I don’t know why the Edmonton Oilers game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, Feb. 6 makes me think of Game 1 of the 1984 Stanley Cup Final. But it does. Back then their biggest hurdle in reaching the promised land was the New York Islanders. And when Grant Fuhr got a 1-0 shutout, and Kevin McLelland scored the only goal, you just knew the Oilers were going to win the Stanley Cup. Fast forward to Feb. 6, 2024. The Oilers are unbeaten in 16 games, and could tie the all-time NHL record for 17 wins in a row if they beat their nemesis the Golden Knights. It’s a big game because there’s so much more on the line than a winning streak.
Oilers Can Break Through a Huge Barrier With a Win in Vegas
When the Golden Knights took out the Oilers in last season’s playoffs on the way to their first Stanley Cup, they left a lot of damage for the Oilers in their wake. And more than a few questions: Could Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl ever win a Stanley Cup in Edmonton? Is Stuart Skinner a good enough goaltender to win it all? Will the Oilers ever learn to play defence after surrendering the lead in so many key moments of their series with the Golden Knights? Some of these questions haven’t really been answered…yet. But if the Oilers were to win on Feb. 6 in Vegas and tie the consecutive win record, you might start to believe that they’ve matured into legit contenders for the Stanley Cup in 2024.
A win for the Oilers would also bring them to within three points of the Golden Knights with five games in hand. So there’s that as well. This game could be one of the most important, and most historic regular season games in Oilers’ history. Obviously not quite as big as the Game 1 victory over the Islanders in the 1984 Stanley Cup Final. But possibly worthy of being in the conversation as one of the biggest games in Oilers’ history in the regular season.
What if the Oilers Lose to Vegas on Feb. 6?
Oh, the horror. There would be so many tears flowing in the Alberta Capital that Edmonton’s water treatment plant would never have to worry about a shutdown ever again. Seriously though. It would just mean that the Oilers still have work to do. It could mean that coaches Kris Knoblauch, Paul Coffey, Mark Stuart and Glen Gulutzan would have to go back to the drawing board and devise another way to overcome Vegas, and possibly the Colorado Avalanche or the Vancouver Canucks.
A loss on Feb. 6 might also mean that Oilers CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson, and general manager Ken Holland would have to continue to work the phones to try and land the right talent and the right fit chemistry-wise for the team: possibly a right-handed centreman, a top-six winger, veteran defenceman or a 1A goaltender to share the crease with Skinner. If the Oilers were to make a significant move on or before the NHL trade deadline on March 8, it might have to look a lot like the Mattias Ekholm deal from a year ago.
Related: Ekholm Is the Best Oilers’ Defenceman Since Pronger
That’s where the Oilers shipped salary out with Tyson Barrie, and prospect Reid Schaefer, a first-round pick in 2023 and a fourth-round pick in 2024 to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Ekholm. It was a great trade for Holland. Can he do the same this year? Maybe.
The Stakes Are High for the Oilers on Feb. 6
It may seem a bit dramatic to say that if the Oilers were to lose to the Golden Knights on Feb. 6 it could derail the team…but it’s possible, considering how the rollercoaster 2023-24 season has gone for the Oilers. But when you look at how well this team has come together under Knoblauch and Coffey, a loss to Vegas may only be a speed bump rather than a mountain on their way to the playoffs this season.
But let’s look at the cup half full now, what if the Oilers do beat Vegas and tie the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins’ consecutive wins record? Even if Vegas is missing Jack Eichel, the Golden Knights are still playing well lately, and a loss to the Oilers could mean Edmonton will overtake Vegas for second place in the Pacific Division before the end of the season.
Too Much Time On Their Hands?
Does anyone remember that great Styx song, “Too Much Time on My Hands” from the Paradise Theatre album? Hopefully the Oilers haven’t listened to it recently. You just never know what the effect of having nine days off will do to the Oilers. Having that much time off during the middle of the season can sometimes be a momentum killer. Or, if the team is mature enough and laser-focused – they’ll be ready to go to continue what has been an amazing run in the middle of the 2023-24 season. I can’t wait for puck drop on Tuesday, Feb. 6 in Vegas. I know it’s Super Bowl week there in Sin City, but this hockey game should be what the entire sports world focuses on, because there’s just so much on the line for both teams…especially the Oilers. It’s going to be dramatic must-see TV.
