{"id":440773,"date":"2024-05-08T12:30:55","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T16:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=440773"},"modified":"2024-05-08T12:14:43","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T16:14:43","slug":"canucks-are-underdogs-against-oilers-and-thats-fine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2024\/05\/08\/canucks-are-underdogs-against-oilers-and-thats-fine\/","title":{"rendered":"The Canucks Are Underdogs Against the Oilers and That\u2019s Fine"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0<\/span>Vancouver Canucks<\/span><\/a> and Edmonton Oilers second round 2024 NHL Stanley Cup playoff series has a lot of storylines<\/a>. <\/span>For starters,<\/span>\u00a0it is an all-Canadian matchup and the first between these two teams since 1992.<\/span>\u00a0Can Arturs Silovs<\/a> continue his strong play until Thatcher Demko<\/a> gets back? Will the Canucks be able to handle Connor McDavid<\/a>, Leon Draisaitl<\/a>, Zach Hyman<\/a>, <\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0the deadly Oilers offence and power play? Can Elias Pettersson<\/a> get going offensively? But a big storyline <\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0one we are going to focus\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0is that the Canucks are underdogs heading into the series against the Oilers.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Canucks Are Underdogs, Big\u00a0Underdogs<\/h3>\n

If you go around the internet and look at the projections for the Vancouver and Edmonton series, many favour Edmonton. <\/span>Take a look at the predictions from ESPN staff. All but one of the 24 reporters and analysts picked the Oilers <\/span>including<\/span>\u00a0Ray Ferraro<\/a>, who lives in Vancouver. The only one who\u00a0<\/span>picked<\/span>\u00a0the Canucks was Ryan S. Clark.<\/span><\/p>\n

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further to my story on #Canucks<\/a> being underdogs. Messier picking the Oilers! pic.twitter.com\/8bDngUSsCK<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) May 5, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n