Surprise Statement: Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Hopes Officially Down The Drain

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Ryan Hall
November 17, 2023 (10:07)

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It's remarkable how a short period in an NHL season can impact your chances of winning the Stanley Cup. This effect is evident in teams making the playoffs. Some teams can recover and go on winning streaks that counteract terrible starts, while others cannot recover, and their entire season goes down the drain.

Even though it's still early in the season, the Edmonton Oilers' start has been one of the worst in franchise history. It seems the team is unable to get out of this jam and looks virtually paralyzed in their style of play.

The team, along with management and ownership, had high hopes for this season and expected the team to have an easy season and make it to the postseason.

According to Lights Out Hockey, the Oilers were initially considered a cup favourite for third place before the terrible start, but they have now dropped to 12th overall in the league.

There are indications over the last several games that the Oilers may have turned a corner under new coach Kris Knoblauch and assistant coach Paul Coffey, who are making changes and scheme adjustments to reflect the team's style. Time will tell if this is a blip in their game and will go back to their losing ways or if this is their moment to turn it around and show their fans this was a one-off.

They have secured three consecutive wins and are set to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 18th, with the game scheduled to start at 4:00 PM Eastern Time.