I'm a Vancouverite...ish. Born and raised in the Lower Mainland in British Columbia I have been bred a Canucks fan and have followed them even before I was seriously interested in the NHL as a whole. I remember the excitement in the room of massive viewing parties watching the '94 series. I remember the heartbreak of defeat by inches. I relished in the disproportionate speed and skill of their top line playing NHL '93 on my SEGA Genesis. After the 2011 cup series and final I understand why, outside our arena, we have a statue of a coach raising the white flag on a hockey stick.
But something is happening inside me. I'm getting excited for the Oilers to dominate the league like they did in the 80's. Sure, people have been saying this for years, but it's different now. The biggest change isn't even the prospect of having Connor McDavid as their fourth 1st overall pick in the last six years. They've had great talent for several years now. No, it's not who they drafted, It's who is running the organization.
First the owners hired Bob Nicholson as CEO who hired Peter Chiarelli as president and GM who hired Todd McLellan as coach. These are all Hockey Canada guys and have experience selecting, developing, building, and coaching a team to win championships. They have already made moves to fill deep holes and make space on their roster for their burgeoning talent. The biggest acquisition in my books is obtaining Cam Talbot from the Rangers as a legit number one starting goaltender. Nabbing some defensemen like Sekera from L.A. to bolster their back end was helpful and they need a legit number one defender to win a cup, but no one is expecting them to do that for a couple of years.
What is expected is that they start to win and make the playoffs. It's possible, they don't get in this year, but that would be a disappointment. Who is actually going to challenge their team for a playoff spot now? As a Canuck fan in the Pacific Division, I'm worried. The Ducks and Kings seem like they should make it this year which means there is only one other spot left aside from wildcards. That last spot could just as easily go to the Flames over the Canucks and only if the Oilers don't crush them both. The way RNH and Eberlie were clicking at the end of last season to win games is scary when you think that they did it without Taylor Hall, a legit goalie, defence, or "The Next One" Connor McDavid. And if you don't know who McDavid is or don't believe the hype, consider that many scouts who were around the year Crosby was drafted say that McDavid would have been ahead of him on their list of top prospects.
All this to say...as a guy who follows the NHL it's hard not to get excited.
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