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It’s been a roller-coaster season for the Oilers, who started the campaign among the Stanley Cup favorites and ran out to a 16-5 start — then dropped 11 of their next 13.
Now, Edmonton has reached the All-Star break with wins in five of the last six games to move within three points of the second wild-card spot.
The Oilers have overcome some poor goaltending in large part thanks to their offensive powerhouses — and their two highest-paid stars — Connor McDavid ($12.5M, also No. 1 in NHL) and Leon Draisaitl ($8.5M).
- Draisaitl is second in the league in scoring (63 points), and McDavid is tied for third (60) — but Edmonton has only a +4 goal differential.
- Last week, Edmonton signed controversial forward Evander Kane to a one-year, $1.4 million contract to bolster the front end; in three games, he has two goals and an assist.
- The Oilers’ goaltending (Mike Smith, Mikko Koskinen, and Stuart Skinner) ranks 25th in save percentage (.898) and 23rd in goals-against average (3.24).
The Oilers opened the season with the eighth-best odds (+2,000*) to win their first Cup since 1990.
Though they’re currently 15th (+4,500*), they’re finally trending upward, could add a goalie before the trade deadline, and have played four fewer games than the Pacific-leading Golden Knights — who they trail by just eight points.
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