Why did the Edmonton Oilers fall flat?

 

Why did the Edmonton Oilers fall flat?

By: Asa Montreaux

The Florida Panthers don't seem on paper to be a better team. Their best players matched up against each other, Connor McDavid has points nearly two full times as high as Aleksander Barkov, across a career of similar length. Star winger Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl have had far more successful careers than Florida's first line winger. Although Sam Reinhart had a very successful breakout season, Draisatl has been one of the top three scorers though much of the past four NHL seasons.

Is there something wrong within the Oilers group? There is not much speculation that Connor McDavid is injured, but it might be the case. With no goals, and just three assists in the series, he does not seem to performing at his highest level. The Oilers would have needed more from him to have won some of those games. 

This is the first appearance in the finals for Connor McDavid, and all the young skaters on the Oilers. It would seem inexperience has plagued them this time. It seemed to be a perfect story, to wash away the negative aspects of no Stanley Cup appearances in McDavid, and the other young Oilers players' careers. But a sweep has seemed to be no bandage for the wound. 

Will McDavid develop into a Stanley Cup Champion? Often Stanley Cup Champion teams had lost in the finals, even in a sweep, before they won in a following year. Others had gone deep into the playoffs, even on multiple occasions, before winning the Stanley Cup.

The Penguins, the Capital, the Blues, even the Lighting, were all examples of teams that has almost won, but ultimately fell to a better, or more experienced, team in the Finals. 

The Oilers to a certain extent resemble the Colorado Avalanche, who after several heart-breaking defeats, won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Star Nathan MacKinnon is a former first round pick with generational talent, just like Connor McDavid. A similar nucleus of young players led them to success in the playoffs, which mirrored their results in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Oiler have yet to mirror their success in the regular season in the playoffs. Though a win in the following season is possible, especially in the NHL of right now. The Panther are the losers of last years Finals. Similarly their younger stars are maturing into champions. A win by the Panthers may not be all bad for Oiler's Nation, as it could signify the Oilers are the right team to win in a year's time, or in two year's time.

You would expect them to keep the core nucleus of younger players. With defencemen Ekholm and Bouchard still developing, and likely quite shy of their potential, the future may be a time when the Oilers are better. Defencemen typically take longer to become mature players, so their offensive sparkle isn't indicative of polished defending late in the game or on the penalty kill.

Slightly older veterans like Kane and Nugent-Hopkins could still be a part of the core for several years, but sometimes the addition of a few new elements creates the right mix for success. With the gambling and related off-ice issues with Kane, his presence on the team has been somewhat distracting. Though those issues are somewhat in the past, and next year's increased salary cap leaves room for him. Nugent-Hopkins wasn't able to follow up on his 106 point season two years ago, and his underwhelming performance most seasons makes you wonder why they have made him a career Oiler, and consider that perhaps a trade would benefit both sides. Generally a struggling player will flourish with the chance to play without being behind large talents like McDavid in the lineup, but with Nugent-Hopkins that hasn't been the case.

That success could return in the following year, and that would be perhaps be enough to transform the Oilers into a Championship team. Though it is only up to the Oiler coaches and Nugent-Hopkins, if he is going to return to that form.

This season still needs to be decided and the Florida Panthers have a formidable lead in the Stanley Cup Finals, and a formerly mockable NHL franchise could be titled the best team in hockey.