6 Reasons the Oilers Will Win the Stanley Cup

Meanwhile, the likes of Evander Kane, Connor Brown, Vasily Podkolzin, and Corey Perry have also been exceptional. The Oilers now have three or more goals from nine different skaters, proving they are far more than just a two-man unit.

Blue Line Has Stepped Up

A big concern for the Oilers entering the playoffs was how their blue line would hold up against tough competition. Evan Bouchard, for all the good he provides offensively, is prone to huge lapses in his own zone. Jake Walman was coming back from injury, as was John Klingberg, and Darnell Nurse has had some rough showings in recent playoff history.

Instead of struggling, this blue line has played at a very high level, led by the brilliance of Bouchard. Nurse held his own in the second round, while Walman has proven to be a fantastic trade deadline acquisition. Perhaps the most impressive of all is Klingberg, who is playing his best hockey in several years.

Brett Kulak has continued to be a very steady and consistent presence, and Troy Stecher, who was inserted into this series in Game 4, has been everything fans could have asked for in a third-pairing role. This backend has stepped up at the perfect time, and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Ekholm Nearing a Return

Though the Oilers’ blue line has played admirably through the first two rounds, the absence of Mattias Ekholm has still been felt in a big way. The 34-year-old is not only this team’s best all-around defenceman, but also brings a very calming presence beside what can be a chaotic player in Bouchard.

When Ekholm first re-injured himself prior to the playoffs, there were concerns that it would end his season. That no longer appears to be the case, as head coach Kris Knoblauch recently said there is a chance he could be back at some point in the Western Conference Final. Should he indeed return, it will only further bolster the Oilers’ already great odds.

McDavid and Draisaitl Will Heat Up

As mentioned, both McDavid and Draisaitl were rather quiet in the second round. McDavid had a goal and six points in the five games, while Draisaitl had two goals and six points. Going over a point-per-game is by no means disappointing, but fans have come to expect far more from two of the greatest playoff performers the NHL has ever seen.

Given how incredible they’ve been in the playoffs throughout their career, nobody should be surprised to see them take over and dominate some games in the near future. They are simply too good to be quiet for this long, and it feels like only a matter of time before they really ramp it up a notch.

Skinner Has Found His Game

The playoffs didn’t start out the way Stuart Skinner would have liked, but he is looking better than ever right now. After giving way to Calvin Pickard following two rough starts versus the LA Kings, Skinner was able to get the call heading into Game 4 versus the Golden Knights due to an injury to his goalie partner.

Though his first game back between the pipes was an ugly one, Skinner responded with back-to-back shutouts to help the Oilers close out their second round matchup. The 26-year-old is known for running hot and cold, and he is currently looking as dialed in as one could have ever hoped. That’s great news for the Oilers as they are just eight wins away from hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Oilers More Motivated Than Ever

Perhaps the biggest reason of all indicating that this group will win it all is the fact that they came just one win shy of doing so a year ago. That loss was an absolute dagger to the hearts of everybody on the Oilers roster, and you can bet it left them all more motivated than ever to come back and win what they believe should have been theirs last June.

We’ve seen this before in very recent history, as the Florida Panthers fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final before storming all the way back to win it against the Oilers last year. Sometimes, those heartbreaking losses are exactly what a team needs in order to achieve its ultimate goal.

Oilers Fans Deserve the Success

Though it feels like forever ago, there was a time in recent history where the Oilers were the laughing stock of the NHL, finishing dead last or near the bottom of the standings for an entire decade. This revamped roster has given fans who stuck by their side during those dark days a major sense of pride, along with a reason to be excited about NHL hockey once again. Now, it feels like this could be the year where they, and the organization, are finally rewarded for what is now deemed the decade of darkness.