Welcome back to WWYDW, the only hockey column on the internet that’s always game for anything.

Speaking of Game 4, that’s the point at which the Round Two series between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers sits as we write these words. Depending on when you choose to read them, you may be on the cusp of Game 4, or perhaps it’s already in your rear-view mirror.

Either way, we trust you’ve seen enough of the series to make some judgement calls. And this might prove a particularly tricky question on that front!

Even though JT Miller brought home the official team award, most of the folks on this site were pretty adamant that Quinn Hughes was the real Canucks’ MVP in the regular season. But the identity of the Canucks’ playoff MVP thus far is much more up for debate. We can honestly think of at least a half-dozen candidates, and that’s probably a low count.

To help narrow things down, we’re just going to focus on this current Vancouver v. Edmonton series. Whether you’re four games in, or five games in, or something else, we trust you’ve seen enough to tell us which individual is contributing the most to the Canucks’ success.

So, this week, we’re asking:

Let it be known in the comment section.

You predicted below!

The Canucks shock the world and sweep the Oilers 4-0. The Oilers’ poor 5-on-5 play that has been evident all season haunts them in the second round of the playoffs, as the Canucks manage to avoid bad penalties and the penalties they do take are mitigated by a resurgent penalty kill. The tragic series loss accelerates the Oilers decline with Draisaitl informing the team that he will not re-sign with them in a year, causing a Tkachuk-like exit from Edmonton followed by McDavid doing the same one year later.

A CDN team will win this series.

I’m not sure this is our year with Demko out and Pettersson not himself.

It pains me to type this, but Oilers in 6. Would love to be wrong.

Leo Union:
Van in 5.

Canucks in 5. Petterson will come alive. Defence will step up more. Will frustrate McDavid and Leon when they smother them in. Not to mention Gutsy Garland, Höglander, and Lafferty will be grade-A antagonists. Not to mention great goaltending.

Canucks in 5. The power play comes to life and the PK continues to excel. 5-on-5, the Canucks’ depth prevails over the Oilers’ lack of depth.

Canucks in 7.

Still can’t believe in Oilers’ goaltending.

Canucks will remain disciplined to minimize Oilers PP opportunities. Joshua, Garland, and Höglander will provoke Perry, Kane, and Draisaitl into taking dumb penalties.

More wide open play than v. Nashville bodes well for better play and stats from Pettersson.

Injuries produce a Podkolzin appearance.

Demko wins Game 7.

Canucks in six. Oilers have weaker defense and weaker goaltending than the Preds. They also were not the top offensive team after the All-Star break – the Preds were. So, no reason they cannot handle the Oilers in the same number as the Preds.

This will be an entertaining series from the standpoint of monitoring what is happening from the Edmonton fanbase. They have McDavid, which gives them confidence. But their commentators are absolutely over-the-top homers to the point that they sound foolish.

Not going to be an easy series for the Oilers, but will be tough for the Canucks to win the series. Oilers are thinking they can get a lot of pucks past Silovs, but first they will need to break through the Canucks’ defence to get a shot off.

Will EP make an impact? Yes, he will, as he has played the Oilers enough to know their weaknesses as they haven’t changed the lineup much. McDavid will become frustrated and will likely have more than one Canuck covering him. Oilers will not have enough players to counter the top-three Canuck centers.

Mikheyev will need to keep up with McDavid as well as get a couple goals. Canucks can pull off a series win, but not going to be easy.

Canucks in seven.

Oilers have one blowout win, Canucks two blowout wins, and they split the close ones 2-2.

Canucks in 6. Our defensive game will have the Oilers stars crying in their sleep.

Who plays softer, Nurse or Hughes?

That will be the story. Nurse is 6’4” and plays like he is 5’8”. Hughes is 5’8” and plays like he’s 5’6”.

Edge to the Nucks.

With Demko in net, I believe we can win this series. Unfortunately reports are putting Demko not returning ‘til at least Game 5. So with both Pettersson and Demko MIA, it’s going to take a real team effort to win this. This series is going to be determined by the refs and how our goaltending holds up.

Gentlemen’s sweep, Canucks in 5. After a big Nucks win tonight, Edmonton will lose their composure and fold like Superman on laundry day. Hughes will dominate. Zadorov will punish. Lindholm and Pettersson will suck all the offense out of Edmonton’s game.

Payback for the 1992 series. In that series, the Canucks won Game Two 4-0 and held Edmonton to just 14 shots. CFOX came out with a parody song the next day, which I believe doomed us for the rest of the series.

So, please no parody songs when we win big.

Sure the first three wins over the Oilers were when they were “bad,” but the last one, in Edmonton, was with the Pac West division on the line. This Canucks team can beat the “good” Oilers team.

NUX IN SIX.

Hogs is going to break out, Garland too.

I hate the Oilers. The arrogance and ineptitude of the ex-Oilers who mismanaged that team embarrassed the league. Seeing Gretzky and McDavid sell their souls for gambling revenue makes me want to puke. Too many times, Oiler fans are here and on other sites trolling Canuck fans. Unfortunately there isn’t a shortage of classless Canuck fans who reciprocate.

That said, I don’t think you can objectively look at these two teams right now and believe the Canucks superior. Sure the Canucks are a good team and can beat the Oilers on every given night. Knoblauch has the Oilers playing within decent defensive systems and paying attention to the details.

I can imagine ways the Canucks can beat the Oilers, they just don’t seem likely. I’d love to see McDavid reach back for an off-target Nurse pass just as Zadorov steps up, To make amends, Darnell takes an instigator penalty right before he has a little nap. Back to reality.

Oilers in 6.

I’m an unabashed Homer. I pick Canucks in six games. Five games if Pettersson shows up.

Canucks in 5, Demko starts against Dallas.

I think the Oilers will win this series in six games because all their best players are currently playing very well . One of our best players is injured (Demko) and another is playing poorly (Pettersson).The Oilers also have playoff maturity/experience on their side, having advanced into the second round (at least) the last several years. I believe this will make a difference.

Is anyone else tired of hearing about the Canucks overachieving this year or how they’re going to collapse under the rigors of being less experienced in the playoffs? I am and it’s getting old.

The Canucks had a good series against a very stingy Nashville team. They won games with their second and third string goalies. As Roget pointed out, and obvious to anyone actually watching the details of the games, our D and their structure is very solid. If Silovs stumbles, DeSmith did very well against Edmonton this year and the team has full confidence in either goalie. If a few more players (insert Pettersson, Höglander, Joshua, and Lafferty here) join the battle, the Canucks depth and structure should be the difference.

Don’t get me wrong, the Oilers are a very talented top heavy team that annihilated LA on special teams – I believe LA won the 5-on-5 stats as they were outscoring Edmonton 7-1 at 5-on-5 around the Game 3/4 mark, but collapsed to a very potent Oiler PP. However, the Oilers D is fallible and not a cup-worthy D-corps. Goaltending is the biggest mystery for the Oilers, as Skinner can steal games, but also has the propensity to allow soft goals as well.

I’m torn if this will go to 6 or 7 games. I’ll say Canucks in 6, with Demko arriving in Game 6 with the win.

While the Oilers have the overall edge in star power and experience, the series will

likely come down to intangibles:

– Coaching, confidence, ability to adjust on the fly and game to game.

– Special teams and staying out of the penalty box.

– Consistency of goaltending, especially at pressure times.

– Injuries/staying healthy, especially for the stars.

– And, of course, lady luck! No major sport has a bigger luck factor.

My prediction: Canucks in 7.

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