The Toronto Maple Leafs can learn three lessons from the Edmonton Oilers' most recent playoff run.
The Edmonton Oilers went on a magical run playoff run that put them within reach of Canada’s first Stanley Cup since 1993 and are currently the envy of all other Canadian teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Despite the disappointing loss for Edmonton fans and those hoping for a Canadian team to win, the Oilers’ season provides some interesting takeaways for the Leafs.
So, let’s take a look at three key lessons the Leafs can take away from the Edmonton Oilers’ run of 2024.
3 Key Lessons the Toronto Maple Leafs Can Take Away from the Oilers
#1: It’s possible to succeed with a top-heavy team
The Oiler’s roster consists of a core group of players led by captain Connor McDavid. His second-in-command is Leon Draisaitl, with fifty-goal scorer Zach Hyman and top-tier defenseman Evan Bouchard rounding out the group.
Now, there could be plenty out there who question that the Maple Leafs core is comparable to the Oilers’. The fact is that Auston Matthews and William Nylander are essentially 100-point players. Mitch Marner is still one of the best all-round players in the NHL, with 100-point potential.
Then, there’s John Tavares. Despite Father Time slowing him down, Tavares still put up great numbers last year. Also, Morgan Rielly is as good as they come on the blue line, though there may be questions about him being a legitimate top-pairing defenseman.