Big questions surrounding each Western Canadian NHL team heading into season

The offseason is now officially behind us and puck drop on the 2024-25 NHL season for the Canadian teams is quickly approaching. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button and TSN Hockey analyst Mike Johnson join SC with Jay Onrait to answer the big questions surrounding each of the Western Canadian clubs heading into the season.

[michaelfoort]

Silovs an "asset you can move" ? Cant take that too seriously

[kodykongsdorf]

Oilers need more than one defensemen lol

[nataliedeleon]

For Winnipeg, pay attention to Miller, who is putting up goals and is a dark horse. Also to a healthy Villardi, plus more ice time for Ehlers and Perfetti. Plus new approach to special teams which looked great preseason. Put this together and they are a very competitive team, despite losing some players. They will be around 100 to points this season.

[carparthero]

as an outsider (tampa fan) i see the oilers - with good health, they will make the p-off's. the forwards should keep crushing it, and i really liked the 3rd line coming back fully intact - even left some $ on the table to come back. no need to win the president's trophy; just stay healthy, get a decent seeding and figure out the best team chemistry possible.

the defence though, is gonna have to figure out to replace ceci's 20 minutes. looking right now, i can see GM bowman making a move for a RHD during the season. i liked the acq for ty emberson - he did decent on a dogshit SJS team, so if he can carry that over it'll help the oilers a bunch.

skinner in net is def not hasek but if he cuts down on brain cramps, improves his lateral movement and athleticism, he shouldn't be a liability. that said he's not a guy that can hijack a series either.

people who choose to shit on skinner should consider that he was forced to develop faster than expected because of jack campbell wetting the bed on the ice. the other thing is in game 7 of the 2024 SCF, EDM scored 1 goal. skinner let in 2, and one of them was a dogshit defensive breakdown by brett kulak. mcjesus and draisaitl had 0 points in game 7. as did RNH and hyman.

for the sensitive and insecure segment of the oilers fanbase, there's nothing magical or mysterious about the criticism of the team's defence and overall roster age from anyone.

EDM has been built to win NOW, if not within the next 2-3 years. 2025 will be their best chance to win the stanley cup b4 the big contract extensions come in. mcjesus aside, the real big contract to watch is bouch-bombs. if he plays well, he could very well be seeking erik karlsson money. if you compare evan in-house to the darnell, bouch is def worth more than $9.25m. so that contract is going to have big influence on the oilers salary cap.

not saying EDM won't be able to get back to the final after 2025, but they absolutely won't have a better shot than this season.

[BobsUruncle-dlcs]

Oilers have had a Goalie issue for years now....its terminal.

[MrCryptler]

The referee situation was so bias against the Canucks vs Oilers series it was undeniable. Non calls on McDavid's highstick on Hughes drawing blood then the refs telling Hughes to get off his shift because he's bleeding all over the ice. Then there were the Oilers embellishment calls, with McDavid flying through the air while Joshua's stick is on the ice, or the charging call on Petterson for standing still....and I can go on! If only there were fair refereeing & that's all I'm asking, Vancouver should've moved on from that series & not the Oilers. If the calls are justified I'm okay but referee bias ruins the game of hockey because we don't know if these refs are betting against a certain team or paid to go against another. I truly believe refs should be vetted better to find no financial bias with their authoritative position.

[kesler]

Oilers lost a lot and Canucks added, I think its more than a little crazy to value the oilers who needed 7 games to beat a Demko less canucks. Oilers won't get out the second round.

Silovs isn't getting moved either this is amateurish.

[gameburn]

Demko doesn't matter. He didn't last year, he won't this year. Silovs is good enough, more than good enough. Vancouver's strength is its depth: they can lose Miller, Boeser and Demko and still win. Imagine Oilers without McD? Or Drai, or even Bourchard now?

[johnsinglet]

Oilers have 30 career game Ty Emberson penciled in next to Darnell “Tire Fire” Nurse.

Contender! lol

[fontainefitness]

For Edmonton to win it all, they need to finally at minimum win the pacific division and have a steady season. Over the last 3 seasons, twice they had to fire their coach during the season. And pull a horse shoe out their *ss by finding a defenceman that can carry Nurse.

[shanegleeson]

career years happen multiple times. It's only year later you can look back and say that was the best year. This guy doesn't understand young players getting better, which is odd for an analyst

[biffdanielson]

When my teams are out, I'm always rooting Edm, Cal, and Van.

[DoodleHockey]

Do you know what I find entertaining, Craig and a lot of these people on TSN keep talking about how Edmonton is not a complete team yet, they are going to get another defenceman.

Yet, the Vancouver Canucks are going to be doing the exact same thing, they are not a complete team yet, and are going to get a significant piece of the deadline .

Yeah, they don’t bring it at all😅

[gameburn]

Last year Oilers were as lucky as you can get: no injuries to major players past 15 games in. That can't be counted on every year. Cup or bust is absolutely right with them: my guess is that it's bust. An injury to McD or Drai is death. An injury to either of their top 2 D is tricky too. So... I think they are vulnerable because: (a) they have to make the playoffs, and then (b), you need to be healthy enough through the first 2 rounds. The Pacific is stronger this year, not weaker. I think they spent their luck last year.

[coryjohn]

Oilers chances of a cup depend on the health of Demko.

[coryjohn]

Silica is a number 1 goalie. Last year thrown into the fire, just wasn’t up to speed on shot speed. He let shots in that Demko doesn’t.

[vancity_.]

A one line team expected to win the Stanley Cup 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[joejoeyjoel]

“They call them career seasons for a reason. Because they happen once in a career.” That’s totally not true. Your career best is just best until you beat it.

[michaelfoort]

Oilers will run out of steam before the post season

[santillanard]

Everyone on this panel hates the Canucks it's sad to be honest. Don't underestimate the underdog.