Are the Edmonton Oilers really Canada’s team?

One year later, and some people are still delving into the same debate about whether the country should get behind the Edmonton Oilers in their quest to bring the Stanley Cup to Canada after more than three decades.

Sportsnet 650 Host Jamie Dodd says the same conversation happens every time a Canadian team goes deep into the playoffs.

“I’ve never cared whether a Canadian team wins the Stanley Cup or not. I don’t care about the droughts since the last time the Habs won it in the 90s. Some people are going to cheer for them because they want to see a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup, but I feel for most hockey fans, they just root for their team, they don’t get to wrapped up in it. I think for the majority of fans, it’s not that big of a deal that they’re the last Canadian team left,” said Dodd.

He says there are other ways of determining hockey supremacy between countries and it’s not through the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“It’s international hockey. We just saw it at the 4 Nations Face-Off — Canada won. It was awesome — that’s what matters if you want to have pride and take pride in Canadian hockey, not which team wins the Stanley Cup.”

He also doesn’t think many Vancouver Canucks fans will be cheering for the Oilers.

“Again, there will be some who will cheer for them because they are a Canadian team, but not only is this a divisional rival and a regional rival, but they’re also the team that eliminated the Canucks in the playoffs last year. So, by and large, I do expect Canucks fans to be rooting against the Oilers in this series.”

Dodd says whether you like them or not, he thinks the Oilers have what it takes to win this series, especially having gone through the exact experience against the Florida Panthers last year.

“This year they have home-ice advantage, which could be a big deal for them in trying to get the win this time — and they have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, two of the best players in the world.”

He says there are keys to winning the game for Edmonton, including getting outstanding goaltending from Stuart Skinner, along with McDavid and Draisaitl. Dodd says they also have to figure out how to solve Florida’s forecheck.

“Florida is the best forechecking team in the NHL. Edmonton’s defence has played really well this post-season, they’ve been able to move the puck efficiently and that has to continue.”

He says losing forward Zach Hyman to injury was a major loss for the Oilers.

“But they do have some decent depth in Corey Perry, Evander Kane, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a great series against the Dallas Stars, so there are other contributors that can step up,” says Dodd, who won’t pick a winner for the series.

Either the Panthers or the Tampa Bay Lightning — the two Florida-based NHL teams — have appeared in the Stanely Cup Final for six straight seasons.

The puck drops in Game 1 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.