The Edmonton Oilers, who finished the regular season with nine consecutive wins, are one of three Canadian teams looking to get their names engraved on the Stanley Cup when the NHL playoffs commence Monday night in four North American cities.
The Oilers, who are looking to become the first Canadian team since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens to hoist the Cup, will host the Los Angeles Kings, who finished five points behind them in the Pacific Division standings.
The Boston Bruins, who established an NHL-record 65 wins and 135 points to win the Presidents’ Trophy, will open at home on Patriots’ Day against the Florida Panthers, who earned one of the Eastern Conference wild-card berths in the final week of the season. The Dallas Stars, who finished five points ahead of Minnesota in the Central Division, will square off with the Wild in Texas.
And the Carolina Hurricanes, who topped the Metropolitan Division with 52 wins and 113 points, host the New York Islanders, who earned the second Eastern Conference wild-card berth in the final week of the season.
Canada’s other two post-season entries, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets, begin their best-of-seven series on Tuesday.
A few notable teams hockey fans have been accustomed to watching compete for the Cup, such as the Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames and Washington Capitals, did not make the playoffs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2023.
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