Oilers Should Outrun Father Time to Win Final Prize

For the second consecutive yr, the Edmonton Oilers rank because the oldest roster within the NHL. That is not altogether shocking, because the crew has acquired a number of veterans in an effort to win within the playoffs. This does not go away a lot room for children on the roster. What’s much less clear is whether or not that is a great factor or not.

Final yr, as per Elite Prospects, the Oilers had been narrowly forward of the Dallas Stars, with a median age of 29.40, in comparison with 29.24. With the losses of Ryan McLeod, Dylan Holloway, and Philip Broberg, the crew’s common age is method up at 30.27.

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That makes them not solely the oldest crew within the league this yr, however the oldest because the 2008-09 Detroit Red Wings. In actual fact, within the wage cap period, solely these late-2000s Purple Wings even rise up above 30. It is absolutely not a coincidence that each the present Oilers and late-dynasty Purple Wings had been constructed by Ken Holland.

These Purple Wings function a optimistic instance for the Oilers. From 2005-06 to 2011-12, they had been a drive within the Western Convention. They put up 100 factors yearly and made back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, profitable the cup in 2008. Scotty Bowman, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg had been important to the success the crew had within the 90’s and early 2000’s.

In fact, it helps that their oldest participant was additionally their finest. Nicklas Lidstrom received 4 Norris Trophies throughout this era, from age 35 to 41. You may get away with an outdated roster when a kind of outdated guys is a top-three defenceman of all time.

The remainder of the greybeards on the roster had been backside of the lineup grinders who had received Cups with the crew (or within the case of Brian Rafalski, with the Devils) within the 90s. The true offensive engine of the crew was made up of late-prime stars like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Johan Franzen.

It is also price noting that the youngest of those Purple Wings groups was the one which received the Stanley Cup, whereas the oldest roster misplaced to the younger Penguins the following season.

The Oilers are outdated in a lot the identical method, with one large exception. As in all issues, the good separator in Edmonton is the dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Whereas a lot of the roster is over 30, the 28-year-old McDavid and the 29-year-old Draisaitl are by far the crew’s most vital gamers.

Amazingly, they’re the second-and-third youngest forwards projected to make the opening evening roster. Whereas the crew would not have a Lidstrom, their Datsyuk and Zetterberg comparables are a lot, significantly better.

We have spent a lot time on these Purple Wings groups as a result of the opposite examples of outdated groups are, effectively, not nice. What do you keep in mind in regards to the New Jersey Devils from 2012-13 to 2014-15? What in regards to the 2019-20 Purple Wings? Do the 2016-17 Kings get you excited?

Because the Lidstrom Wings, many of the league’s oldest groups have been middling groups with no route like these Devils and up to date Wings. Or these groups are clearly on the downslope on the finish of a championship window like these Kings, or the newer Penguins and Lightning. Flags fly perpetually, so these groups cannot be too upset, however the Oilers have not received the Cup but.

Meaning this crew in all probability would not have many extra pictures on the Cup with out large adjustments on the horizon, and that this coming season is extraordinarily vital. If they can not replicate the turnaround of the 2010s Penguins (2012-13’s second-oldest crew), they’re going to must channel the 2008 Purple Wings to completely ship on their promise.

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