Speculation: Which team would you rather face in the 1st round?

[KingKhron]

Seems like Nashville is quite likely unfortunately. We are in the drivers seat for first and I'd imagine they pass the Flames. It's the one team I really don't want in the first round.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

I can't figure out why we have so much trouble with Nashville.
Rinne isn't great anymore, their defense doesn't seem as scary without Weber, and their secondary scoring isn't at all intimidating. They aren't a big tough team that will knock us around and aren't a bunch of speed skaters that would skate circles around us.

 

[TheRebuild]

I voted for the Flames. Just because I think it would be fun to watch the Oilers sweep a first round opponent.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

I can't figure out why we have so much trouble with Nashville.
Rinne isn't great anymore, their defense doesn't seem as scary without Weber, and their secondary scoring isn't at all intimidating. They aren't a big tough team that will knock us around and aren't a bunch of speed skaters that would skate circles around us.

Just wondering - how did we do in the regular season against Detroit in 05-06? Could it be another scenario where a team that owns you in the regular season gets owned by you in the postseason?

 

[McTrashBoat]

Just wondering - how did we do in the regular season against Detroit in 05-06? Could it be another scenario where a team that owns you in the regular season gets owned by you in the postseason?

from a quick skim of the wiki page

Oilers won twice in OT
lost once in SO
lost once in regulation

 

[joestevens29]

McDavid and Draisaitl have combined for 17 goals, 19 assists and 36 points in 13 games versus Calgary, Anaheim and San Jose this season. Right now they are a matchup nightmare for any of those teams.

https://oilersnation.com/2017/04/03/draisaitl-dangerous-on-his-own/

 

[AM]

Whichever team shows up on game night.

 

[AM]

from a quick skim of the wiki page

Oilers won twice in OT
lost once in SO
lost once in regulation

Yes, they figured they could compete with Detroit, and they did.

 

[werkitout]

Who are we most likely to beat? Flames

Who would I most like to see them play in the first found? Ducks or Sharks

You could probably buy a round trip ticket to both those opponent cities & tickets to Home Game 1 & 2 in for the same price as one playoff game here

Gotta beat em all to get to the end anyway

 

[Crabapple]

Hopefully not Nashville or Anaheim.

 

[rboomercat90]

Just wondering - how did we do in the regular season against Detroit in 05-06? Could it be another scenario where a team that owns you in the regular season gets owned by you in the postseason?

Despite the 1-8 seed, I think the Wings were a team the Oilers matched up very well with and I think the team believed that too. They weren't shaking in their boots at the prospect of playing them. There were a few teams that season I didn't want the Oilers to play in the first round, ironically, Nashville and Calgary were two of them. Sometimes certain teams can get in your head a little. I think Nashville is one of those teams. Minnesota is another but we won't have to worry about them until the conference finals if at all.

 

[Forgot About Drai]

Looks like Thorton and Couture are both skating today. Big Joe is a tank.

 

[The Bored Man]

Looks like SJ right now.

 

[Joey Moss]

So CGY can't catch us which means we finish 3rd in division lowest.

We can catch Anaheim if they lose at least one of their games against CHI/LAK. We would need to win all three against SJS, VANx2. Or Anaheim loses both and we win at least 2.

Let's hope. I don't want SJS if they get Couture and Thornton back.

 

[MoneyGuy]

I voted for the Flames. Just because I think it would be fun to watch the Oilers sweep a first round opponent.

What if they win, however. It could happen. Could you live with that?

 

[bone]

What if they win, however. It could happen. Could you live with that?

Yup. Regional rivals are good motivators. Losing to Calgary would help motivate more to improve than losing to SJ or Anaheim. Those California teams pushed each other to a pretty great decade of hockey. The old BOAs pushed a great decade of hockey in Alberta. I want both teams to be good so that they can push each other to be the best (where Edmonton hopefully comes out the better team overall).

 

[Faelko]

I'm still hoping SJ is hitting a wall. Most of their Core players are getting up there in age, short off season, battling a few injuries, etc.

