Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
A lot of the prognosticators this offseason kind of overlooked the fact that the Oilers record last season was buoyed by a historic powerplay. If we have learned anything over the years it's that a historic season is usually followed by a return the the mean. Clearly the goaltending is worse this season and McDavid hasn't been healthy but the powerplay is also way down and that's a big problem for them and it's hard to imagine they can get back to their 2nd half form from last season without their powerplay humming along at historic levels again.
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Last year was their year.
Three players scoring over 100 points each, with their top-scorer flirting with 2.0 pts/GP for the first time since 1996. Six of their top-seven scorers registered career seasons, and they were playing in front of a goalie who caught lightning in a bottle, all to go along with the first power play to crest 30% in over 40 years.
They needed all that just to make the playoffs and to win a round. The Oilers are never going to see a season like last year ever again. THAT was the high-water mark.