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Playoff Predictions From An Edmonton Oilers Fan Perspective

By Phil Gretzky

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 12: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) in the face-off circle during a NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Edmonton Oilers on November 12, 2017, at Capital One Arena, in Washington D.C.The Capitals defeated the Oilers 2-1 in a shootout(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 12: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) in the face-off circle during a NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Edmonton Oilers on November 12, 2017, at Capital One Arena, in Washington D.C.The Capitals defeated the Oilers 2-1 in a shootout(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Edmonton Oilers
EDMONTON, AB – DECEMBER 9: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers battles for the puck against Johnny Gaudreau #13 of the Calgary Flames on December 9, 2018 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

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

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