Edmonton Oilers: Every season with Connor McDavid needs to be all in
By Jim Lynch
The Edmonton Oilers did not make any major trades this past season at the trade deadline, and while it did not cost them directly, one would have to think that if they had a little extra help in the bottom six maybe their season would have ended differently.
The series against the Winnipeg Jets was close. While the Oilers might have been predicted as winners at the deadline a month ago, I am not so sure anymore. The Oilers’ big trade deadline deal was to add Dmitry Kulikov to the team.
Kulikov played in ten regular-season games with the Oilers and he played in three playoff games. He really wasn’t the difference-maker the Oilers were going to need to shine in the postseason.
Look around the league right now, and you can see the Edmonton Oilers made a mistake.
The Vegas Golden Knight got past the Minnesota Wild in a crazy game seven, in that game Mattias Janmark had a hattrick to help lift the Knights over the Wild. Janmark was acquired at the deadline for a couple of draft picks.
The Boston Bruins easily flew past the Washington Capitals in round one, and the playoffs have been great for one trade deadline acquisition they acquired. Taylor Hall has three goals and an assist through six playoff games thus far, and that number is going to continue to go up.
The Edmonton Oilers have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Two of the best offensive players in the world. They need to give those two guys the talent around them they need to win and succeed in the NHL.
Yeah sure, Ken Holland can say that a team cannot buy into the playoffs every season, but when you have Connor McDavid on your roster putting up over 100 points in 56 games, you definitely need to buy-in.
The Oilers lost a close series against the Winnipeg Jets, with three out of the four games going into overtime, and the other being a one-goal game until a few empty netters. Should the Oilers have had another player like Janmark or Hall on their roster down the stretch I cannot help but wonder how different the series would have finished during one of those close OT games.
Edmonton did not have the depth this season, and I hope that Holland and company learn from this mistake and never leave Connor McDavid all alone like that. When you have a star like McDavid, you have to find a way to make the team better for that star.