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Chicago Blackhawks: 2019-20 Pacific Division preview

By Vincent Parise

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 30: Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings battles for the puck with Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks in the first period in Game Six of the Western Conference Final during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Staples Center on May 30, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 30: Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings battles for the puck with Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks in the first period in Game Six of the Western Conference Final during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Staples Center on May 30, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are the weirdest team to follow in the National Hockey League. They were pretty brutal in 2018-19. The finished with a record of 35-38-9 for 78 points. So what is the big deal? They are a bad team, who cares? Well, they have the best player on planet earth on their team in Connor McDavid. He was the first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and has pretty much been the best player in the league since. On top of McDavid’s success, they have Leon Draisaitl who was one of two 50 goal scorers last year.

With two absolute studs like that on their team, they still manage to stink it up pretty much every year. Their depth beyond those two and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is very scarce. They don’t win very many hockey games because hockey is a team sport and they are not a good team. McDavid gives them a chance to win every single night so nobody can take them lightly otherwise they will look silly, but Edmonton is wasting the prime years of their superstar.

The Blackhawks went 1-1-1 against the Oilers last year. That feels about what you can expect this year because although Edmonton is bad, they have individuals who can single-handedly win them any random game.

They traded superstar left wing Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils a few years ago and it has pretty much been downhill from there. Their goaltending is a question mark as they just acquired Mike Smith from Calgary to try and be their starter. It is probably going to be another year where McDavid and Draisaitl each get 100+ points and they still miss the playoffs.

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