From joke to serious Stanley Cup threat: How did the Edmonton Oilers get here?

The Edmonton Oilers are playing like a team that no one should have doubted. But let’s be honest, throughout the season, there was plenty of doubt.

When the Oilers lost 13 of 15 games between Dec. 3, 2021 and Jan. 20, 2022, it seemed like this was a team that might not even make the playoffs. Sure, it had two of the best players in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but the slump seemed to be proof that the supporting cast wasn’t good enough. The mood in Edmonton at the time, like the weather, was frosty and bitter. As McDavid and Draisaitl sparred with media members over the incessant questioning after every loss, a berth in the Western Conference Finals was just a far-fetched dream.

So how did we get here?

It’s too easy to say that the Oilers have reached Round 3 of the playoffs simply because of McDavid. After the second-round Oilers’ victory, Calgary Flames head coach Daryl Sutter was asked if the best team won the series. His reply: “The best player won the series.” Yes, McDavid was spectacular (as was Draisaitl), and he probably deserves singular credit for a win or two, but hockey is too much of a team game for one or two players to achieve anything alone. 

The real answer is that the Oilers have received contributions from a whole bunch of individuals who were doubted at one time or another during the season. Go back to that dark time in January, when the consensus was that the Oilers needed, among other things, a new coach, a new goalie and more offensive support for their two all-world first liners.

General manager Ken Holland went out and addressed two of those three things immediately. First, he fired coach Dave Tippett and replaced him with Jay Woodcroft. Holland then signed Evander Kane following the San Jose Sharks’ termination of Kane’s contract, going against all of the pundits who said not to touch Kane after his rocky tenure in each of Winnipeg, Buffalo and San Jose. As for the goalie, Holland certainly made some inquiries, but he ultimately put his faith in the abilities, and health, of then-39, now 40-year-old Mike Smith.

All those decisions were met with criticism. Woodcroft was too inexperienced as a head coach, Kane was going to ruin the dressing room and relying on Mike Smith to recover from injuries instead of acquiring a new goalie was sure to bury the team.

It turns out Holland was right on all three of his bets. Woodcroft has shown to have a great handle on his players (not to mention the media), Kane has fit like a glove and leads the NHL in playoff goals with 12 in 12 games and Smith has backstopped his team to eight wins and two series victories. He has had some jaw-droppingly shaky moments for sure, but you expect a little of that with Mike Smith. The bottom line is that he outplayed former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick in Round 1 and current Vezina Trophy finalist Jacob Markstrom in Round 2 to earn the series wins. Smith looks to be playing better than his next series matchup, Darcy Kuemper of the Colorado Avalanche.

Some other moves that were criticized in the moment have also paid off for the Oilers. Zach Hyman was widely considered to be one of the top free agents available this past offseason, but most teams were wary of the long term that Hyman wanted, given that he was on the cusp of turning 30. So what, said the Oilers, and promptly signed him to a seven-year, $38.5 million deal. It was reminiscent of the eight-year, $41 million deal they had just given Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who was also flirting with 30 years old. Those deals may not look as good in a few years, but at the moment, they look just fine, thank you very much.

Hyman had a career year statistically during the regular season and has followed that up with eight goals in 12 playoff games. "The Nuge" has chipped in 11 points in 12 games. More importantly, their contributions can’t only be measured by their goals and assists. They have for the most part been matched up against the top lines of the Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames and have kept them very much in check. Hyman in particular has been a noticeable difference-maker, a spark plug who never quits on pucks and brings the kind of energy and effort that rubs off on teammates. He’s a playoff-style performer in every way.    

Then there’s the play of 38-year-old defenseman Duncan Keith. Many thought he was done as a player after his standout career with the Chicago Blackhawks and wondered why Edmonton would trade for him. To raise more doubt, Keith started the season with drama over vaccination protocols, and it just seemed like he would be nothing but trouble for the Oilers. Fast forward six months and those doubts have been erased. With his leadership, steady defensive play and first-pass proficiency, no one is questioning the Duncan Keith trade now.

Think about the other Oilers that we’ve heard doubts about at one time or another. Jesse Puljujarvi is going to be a high-draft-pick bust. Tyson Barrie can’t play defense in his own end. Darnell Nurse isn’t worth $9.25 million. Nobody wants Cody Ceci back. Zack Kassian is going to wash out of the league. Warren Foegele couldn’t make the expansion cut in Carolina. Sound familiar? Almost everyone on the roster seems to have faced criticism at some point and now has something to prove.

It’s never easy to play against someone with a chip on his shoulder, so when a whole group of guys have chips, look out. Not that anyone needs extra motivation in the playoffs, but you can’t underestimate the power of those feelings in a group of guys bonded together with a common goal. And of course it doesn’t hurt to be led by two generational talents.

Note to the Colorado Avalanche. Doubt the Oilers at your peril.