NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks (Picture Credits: Imagn)
The Edmonton Oilers were too close to winning their first Stanley Cup since 1990 last season but instead suffered a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers.
They have their sights set on a similar performance this season and are hoping for a happier ending this time around. All thanks to their multiple battles against divisional opponents both in the regular season and postseason.
Both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton’s top two players, had different answers when asked about their biggest rivals during a recent NHL media event. McDavid named the Los Angeles Kings, while Draisaitl identified the Vancouver Canucks as their biggest opponent.
“Probably L.A., the Kings,” McDavid answered.”
Rival? Vancouver,” Draisaitl answered.
Rivalries renewed? 🤔
We asked some NHL players who they think their biggest team rival will be this season: pic.twitter.com/3gTrxBNSRE
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 9, 2024
Speaking of the Kings, Los Angeles defenseman Quinton Byfield was asked the same question and named Edmonton as their biggest rival due to the Oilers having eliminated them from the postseason three times in a row.
“Probably Edmonton again,” he said with a smile. “They beat us three times, so we gotta beat them.”The Oilers defeated both the Kings and Canucks on their way to the Stanley Cup Final last season
As previously stated, the Oilers took on the Kings in the postseason for the third straight year this past spring; the matchup again resulted in an Oilers victory to advance to the second round.
This year, the Oilers moved on and took on the Vancouver Canucks for the first time in a postseason series since 1992. Edmonton would emerge victorious and advance to the Western Conference Final thanks to a thrilling seven-game win.
Edmonton will face Vancouver for the first time since their Game 7 postseason victory on November 9 at Rogers Arena in downtown Vancouver, while they’ll have to wait until December 28 to take on the Kings. The game will be played at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
Speaking of Canadian rivals, the Oilers were unable to get past one of them in Wednesday’s regular-season opener. They were defeated by the Winnipeg Jets (6-0 final score) at Rogers Place. While it isn’t the start to the year Edmonton envisioned, it was only the first of another 81 opportunities in 2024-25.
