Quote:
Originally Posted by ThisIsAnOutrage
My Guess is Flames in 6.
I did the math and Connor McDavid is in on a ridiculous 40.7% of all Oilers' goals. A one-man offense just isn't going to carry a team to the second round.
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I agree - over a series, it will be hard for McDavid to carry the team solo. Teams start to work each other out. McDavid already plays over 21 minutes a game, and if the other lines cannot produce meaningful offence, or games go into OT, does he play 25+ minutes? And then how does that impact him over a long series with a physical dimension?
The key matchup will be how the Backlund line handles McDavid's line.
I take the Flames over Oilers on the other 3 lines, and I like the Flames defence better.
Both teams have good goalies in good form, but both have question marks IMO: Talbot = workload, Elliott = sustaining late season form or regressing
The Oilers in a way remind me of those 1 round and done flames teams pre-rebuild. They rely heavily on two players: 1 elite forward who is relied on for scoring (McDavid/Iginla), 1 top starting goalie with a huge workload (Talbot/Kipper).
Outside of that line and the goalie playing well - how many games do they win against opposition that plays well if one of those two doesn't steal it?