The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are set. Sixteen teams will fight it out for the right to lift Lord Stanley's Cup this summer. Many players are seeking their first Cup, while some are looking to end their careers on the highest possible note.
One of the more intriguing matchups in the Western Conference comes out of the Pacific Division. The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings will face each other in Round 1, with Game 1 taking place on Monday.
The Oilers are seeking their first Stanley Cup since 1990 after the blockbuster Wayne Gretzky trade. Edmonton last made the Stanley Cup Final in 2006, where they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Kings, meanwhile, are looking for their first Stanley Cup since 2014. That series is also the last time Los Angeles appeared in the Stanley Cup Final, where they defeated the New York Rangers.
As these teams gear up for an intense playoff series, here are three bold predictions for this Oilers-Kings matchup.
3. Another seven-game slugfest
These two teams met in last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the Oilers prevailing in seven games. This year, the two teams will once again fight it out for all seven games.
The Kings forced a game seven despite receiving shaky performances in net from Cal Peterson and Jonathan Quick. Quick is no longer with the team, and Peterson likely won't see much time in this series.
Los Angeles boasts a new goaltending tandem in Pheonix Copley and Joonas Korpisalo. Korpisalo has played well since coming over in a trade deadline deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
While the Oilers do have an offensive attack not seen in decades, the playoffs are a different animal. Every team is hungry, and Edmonton will be in for a fight against the Kings this series.
2. Anze Kopitar turns back the clock
Anze Kopitar is likely headed for the Hockey Hall of Fame when his career is said and done. And he has a great chance to add to his case with this playoff series against Edmonton.
Kopitar has had two insane performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, both resulting in a Stanley Cup. The Kings star scored 20 points in 2012 and 26 in 2014 to help Los Angeles win it all.
Kopitar likely won't score 20 points this playoff season, but he will turn the clock back a bit. Kopitar will finish this playoff campaign as a point-per-game player as he leaves it all on the ice against the Oilers.
1. Connor McDavid makes NHL history
The Oilers ultimately will win this series, and superstar Connor McDavid will be the reason why. When the dust settles on this series, the Oilers captain will have achieved something no player has in NHL history.
McDavid will finish this series with at least 20 points. This would break Rick Middleton's record of 19 in a single playoff series, a mark set 40 years ago against the Boston Bruins.
The Oilers almost had a player reach this mark just last year. Leon Draisaitl had 17 points against the Calgary Flames in the Western Conference Semifinals in 2022. That series went just five games. Had Calgary forced more games, he would have broken the record.
McDavid himself came somewhat close against the Kings last season. He had four goals and 14 points in seven games in last year's series against the Kings.
The Kings have improved goaltending from last season, but McDavid himself is on a completely different level as well. He played two more games this year than he did last year and scored 30 more points this year.
McDavid will lead the charge for the Oilers, scoring 20 or more points against the Kings. It'll be a historic performance that will be hard to replicate for years to come.
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