The Edmonton Oilers are going to win the 2024 Stanley Cup.
Granted, I predicted that the Oilers would win the 2023 Stanley Cup, which they very much did not. In fact, my preseason championship prognostications have become something of a curse.
As is tradition, I reached out to the general manager of my Stanley Cup champion-in-waiting to let him know what’s coming.
Me: “I’m picking you to win the Stanley Cup again. I’m sorry.”
Ken Holland, general manager of the Edmonton Oilers: “Oh boy.”
And that was the extent of it.
My logic last time was that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are generational talents on the same team, and that eventually that kind of partnership leads to a Stanley Cup win. Like it did for Gretzky and Messier, for Mario and Jagr, for Sakic and Forsberg and for Crosby and Malkin.
I still believe that to be the case for Connor and Leon but now have an additional reason to believe this is the year: They’ve reached a point of utter disgust over falling short in the playoffs.
Look at Draisaitl’s reaction after being eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights last season. Hood up. Eyes filled with rage. He’s over it. I see in him what I saw in Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche before they won the Stanley Cup: I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.
At the NHL Players Media Tour, I asked Draisaitl whether he has reached that MacKinnon Moment.
