This is exactly how this Oilers season deserved to end. We should have seen this one coming from miles away.

The Edmonton Oilers bowed out in the first round to the Anaheim Ducks in six games Thursday night. Puck luck favoured the Ducks last night, combined with a lack of urgency from the Oilers, and the better team won.

The injuries piled up quickly and early for Edmonton. It’s not an excuse. It’s reality. They weren’t at their peak, and it showed.

Perhaps once we hear more about the injuries that plagued the team, we will feel sympathy. Instead, today in Oil Country, while still understanding the circumstances, there’s anger, disappointment and uncertainty of what the future holds for Connor McDavid. 

His near future is in Edmonton. However, the noise from outside the market will be incredibly loud this summer. Maybe even louder than the last. It’d be nice if McDavid silenced those critics at his end-of-season media availability. 

Knoblauch gave us an indication of the extent of the injuries post-game.

“We got some guys with some fractures that were playing through things that were really difficult to play at their best, but I certainly love their effort and how they dug in. They were absolutely not going to pull themselves out of the lineup. I thought they contributed as much as they could.”

While that quote sticks out like a sore thumb, the most impact came from the captain: “An average team with high expectations”

And he’s right.

Their 41-41 record in the regular season........

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