The Edmonton Oilers’ playoff journey provided critical lessons for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they aim to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993.
While it’s unfortunate that the Oilers didn’t win, they had an impressive season and playoffs, offering valuable insights for the Maple Leafs, who have a similarly talented roster.
The Oilers’ incredible effort to push the series to Game 7 after trailing 3-0, against the league’s best defensive team and a battle-hardened Florida Panthers squad, was nothing short of miraculous.
Despite their hard work, three key mistakes prevented the Oilers from completing their comeback. These errors offer important lessons for the Leafs as they prepare for a long playoff run next season.
Lesson #1: Lack of Depth
Coach Kris Knoblauch relied heavily on top players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, often playing them together with Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, and Mattias Ekholm. This strategy played into the hands of Paul Maurice, who could easily counter with Sasha Barkov.
In hindsight, splitting McDavid and Draisaitl would have complicated things for Maurice, but the Oilers lacked reliable wingers for Draisaitl. If McDavid was paired with Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, there weren’t top-tier wingers left for Draisaitl.
For the Maple Leafs, this highlights a similar mistake by former coach Sheldon Keefe, who often paired Auston Matthews with Mitch Marner and William Nylander, making it easier for opponents to defend against one line.
Going forward, the Leafs should focus on distributing scoring across at least two lines, similar to the Panthers, to disrupt opposing teams’ strategies.
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