It’s finally here after a long regular season — it’s time for the NHL playoffs to see who will get to hoist the Stanley Cup. The first series to be determined was the #2/#3 series in the Pacific Division between the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings. It was a roller-coaster all season for these teams as at times it appeared that they could finish anywhere between 2nd place and out of the playoffs altogether.
With the format of the NHL playoffs comes familiarity as the #2/#3 seeds play within the division. These 2 teams know each other well, so let’s break down each one and look at the best bet for the series.
Breaking down the Edmonton Oilers
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the Oilers is offense, offense, and more offense. They roster 2 of the top 4 players in points, with Connor McDavid 1st in the league, scoring 123 points. Not far behind him was Leon Draisaitl, who was 2nd in the league in goals, with 55 and 4th in the league in points with 110. Even as a team, the Oilers were 8th in the league in goals scored and 6th in expected goals.
Defensively, this team is no where near the same as on the attack. Edmonton ranked 18th in goals against per game, 19th in goals against and 19th in expected goals against. Between the pipes, the Oilers are expected to start 40-year-old Mike Smith. Smith played decently when he was healthy as he only played in 28 games this season due to injuries throughout the year. In those 28 games, though, he became the 18th-ranked goalie in goals saved above expected and posted a decent .915 save percentage.
The Oilers will be looking to shake off past playoff woes, as they have only made the playoffs in 3 of their past 10 years, only winning 1 series. They will be looking towards their all-stars to lead them deeper in the playoffs this postseason
Breaking down the Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are almost opposite of the Oilers, as they like to play a more structured, defensive style. Their captain, Anze Kopitar, has won numerous Selke trophies for the best defensive forward in the NHL. They also picked up Philip Danault as a free agent this offseason, regarded as a top defensive forward as well, from the Canadiens. The Kings finished 10th in goals against per game and 12th in expected goals against, and is projected to be backstopped by Jonathan Quick, who ranked 9th in goals saved above expected.
On the attack, the Kings had problems finishing their scoring chances. They ranked just behind the Oilers in expected goals, ranking 7th, but finished the season ranked 20th in goals. This could be a problem because if the Kings get into a track meet style game with the Oilers, they will need to find the back of the net to keep up.
The biggest hit to this Kings team though was the health down the stretch. They lost all-star defenseman Drew Doughty for the season and playoffs to wrist surgery. Doughty was pivotal in all facets of the game from shutting down the oppositions best line to running the blue line on the top powerplay unit.
Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings series prediction: Oilers 4-2
These teams played each other 4 times in the regular season, with the Oilers taking 3 of 4. The only win for the Kings was in early December, but when the points were needed as the season ended, the Oilers took the remaining games, scoring 12 goals in those final 3 head-to-head matchups, so I’m taking the Oilers -250 to win this series.
The offense for the Oilers will just prove to be too much for the shorthanded Kings. The Kings’ defensive style will help them steal a few games but will ultimately be overrun, especially without Doughty. Look for the Oilers to get out of the 1st round for just the 2nd time in the last 15 years lead by McDavid, Draisaitl and that potent offense.
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