GDT: Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023-24

[BRobMint]

I couldn't help myself and I made another song. I hope ya'll get some chuckles out of this one. Some NSFW language:

 

[User1996]

Unfortunately I still think the Oilers win a cup in the next couple years. If not, it’s by pure management incompetence.

 

[Volica]

Unfortunately I still think the Oilers win a cup in the next couple years. If not, it’s by pure management incompetence.

I honestly thought this was their year.
Next year they’re going to have to go through a healthy and complete Knights team; same goes for the Avs and Dallas. This was one of the easier roads to the finals.

LAK was barely a playoff calibre team.
Van didn’t have their star goalie.
Stars were on life support.

 

[Turning Mangiapanese]

Unfortunately I still think the Oilers win a cup in the next couple years. If not, it’s by pure management incompetence.

Next year is probably the peak of their Cup window, and to be able to assemble a deep contender they'll need to ship out the Nurse and Campbell contracts. And that'll cost them a good portion of their cupboard.
The shrewdest move IMO would be to trade Draisaitl now but I don't think Holland will dare to pull that off.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Unfortunately I still think the Oilers win a cup in the next couple years. If not, it’s by pure management incompetence.

Having the best player in the world carry you is not the path to success. Pittsburgh had Sid, but they also had Malkin and Letang and elite goaltending performances. Pittsburgh 1.0 had Mario, but they also had Jagr and Coffey. Edmonton 1.0 was stacked as Messier et al even won the Cup after Gretzky left.

Draisaitl, RNH, Boucher, Hyman, Nurse... these guys put up numbers thanks to McDavid but they're closer in talent level to Huberdeau, Backlund, Miromanov, Pospisil, and Zadorov than core players anyone would build a contending roster around. Ekholm is a good player, but basically just a glorified Chris Tanev.

Basically the Oilers without McDavid are last year's Flames without Kylington, Kadri, Zary, Andersson, and Sharangovich.

That McDavid could elevate such a brutal roster to the Cup Final was both an incredible individual feat worthy of the Conn Smythe, and a testament to how important luck is in the playoffs as that is the only reason they even made it past the second round.

If the Oilers want to legitimately content they need so much more roster talent. They won't get every break ever again, and Zach Hyman probably won't ever have such a remarkable season as a #2 option ever again. Leon Draisaitl will continue to put up empty numbers in blowouts inflated by perfect McDavid passes but never have the impact on the game the Oilers fanbase mistakenly believe in.

 

[Kahvi]

They might have a chance next year, if they find a good GM who can pull off some good moves and remove some cap while getting good bottom-6 players. If not, it's gonna be difficult, and the year after it's time to extend Drai and Bouchard.

 

[User1996]

Next year is probably the peak of their Cup window, and to be able to assemble a deep contender they'll need to ship out the Nurse and Campbell contracts. And that'll cost them a good portion of their cupboard.
The shrewdest move IMO would be to trade Draisaitl now but I don't think Holland will dare to pull that off.

Moving out Campbell and Ceci’s money should be enough to manage the cap this year and bring in a legitimate winger for Draisaitl and a 2nd pair D. They’re stuck with Nurse, but it still seems very manageable with him.

I honestly thought this was their year.
Next year they’re going to have to go through a healthy and complete Knights team; same goes for the Avs and Dallas. This was one of the easier roads to the finals.

LAK was barely a playoff calibre team.
Van didn’t have their star goalie.
Stars were on life support.

It definitely was an easy route, but odds they have to go through all of those teams mentioned is very low. Probably 2/3, and with the right roster moves this summer, I’d take that Oilers team over Dallas.

Plus, assuming full health for a VGK team seems like wishful thinking to me.

 

[Kranix]

I honestly thought this was their year.
Next year they’re going to have to go through a healthy and complete Knights team; same goes for the Avs and Dallas. This was one of the easier roads to the finals.

LAK was barely a playoff calibre team.
Van didn’t have their star goalie.
Stars were on life support.

They had the easiest path to the finals and imo only made it through Dallas by a miracle of the Stars imploding and Skinner having that one great game. Back to the drawing board for them, they're still a cup threat.

Pittsburgh 1.0 had Mario, but they also had Jagr and Coffey.

And Francis, and Trottier, and Stevens, and Mullen, and Recchi, and Barasso, and Murphy,

 

[Bounces R Way]

I think that was probably the Oilers' best shot at it.

Key pieces on the roster are getting older with Hyman, Kane, and Ekholm all getting into their mid-30s. Even little Nugey Hopkins is going to be 32 next year. Lot of miles on these players. They have to basically sign/re-sign an entire bottom 6 with nothing notable coming up from the farm forward wise. They have to pay Connor Brown's performance bonuses next season. They're still paying James Neal's buyout. They likely buyout Campbell but then have to use that space on another goalie. They have only 3 picks in the top 4 rounds of the next two drafts. They also had historically good special teams, hard thing to replicate year to year. Their PP is always going to be good but their PK managed to be + goal differential the last two rounds. Like that just doesn't happen twice.

Also also can't depend on facing the likes of LA and a Canucks team sans Demko in the first two rounds, got a fairly easy draw there.
Not saying at all it's impossible but going to take some very savvy management and another gargantuan effort from McDavid.

 

[Mobiandi]

They’re going to have the Draisaitl extension looming over their heads. I’m not gonna mock a team that a lost 1-goal game 7 SCF and nearly reverse swept their opponents. But come on lol this was a perfect storm for them.

It also remains to be seen if Stu Skinner is for real or a Binnington flash in the pan