With just four games remaining on their 2024-25 regular season schedule, the Edmonton Oilers are all but assured of a playoff spot for the sixth consecutive year and seventh out of nine. What they have to focus on right now is the tough challenge of catching the Los Angeles Kings for second place in the Pacific Division and that all important home-ice advantage for the first round.
No matter how it plays out though, at least one person is not wishing the Oilers well ahead of the playoffs. More specifically we're talking about P. K. Subban, the former defenceman who these days works as an hockey analyst for ESPN.
P. K. Subban wants the Oilers to suffer
Given due credit to Jim Parsons of NHL Trade Talk, Subban ripped into the Oilers due a recent appearance on NHL on ESPN. As per the 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast, he said that he hoped the Kings would teach the Oilers a lesson come the playoffs.
Plenty of people are not too happy about Subban being so opiniated and seemingly lacking objectivity, but if we're honest, we like the fact that he talks his mind. He used to be a polarizing and fun character on the ice, so it's refreshing to see him continue to show this side of his personality even though he no longer plays.
At the same time however, it does bring to mind the question of why Subban has got such a bee in his bonnet when it comes to the Oilers? Well, it seems to stem from what the organization did, or more to the point didn't do, during the last offseason in Edmonton.
P. K. Subban unimpressed with the Oilers' offseason
The former Montreal Canadiens blue-liner didn't like the fact the Oilers lost both Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, rather than matching at least one of the offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues. Further, he truly believes Stan Bowman and company missed the chance to strengthen the team ahead of such a crucial season, effectively not trying enough to build on coming up just one win short of winning the Stanley Cup.
From our perspective, we have similarly long stated the Oilers should have brought at least one of Broberg and Holloway back. However, we did like the additions made including Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, with there just no way of knowing certain players wouldn't perform as well as previously advertised.
In any event, after 13 seasons in the NHL and having been named an All-Star on three occasions, Subban has a better understanding of the game than most and has earned the right to say what he thinks. As for any Oilers fans (or players or staff) who are not happy with what Subban said, the best way to respond is to beat the Kings in the first round of the playoffs for a fourth consecutive time.
Recent Posts