The Edmonton Oilers are on the road to the Stanley Cup, according to a ranking on The Athletic. The ranking takes a look at all 32 teams and where they stand at this point in the season. The Oilers ranked among the five teams with the best chances of winning the Cup.
Among them, the Washington Capitals, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights stand out as the teams that seem to hold the inside track on a championship.
The article’s rationale focuses on the Oilers seemingly being back on track to their Stanley Cup Final form from last year. Indeed, the Edmonton Oilers seemed to have climbed out of their early-season funk, going 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. Despite a loss in their last game against the Panthers, things seem to be well in hand for the Oilers.
Of course, there are kinks to be ironed out. The Oilers are still searching for another defenceman. As NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has pointed out, the Oilers are looking at all sides of the equation. In short, Edmonton is looking for blueline help anywhere they can find it.
Also, there’s goaltending to consider. Stuart Skinner seems to have settled in, with Calvin Pickard providing solid support.
It seems that things are on the right path for the Oilers are the moment. With the team playing well, it remains to be seen if they can challenge Vegas for the top spot in the Pacific. However, winning the division may not be the incentive most fans would believe.
As it stands, the Pacific Division winner could run into the Colorado Avalanche or Vancouver Canucks in the first round. Such a first-round matchup could become needlessly taxing on the Oilers should they win the division.
Adding postseason depth on Edmonton Oilers radar
The Oilers have one of the most enviable cores in the league. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way, they are in good hands.
Nevertheless, the Oilers will be looking to add depth, particularly in the bottom-six forward group and defence. The recent waiver claim of Alec Regula won’t be the last move the Oilers make on the blue line, according to Friedman.
Other pieces the Oilers may consider include one or two solid bottom-six forwards and perhaps a third-string goalie who could back up either Skinner or Pickard in case of injury. In the last playoffs, the Oilers called up Jack Campbell as an emergency netminder for the postseason.
This time around, the Oilers will need someone else to serve as insurance. While there are a couple of in-house options, the Oilers might be more inclined to bring in someone with a little more experience.
Ultimately, fans shouldn’t expect any major moves before the Christmas break. With the NHL holiday freeze looming, fans could expect a move after the New Year.
But there’s one thing to keep in mind. The 4 Nations Faceoff in February could drastically alter the way business is conducted ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. The Oilers may end up pulling the trigger on a deal before the tournament.
Doing so would make sense, particularly if the Oilers are targetting a player on one of the 4 Nations rosters. Please bear in mind that injuries are always a possibility during the tourney. Therefore, it would make sense to make a deal beforehand.
Stay tuned, because there is plenty of action heading down the pipeline as the Holidays kick into high gear.