I know I am not in the minority when I say this: I want the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, I am jumping on the already-loaded bandwagon, and I am declaring that the Oilers will win it all.
This isn't a brash prediction. Some important factors lie in their favor.
Let's start with G Dwayne Roloson. His name may be new in the media, but he's been in the league for 10 years. Roloson isn't a stranger to playoff competition, either — he played a total of 11 games for Minnesota in 2002-2003, posting 2.59 GAA and a respectable .903 save percentage. This season, he boasts a .931 save percentage and 2.22 GAA — stellar numbers for a goaltender playing under the new regulations.
Roloson has been a key factor in Edmonton's success. In need of a reliable netminder, the Oilers exchanged a first-round draft pick for Roloson, who was with the Minnesota Wild. "Acquiring Dwayne at the [NHL trade] deadline and getting that last piece of the puzzle ultimately got us to the final," said Oilers D Chris Pronger in a press conference after Edmonton defeated Anaheim in the Western Conference Finals. Of the 183 shots Roloson faced versus Anaheim, only 12 made it in.
F Mike Peca sang similar praises of his teammate. "Any time you have a goalie that's playing as well as Dwayne has, everybody plays [better] in front of him ... You have so much more confidence. His savvy back there allows the [defense] to come back and make plays.”
Confidence is certainly a quality that Edmonton has now, but that wasn't always the case. Starting in the quarterfinals against the top-ranked Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton appeared to have little, if any, chance in moving up in the playoffs. They shocked everyone when they won Game 6 in front of their own crowd, taking the series. "They just blew the roof off Rexall,” said head coach Craig MacTavish of the fans.
"This is the best building, the best city to play in,” added D Steve Staios. "The fans have always been there for us, and they deserve all the excitement that's coming with this playoff run that we're on.”
The feverish excitement of the playoffs hasn't hit the city of Edmonton since Wayne Gretzky played there. Fans who were around in those days are both relieved and thrilled to see their team contending for top honors. New, younger fans are experiencing the rush for the first time. And all fans, long-time or brand-new, are loving it.
Aside from the pandemonium that overcomes Rexall Place during an Edmonton victory, fans aren't afraid to show off their excitement in other areas throughout the city. Fans take to the street, yelling "Go Oilers!” from their vehicles, and hugging other fans dressed in home-team garb. This is a group that has an appreciation for hockey, as well as their team — they know just how much their enthusiasm has had an impact on the players, and as long as the season is going, the fans will keep cheering. They're more than worthy of a Stanley Cup parade.
And so is the team. Considered underdogs throughout the entire postseason, Edmonton has proven, round after round, that they are out to win it all.
"We might be the only ones who really believed we could win the Cup,” said a confident RW Georges Laraque. "We weren't just saying it. With the players we have, it's been our goal right from the beginning. We've been the underdogs in every series but it doesn't matter. We know that we can win. We know it,”
But at the same time, the team's focus is grounded. They know they still have a long road ahead. "I don't think anyone in our room is feeling like we've accomplished anything yet. Anything less than winning would be an incomplete season,” D Chris Pronger said after defeating Anaheim.
LW Raffi Torres confirmed Pronger's thoughts when he added, "We need four more wins to be satisfied.”
Only then will Edmonton's Cinderella story be complete. The team has everything going for it — perfect synergy, focus, and talent. Their fans are standing by, waiting with trepidation for the next victory. Most importantly, Edmonton's attitude is in the right place — the Oilers have worked against the greatest of odds to be in the Finals, and their hard work won't pay off until they've won Lord Stanley.
They want it all. They're gonna get it.
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