Eklund: Previewing Edmonton vs Chicago. (aka: Best early round matchup.) Buzz@1

Eklund: Previewing Edmonton vs Chicago. (aka: Best 1st round matchup. Buzz@1
- Eklund

it's not round 1

It's play in round

Eklund: Previewing Edmonton vs Chicago. (aka: Best early round matchup.) Buzz@1
- Eklund

jets/flames
blue jackets/leafs
panthers/islanders
canes/rangers


those will be the 4 best matchups

it's not round 1

It's play in round
- AlfieisKing

Guessing you don't have many friends

Best early Round matchup is Leafs and Cbus...

You're totally right.

So much story from both teams in this matchup.

Are the blackhawks done done? Or will Playoff Kane + Keith return and dominate?

Can Mcdavid overcome Toews? He's been shutdown by him during the regular season games this year and has few points in the Hawks MU.

Definitely the most exciting..

For all the young talent on both teams, and the vet experience on the Hawks, I think this series could come down to Crawford. As he goes, the series goes. He's also probably the most significant player in the series who's playing for a new contract.

As an Oiler fan I fear the officiating more than the Hawks themselves. An original 6 big market team versus the small market Oilers. Last time the Oilers made the playoffs SJS and Anaheim both had a heavy bias for them that was blatant and ultimately what won Anaheim the series.

Playing against the experienced Hawks and the refs is going to be very very difficult. I think the Oilers are the better team but with coming off a long time off plus the other stuff mentioned this could go either way.

As an Oiler fan I fear the officiating more than the Hawks themselves. An original 6 big market team versus the small market Oilers. Last time the Oilers made the playoffs SJS and Anaheim both had a heavy bias for them that was blatant and ultimately what won Anaheim the series.

Playing against the experienced Hawks and the refs is going to be very very difficult. I think the Oilers are the better team but with coming off a long time off plus the other stuff mentioned this could go either way.
- Aerchon

As an Oiler fan I fear the officiating more than the Hawks themselves. An original 6 big market team versus the small market Oilers. Last time the Oilers made the playoffs SJS and Anaheim both had a heavy bias for them that was blatant and ultimately what won Anaheim the series.

Playing against the experienced Hawks and the refs is going to be very very difficult. I think the Oilers are the better team but with coming off a long time off plus the other stuff mentioned this could go either way.
- Aerchon

You sir are High ...

You picked the Blackhawks to win their Division?
Were you high?

The Edmonton Oilers to be huge step forward this year,

An odd way to start a new paragraph.

Also, did you really watch all 3 games today to prepare for this article? Like you really sat down and watched 180 minutes of game action. That's dedication!!

Also, Crawford's .917 actually was pretty great. That ranks him 15th in the NHL. Once you remove some back-ups who played a smaller sample size, Crawford's save percentage is top 10 in the NHL this season. Lehner's time with the Hawks was .918, so basically identical. While his GAA at 2.77 looks mediocre, he was lit up a few times earlier in the year. From January 1 until the season paused, his GAA was 2.35 and his SV% was .930. Yet you labelled his year as being not that great?? Did you really watch the games??

jets/flames
blue jackets/leafs
panthers/islanders
canes/rangers


those will be the 4 best matchups
- homiedclown

Boooooooring

Ek, did you look up any of this info, or just go off gut feeling?

The Hawks are an overall younger team than the Oilers.

Over the last four weeks of the season, the Hawks were 7-9, over the last three weeks they were 6-6. Doesn't look like they were playing all that well (they weren't).

The Hawks have:
Toews, Kane, Keith, Crawford, Saad, Maatta, and Seabrook (will not play) as guys with a lot of playoff exp. Virtually everyone else on the team is largely untested. Not to mention they have a different coach.

If you want to say that it is the "best series" because there will likely be a lot of scoring and there are some big names, then sure. Based on the season, it will not really be great hockey.

An odd way to start a new paragraph.

Also, did you really watch all 3 games today to prepare for this article? Like you really sat down and watched 180 minutes of game action. That's dedication!!

Also, Crawford's .917 actually was pretty great. That ranks him 15th in the NHL. Once you remove some back-ups who played a smaller sample size, Crawford's save percentage is top 10 in the NHL this season. Lehner's time with the Hawks was .918, so basically identical. While his GAA at 2.77 looks mediocre, he was lit up a few times earlier in the year. From January 1 until the season paused, his GAA was 2.35 and his SV% was .930. Yet you labelled his year as being not that great?? Did you really watch the games??
- Kooleus

The Hawks are not a good team right now. They have some up and comers and some good prospects (and obviously some really good "stars"), but are far from a finished product. There is a reason that they would have been picking top ten under normal circumstances.

Crawford is a very good goalie. The Hawks give up a ton of shots and opportunities. Both he and Lehner kept the Hawks in most games this year. I'm not quite sure the point I'm trying to make here, but I just feel the need to keep spouting off today...

I watched some of the Hawks games this year, they weren't good. But, they weren't the trainwreck they've been, either. I've also seen quite a few Edmonton games and they are clearly the better team.

The only leveling factor is that no one has played for three months, so this round is prime for serious upsets. Imaging the Hawks winning this series, when it was highly probable that they wouldn't make the playoffs in a non-COVID world. Fans will implode.

So Toews had a good "rebound" season after having career highs last year.....

You're not good at this.

The Hawks are not a good team right now. They have some up and comers and some good prospects (and obviously some really good "stars"), but are far from a finished product. There is a reason that they would have been picking top ten under normal circumstances.

Crawford is a very good goalie. The Hawks give up a ton of shots and opportunities. Both he and Lehner kept the Hawks in most games this year. I'm not quite sure the point I'm trying to make here, but I just feel the need to keep spouting off today...
- Chunk

I agree. Both Crawford and Lehner played great this year. So Ek's argument about Crawford not looking too great is an awful take.

How would that be the best early match up when Chicago have no right (other than being a huge TV market) to even be there?

Hawks were nowhere near the playoffs and the Oilers were getting out shot 2:1 and 3:1 in the final games before the shutdown

This idea that these teams are juggernauts or something is ridiculous media hype...Oilers had a ridiculously good power play that kept them in it and that is all. 5 on 5 they were still one of the worst teams in the league. Hawks were just a run of the mill non-playoff team

Hawks are a solid team, I’ll take Edmonton in 5 (better coaching)

Hawks were nowhere near the playoffs and the Oilers were getting out shot 2:1 and 3:1 in the final games before the shutdown

This idea that these teams are juggernauts or something is ridiculous media hype...Oilers had a ridiculously good power play that kept them in it and that is all. 5 on 5 they were still one of the worst teams in the league. Hawks were just a run of the mill non-playoff team
- flashfire

It's the "best" matchup for people who like big names and potentially lots of scoring and skill. Not a lot of good team hockey or defense per se. I think it's a silly statement, but some people like that.

Bottom line. Connor McDavid and Patrick Kane. 2 of the best and most exciting players in the League. These 2 alone makes me want to watch. Will it be a great series probably not. Will McDavid and Kane each put on a show, Yes!

Hawks in 4

I think their PK(which kept getting better this season) is able to contain the Oilers PP, as long as that’s the case the Hawks should be okay. CHI is the better team 5v5 and still have a few key pieces with playoff experience. Also getting de Haan back will be a big boost to the depth on the blue line.

Living here in Chicago would LOVE to see them advance. Their blueline is old as dirt. The new guys are inexperienced in playoffs and in tight games. I'm nervous yet anxious as hell to get this series going...