Oilers News: The latest playoff news and key off-season dates
By Jim Lynch
The Edmonton Oilers are out of the playoffs, but a number of key matchups are just finishing up around the league.
Round one is almost done, with just two series left, lets talk about all things playoff hockey.
Still In Action:
Wild – Vegas (Series tied 3-3)
The Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights will play game seven tonight in Vegas. This should be a really fun game to watch as the Wild were really out of it down 3-1. Anything can happen in the playoffs and tonight’s game should live up to the hype.
Maple Leafs – Canadiens (Toronto Leads 3-2)
This should be a really great game Saturday night. Montreal managed to get the win in overtime on Thursday to force a game six and keep their season alive. Now they will need a great showing at home with some fans in the stands. I cannot help but wonder what the Oilers’ season would have been like with some fans in the stands for their two home playoff games.
Ready To Start:
Islanders – Bruins
The Islanders keep finding ways to get things done. They dispatched the Pittsburgh Penguins pretty easily and now will move on to one of the hottest teams in the league in Boston.
Hurricanes – Lightning
This could be one of the best series to watch. The Lightning and Hurricanes split their series during the regular season and they are two of the best teams in the entire league. I cannot wait to see who comes out on top.
Waiting on an opponent:
The only two teams that swept their opponent, the Avalanche and Jets, are still waiting on opponents for round two. It is a bummer that the Oilers are out, but there are still a lot of fun teams to watch in the playoffs.
Off-Season Dates:
The NHL set up some key dates before the season even began. With everything playing out pretty much on schedule here are some key dates to remember.
July 17 – Deadline for Protection Lists for Expansion Draft
July 21 – Expansion Draft for Seattle Kraken
July 23 – Round 1 of NHL Draft
July 24 – Rounds 2-7 of NHL Draft
July 28 – Free Agency Begins
The big date to remember is the start of free agency. Hopefully, by then the Oilers have re-signed some of their key players without contracts.