With only 5 games left this season for the top three teams in the Pacific Division the Edmonton Oilers are currently sitting in third place. They are trailing the Golden Knights by 4 points and the Kings by 1 point. I think there is still a chance for the Edmonton Oilers to win Pacific Division.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights | 77 | 48 | 22 | 7 | 103 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 77 | 45 | 22 | 10 | 100 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 77 | 45 | 23 | 9 | 99 |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com:
Generated 4/4/2023.
If the Edmonton Oilers defeat the Los Angeles Kings in regulation they will take sole possession of second place. The thing that makes first place possible is the strength of the schedules for each team. The Kings and Oilers have similar opponents, the only difference is the Edmonton Oilers play the Sharks whereas the Kings play the Canucks.
Edmonton Oilers
| Date | Time | Opponent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-04 | 8:30 PM | @ | Los Angeles Kings |
| 2023-04-05 | 8:00 PM | @ | Anaheim Ducks |
| 2023-04-08 | 2:00 PM | @ | San Jose Sharks |
| 2023-04-11 | 7:30 PM | @ | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2023-04-13 | 7:00 PM | San Jose Sharks |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com
Generated 4/4/2023.
After tonight’s game against the King the Edmonton Oilers only play one more game against a team currently in a playoff spot.
Los Angeles Kings
| Date | Time | Opponent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-04 | 10:30 PM | Edmonton Oilers | |
| 2023-04-06 | 10:00 PM | @ | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 2023-04-08 | 10:30 PM | Colorado Avalanche | |
| 2023-04-10 | 10:30 PM | Vancouver Canucks | |
| 2023-04-13 | 10:00 PM | @ | Anaheim Ducks |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com
Generated 4/4/2023.
After tonight’s game, the Kings will still have two games against teams that hold down a playoff spot. The bad news for the Oilers is that one of them is against the Golden Knights who the Oilers are also chasing. This may cause a scenario where Oilers fans are cheering for the Kings in a couple of days.
Vegas Golden Knights
| Date | Time | Opponent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-04 | 8:00 PM | @ | Nashville Predators |
| 2023-04-06 | 10:00 PM | Los Angeles Kings | |
| 2023-04-08 | 3:30 PM | @ | Dallas Stars |
| 2023-04-11 | 10:00 PM | Seattle Kraken | |
| 2023-04-13 | 10:30 PM | @ | Seattle Kraken |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com
Generated 4/4/2023.
The Golden Knights of their remaining 5 games, 4 of them are against playoff-bound teams. This is why I think there is still a chance that the Edmonton Oilers could still catch them in the standings.
Worst Case Scenario The Edmonton Oilers Are Still In The Playoffs
ARE YOU READY, EDMONTON?! 🟠🔵
— NHL (@NHL) April 2, 2023
The @EdmontonOilers have secured their spot in the #StanleyCup Playoffs! 👏 pic.twitter.com/hu7JBA1vhO
With their win against the Ducks on Saturday the Oilers clinched their spot in the playoffs. In my opinion, Edmonton is the favourite to come out of the Pacific Division no matter where they end up in the standing.
When it comes to playoffs home ice can tilt a game though, this is I would like to see the Edmonton Oilers at least finish above the Kings in the standings. This way they will have a home-ice advantage in the first round.