The Playoff Picture Thread

elmeroil

Registered User
Feb 3, 2013
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I didn't see a thread about this and thought it could be useful to talk about the daily playoff picture. I see some of the talk about it in random threads but thought its own thread would be nice. Anything directly affecting the Oilers positioning in the Wild Card/Division standings. Mods if there is already a thread like this or you don't think it's necessary/too early, feel free to remove it.

Last night was a pretty good night for the Oilers. The Wild, Stars, Ducks and Sharks all lost in regulation. Oilers are still hanging on to the last wild-card spot and are 4 points back of 3rd in the division. Vancouver is one point behind the wild card spot but the Oilers have 3 games in hand on them. 2 games in hand on Vegas and the Ducks. Considering the Oil have lost 2 in a row they are still sitting ok.

This is a nice change to be scoreboard watching late in December where the Oilers are actually in the hunt.
 

Drivesaitl

Time to Drive
Oct 8, 2017
45,304
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Duck hunting
it may seem early, bit if the OOT is any indication its a hot topic here already and we know playoffs results can have tie ins to results as early as US Thanksgiving.

Like I said elsewhere I'm happy to be in a spot as Xmas approaches.

The only scenario that could screw this at the moment is Dallas beating Minny on Saturday and us losing to Tampa. That would make us tied, and Dallas gets the nod on ROW heading into the break. Dallas does still worry me. They got Klingberg back, which is huge for them, they are a different club with him, he didn't play well in his first game back yesterday as is to be expected. Dallas won't likely be seeing positive results on his return until the New Year but they have survived his absence. They're in the hunt.

Vegas still being on a huge roll and winning is bad news for us. That team has won 15/20 GP. That is smoking hot. What this spells basically is Pacific is hotter, and harder.

My start of season prognostication was that it would be easier to be 3rd place in Pacific then get a WC spot. The Pacific results have altered that a lot. We're 5th and its hard to see us being higher than 4th in pacific. Depending now on what Minny and Dallas do the rest of the year. It looks like Wild Card is our ticket in.

The good news is how many clubs in the conference have already sank on the season. STL, Chi, Ari, LA are clearly out of it this season and 3 of those could be considered surprises. Bad news is the Nucks have found a team somehow.
 
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Todd from Leduc

Connor “The Next Great One” McDavid
Nov 15, 2017
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There’s a statistical rule that if your in a playoff spot by Christmas you are pretty much a lock for playoffs. I could still see us winning the Division and perhaps the Conference but I think the Presidents is too far out of reach with Tampa getting all those points out of the weak east teams.

Matchup wise I’m not too worried about any of the teams in the West as I think we have the answer to them, Tampa does worry me as even though they don’t have a generational talent like us they have a lot of firepower.

As long as McDavid and Kostko don’t get hurt, I see us winning the Cup, or should I say our first Cup, in the modern NHL.
 

elmeroil

Registered User
Feb 3, 2013
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There’s a statistical rule that if your in a playoff spot by Christmas you are pretty much a lock for playoffs. I could still see us winning the Division and perhaps the Conference but I think the Presidents is too far out of reach with Tampa getting all those points out of the weak east teams.

Matchup wise I’m not too worried about any of the teams in the West as I think we have the answer to them, Tampa does worry me as even though they don’t have a generational talent like us they have a lot of firepower.

As long as McDavid and Kostko don’t get hurt, I see us winning the Cup, or should I say our first Cup, in the modern NHL.

I love your optomism! A nice playoff run would be amazing but just making the playoffs would please me for this season.
 

Little Fury

Registered User
Jun 21, 2006
17,831
6,800
There’s a statistical rule that if your in a playoff spot by Christmas you are pretty much a lock for playoffs. I could still see us winning the Division and perhaps the Conference but I think the Presidents is too far out of reach with Tampa getting all those points out of the weak east teams.

Matchup wise I’m not too worried about any of the teams in the West as I think we have the answer to them, Tampa does worry me as even though they don’t have a generational talent like us they have a lot of firepower.

As long as McDavid and Kostko don’t get hurt, I see us winning the Cup, or should I say our first Cup, in the modern NHL.

Gotta respect the commitment to this bit.
 

Mr Positive

Cap Crunch Incoming
Nov 20, 2013
35,799
16,187
imo things are encouraging. Our team when healthy is very good and there's lots of hockey to go in the season.

edit: and so even if we fall out of the playoff picture for a while, I do believe will fight our way back in
 
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CycloneSweep

Registered User
Sep 27, 2017
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it may seem early, bit if the OOT is any indication its a hot topic here already and we know playoffs results can have tie ins to results as early as US Thanksgiving.

Like I said elsewhere I'm happy to be in a spot as Xmas approaches.

The only scenario that could screw this at the moment is Dallas beating Minny on Saturday and us losing to Tampa. That would make us tied, and Dallas gets the nod on ROW heading into the break. Dallas does still worry me. They got Klingberg back, which is huge for them, they are a different club with him, he didn't play well in his first game back yesterday as is to be expected. Dallas won't likely be seeing positive results on his return until the New Year but they have survived his absence. They're in the hunt.

