Oilers fans dig up study showing they had a massive disadvantage in Cup final
In a bid to find an explanatory excuse beyond the simple fact that their team wasn't good enough, some Oilers fans are pointing to a recent study by Hockey Stathead.
According to the study, this year's Edmonton Oilers faced the fourth toughest path to the Cup Final in NHL history. They went through a gauntlet of teams across four playoff rounds, with the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Dallas Stars, and Florida Panthers all being rated as extremely difficult matchups. The study claims it was historically tough, especially in the final two rounds.
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Laughably, some fans suggest that these challenging matchups were a significant disadvantage, wearing down the Oilers players. They point out that by the final games of the Cup Final, many Oilers players were visibly far from fully healthy. This theory seems desperate to justify why their team fell short.
Fans are hopeful that the Oilers will focus on consistency in the upcoming regular season. They aim for a higher finish in the standings to secure a supposedly easier playoff path. Currently favoured to win the President's Trophy, the idea is that home-ice advantage and a less daunting playoff schedule might make a difference.
Despite the amusing over-reliance on statistics to explain their shortcomings, Oilers fans believe that with another year of experience, motivation, and building championship habits, their team can return to the Cup Final next year and complete the job.
| POLL | ||
Do you really believe that the Oilers were disadavantaged by their route to the Stanley Cup Finale? | ||
| YEs | 102 | 17.4 % |
| No | 485 | 82.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
