Nobody will deny the Edmonton Oilers are one of many highest groups within the NHL. Led by one of the best participant within the recreation and one other within the prime 5-10, the record of achievements is spectacular and continues to develop.
Assume again to the 2022-23 season, when the Oilers led the league in scoring and likewise set a brand new NHL report for energy play effectivity. Then this previous season, they went on a 16-game successful streak which fell simply wanting the all-time report of 17 straight by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
This success extends to particular person achievements, with Connor McDavid in fact main the best way. In 2022-23 he had what was referred to as ‘the season of the century’, as he took house 4 trophies, and this previous season noticed he set a playoff report with 34 assists in a single postseason.
Sadly for McDavid, his success does embody one particular person accolade he would have quite prevented. This previous season noticed he turn out to be simply the second non-goaltender (and sixth participant total), to win the Conn Smythe Trophy whereas additionally dropping the Stanley Cup Ultimate.
The explanation we convey this up, is as a result of the Oilers as a complete will wish to keep away from setting one piece of NHL historical past this coming season. Giving due credit score to Invoice Tran of The Oil Rig, it is a report which the groups and followers alike really need no a part of.
When the Oilers misplaced to the Florida Panthers in recreation 7 of the Stanley Cup Ultimate final season, it marked three consecutive years they’d been knocked out by the eventual champions. They misplaced 4-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2022-23 and a 12 months earlier have been swept 4-0 by the Colorado Avalanche.
Thankfully for the Oilers and their followers, as issues stand they don’t seem to be alone. As per Tran, 5 different NHL groups have misplaced three consecutive years to the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
These 5 groups are the New York Rangers (1981-83), Boston Bruins (1990-92), St. Louis Blues (1997-99), Philadelphia Flyers (2009-11) and Vancouver Canucks (2010-12). The Blues and Bruins are particularly unfortunate, having misplaced 5 out of six seasons and 4 out of 5 seasons respectively, to the eventual champions.
Nonetheless, none have gone 4 consecutive seasons of dropping to the eventual Stanley Cup champions … but. That is the potential destiny awaiting the Oilers, if issues go terribly flawed for them in 2024-25.
In fact there’s one easy manner for the Oilers to keep away from this undesirable piece of historical past – exit and win the entire rattling factor! Definitely it is greater than achievable, as confirmed by the Panthers themselves, who received all of it one 12 months after dropping 4-1 to the Golden Knights, albeit on the expense of the Oilers.
darkish. Subsequent. Travis Dermott really makes a variety of sense for the Oilers. Travis Dermott really makes a variety of sense for the Oilers
Nobody is saying it may be simple in fact, however the Oilers have the expertise now mixed with the related expertise, to lastly convey the Stanley Cup again house. Not that it is wanted, however simply in case, they’ll at all times use the potential piece of undesirable historical past as additional motivation.