in a top 6 role. AA has 1 goal and 1 assist in Edmonton. Both were also assisted by McDavid.

As for the Chicago players you've listed, Shaw played 26 games, Cagguila played 40 games, and Smith played 50.

You've taken a bunch of players who got tap ins playing with McDavid and compared their stats to a bunch of players, most of whom didn't play anywhere close to a full season.

Chicago is the much deeper team and it's not close. If you swapped out McDavid/Draisaitl for Kane/Towes, Chicago would look like favorites IMO. Edmonton would not be a playoff team.

Edmonton's only strength is McDavid/Draisaitl. McDavid is a winner, but so is Kane. I think it'll be a good series.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Except that several of those Edmonton players you've mentioned actually played in the top 6 with McDavid and Draisaitl. Neal scored almost exclusively while playing with McDavid/Draisaitl. AA scored 10 of his goals while playing in Detroit in a top 6 role. AA has 1 goal and 1 assist in Edmonton. Both were also assisted by McDavid.

As for the Chicago players you've listed, Shaw played 26 games, Cagguila played 40 games, and Smith played 50.

You've taken a bunch of players who got tap ins playing with McDavid and compared their stats to a bunch of players, most of whom didn't play anywhere close to a full season.

Chicago is the much deeper team and it's not close. If you swapped out McDavid/Draisaitl for Kane/Towes, Chicago would look like favorites IMO. Edmonton would not be a playoff team.

Edmonton's only strength is McDavid/Draisaitl. McDavid is a winner, but so is Kane. I think it'll be a good series.

I wouldn't say that's their only strength. McDavid and Draisaitls entire line is our strengths. I still think Chicago spanks Edmonton even strength. Edmonton can win if Chicago takes penalties