3 possible Oilers playoff matchups ranked from good to scary
The 2024 NHL playoffs are just over a month away and the Edmonton Oilers are expected to make another push for the Stanley Cup this spring.
For the past two seasons, the Oilers have seen their Stanley Cup dreams dashed by the eventual winners, with the Colorado Avalanche sweeping them in the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the Vegas Golden Knights eliminating them in a six-game second-round series last year.
It’s a tough trophy to win and, most of the time, teams have to go through a few heartbreaks to understand just how hard they have to work. The Oilers have that experience this year and are as battle-tested as ever.
As it stands, Edmonton is currently sitting in second place in the Pacific Division with 84 points. With how the standings are, there is a solid list of three opponents that they could potentially face in the opening round.
Here are those three potential opponents ranked on a scale from being favourable for Edmonton to being downright scary.
Good: Nashville Predators
No playoff opponent will be easy for the Oilers this year but, as far as matchups go, the Nashville Predators would probably be the team that Edmonton would prefer to go up against in the opening round.
The Predators currently occupy the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 82 points and will probably be one of the two wild card teams to make it. For the Oilers to match up against the Preds, they would have to win the Pacific Division at least. If this happens and the Oilers are second in the West, they will play against the top wild-card team. They would play the lower-ranked wild-card team if they finish first overall in the West. These are both positions that Nashville could finish in.
While the Predators have been on a roll of late, winning eight of their last 10 to shoot up the standings, they have not had a great time against the Oilers over the past few seasons. Edmonton holds a 7-2-0 record over the Predators in their last nine games dating back to the 2021-22 season.
McDavid spin cycle activated š pic.twitter.com/nnN3feVHfy
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 18, 2023
The big X factor in this potential series would be the goaltending, as Juuse Saros could give the Oilers fits and be a potential catalyst for an upset. Otherwise, Edmonton holds a significant advantage with its firepower.
Concerning: LA Kings
The third’s time the charm when it comes to a first-round playoff series between the Oilers and Kings. If the playoffs began today, this would be the series for Edmonton.
These two teams have a significant history playing each other in the postseason of late, and both of them should have very different feelings about it. The Oilers have been victorious in each of the last two series and, while the Kings have pushed Edmonton to the brink on multiple occasions, they haven’t been able to slay the dynamic duo that is McDavid and Draisaitl.
Kailer Yamamoto floats one past Korpisalo to restore Edmonton's lead with just 3:02 left in regulation!#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/dyM1mtaEF4
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 30, 2023
Early on in the season, it seemed like the Kings were finally going to get the better of the Oilers. Yet, as the year wore on, Edmonton eventually passed the Kings and now holds a decent lead on them for second in the Pacific Division.
The season series between these two teams this year gives Edmonton a slight edge, but only the Kings have won a decisive victory, defeating the Oilers 4-0 back in February. They also boast a few dangerous snipers who could give Edmonton’s depth scoring a run for their money, with Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe, and now Quinton Byfield being legitimate threats.
This is a concerning matchup solely because this is a team that will be highly motivated to defeat the Oilers. They will not want to end their season the same way for a third straight season.
Scary: Vegas Golden Knights
This is the team that ended the Oilers’ season last year, defeating them in a six-game second-round series on the road to their first Stanley Cup. Though Edmonton will certainly want a chance at revenge, Vegas could be one of their hardest possible opponents on any potential run to a Stanley Cup.
Not only do the Golden Knights now have the experience of winning it all, but they also bolstered their lineup at the trade deadline with three impact players: Anthony Mantha, Tomas Hertl, and Noah Hanifin. They are also expected to get back captain Mark Stone in the playoffs.
connor mcdavid, a true playoff performer, could not be stopped. he cuts the vegas lead to one. pic.twitter.com/cbq9LFeusf
— zach (@zjlaing) May 13, 2023
Vegas has been sputtering along in the regular season, currently in the last wild card spot, but nobody expects that to continue into the postseason.
They might be the opponent that motivates the Oilers the most, or they might be the opponent that sends them home early once again. Ask LA about how that feels.
Only time will tell.
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