The Edmonton Oilers have had a hard time making it deep into the postseason the past few seasons, so it probably should not come as a shock that this group does not have a lot of Stanley Cup experience on their roster.
Winning is not everything, but in the heat of a tough series where a team’s back is against the wall during a game, it can help to have some experience in the room that has won in the past. Pat Maroon might not have been the best player on the Tampa Bay Lightning during their first championship in 2020, but the experience he brought to the table having won the year before helps.
The Oilers do not have a lot of experience on their roster when it comes to winning it all, but let’s walk it through the three players:
Duncan Keith 2010, 2013, 2015 Chicago
Duncan Keith won three championships with the Blackhawks taking home the Conn Smythe in 2015 for the MVP of the playoffs. Keith is a future hall of famer and an all-time great Blackhawk player.
While his age and speed might not be on his side anymore, Keith still has the experience this team needs. During the heat of a long season or after going behind early in the first game of a playoff series the guys in the locker room can look to Keith who has played in basically every situation before.
Alex Chiasson 2018 Washington
Alex Chiasson took home the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018, he played in 16 games and registered a goal and an assist with the team. While Chiasson did not have the biggest role with the team as he did not put up a lot of goals, the contributions he brought to the ice did help get them to where they needed to go.
Every shift matters during the playoffs and there really is no time that can be wasted with players that are not bought into the system that is going to bring a championship to the city. Chiasson is a player that can lead by example in the bottom six and hopefully show the importance of role players in the lineup.
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Josh Archibald 2017 Pittsburgh
Archibald played in four games during the playoffs and did not contribute a point throughout those four contests. But he was a part of a team that won it all. Archibald already has his name on the Cup, he was in the locker room and contributed a small amount to the Pittsburgh Penguins 2017 championship.
Unlike Keith and Chiasson, Archibald should be hungry to really earn his first championship having not played a lot of games during the postseason in 2017. Winning does not come often in the playoffs so for guys like Archibald and other players in the lineup that have not won a lot in the playoffs this season will be critical.
Only three players on the Oilers have won the Stanley Cup before, one defenceman who was the number one guy for the team, one forward who played a big role in the bottom six, and a then young player getting a few opportunities throughout the postseason. Hopefully, at the end of this upcoming season, there will be 20 plus players with a championship to their name in Edmonton!