When the Carolina Hurricanes celebrated with the Stanley Cup, did you notice that somewhere between the hugs, the champagne and the endless shots of Rod Brind’Amour hoisting the most prized trophy in sports, Carolina had something Edmonton didn’t?
Besides the cup, oobviously.
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Carolina had just climbed to the top of the totem pole without possessing the kind of individual talent that usually dominates social media posts, magazine covers and debates over who the best player in the world happens to be.
They didn’t have Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, or anyone as close to that level of talent.
And yet there they were, the last team standing.
That fact is both encouraging and instructive for the Edmonton Oilers.
Fans in Edmonton are fortunate enough to watch two generational talents every night, but here has always been something a little unfair about the expectations that accompany them, as though McDavid and Draisaitl are supposed to drag every weakness, bad line and defensive breakdown across the finish line by themselves.
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That’s not how teams win the Stanley Cup.
And, frankly, it shouldn’t be.
Carolina’s stars are excellent players. Sebastian Aho is one of the league’s most underrated centres. Seth Jarvis has blossomed into a terrific winger. Jaccob Slavin remains one of the finest defensive defencemen in hockey. Frederik Andersen gave them quality goaltending when it mattered most.
But let’s be honest, nobody is confusing that group with the sheer star power Edmonton possesses.
The Hurricanes didn’t win because one player put the franchise on his back.
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They won because there were no passengers. Their stars had helped. Their third line mattered. Their defence contributed. Their penalty kill mattered. Their fourth line mattered.
Everybody pushed in the same direction.
Which is why some of the conversations that surface after every disappointing season in Edmonton have always felt a little strange.
Somewhere along the way, Oil Country began treating Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl less like stars and more like solutions.
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Power play struggling? They’ll fix it.
Goaltending becoming shaky? They’ll outscore the problem.
Third line disappearing? They’ll play 25 minutes.
Defence making life difficult? They’ll generate enough offence to overcome it.
Those are wonderful players.
They’re not miracle workers.
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Wayne Gretzky had Mark Messier and Paul Coffey. Sidney Crosby had Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Nathan MacKinnon has Cale Makar.
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Nobody wins alone. And that’s the lesson Stan Bowman should take from what Carolina just accomplished.
Not that Edmonton needs fewer stars. Quite the opposite. The Oilers should wake up every morning thankful they employ McDavid and Draisaitl because players like that simply don’t come around very often.
The challenge isn’t finding another Connor McDavid.
Good luck with that.
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The challenge is finding Edmonton’s version of Seth Jarvis. Or Jordan Martinook. Or Jaccob Slavin. Or the players who quietly turn good teams into great ones without attracting much attention along the way.
Carolina’s Stanley Cup run wasn’t powered by superstars overwhelming other teams every night.
It was powered by depth, and structure, and everyone understanding their role and doing it exceptionally well.
That should be the most comforting part for Edmonton fans.
The Oilers don’t need Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to become something more.
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How much better could they realistically be?
What they need is a roster that asks less of them. Less pressure with fewer minutes and more support. More nights where two points from McDavid and Draisaitl feel like a luxury instead of a necessity.
Because as Carolina proved last night, Stanley Cups aren’t necessarily won by the team with the biggest names.
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Sometimes they’re won by the team that asks the least from them.
That’s the lesson worth remembering in Edmonton.
Having superstars is a gift, but expecting them to be the team is asking far too much.
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