5 matchups we’re looking forward to most in the NHL’s 24-team playoff
NHL playoffs: Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Put your feelings about 24 teams being in the playoffs aside for just a second. The Edmonton Oilers are back playing meaningful hockey, meaning that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are finally getting another shot, and they’re gonna do it against Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks, in what could be this core’s final chance at one last playoff run. If you can’t get at least a little excited for that, I don’t know what to tell you.
The winner of this series will advance to face the fourth seed in the Western Conference, currently the Dallas Stars.
Since drafting Connor McDavid in 2015, Edmonton has seemingly been destined to return back to the glory days of the 80s after over a decade of consistently being one of the worst teams in hockey since their miracle Stanley Cup Final run in 2006. McDavid has lived up to the billing, but the Oilers have not as they have only made the playoffs once and missed in the previous two seasons despite historic production from McDavid. Now with an equally productive Draisaitl by his side and a much better team around him, the Oilers are finally flirting with Stanley Cup contention again, but will it be enough?
McDavid and Draisaitl have once again been excellent, as they are number one and two in the league in points. Their domination is without question, but how is everything around them? This Oilers team is significantly better than the previous two years but they are still far from perfect. While the power play is the best in the league, their even strength play is about average, and keep in mind that is with McDavid and Draisaitl. Their defensemen themselves are average, but team defense is a major problem. Goaltending has been average, which is a major improvement on the last two seasons.
This iteration of the Oilers is really nothing special, but that’s whats been the most frustrating part of watching this team. It’s absurdly hard to miss the playoffs with those two leading the way and now that there’s even a halfway decent team around them, they’re already back in playoff contention.
Chicago was as close as we’ve gotten to a modern dynasty in the NHL, winning three Stanley Cups in five years from 2010-2015. Ever since then however it’s been pretty rough sailing for the Blackhawks, losing in the first round twice in a row then missing the playoffs the last two seasons as the roster fell apart. This season was more of the same with some minor improvements, but not good enough for serious playoff contention.
Despite the Blackhawks being nowhere near what they once were, the threat of Kane and Toews is still as potent as ever and the addition of new blood like Alex Debrincat, Dylan Strome, and Dominik Kubalik has allowed for the offense to still prosper. At even strength Chicago is very solid, but their power play was 28th in the league and drags their overall goal production down to just 18th in the league.
The defense however is a complete and utter disaster, and is the real reason the Blackhawks are in the spot they’re in. No team in the NHL, not even the Detroit Red Wings, gave up more shots per game or was worse at defending scoring chances, according to EvolvingHockey. Only thanks to superb goaltending from Corey Crawford and Robin Lehner were the Blackhawks able to tread water with a defense this terrible. However with Lehner traded, they’ll have to rely on just Crawford to prop up the defense.
Strengths and weaknesses aside, this series is quite simply fun personified. The dynamic of McDavid and Draisaitl going up against the former dynasty of Kane and Toews is a must-watch. Throw in these electric offenses going up against terrible defenses, and we could be in for one of the highest scoring series in a long time, especially with no structures in place with everybody still shaking off the rust.