Former NHLer Jason Demers believes the Edmonton Oilers will finally win their division, something they haven't done in nearly 40 years.
Demers made the prediction this week, and Bleed Oil Blue picked it up and ran with it.
Nearly 40 years without a division title is a real drought for a franchise built around one of the best players alive.
Connor McDavid gives that prediction some obvious backing. He posted 48 goals and 90 assists for 138 points over 82 games this past season.
McDavid closed even stronger, piling up 16 points over his final 10 games of the year.
Edmonton also brought in Mike Babcock as head coach this summer, a real change behind the bench after last season's first-round exit to Anaheim.
All of this comes while McDavid's own next contract is being discussed in public, with some reports floating a number as high as $23 million a year.
The roster gives that prediction some real weight
The roster around McDavid has been busy too. Edmonton traded Darnell Nurse to San Jose and has been connected to Pittsburgh winger Rickard Rakell in trade talks.
The crease remains a genuine question mark, with Tristan Jarry, Frederik Andersen and newly acquired Devon Levi all competing for the job.
None of that is a finished product. Analytics writer Dom Luszczyszyn actually ranked Edmonton's offseason 25th out of 32 teams just weeks ago.
Fans disagreed sharply with that read, giving GM Stan Bowman strong marks in a Cult of Hockey poll on his summer moves.
Winning the Pacific for the first time in nearly four decades would settle plenty of that debate on its own.
Demers laid out his full reasoning in the clip Bleed Oil Blue shared.
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Bold predictions are easy to make in July. Edmonton will have all season to find out if this one actually holds up.
Will the Oilers finally win the Pacific Division this season?
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