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In this edition of the hotstove we discuss whether or not the Edmonton Oilers can remain competitive in the Pacific Division race without Connor McDavid.
Todd Cordell
I don't know that they'll make the playoffs but I think they can remain in the hunt for a divisional spot for a couple reasons:
1) First and foremost the division is a tire fire. The Kings look like legitimate contenders but beyond that there are a bunch of question marks. I'm not sold on the Canucks, the Sharks have been up and down, the Coyotes are regressing after their unsustainably hot start and the Flames and Ducks have been terrible (though I still have faith in the latter). If the Oilers could handpick their division for the season it'd be this one.
2) Connor McDavid was playing extremely well but he's not the only one producing at a high rate. Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov and Leon Draisaitl, among others, are all also finding the scoresheet with regularity. The loss of McDavid will certainly hurt but they are getting Jordan Eberle back shortly and he'll help offset the loss.
I'm not saying they'll be in a playoff spot when McDavid returns but the 6-6-0 Sharks are holding a divisional spot so the bar isn't being set overly high right now.
Matt Henderson
Yes they can remain competitive in the Pacific without McDavid but only because the Pacific is a raging garbage fire right now. Anaheim is dead in the water. The Kings are awaiting trial. Vancouver is draining every last drop from the Sedins but when that tank is emptied what's left? The Sharks scare nobody. And the Flames, well the Flames caught whatever disease the Oilers had last year that leftthem clinically unable to stop the puck.
Edmonton can survive, but not because of their depth (which they have a little of with regards to top 6 players). No, they can survive because everyone else around them is just as inept and they dont have McDavid either.
Tim Chiasson
No.
The Oilers without McDavid are basically the Oilers of the last several years. Cam Talbot you say? How about one of the worst 5v5 save percentages among starters (90.05%) in the league? Andrej Sekera? I'll give you that, he's one of the better ones, but it doesn't make up for the production McDavid was providing, as well as the freedom for the other lines.
What about Yakupov breaking out? *cough*McDavid*cough*
McDavid also made space for players not even on his line because teams know he's the best player the Oilers have and their focus needs to be on him. Without McDavid in the lineup, opposing teams can go back to treating the Oilers like they have in the past.
If his worth to the team wasn't already appreciated, which I'm pretty sure it has been, then the skeptics are about to get a wake-up call.
If the Oilers get Auston Matthews I'm starting a petition against the league.
James Tanner
Absolutely they can.
Hall, RNH, Draisatile, Eberle and Yakupov is still a deep, insanely talented core of forwards.
Plus they have a legit goalie and Darnell Nurse is amazing. And their division is garbage. I like their chances.
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