Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL preseason match.
How have the Vancouver Canucks handled their neighbours in recent regular seasons, and what have the Edmonton Oilers become — they nearly clinched the Stanley Cup? Now it's the Canucks' turn to brace for an incoming drubbing.
Edmonton Oilers
The Stanley Cup finalists have so far had a positive preseason record — two hard-fought victories (one via shootout) and one defeat. In the shootout victory against the Winnipeg Jets (3:2), the Edmonton Oilers played without their main roster. In their narrow win within 60 minutes against the Seattle Kraken (5:4), Kris Knoblauch added prospects and AHL players to the defence, along with Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman, Corey Perry, and captain Connor McDavid in the attack.
Vancouver Canucks
Throughout the offseason, the main focus on the Canucks has been their goaltending conundrum. Thatcher Demko's injury is very serious, leaving Rick Tocchet with four goaltenders, all lacking significant NHL experience. Arturs Silovs excelled in leading the team to the second round of last season’s Stanley Cup, where they faced the Edmonton Oilers. Keeping the Latvian as the first-choice goalie might seem logical, though his regular-season experience is less extensive than in the playoffs. Essentially, the Canucks' goals-against total will depend on their goaltenders' mood, as none of them have shown consistent stability. Arturs Silovs conceded one goal and maintained a 0.947 save percentage in his first preseason game against the Seattle Kraken, but allowed four out of 20 shots (0.833) past him in the recent game against the Calgary Flames, leading to a team loss.
Edmonton Oilers vs Vancouver Canucks Prediction
We don't see reliability in the Vancouver Canucks' goaltending, while the Edmonton Oilers boast the most devastating top line, and there's a considerable chance they will feature. Regardless, playing in front of their fans provides the Oilers with extra motivation. We’re backing the Edmonton Oilers to win.
