The Edmonton Oilers made some wonderful progress on their journey up the NHL standings last season. They gained 33 points, climbing from 29th to eighth in the span of a year. They not only made the playoffs, but won one round and pushed a second to seven games. It was a tremendously successful campaign.
It was also a campaign which established a benchmark for the Oilers to meet and try to surpass. With the core they have in place, there’s every reason to expect this team to contend for a Stanley Cup in the immediate future.
Ideally it would make that final ascent this year, before Connor McDavid’s new contract kicks in and the salary cap becomes a real concern rather than a minor irritant.
Oilers lean on youth as they try to surpass last season’s breakthrough
