The series between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings was a classic. Back and forth hockey, lead changes, big plays, and tremendous performances from the players on both teams.

But it could have been so much better.

1. The Final Week of the Regular Season

The hike to the summit of the playoffs is never a smooth ride. It’s full of dips, detours and dashed hopes.

The Oilers need more from their bottom-six forwards, including Sam Gagner. They need to improve at protecting leads and they need to get more production from their backup goaltender, Devan Dubnyk.

Connor McDavid is an incredible playoff player. He has scored four goals in his first five games and has a shot on goal every 10:50 of even-strength play.

But it’s not just McDavid that has Edmonton’s hopes in the balance, it’s Leon Draisaitl, too. The Oilers have been outscored 14-4 in the 93:42 that Draisaitl is off the ice and they have been outshot 8-4 in those minutes, too. He has converted 11 of 19 power-play chances this postseason and is averaging 1.62 points per game.

2. The Final Week of the Playoffs

With the first round of the playoffs over, the Edmonton Oilers are set to face a different challenge in their second round series against Vegas. This is a best-of-seven series with a trip to the Western Conference Final on the line.

The Oilers are hoping to avoid a repeat of last spring’s early exit against the Los Angeles Kings. They have a different team this year, one led by the game’s best player in Connor McDavid and two running mates to help him along in his quest for another Stanley Cup.

Currently, the Oilers are in third place in the Pacific Division and have clinched a top-two finish. To finish first, they need to defeat the Sharks in regulation and hope that the Golden Knights lose to the Kraken in Seattle on Thursday.

3. The Final Week of the Rescheduled Games

After the series-opener between Edmonton and Vegas ended on Monday, fans eagerly awaited the NHL’s release of the Round 2 schedule. They planned flights, booked hotels and bought tickets to catch their team on the road.

It’s no secret that the Oilers are a dangerous team with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But it might not be as obvious that they’re beyond supernova eight games into this playoff run.

It’s been a while since the Oilers have won a Game 1 at home. They’ll need to change that if they want to win a championship. That will take a combination of factors, from improved forward balance to dialed-in defence to a goalie who can steal games. That’s where Jack Campbell comes in. He might just be the best player the Oilers have on their roster.

4. The Final Week of the Regular Season

Last year's playoff run is still fresh in the minds of Edmonton fans. The Oilers boasted three 100-point scorers, including Hart Trophy finalist Connor McDavid and league leader Leon Draisaitl, and an NHL-leading power play.

Despite a strong showing from the third line, Edmonton's best skaters need to start contributing more on the scoresheet if this team wants to make a deep playoff run. The Oilers will get another game of rest before facing the Vegas Golden Knights, giving their stars a chance to rejuvenate themselves in a more meaningful way.

This pie chart from AWS paints a fairly cherry-hued picture of the shots the Oilers are creating at five-on-five. Considering how hard it is to defend a player like Klim Kostin, that's an awful lot of quality chances that are getting through. Checking Edmonton Oilers Schedule is one of the important thing to go to get updated.

5. The Final Week of the Playoffs

The Edmonton Oilers are a playoff team with the potential to win a Stanley Cup. But the team will need more than just its superstars to do that. It will need a blend of depth and strength, from forward balance to strong special teams to dialed-in defense.

Leon Draisaitl is putting up goals in the NHL playoffs at a pace that is jaw-dropping, even for those who have seen the big man do it before. The Oilers star is racking up points at a rate that is faster than any other player since Charlie Huddy in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final.

The NHL has again found a way to make the day before a playoff series start a chaotic mess for fans who have already made travel and accommodation arrangements. This is getting to be embarrassing for a league that seems to be constantly finding new ways to alienate its fanbase.