Playoff Predictions From An Edmonton Oilers Fan Perspective
The Edmonton Oilers have been bounced out of playoff contention long ago, but the game of hockey still lives on. These are the predictions for the rest of the playoffs.
I know, the Edmonton Oilers are out of the playoffs, but a lot of you will still tune into the playoffs so why not even give something of interest to the people?
Vegas vs. San Jose
San Jose has been loading for bear the past couple of seasons, especially on D. Brent Burns, M-E Vlasic, and Erik Karlsson is one heck of a front 3 and will cause Vegas headaches throughout the series.
From their acquisition of Evander Kane last season to their trade for Gustav Nyquist at the deadline this year to excellent drafting for a long time now, the Sharks will be too much for the GK’s and will win this one.
Vegas will make it exciting but will ultimately lose the series. Vegas has the better goalie who usually would tip the scales in their favor, but the Sharks are so much better in every other area they will overcome the lousy goaltending of Martin Jones.
At least if trends from the regular season hold true – but that being said Jones has yet to exit a playoff series with an sv% below .920, so you know he’ll raise his game in time for the playoffs.
If Jones stands on his head, this one is over faster than expected. Fleury will be his usual solid self, but the Sharks have too many weapons on the rest of their roster for him to steal this one.
My verdict: Sharks in 6
Calgary vs. Colorado
This series is the toilet bowl of the playoffs – the two most pedestrian playoff teams facing each other in the 1st round competing for the right to get slaughtered in the 2nd round by superior teams.
The Avs will win this one by a slim margin. Calgary’s goaltending would make me wince if I were their coach – like choosing between diarrhea and vomit. When the choice is between old balls Mike Smith and the inexperience of David Rittich it’s not much of a choice.
Although Colorado’s goaltending isn’t much better, you can at least say Semyon Varlamov is an NHL average goalie, something that can’t be said for the aforementioned Smith anymore. Philipp Grubauer had the best numbers of all 4 in the regular season, for whatever that’s worth.
Colorado also has a little more firepower up front, and a slight edge in depth to back it up. Not much more than the Flames, but more.
When it comes to the playoffs, both teams’ D corps is a comical mix of guys who underachieve in the playoffs and guys who have little to no experience in the playoffs. If it weren’t for the fact that the other Pacific Division teams were worse this year – and yes I count the Oilers in that category, obviously – then probably only 1 of these teams make the playoffs.
My verdict: Colorado in 7
Winnipeg vs. St. Louis
St. Louis made the playoffs by the skin of their teeth, in part because they rode a hot goaltender to go 8-1-1 in their last ten games and in part because Minnesota fell apart at the worst possible time.
St. Louis might be the 3rd “poser” team in the playoffs to round out the trifecta from Calgary and Colorado. They may have made it, but they don’t really belong there.
The Jets are a highly balanced team from top to bottom and boast more firepower – both up front and from the point – that the Blues do.
Jordan Binnington will steal a couple of games for the Blues, but a hot goaltender won’t be enough to overcome the deficiencies of the rest of the team as the Jets only have to focus on a few key guys, and the Blues will shut down.
My verdict: Jets in 6
Nashville vs. Dallas
This series will be a relatively evenly matched one, but this is the one series in which I’m predicting an upset and Dallas will emerge victoriously.
The reason why is the Predators have two huge red flags against them: 1 is their anemic offense up front – it certainly didn’t help that Filip Forsberg saw his point total decrease by 14 from last season. Move past Ryan Johanson, and Viktor Arvidsson and you have the struggling Craig Smith, who saw his goal-scoring totals dip by 4 and his points dip by 13. No more 20 goal scorers after that. Ouch.
Their D, of course, is the same stellar corps it always has been with the same players that have been around for a while.
The other red flag for Nashville, though, is the fact that starter goalie Pekka Rinne is 36 years old. He may have won the Vezina trophy last season, but at 36 can he withstand the rigors of the playoffs with over 700 games on his resume between regular season and playoffs? I’d be worried if that was my starter.
The Stars, meanwhile, boasted one of the best 1-2 punches in the league up front with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin and supplemented them with great pieces like Alex Radulov and Mats Zuccarrello. Their depth scoring isn’t great, but it’ll be good enough to overcome the Predators.
Meanwhile in net Ben Bishop has revitalized his career, and while he isn’t too battled tested in the playoffs, he’s got a great chance to outduel the 36-year-old Rinne, and on the off chance Bishop falters they can toss in a fresh body in Anton Khudobin who’s tag teamed with Bishop and also had a great season this year.
My verdict: Dallas in 7
Tampa Bay vs. Columbus
Columbus is a decent enough team, but seriously…..does Tampa Bay even have a weakness? Backup goaltender or extra forward maybe? I’m reaching, but TB is a massive powerhouse in the league, and Columbus isn’t there yet as good as they are.
Also, Ryan Murray is on the shelf for the Jackets to start the season. That’s not really news, but he seems to get injured more than someone confined in a room full of bear traps. Seriously, he’s only played an entire season once in 6 seasons. Ouch.
My verdict: Tampa Bay in 5
Boston vs. Toronto
This series is literally the hardest one to call out of all the 1st round series. Both teams possess an impressive arsenal up front, and both teams have goalies who have had stable if unspectacular, seasons – and both are capable of taking over a game.
The Leafs have a very very slight edge in offensive depth but the firepower the Bruins have on D in Charlie McAvoy and Torey Krug is more impressive than the Leafs counter with Jake Gardiner as top dog – a guy whose point totals dipped by 22 points and two goals.
Morgan Reilly‘s 20 goals and 72 points are impressive for TO, but considering his 2nd highest total is 9 in a season, I’ll admit this a fluke until he does it again.
Unless one goalie or the other stands on his head, Boston’s puck moving D will tilt the series in their favor.
My verdict: Boston in 7
Washington vs. Carolina
The defending Stanley Cup champs vs. a bunch of whozits and nobodies from Carolina? This one isn’t even going to be close.
Sweep for Washington.
My verdict: Washington in 4
NYI vs. Pittsburgh
This one won’t be a sweep but will come close. The Islanders are a solid team – a team on the rise, for sure, but are they good enough to beat the superior firepower of the Pens? Not yet.
Both Malkin and Crosby are healthy heading into the series, and that’s bad news for the Isles.
Although the Isles had the superior goalie during the regular season, Matt Murray has a history of raising his game in time for the playoffs, so much so that he has finished 2 out of 3 playoff series with an sv% above .920. Robin Lehner only has two games of playoff experience, so it’s not even a contest.
The D corps for Pittsburgh – long thought of as the weak spot of the team – probably won’t be seen as that now with dependable vet Kris Letang still anchoring the corps but now they have Justin Schultz on the 2nd pairing and Olli Maata and Jack Johnson as the secondary puck moving options.
It might not have the lethality of San Jose, Tampa Bay, or Nashville but it sure seems to get the job done, and in the end, that’s what counts.
My verdict: Pittsburgh in 5
What do you think? Comment below.