No matter how you slice it, it looks like the Edmonton Oilers will be facing down a rematch of some kind in the first round of the playoffs.
Though the team still has an outside shot of catching the Vancouver Canucks for the Pacific Division crown, a tough two-game road trip has made that much more difficult. It’s becoming clear that a fifth-straight season finishing second in their division is the likeliest scenario between now and the end of the season.
That means their first-round opponent has been narrowed down to two familiar foes: the Vegas Golden Knights and the LA Kings.
NHL.com
If the playoffs started today, it would set up a rematch of last year’s second-round series between the Oilers and Golden Knights. That series was a lot closer than it may have seemed. Vegas eventually won it in six games, but there was a time in Game 5 when Edmonton had a lead in the second period. A disastrous six minutes at the end of that series turned the tide of the series.
The Golden Knights went on to win the Stanley Cup after that and the season series this time around has been pretty even between the two clubs. The Oilers won the first game 5-4 in a shootout while Vegas busted Edmonton’s 16-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory back in February. The rubber match is set for April 10.
Both teams have had their triumphs and struggles this year and remain just three points apart, though Edmonton does have a game in hand. The Golden Knights were also very active at the deadline picking up defenceman Noah Hanifin and forwards Anthony Mantha and Tomas Hertl.
There is no doubt that this would be a must-watch first-round series, one that won’t have a clear-cut favourite.
However, there is also the chance that the LA Kings catch the Golden Knights to set up a third-straight first-round series against the Oilers.
Edmonton has had a lot of playoff success against the Kings over the last two seasons, though they were much closer than many people may realize. In 2022, the Oilers had to stave off elimination in Game 6 to force a Game 7 at home, which they won off the back of some McDavid heroics.
Then, last season, LA nearly had Edmonton in a chokehold with a 3-0 lead in Game 4 that would have given them a 3-1 series lead. A brilliant comeback and a Zach Hyman OT winner prevented that and the Oilers cruised to a 4-2 series win in six games.
The season has also had its fair share of ups and downs. Edmonton has won three of the four games against LA, outscoring the Kings by an 11-9 margin. One of those games had to be decided in a shootout. The Oilers would be the favourites once again, but you can’t underestimate the power of revenge that the Kings must be feeling.
LA has some work to do if they want the rematch, as they are three points back of the Golden Knights for third place in the Pacific Division.
Either way, it’s looking like the first round will be another one to remember for Oilers fans. Rivalries with both the Kings and Golden Knights have reached a fever pitch over the last few seasons and there is sure to be a ton of animosity on and off the ice.