When Connor McDavid talked before the start of the 2026 NHL playoffs, sharing how the regular season has become monotonous, it didn’t come as a surprise.

After all, with back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final, the regular season has become somewhat of a formality for the Edmonton Oilers. So did the first round of the playoffs, as last year, it only took them five games to dispatch the L.A. Kings for the fourth straight year.

The only problem was that the Oilers didn’t get to play the Kings this year. They got a young, hungry Anaheim Ducks team that overwhelmed Edmonton night in and night out.

Now, after six games, the Oilers’ hope of a third straight trip to vie for Lord Stanley’s mug has been squashed. The Ducks were relentless Thursday night, pouring it on in a 5-2 win to punch their ticket to the second round of the playoffs.

“It’s tough,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid after the loss. “We were an average team all year. (When you’re) an average team with high expectations, you’re going to be disappointed.”

The Ducks are owed their flowers. Jackson LaCombe had his breakout, their top talent got the job done, and the fourth line was a thorn in Edmonton’s side. But don’t be mistaken — beyond the opening salvos of Game 1 and Game 5, when the........

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