Will we catch the Canucks in the standings?

[bone]

The reward for winning the division this year might be a first round matchup against a cap circumventing Vegas powerhouse

That said, facing them first round may be better than 2nd round. Their LTIR guys could have a bit of rust allowing for a quick start with home ice.

You realize it doesn't have to be a mutually exclusive thing, right?

Like, teams can still be playing well and getting luck, just like teams can be playing well and not getting any luck.

To simply chalk up a 42-17-8 record as luck just screams of copium

For sure. Them being a playoff team isn't luck at all. Them pushing for the President's trophy may be a bit lucky. That said any team with goalie that is a lock for Vezina votes likely has a good PDO.

 

[LTIR]

Do we even want to catch VAN?
I am good with just home ice advantage and whoever matches up with us.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

It's a really good core group of players. Add in some savvy depth pieces and stand up goaltending and you have a recipe for success. Boeser went through a lot of the same things Larsson went through with his dad passing during the season and not being able to grieve, so for him I can understand the bounceback.

I'm not saying they aren't getting bounces. But Tocchett has had them playing hard all season and it's been apparent all season.

It's been the same thing every month since October. "They're just getting lucky bounces, its unsustainable". Yet here we are 4 and a half months later and people are still saying the same thing. At some point you just have to tip your cap and acknowledge that a team is having a really good year, and that doesnt happen solely because they got lucky. I hate when sports teams or players are discredited for their work in any given year by people who are just salty and want to yell "luck".

It goes deeper than that.

again, teams can get lucky for a year....look at the Flames from 21-22...notice Mangiapane hasn't sniffed 30 goals since? Lindholm hasn't sniffed 80 points either

JT Miller is shooting 6% above his average his year, Nil Hoglander 8% above his average....and on and on
you don't think it's luck, I do

(for context, the only Oilers shooting above their average shooting % is Zach Hyman and McLeod...barely)

and did you expect us Oiler fans to sing the praises of the Canucks? you new to rivalries? lol

 

[GOilers88]

again, teams can get lucky for a year....look at the Flames from 21-22...notice Mangiapane hasn't sniffed 30 goals since? Lindholm hasn't sniffed 80 points either

JT Miller is shooting 6% above his average his year, Nil Hoglander 8% above his average....and on and on
you don't think it's luck, I do

(for context, the only Oilers shooting above their average shooting % is Zach Hyman and McLeod...barely)

and did you expect us Oiler fans to sing the praises of the Canucks? you new to rivalries? lol

I didn't ask anyone to sing their praises. I said still attributing everything to luck is silly. The Flames also lost their best players, replaced them with cardboard cutouts, and had a full on mutiny against the coach who got them there to begin with. It's easy to see why they've spiraled into the abyss.

 

[KCC]

No, they are a better team than most here want to admit.

They are not nearly as good as their fluky record indicates. they’ve rode the best shooting percentage in history. We saw for a brief time when it dropped back to normal they lost like 5 of 6 or something like that. They aren’t a bad team but I’d rather edm face them than Vegas or the avs any day if the week.

 

[DavidHasselhoffsFist]

I’m usually a positive guy but gotta go with no on this one. I just can’t see Van falling behind at this point but who knows I guess. Definitely rooting them on to pass Van.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I think we miss by 3-4 points. A date with Vegas or LA looms. Personally I want Vegas.

 

[GreeningOil]

I've never seen a team have an entire season chalked up to luck quite like the Canucks and HF this year.

Vancouver has been inheritantly lucky. They have also been very good.

If we catch them it will say a lot about the Oilers and how they faced early (& intense) adversity as a unit

 

[GOilers88]

Vancouver has been inheritantly lucky. They have also been very good.

If we catch them it will say a lot about the Oilers and how they faced early (& intense) adversity as a unit

The fact that the team is sporting a 40-21-3 record after their struggles earlier is pretty stellar. Been a lot of fun to watch this year.

 

[alanschu]

The fact that the team is sporting a 40-21-3 record after their struggles earlier is pretty stellar. Been a lot of fun to watch this year.

I look at Oiler results and am either "Woo!" or "Oh well" and it has been very nice to be "Woo!" as much as we have given all the "Oh wells" and even some "Ah mans" that I had to start the year off haha

 

[Baby Pettersson]

Whoever win our final matchup takes it. Seriously impressive run you guys did to even be in this position.

Goodluck. You're going to need it.

 

[brentashton]

Whoever win our final matchup takes it. Seriously impressive run you guys did to even be in this position.

Goodluck. You're going to need it.

Canucks have always been soft as a baby shit. Don’t come here to talk smack about the nucks. You guys ever win a Stanley Cup?

Asking for a friend named, Mark Messier.

 

[MessierII]

I don’t really care honestly. Might be better to just face LA in round 1 as is tradition.

 

[Mav3rick07]

I think it's too little too late. The problem with Vancouver is their losses seem to come in overtime. Home ice is probably a more realistic target.

 

[Broberg Speed]

I doesn't matter. We are facing Vegas in the first round.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Well if there was an opportunity to catch them this is certainly it.

We rattle off either a long winning streak or a few 3 or 4 game streaks while Demko is on the shelf and things will be interesting come April.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

We owe the Canucks a good waxing or two (read: shit-kicking). I’d rather save that for a meet in the playoffs rather than trying to catch them in the standings.
Nail down 2nd, have home ice and take on all comers.

 

[Satoru Gojo]

All depends on how DeSmith plays

Subsequently, Skinner can't go through another stretch like February

 

[WaitingForUser]

I don’t care what thread this belongs in. Did anyone else here notice that in 2024 the Oilers have only lost 8 total games that’s really incredible when you think about it that way.

 

[Spawn]

I don’t care what thread this belongs in. Did anyone else here notice that in 2024 the Oilers have only lost 8 total games that’s really incredible when you think about it that way.

That is impressive for sure.

Just to tie it into the premise of the thread:
22-6-2 record since the start of January. Only Florida as been better in the league. Over that time span we’ve only gained 3 points on the Canucks over 30 games.

9 points in 18 games is a tall task. The teams horrendous start really skunked any chance at winning the division or god forbid the presidents trophy.

 

[McDrai]

I’m moreso focused on locking up 2nd place in the division and then resting some key players for the playoffs.

 

[Sra1974]

That is impressive for sure.

Just to tie it into the premise of the thread:
22-6-2 record since the start of January. Only Florida as been better in the league. Over that time span we’ve only gained 3 points on the Canucks over 30 games.

9 points in 18 games is a tall task. The teams horrendous start really skunked any chance at winning the division or god forbid the presidents trophy.

Plus we gifted the canucks 4 points to start the season, making it almost impossible to catch them. It’s hard to make up significant ground without playing that team and they’ve had very few stretches where they floundered. The focus isn’t on them it’s on getting ready to play either la or Vegas, would be very nice to actually rest a few guys but hard to see that happening.