Edmonton Oilers Shouldn't Be Considered Stanley Cup Contenders Just Yet – Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The last time I checked, the Stanley Cup was still being won in June, not November. That's why I find it puzzling that a respected hockey champion like Craig Button would make such a bold statement that in his mind the Edmonton Oilers don't have a good enough team to compete for the Stanley Cup.

Button made this statement recently Sportsnet with Jay Onrait and he said, “they (the Edmonton Oilers) don't have enough good players to be a Stanley Cup contender… that's important.” These comments come on the heels of the Oilers' lone 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on November 18 – one of the Oilers' worst games of the season. The Oilers bounced back the next night with a 5-2 drubbing of the Ottawa Senators to make their three-game eastern Canadian road swing look respectable.

There's a lot of hockey to be played between now and the start of the playoffs, and despite the Oilers' slow start to the season, I'll respectfully dispute Button's comment that there are a few things that still make the Oilers a team. recognition in the NHL's Western Conference.

Oilers Have Key Players On Injured List

The Oilers' sick bay is starting to pile up with Viktor Arvidsson and Zach Hyman out day-to-day, Darnell Nurse out until the end of November and Evander Kane on long term injured reserve (LTIR) after preseason hip surgery. Kane is a key asset for the Oilers as he will not only add a much-missed physical presence to the roster upon his return, but if he stays on LTIR until the breakout game, the Oilers could potentially add another impact player in the March 8 NHL Trade. Deadline.

They will have to take a page out of the Vegas Golden Knights' LTIR playbook, where veteran forward Mark Stone has come back from LTIR in the playoffs the past three seasons. This point about the return of LTIR and Kane finally shows that the Oilers roster is still working, and I will see how the team performs in late March and early April before saying whether they are Stanley Cup contenders or not.

Oilers Defensive Upgrades Are Coming

It's no secret that the Oilers are looking for help in the backfield. In a recent interview with Oilers Now, former NHL general manager (GM) Brian Lawton told host Bob Stauffer that there is room for improvement on the blue line to help the goaltenders. They discussed the possibility of the Oilers hitting the jackpot the same way they did when they traded for Mattias Ekholm in 2022-23. Can lightning strike twice for the Oilers? There is a lot of pressure on Oilers GM Stan Bowman to bring a defenseman into the front four. The Oilers are currently relying on Ekholm, Evan Bouchard, Brett Kulak, Travis Dermott, Ty Emberson and Troy Stecher to carry the load. Bouchard looks to be coming off his early season slump and it looks like the Oilers have an up-and-comer in Emberson, so the sky isn't completely falling just yet. However, they could still use another proven defenseman to make a playoff push.

The Oilers Forward team hasn't gotten their move yet

The Oilers look like they are struggling but the truth is that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are carrying the team right now. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Jeff Skinner and Arvidsson all play. There is still a lot left in the season for this group of forwards to turn things around. It would be wise for the coaching staff to give Skinner more time on the top two lines. He is a proven goal-scorer and point-producer, and needs an opportunity to adjust and find chemistry with his teammates. Once that happened, the floodgates could open.

Goal Setting Will Improve

Many fans are crying out for the Oilers to go out and find Dominik Hasek's type of goaltender who can win games on his own. But quality goaltenders don't come cheap and the Oilers are tight on salary. Is there a Chris Osgood-type cheap goaltender who excels within an established system, or do the Oilers already have that in the duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard?

Related: Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner has proven himself, despite heavy criticism

Unless Bowman can swing away from another team for a high-quality goaltender with a salary cap, the Oilers will be driving toward the postseason with Skinner and Pickard. Skinner especially needs to pick up his game, and he can do that. He's still the guy who beat Dallas Stars starter Jake Oettinger in the Western Conference Final last season. He hasn't found his game yet, but he seems to have the ability and mental strength to improve. Meanwhile Pickard, while not bright, is still loyal. It will be interesting to see if Bowman makes a scoring move before or at the trade deadline.

The Oilers are currently in contention in the Pacific Division

There seems to be no escape from the Pacific Division. As of November 21, the Oilers are only two points behind the Golden Knights in the division and are in trouble after 20 games. The Oilers have a history of having strong second halves of the season and if they can stay with the pack in the Pacific over the next two months, they could have a legitimate shot at winning it. They are currently just two points behind the Dallas Stars in the NHL's Western Conference, and despite strong starts from the Minnesota Wild and the league-leading Winnipeg Jets, you never know where things will go once winter turns to spring.

It is really difficult to predict and look into the future. I don't pay much attention to preseason Stanley Cup predictions. They're fun for fans and good for controversy, but there's a lot going on in a long NHL season. Right now the Jets look like a team to beat in the NHL but the playoffs could be a different animal. That's why I won't forget a strong team like the Oilers who will make noise when the season comes. After all, they still have McDavid and Draisaitl on their roster and that alone could make a difference.