At this point last year, it felt like a natural conclusion that the Edmonton Oilers would pass the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
At this point two years ago, I felt that way too. At this time, three years ago, you can earn points.
But I feel that things are different this spring. The Oilers endure uneven seasons and have serious cracks on their roster, but the Kings were one of the most consistent outfits in the NHL this season.
If the Kings avoid being eliminated by Edmonton in their fourth year running, they will have to get off on their right foot in Game 1 on Monday night.
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Oilers vs Kings Game 1 Bet Preview
One of the main criticisms of the Oilers over the past few seasons is that the team has relied too much on Conor McDavid and Leon Dry Sightle, and their lack of depth prevents them from winning the Stanley Cup.
Edmonton solved that problem last season and reached the in-game in which Lord Stanley was engulfed, but the turbulent offseason brought the Oilers closer to all sides when it got deeper.
Jeff Skinner, Victor Irvidson, Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen struggled to replicate what Edmonton had lost in advance when Warren Foguere, Ryan McLeod and Dylan Holloway left.
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Another common criticism of the Oilers was that their goaltending was simply not enough. Jeff Skinner had a strong postseason between 2023 and 24, but he’s below average this season and the Oilers don’t have a great option behind him.
Calvin Picard can work in a pinch, but it’s not ideal to ask for more.
Oilers vs Kings Game 1 Pick
The Edmonton camp has more questions than answers, but the king is against it.
Los Angeles is not only one of the best defensive teams in the NHL, but also one of the deepest teams. The King also has a big advantage in the goals that comes with Darcy Couenper, who is having a great season in Hollywood.
There is always a chance that McDavid and Draisaitl will destroy the game, but that is Edmonton’s only viable path to success in this game and the series.
The Kings bandwagon has plenty of space left for Game 1 and beyond.
Play: Kings-120 (betmgm)
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Michael Lubov is a patient and abundant islander fan, but is a long-time for-profit sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters acquire a pool of brackets, find long shots, and learn how to win the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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