Quote:
Originally Posted by EddyBeers
I said the Oilers were a 7-11 team. They currently are 1 point out of 11th with a two games in hand on the 12th and 11th place teams. Winning percentage in the West has the Oilers tied for 10th. The Oilers have a fairly easy schedule left, particularly in the next 14 games. I suspect the last 5 games of the year will kill their playoff chances, but I would not be surprised to see them right in the thick of things at the 43 game mark given the weak schedule they have in those 14 games (Flames 3 times, Preds, Blue Jackets, Avs). I could easily see them going 8-5-1 over that stretch, only to go 2-3 down the stretch to miss the playoffs.
Flames have a more difficult schedule, more road games and have shown absolutely no ability to fight through adversity, all of which is different from the Oilers this year. If the Flames started a 9 game road trip 1-4-2 you can bet they would finish that road trip 1-6-2. I think people are going to be disturbingly surprised at the end of the year as to where the Oilers finish. They have fought through a number of injuries, a tougher schedule and are still in the race. I thought that 9 game road trip would kill them, I really thought it would when they went 1-4-2 over the first 7 and had Chicago for game 8, but they seem to be resilient this year, not to the point of making the playoffs in my opinion, but still a legitimate bubble team.
|
Hahaha, actually only for Edmonton would the 3 games against the Flames NOT be considered weak.
If you can trust the Flames to show up for any games in the remainder of the season it will be those. They'll likely yet again take the series 3-1, or even a sweep, just to put a damper on the spirits of the oilers and their fans that will (once again) get too ahead of themselves like they do year in, year out... etc etc.