Can Vancouver Slow Down McDavid, Edmonton Without Demko?
Canucks vs Oilers Series Preview: Edmonton -260 Series Favorite
The Vancouver Canucks overcame an injury to their Vezina-contending goaltender to get through the first round of the Western Conference NHL playoffs. The next order of business will be far more difficult, as Edmonton Oilers await in the conference semifinals. Led by superstar Connor McDavid, the Oilers boast one of the league’s most potent offenses.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is slated for Wednesday (10 p.m., ESPN/ESPN+) at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
All expectations are that the Oilers will keep rolling. Edmonton is a -260 favorite to win the series, with Vancouver priced +260. Oddsmakers see a six-game series as the likeliest outcome (+205), with seven games also a strong possibility (+240).
Who has the edge? Read on as we break down both teams in our Canucks vs Oilers series preview.Â
Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers 
Day/Time:
Location: Rogers Arena in Vancouver
Streaming: ESPN/ESPN+
Oilers vs Canucks Betting Trends
The Edmonton Oilers went 38-44 during the regular season, including just 15-26 away from home. Most of Edmonton’s games trended toward the Under, as the Oilers went 37-43-2 against the Over/Under. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks went 41-41 ATS, including 21-20 at home. As for the Over/Under, the Canucks were 42-37-3.
That is important to remember when assessing the odds in our Canucks vs Oilers series preview.Â
It’s Cup or Bust for Edmonton
Edmonton made quick work of Los Angeles, beating the Kings in five games to advance through the first round for the third straight season. The Oilers displayed their offensive might, scoring 22 goals in the series to overwhelm the Kings. Their 4.4 goals per game rank second in the postseason.
Zach Hyman (7g, 1a) and Leon Draisaitl (5g, 5a) accounted for much of the goal scoring, while Connor McDavid remains their biggest offensive catalyst. On the heels of another outstanding season, the three-time Hart Trophy winner had a team-high 12 points (1g, 11a) in the series. ‘
McDavid, for all his brilliance, has yet to carry Edmonton past the Western Conference finals. Much of that has been the product of poor goaltending. But the pressure remains on McDavid to get the job done as Edmonton turns its attention to the Pacific Division champions.
This season began inauspiciously, with Kris Knoblauch taking over coaching duties from Jay Woodcroft following a dismal 3-9-1 start. The Oilers, however, quickly turned the corner and re-established themselves as one of the favorites. They went 30-9 in their first 39 games with Knoblauch behind the bench and finished 49-27-6. Their 104 points were fifth most in the West.
Despite questions in goal surrounding Stuart Skinner, Edmonton remains the +180 West favorites. The Oilers also have the second shortest Stanley Cup NHL odds at +450, behind only Florida (+425).
Demko’s Absence Still Looms Large
No Thatcher Demko, no problem? The Canucks overcame an injury to their All-Star goaltender to outlast Nashville in six games in the opening round. After Demko won Game 1, backups Casey DeSmith and Arturs Silovs combined to get Vancouver through the rest of the series.
Despite shuffling through three different starters, the Canucks posted a 2.00 goals against-average and had the second best save percentage (.926) of any team, behind only Boston (.944). Silovs had a shutout in the 1-0 clincher in Game 6, stopping all 28 shots he faced.
As Vancouver shifts its focus to high-scoring Edmonton, Silovs seems like the logical choice to get the majority of starts. The Latvian netminder notched a 1.70 GAA in the final three games of last series after unexpectedly replacing DeSmith.
Demko, meanwhile, has already been ruled out for the next round. The Vezina Trophy finalist — who is week-to-week with a knee injury — was 35-14-2 with a 2.45 GAA and .918 save percentage during the regular season.
While DeSmith and Silovs have filled in admirably, Demko’s injury has dimmed the Canucks’ outlook. The Canucks (50-23-9, 109 points) are the biggest longshots remaining, priced +650 to win the West and +1800 to win the Stanley Cup.
Vancouver may not boast as much offensive firepower as Edmonton. However, the Canucks still have a few formidable pieces, including Brock Boeser (4g, 2a) and J.T. Miller (1g, 5a). Improving on their power play (15.4%) will be key. Be sure to keep that in mind when making your NHL picks and parlays.Â
Handicapping the Series
With Demko still sidelined, Vancouver’s fate is largely tied to Silovs, a 2019 sixth-round pick with only nine regular-season starts under his belt. Silovs played well against Nashville, but now the stakes are raised. Edmonton is on a different level offensively, especially with a healthy McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman.
Vancouver has been formidable at home (27-9-5), which bodes well given its home-ice advantage. But unless Demko magically returns this series — again, all indications are, he will not — the Canucks’ injury issues seem bound to catch up to them.
The Oilers are far too skilled offensively to be held down by Vancouver. This is where their offensive depth takes over. In our Canucks vs Oilers series preview, look for Edmonton to coast past undermanned Vancouver en route to the West finals.
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