The Edmonton Oilers roster that played during Game 7 last year thinks it could have been different
Photo credit: Imagn Images
The Edmonton Oilers are locked in a battle for first place in the Pacific Division and according to team broadcaster Jack Michaels, securing home ice advantage is now a major priority.
After falling just short of a historic Stanley Cup comeback last season, the Oilers are thinking on what could have been if Game 7 had been played at Rogers Place instead of Florida.
Michaels noted on the 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast that the team believes home ice might have put the favor on their side and then completed the comeback.
"I do sense there is a higher degree of importance placed on where they finish. I think it's on the back of everyone's mind that, had Game 7 been played in Edmonton's venue as opposed to South Florida, there may have been a different outcome."
- Jack Michaels
- Jack Michaels
The numbers support this mindset since the Oilers went 8-4 at home during last year's playoffs and dropped just one game per series at Rogers Place.
With one of the NHL's loudest fanbases and a roster led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, their home-ice advantage is undeniable and could have changed the result of Game 7.
McDavid himself acknowledged the importance during the Cup Final by famously saying they needed to «drag the Panthers back to Alberta.»
Now, with the Oilers tied atop the division with Vegas but with a game in hand, every point down the stretch will be crucial.
If they can clinch the first rank and then have the home-ice advantage, the path to finishing what they started last season could be much easier.
As it stands, the top objective moving forward for the Oilers is securing as much postseason home advantage as possible.
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