Edmonton Oilers: Make Case for a Stanley Cup Win
Edmonton Oilers: Do they have what it takes? Connor McDavid can bring the Stanley Cup back to Edmonton. The few veterans for Edmonton will play a vital role during their playoff run. But as will the inexperienced Cam Talbot.
EXPECTATIONS AT BEGINNING OF SEASON:
Edmonton Oilers are in the 2016-2017 playoffs. I had to re-read that to make sure I wasn’t going delusional. Edmonton at the beginning of the season had little hopes of clinching a playoff berth. I’m sure no one had the Edmonton Oilers 3rd in the Pacific with 91 points, sitting two points back from the #1 spot. In the beginning of the season, speaking for myself and I’m sure the other 95% of hockey fans. Edmonton was expected to be a lower tier team, shy of the playoffs, but having a substantially better year. Not this good, but nearing the .500 threshold and 70 or so points.
BIGGEST STRENGTH: CONNOR MCDAVID AKA STRONG OFFENSE
With the emergence of Connor McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers have solidified themselves as a force to be wrecking with. McDavid is 1st in points(88) among NHL players, 1st in assists(62). Every night you can count on McDavid to be on the
score sheet. Literally, though, McDavid is averaging 1.17 points per game(3rd in the league), the 20-year-old 1st overall draft pick is exceeding expectations, bringing Edmonton to their first playoff series in the last ten years. Along with McDavid, Leon Draisaitl reached the 70 point mark the other night. Draisaitl has been a perfect fit alongside McDavid, with 27 goals and 43 assists the third year 21-year-old is having a phenomenal year. Since being accompanied with McDavid, Patrick Maroon has hit a career high 25 goals this season. Although Jordan Eberle, Milan Lucic, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are not having career years, they all have 15 plus goals and 38 plus points. Offensive production has been a strong suit for Edmonton this year, which has earned them a spot in the 2016-2017 playoffs.
BIGGEST QUESTION MARK: LACK OF PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE
Besides Milan Lucic and Benoit Pouliot, only five other players have little playoff experience. And those guys with playoff experience are fourth line defensemen or bottom six forwards. The Oilers top producers, McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle, Klefbom have no playoff experience. Which is never beneficially heading into their first playoff matchup in the past ten years. With that being said Cam Talbot has played in a total of just one playoff game, which is something you cannot overlook heading into the playoffs. We’ve seen time and time again a young team head into the playoffs to be eliminated in the first round. It’s not impossible but it makes Edmonton’s road to Lord Stanley that much harder.
WHY EDMONTON CAN WIN THE STANLEY CUP:
Despite being a young team, with inadequate playoff experience, Edmonton does have McDavid and he has proven his ability to carry a team throughout the regular season. We’ve seen Crosby win a cup just four years into his NHL career.
Next: Toronto Maple Leafs: Making Case for Stanley Cup
Now McDavid is only in the second year but, one of, if not the best player in the NHL at the moment. Along with McDavid, Cam Talbot is having a phenomenal season, securing a role as a #1 goalie in the NHL. Talbot has the most game started(67), among all goalies. Talbot has proven his ability to handle a large workload, but with little to no playoff experience, Talbot’s worth in the playoffs is unknown. Edmonton has done a fairly decent job on the backend this season despite not having a big name defensemen on their roster. Only eight other teams have let in fewer goals this season than Edmonton(190). Edmonton has proven their ability to shut down top teams in the league while having an efficient offense and solid goaltending, Edmonton can possibly bring back the Stanley Cup to the patiently awaited fans of Edmonton.