Goaltending is a pretty much even, we don't have a Burns on D so they've got the edge there. We've got the better top line but they've got better secondary scoring (unless the Nuge line catches fire).

I think it's winnable but could go either way for sure.

 

[MaxR11]

Appears to be rounding into a good first round match up vs Sharks but it's very plausible Oilers win the last three games vs Sharks and Canucks (x2) thus putting us at 103 pts. Anaheim could easily lose the final two vs Chicago and LA or win just one giving us the tie breaker. This is not good as the Preds have a great chance to finish with the first wildcard spot based on their final games and Calgary's final games. If we face the Preds in round one we are in serious trouble.... we need to lose a couple of these last three games to ensure a more favorable matchup vs Sharks or off chance Anaheim should the Sharks win the last two and over take 1st place.
Calgary may also be troubles for us even though we swept them in the reg season.

 

[ujju2]

Yup. Regional rivals are good motivators. Losing to Calgary would help motivate more to improve than losing to SJ or Anaheim. Those California teams pushed each other to a pretty great decade of hockey. The old BOAs pushed a great decade of hockey in Alberta. I want both teams to be good so that they can push each other to be the best (where Edmonton hopefully comes out the better team overall).

^^^ This guy's too practical. I say we kill him.

 

[Spawn]

Appears to be rounding into a good first round match up vs Sharks but it's very plausible Oilers win the last three games vs Sharks and Canucks (x2) thus putting us at 103 pts. Anaheim could easily lose the final two vs Chicago and LA or win just one giving us the tie breaker. This is not good as the Preds have a great chance to finish with the first wildcard spot based on their final games and Calgary's final games. If we face the Preds in round one we are in serious trouble.... we need to lose a couple of these last three games to ensure a more favorable matchup vs Sharks or off chance Anaheim should the Sharks win the last two and over take 1st place.
Calgary may also be troubles for us even though we swept them in the reg season.

The Sharks are a better team than the Preds (or the Flames) and despite the fact that the Preds have swept us this year I think we'd have a better shot against that team than the Sharks. I think the Sharks really bad slump recently is disguising the fact that for basically the entire season they've been the best team in the division. If they get Thornton and Couture back, they're going to be a major handful.

I think the Preds owning us is similar to when the Coyotes were owning us. It wasn't an indication of a bad matchup, just a bizarre quirk between the two teams. I'd happily play them in the first round ahead of the Sharks.

 

[ujju2]

The Sharks are a better team than the Preds (or the Flames) and despite the fact that the Preds have swept us this year I think we'd have a better shot against that team than the Sharks. I think the Sharks really bad slump recently is disguising the fact that for basically the entire season they've been the best team in the division. If they get Thornton and Couture back, they're going to be a major handful.

I think the Preds owning us is similar to when the Coyotes were owning us. It wasn't an indication of a bad matchup, just a bizarre quirk between the two teams. I'd happily play them in the first round ahead of the Sharks.

Disagree. I think our style of play is a better fit against the Sharks than the Preds.

 

[Aceboogie]

Id rather play Sharks. We can actually grind them down and are the bigger team. If they want to play open and run and gun id gladly do that. Sharks are by no means an easy team to beat but I think they suit us better than Ducks or even Preds

Im so glad Calgary is playing either Ducks or Hawks. Either they get embarrassed by either or they take on out and does us a massive favour should we make it out of 1st round (or whenever wed have to play them)

Burns is going to be a beast tho. Hell rewake up for playoffs

 

[A91]

What if they win, however. It could happen. Could you live with that?

Thats a risk I'm willing to take.

 

[Aceboogie]

Dont tell anyone this, but the West is super winnable this year, perhaps the easiest path to SCF in last 6 years. No team looks dominant and the way the playoffs are structured, the best teams could be knocked out in first 2 rounds. Blessing for Oilers but a curse as well because Flames could also make a run and go far

 

[MoneyGuy]

San Jose - old and beatable if our big guys hammer them
Calgary - my worry is we could lose, then what?
St. Loo - next easiest matchup