You can say what you want about the NHL’s current Stanley Cup playoff format, but it ignited the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings’ rivalry.
The ultimate goal of the current division-based playoff format is creating and improving rivalries between teams. In the Atlantic Division, the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs will likely battle their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators, and in the Central Division, the Dallas Stars will square off against the Colorado Avalanche. There’s plenty of history in both of those likely series, and emotions will be high right off the hop.
But what the Oilers and Kings have developed out of three straight years of first-round meetings is perhaps the best example of the format in action. They’re going at it once again in the first round of this post-season, and as we saw Monday night in the final regular-season game between the two clubs, there’s already no shortage of ill will between the Oilers and Kings.
Although Monday’s game featured an Oilers team with a handful of players sitting out – including star forwards Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman – there was no shortage of chippiness and flat-out hatred between Edmonton and Los Angeles.
Both sides spoke out during and after the game about the rivalry – including Kings center Phillip Danault, who talked about Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse cross-checking Kings center Quinton Byfield in the back of the head. Nurse was ejected from the game and may face supplemental discipline, but anger over the hit on Byfield clearly lingered with Danault.
“I think they just have their B squad in trying to hurt us,” Danault said on the Kings’ broadcast during the intermission.
For his part, Oilers right winger Corey Perry was incredulous after the game when told of Danault’s comments.
“What the f—?” Perry said to reporters. “Did he not look at what’s happened over the last couple weeks? Like, what do you want us to do? We’re not out there to hurt anybody.”
Edmonton left winger Connor Brown also discussed the bad blood between the two teams – and specifically, about Danault clashing with him during Monday’s game.
“I’m not really interested in getting into a media war with Danault,” Brown said. “He took a run at me. I took a run at him. I don’t really have anything to say.”
There’s every reason to believe tensions will be sky-high when the two teams go head-to-head in the next week. There’s a difference this time around in that the Kings have earned home-ice advantage, but otherwise, this is going to be a battle between teams that have developed a healthy hate for each other.
That’s the whole point of the NHL’s playoff format. This isn’t to say that a different format could also create and develop rivalries, but there’s no doubt the current format is working in that regard.
The Oilers have won the previous three playoff series between the teams, but many people – this writer included – believe the result could be different this year. The Kings have the league’s best home record at 31-5-4, while the Oilers’ road record is 22-16-2 – not subpar but not intimidating, either. So Edmonton could be considered the underdog in this series, especially because key Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm will be out of action for at least the first round.
There’s no question that the emotions between the two teams are already at a fever pitch, and it won’t take much for those emotions to boil over. It’s going to be high drama between the Oilers and Kings, and because of that – and regardless of who wins – the NHL will consider that a tremendous success.
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