Top 5 Reasons to believe in the Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers
Early on, the Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers are both looking like Stanley Cup contenders.
The Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers have had their fair share of good and bad seasons. Lately, the Capitals have had their first Stanley Cup win in franchise history. Meanwhile, the Oilers have been a team struggling to make the playoffs each year.
Here are five reasons to believe in both of these teams for the 2019-2020 season.
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5. Talented Players
The Capitals and Oilers have had and acquired outstanding players to join their franchise over the years. Let’s start out with the Capitals. Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Evgeny Kuznetsov are all extremely talented players who are also some of the league’s best.
This kind of firepower on the offense has allowed the Capitals to be very successful and has also contributed to their first Stanley Cup success. The Oilers have Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. This offense has been superb in putting up major numbers for the Oilers.
Not only is the offense stout in Washington, but their defense also provides incredible effort. John Carlson and Dmitry Orlov lead an extraordinary defense which has allowed the team to be very dynamic both offensively and defensively.
Meanwhile, the Oilers have struggled on defense, but still have talented players to show for. Adam Larsson and Darnell Nurse are both very talented defensemen in the NHL. They were not only drafted extremely high in their class, but they have also been able to showcase their talent and put up a lot of points for the team.
The Capitals have accomplished a lot throughout franchise history. Although they have only been able to hoist one Stanley Cup, the amount of talent they have acquired over the years and maintained is incredible. They certainly will be this year and many years to come, a very challenging and fun team to play against and watch.
On the other hand, the Oilers have had their struggles over many years. They have only periodically made the playoffs, but do not seem to go far in the playoffs once they make it. However, they have some very talented players that are arguably some of the best. It will be no surprise if the Oilers come out with huge success this season; they will certainly be a team to look out for.
4. Good Coaches
The Oilers recently hired former Arizona Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett as their new head coach. Tippett has a lot of experience in being a head coach in the National Hockey League. This experience will certainly be useful to a young, talented, and rebuilding team.
Tippett used to coach the Dallas Stars and the Arizona Coyotes. The closest success he has had as a head coach was getting a team to a conference finals. During his time with the Coyotes, they were a struggling team that missed the playoffs numerous times.
Although the teams he has coached did not have the best records, his experience as a coach should not be overlooked. Tippett certainly has a lot of knowledge and wisdom to teach to the Oilers and they could certainly use it.
The Capitals are currently coached by Todd Reirden. This season will be Reirden’s second season coaching the capitals. Although Rirden does not have much head coaching experience in the NHL, he has served as an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Capitals. This will be an exciting time for Reirden to step up and lead the Capitals to a successful season. This is a team that has great dynamic in the offense, defense, and in their goalies.
In addition, Reirden was also very successful last season with the Capitals as he was able to lead them to make the playoffs. As a head coach in the NHL, these are some big shoes to fill. However, both the Capitals and Oilers have found new hope in their coaches.
3. Rich History
The Oilers have one of the most profound histories in all of hockey. They have won several Stanley Cups and also have had some of the most legendary players to ever play the game. Wayne Gretsky is arguably the best player to ever play in the National Hockey League and the Oilers have never taken for granted the opportunity to have had him as a player.
In addition, the Oilers had Mark Messier as a member who is also a legend of the game. Having players like these are essential to such a historical team. Now, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have the opportunity to help shine the spotlight on the Oilers once again. They have had rough seasons in recent times, but they are very likely to bounce back to success this season.
On the other hand, the Capitals do not necessarily have one of the richest histories in the National Hockey League, but they have certainly been an entertaining franchise. They have had their fair share of legendary players too such as Olaf Kolzig and Peter Bondra. These players were very dominating back in their day and have some of the franchise’s best records.
In addition, they now have Ovechkin and Backstrom, who are easily top 20 players in the NHL. The Capitals have also recently won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history and it would be no surprise if they won another in the near future.
2. Amazing Fanbases
The Capitals and the Oilers have one of the most unique and loyal fanbases in hockey history. Housed at the nation’s capital in Capital One Arena, the Capitals call this place home. This fanbase is a very loyal one and has stuck with the team through the ups and downs. They have only made it to the Stanley Cup Finals twice in franchise history despite making the playoffs on many occasions. Their fanbase has been supporting them along the way.
They even have a bald eagle for a mascot named Slapshot. It can be assured that there will be plenty more seasons in which we will see the Capitals continuing to make the playoffs and also potentially winning another Stanley Cup.
The Oilers have a much older franchise than the Capitals do. The fans at Rogers Place, where the Oilers play, have seen more Stanley Cups won and playoff appearances. This type of accomplishment does not undermine the achievements of the Capitals, but history will always show what the Oilers have accomplished as an organization.
In recent years, the Capitals have been above the Oilers in making the playoffs and having better performance during the regular season. However, fans should not be alarmed to see a brand new change in the Oilers playing this year. They are looking very promising for a playoff spot and should certainly perform well as a team this year. For the Oilers, winning a Stanley Cup might be a long stretch, but making the playoffs this year, should not come as a surprise.
1. Drive to Win
The Oilers have always managed to get a lot of points and goals for in their stats over recent years, but for some reason, they have struggled to make the playoffs. That will not stop them for the 2019-2020 regular season, however, as they are already off to an amazing start.
Their drive to win and hunger for the playoffs will certainly be their fuel to keep going. They have a solid team both offensively and defensively this year. The only thing that may hurt them is in the net. The Oilers haven’t had a concrete goaltending system in quite some time. Regardless, they are going to be a challenging team to play against and have the utmost playoff potential this season.
The Capitals, on the other hand, have been making the playoffs nearly every season in recent times. In fact, they won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history during the 2017-2018 season. It has been an adjustment from winning the cup, as the team has had some changes since.
However, this team still has stellar players, an amazing fanbase, and the experience as a team to show that they are ready for any challenges that face them. It can be assured that the league and fans can count on the Capitals to make the playoffs this season.
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It also shouldn’t be a surprise if they go as far as making it to the Stanley Cup finals. Both of these teams are something for the league and fans to believe in and they will show why this season.