Following their 5-2 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinal series, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid discussed the team’s second-round playoff exit. Despite his disappointment, McDavid acknowledged that “you’ve got to go through some of this to win.” He noted that many teams that go on to win the Stanley Cup experience similar setbacks, and he hopes that this will be the last time for the Oilers.
Oilers’ Offensive Strengths and Defensive Weaknesses
The Oilers finished the regular season with the most goals per game and the NHL’s top power-play unit. However, their defensive structure and goaltending were inconsistent, and the team made moves to address these concerns. Rookie goaltender Stuart Skinner replaced free agent signing Jack Campbell in net, and the Oilers added hulking forward Nick Bjugstad and top-four defenseman Mattias Ekholm at the trade deadline.
Promising Signs in Early Stages of Second Round
The Oilers started the second round with a loss but saw promising signs when superstar forward Leon Draisaitl scored four goals in the following game and two more in a series-tying victory in Game 2. The teams swapped wins going into Game 5, which the Golden Knights won 4-3 at home, and Vegas then wrapped up the series in Edmonton on Sunday night.
Challenges for the Offseason
Heading into the offseason, the Oilers will need to address a number of items, including financial decisions and pending free agents. CapFriendly projects the Oilers will have less than $6 million in available cap space, and players like Mattias Janmark, Derek Ryan, and Bjugstad will need new contracts. Additionally, the team will need to address the lack of secondary and tertiary scoring that was a challenge in their second-round defeats. Despite the disappointment of the playoff exit, the Oilers remain committed to their goal of winning the Stanley Cup.
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