Vegas still being on a huge roll and winning is bad news for us. That team has won 15/20 GP. That is smoking hot. What this spells basically is Pacific is hotter, and harder.

My start of season prognostication was that it would be easier to be 3rd place in Pacific then get a WC spot. The Pacific results have altered that a lot. We're 5th and its hard to see us being higher than 4th in pacific. Depending now on what Minny and Dallas do the rest of the year. It looks like Wild Card is our ticket in.

The good news is how many clubs in the conference have already sank on the season. STL, Chi, Ari, LA are clearly out of it this season and 3 of those could be considered surprises. Bad news is the Nucks have found a team somehow.
Vancouver was good early season, fell apart and then got good again, they will fall apart again. Their team isn't deep or experienced enough to stay in the fight all season but they are good enough to piss off teams and take points off the table.

I feel like Anaheim's unsustainable luck and goaltending will run out soon and they will fall leaving that third spot open.

I don't think the Central is as good as they have been in the past with the fall of Chicago and St Louis. I think we have a very good shot at one of the wild cards or third in the Pacific. We just have to hold firm.
 
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Aerrol

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
Sep 18, 2014
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Vancouver was good early season, fell apart and then got good again, they will fall apart again. Their team isn't deep or experienced enough to stay in the fight all season but they are good enough to piss off teams and take points off the table.

I feel like Anaheim's unsustainable luck and goaltending will run out soon and they will fall leaving that third spot open.

I don't think the Central is as good as they have been in the past with the fall of Chicago and St Louis. I think we have a very good shot at one of the wild cards or third in the Pacific. We just have to hold firm.

After Vegas last year, I'm suspicious that Anaheim's seeming horseshoe up their ass will last all year. Would love to be wrong though.

Also very happy to be in a playoff spot right now, even if I have my doubts that we can tread enough water until Klefbom comes back. And when he comes back, will he be good Klef or the one we saw return from the last injury?
 

Drivesaitl

Time to Drive
Oct 8, 2017
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After Vegas last year, I'm suspicious that Anaheim's seeming horseshoe up their ass will last all year. Would love to be wrong though.

Also very happy to be in a playoff spot right now, even if I have my doubts that we can tread enough water until Klefbom comes back. And when he comes back, will he be good Klef or the one we saw return from the last injury?

Yep, Ducks have enough ingredients, veteran team, that they should be in the playoff convo. I wanted them to be one of the faltering clubs but in truth being also rans doesn't seem to be in them. Testament to some form of character on that club. Who would've called that the Hawks, Kings, Blues all pulled the chute and the Ducks are standing? They're kind of the Rodney Dangerfield team. Never get any respect, just always around. Nobody even remembers their SC W either. Its like they don't exist. Even when Kings won a couple cups a lot of people thought it was the first Cali team to win. Ducks exist only in the movies I guess. ;)
 
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MessierII

Registered User
Aug 10, 2011
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After Vegas last year, I'm suspicious that Anaheim's seeming horseshoe up their ass will last all year. Would love to be wrong though.

Also very happy to be in a playoff spot right now, even if I have my doubts that we can tread enough water until Klefbom comes back. And when he comes back, will he be good Klef or the one we saw return from the last injury?
Anaheim is the luckiest team of all time. They are not going anywhere.
 

AddyTheWrath

Registered User
Mar 24, 2015
11,315
19,812
Toronto
Today has been pretty good so far. Calgary lost in regulation and Knights/Sharks also lost (albeit in OT). Hopefully Buffalo beats Anaheim and Winnipeg beats Vancouver. Dallas and Minnesota is a toss up either way so hopefully that ends in regulation.

Hope we win tonight as well :D
 

thadd

Oil4Life
Jun 9, 2007
26,717
2,718
Canada
I love your optomism! A nice playoff run would be amazing but just making the playoffs would please me for this season.

Yeah I'm in the same boat.
Given our lack of depth I wouldn't even be pissed off (at the players) if we missed the playoffs by 1 point.
 

Drivesaitl

Time to Drive
Oct 8, 2017
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Duck hunting
Well, bad result tonight. Dallas Won and Oilers lost in the only possible combination that would have the Oilers out a playoff spot on Christmas break. 3 game losing streak.
 

MessierII

Registered User
Aug 10, 2011
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We were 17-17-2 at this point last year so we’re in a better spot. If you told me at the start of the year we’d be within a game of a spot at Christmas I would be pretty happy. Snap this crappy streak next game and we’re right back in great shape.
 
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MessierII

Registered User
Aug 10, 2011
27,646
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Well, bad result tonight. Dallas Won and Oilers lost in the only possible combination that would have the Oilers out a playoff spot on Christmas break. 3 game losing streak.
If Dallas loses in regulation tomorrow we actually get our spot back.
 

elmeroil

Registered User
Feb 3, 2013
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I'm not upset about that loss, beating Tampa was a tall order. Let's go Islanders!
 

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