Sean Maloughney: G82: Kraken vs Golden Knights - Onto the Real Games

Go Kraken! Need the win for my Oilers!

Hooray! Oilers win. Go Kraken for the win! No tie!

Benny is taking the Calder. Skinner has been good but a lot of nights Edmonton is carried by McDavid and Drai. That said gotta be pretty bad when the 5.5 mil starter loses his job to him.

Tough game vs Vegas to end the season well.

Bad news on Burakovsky though. Could have really used him back in the lineup. If it is Colorado looks like Landeskog won't be in there so that would help some.

NHL best improvement from first season to second in points though, been a hell of a season and ride here. Now to see how they do with their first taste of the post season.

Benny is taking the Calder. Skinner has been good but a lot of nights Edmonton is carried by McDavid and Drai. That said gotta be pretty bad when the 5.5 mil starter loses his job to him.

Tough game vs Vegas to end the season well.

Bad news on Burakovsky though. Could have really used him back in the lineup. If it is Colorado looks like Landeskog won't be in there so that would help some.

NHL best improvement from first season to second in points though, been a hell of a season and ride here. Now to see how they do with their first taste of the post season.
- Roadrunner75

Sean the Oilers blogger here. Common misconception on McDavid and Draisaitl being the ones carrying the Oilers. That has been true in the past but there is excellent depth from top to bottom on this roster now. The 5.5 million dollar goalie struggled heavily this season and if not for Skinner being excellent the Oilers could have been in serious trouble. There is no slam dunk sure thing Calder winner this year.

Sean the Oilers blogger here. Common misconception on McDavid and Draisaitl being the ones carrying the Oilers. That has been true in the past but there is excellent depth from top to bottom on this roster now. The 5.5 million dollar goalie struggled heavily this season and if not for Skinner being excellent the Oilers could have been in serious trouble. There is no slam dunk sure thing Calder winner this year.
- freelancer

Depth? Misconception? Just look at the point spread on the team. Pretty damn HUGE fall off after Nuge and Hyman. Top 10 and after the top four it bottoms out. That isn't exactly depth and not being carried by the big two.

Connor McDavid
153
Leon Draisaitl
128
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
104
Zach Hyman
83
Darnell Nurse
43
Evan Bouchard
40
Mattias Ekholm
32
Nick Bjugstad
29
Evander Kane
28
Warren Foegele
28

Now better than has been sure, but still a pretty big issue that the big two ARE carrying them still a whole lot.

Not really a Kraken concern though, we get out of facing them and leave the Oilers to the Kings to have to deal with. Least for the first round there.

RIP Andy Eide

Kraken get the Avs.

No Burakovsky for Seattle. No Landeskog for the Avs.

They got home ice advantage but Kraken do play better on the road.

Teams went 1-1-1 head to head regular season. Kraken won 3-2 in Colorado, lost 2-1 at Climate Pledge, then won 3-2 in OT in Colorado.

Im going to go out on a limb here and say Seattle in 6.

RIP Andy Eide

Kraken get the Avs.

No Burakovsky for Seattle. No Landeskog for the Avs.

They got home ice advantage but Kraken do play better on the road.

Teams went 1-1-1 head to head regular season. Kraken won 3-2 in Colorado, lost 2-1 at Climate Pledge, then won 3-2 in OT in Colorado.

Im going to go out on a limb here and say Seattle in 6.
- Roadrunner75

Terrible news. Last I heard he was stable and recovering

Depth? Misconception? Just look at the point spread on the team. Pretty damn HUGE fall off after Nuge and Hyman. Top 10 and after the top four it bottoms out. That isn't exactly depth and not being carried by the big two.

Connor McDavid
153
Leon Draisaitl
128
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
104
Zach Hyman
83
Darnell Nurse
43
Evan Bouchard
40
Mattias Ekholm
32
Nick Bjugstad
29
Evander Kane
28
Warren Foegele
28

Now better than has been sure, but still a pretty big issue that the big two ARE carrying them still a whole lot.

Not really a Kraken concern though, we get out of facing them and leave the Oilers to the Kings to have to deal with. Least for the first round there.
- Roadrunner75

Also doesn't tell the full story. Kane's 28 points were in 41 games, Foegele was 28 in 67, Janmark 25 in 66, Yamamoto 25 in 58, injuries to those players certainly a factor. Each of Edmonton's main 12 forwards also have at least 10 goals on the season.

I love the depth that Seattle has shown this season and while they don't quite have an elite forward (McCann was damn close this season and Beniers is on his way). Edmonton has two players that are head and shoulders above anyone, place them on any team and they would run the show. There is an excellent mix surrounding those guys now.