Canada’s two remaining playoff teams, the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers, are slated to kick off their second-round series on Wednesday night in Vancouver.
With the immense talent and star power on both teams, the on-ice product will surely be unrivalled from an entertainment perspective.
Hart Trophy candidate Connor McDavid, Norris Trophy front-runner Quinn Hughes, a 23-year-old Cinderella Latvian goaltender Arturs Silovs and two high-octane offensive squads will leave viewers parched from non-stop popcorn munching all series long.
Though there are endless storylines going into this series, with more to come during the games, here are three matchups that will prove to have been key when a victor emerges:
Elias Lindholm vs. the Oilers’ Top Six Forwards
It’s unclear whether Canucks coach Rick Tocchet will match up Elias Lindholm’s line against the McDavid line or the Leon Draisaitl line at 5-on-5.
One thing can be certain, though: Vancouver’s Dakota Joshua-Lindholm-Conor Garland line will seldom see the ice when both of Edmonton’s superstar forwards are on the bench.
Lindholm’s line was most frequently matched against Nashville’s top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist in the Canucks’ first-round series against the Predators.
Nashville’s top line was the second-highest scoring line in the NHL in the 2023-24 regular season, according to moneypuck.com. But it was held to just three goals against the Canucks while also surrendering three at 5-on-5. Lindholm and company were significant contributing factors.
COMEBACK COMPLETE! ✅ #StanleyCup
Elias Lindholm gives the @Canucks a 3-1 series lead with his @SportChek overtime winner! pic.twitter.com/MndFLqZ3EQ
— NHL (@NHL) April 29, 2024
The one-two punch of the Oilers’ top two lines, anchored by their two superstar centers, provides a more potent and daunting threat to overcome than in the first round for Lindholm, Garland and Joshua.
McDavid and Draisaitl combined for 22 points in their five-game first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, a team with two shutdown centers in Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault.
There isn’t a formula to stop or even slow down the impacts of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisatl and the rest of the Oilers’ top six forwards. But if any line can do it, it’s Vancouver’s listed third line.
The combination of Lindholm, Garland and Joshua compound defensive diligence and acumen with high motors and attention to detail. If they can pressure the Edmonton defensemen with a heavy offensive zone forecheck and limit the offensive zone time for either McDavid or Draisaitl, they can consider that specific shift a victory.
Zach Hyman vs. Vancouver’s Defense in Small Areas
Like against all opponents in the 2023-24 regular season, Edmonton Oilers left wing Zach Hyman had his way with the Los Angeles Kings in front of the net and below the goal line in the first round. He scored seven goals, most from within 15 feet of the net, in the first round following a 54-goal regular season.
He will now face Norris Trophy front-runner Quinn Hughes and five other defensemen whose job it is to make opponents’ lives miserable if they attempt to reach the areas Hyman does.
THIS WAS A SHAQ HYMAN GOAL ACTUALLY 🤜 pic.twitter.com/EdS6TzUaIM
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 2, 2024
Hyman is one of the best complementary pieces to a superstar in the NHL, if not the best. His job is to play responsible defense, forecheck opposing defensemen with fervor, get the puck to Connor McDavid, find soft ice and finish the opportunities created by McDavid’s wizardry.
To complement Hughes’ dynamism, the Vancouver Canucks deploy a D-corps that consists of Filip Hronek, Ian Cole, Carson Soucy, Tyler Myers and Nikita Zadorov. The latter four of those players each weigh over 200 pounds, and the latter three stand at 6-foot-5 or taller.
Whether through shifty skating technique from Quinn Hughes, quick decision-making or pure fortitude from the larger defensemen, the Vancouver blueline can ward off the most relentless of Zach Hyman forechecks. They also have the defensive diligence and physical ability to limit opportunities in front of their net.
Tyler Myers with the HUGE block to help the @Canucks punch their ticket to the Second Round of the #StanleyCup Playoffs! 💪 pic.twitter.com/wE3zbpCzeq
— NHL (@NHL) May 4, 2024
For Hyman to remain productive and successful in the second round against the Canucks, he will likely be searching for seams and soft ice within the offensive zone to present himself a passing option for his linemates.
Canucks’ Power Play vs. Oilers’ Penalty Kill
One of the most significant stories of the first round of the NHL playoffs was special teams. The team that won the special teams battles (power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage) won all eight series.
During their first-round series against the Kings, the Oilers had the NHL’s top power play at 45 percent and penalty kill at 100 percent.
The Canucks had a tougher time generating power-play offense, scoring only 15.4 percent of the time against a stingy Nashville penalty kill and elite goaltender in Juuse Saros. On the penalty kill, they kept pucks along the perimeter and swallowed second chances at a 90.9-percent success rate.
The Oilers’ sharp and free-flowing power play overwhelmed the Kings’ stationary penalty kill.
Even though the Canucks had the fourth-ranked penalty kill in the NHL in the first round, it’s all but a certainty the Oilers’ power play will continue producing at an efficient clip. It’s not quite as high, but it’s efficient nonetheless. Where Vancouver can exploit Edmonton in the special teams battle is on the power play.
SPECIAL TEAMS. SPECIAL PLAYS. SPECIAL PLAYERS. pic.twitter.com/A4HBQT3LVP
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) April 27, 2024
Edmonton deployed a high-pressure penalty kill against the Kings, in which the puck carrier was hounded and the second option eliminated.
For how good a power-play quarterback Drew Doughty is, he doesn’t have the mobility and shiftiness of Hughes at this stage in their careers. With Hughes at the top of the umbrella, J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson on the flanks and Brock Boeser and Lindholm in the middle, the five-man unit can negate heavy pressure throughout the offensive zone and find seams in the coverage.
The Oilers penalty kill can limit offensive zone time for the Canucks’ power play by playing stingy at the defensive blueline and attempting to disrupt zone entries.
This series between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers has the makings of an instant classic. Two success-hungry fan bases exchanging barbs will be almost as entertaining as the on-ice product itself. Stylistically, this matchup should have hockey fans across North America (and the world) glued to their devices and neutral fans craving a long series. Though only three were mentioned, countless important and thrilling matchups will be worth examining as this series progresses.
Related: NHL Playoffs: Canucks and Oilers Series Should Be Closer Than People Think
Related: NHL Playoff Predictions: Which Western Teams Will Win Their Tight Second-Round Series?
Related: NHL Playoffs Second-Round Schedule: Dates, Times, Where to Watch
News Summary:
- Oilers vs. Canucks: Three Key Matchups That Will Determine Who Moves On
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.