Edmonton Oilers Potential Playoff Opponents: Calgary Flames

Goaltending

At first glance you’d think “the Flames have a starter-calibre goaltender in Markstrom, so they take this one.” But there’s more to it than that.

First of all, there’s the valid concern that Markstrom’s play will drop off just like the rest of the team by the second round. The guy’s having a career season on a team that’s rife with puck luck, that could easily drop off.

The Flames better hope that said puck luck – as well as Markstrom’s health – holds up for the playoffs, because otherwise they’ve got raw rookie Dan Vladar to go to – who has a whopping 23 career NHL games to his credit and one playoff game with Boston two seasons ago that was an absolute dumpster fire.

The Oilers counter with ex-Flame Mike Smith, who has a bone to pick with the Flames and not only that but has better numbers in the playoffs than Markstrom. Even with one horrible game two seasons ago against Chicago, Smith still maintains a .931 career playoff sv% and 2.34 GAA vs. Markstrom’s .919 and 2.85.

It’s also important to note that Smith has been on a hot streak going into these playoffs, while the Flames don’t have the same urgency in their game because they’ve been comfortably in first place for awhile.

Even if Smith gets injured, the Oilers can go to Mikko Koskinen, who is also on a hot streak going into the playoffs.

If necessary, the Oilers can also go to Stuart Skinner, who showed some chops as an injury fill-in and has been a part of AHL championship teams that he can draw on should he get the call to play for the Oilers in the playoffs.

The fact the Oilers once again have more depth at this position, combined with the fact that both the 1 and 1A are hot going into the playoffs means I’m giving the Oilers the edge here too, despite Smith’s advanced age.

If the Flames win the series – it’ll be because their puck luck has held out and Darryl Sutter has been able to weave some magic to neutralize the Oilers attack from both the forward and D corps.

If the Oilers win the series – it’ll be because the regular season standings mean nothing (which they don’t) and they’ll use their depth up and down the lineup to overcome the Flames’ physical play and whatever voodoo Darryl Sutter dreams up.

My pick for who would win the series – It could go either way, but I’m picking the Oilers in 7 games. Depth wins in the playoffs, and the Oilers have more of it at all positions. The Flames won’t make it easy to win, nor will the Oilers make it easy for the Flames to win. Expect an intense series much like the 80s when these teams used to meet each other in the playoffs all the time. These two teams haven’t met in the playoffs since 1991, a shame for the modern NHL.