NHL analyst doesn't mince words about Edmonton Oilers potentially beating LA Kings in Round 1 of NHL playoffs

Craig Button was blunt in his assessment of the Edmonton Oilers' chances against the LA Kings in the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Oilers are coming off a 5-0 loss to the Kings on Monday. The Kings lead 3-1-0 in regular-season record.

The Kings (47-24-9) are second in the Pacific with two games left, while the Oilers (47-29-5) are third with one game to go. The teams will face off in the first round, with home-ice advantage going to whoever finishes higher.

Speaking on SportsCenter with Jay Onrait on Monday, Button said he doesn’t foresee the Oilers beating the Kings in the first round for a fourth straight year.

"I do not see it happening a fourth straight time. Even without the injuries, I don't see the Edmonton Oilers as a team that was better than the team that lost in Game 7 vs. the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final last year. I think they became older, slower, and smaller." Button said (TS-00:23-00:38)

Additionally, injuries will hamper the Oilers. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm is expected to miss the 1st round of the playoffs due to an undisclosed injury.

While Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Jake Walman and Troy Stecher are slated to return from their injuries for Game 1, it's unclear how close to 100% they will be. Trent Frederic remains doubtful of the playoffs.

Button noted that the Edmonton Oilers have been underperforming since about 10 days before the Four Nations Faceoff. He highlighted poor goaltending, shaky defense, and a lack of offensive production as key issues during that stretch.

“You put all those three things together, and now you add in the injuries, and it just looks like one of those years for the Edmonton Oilers where things just didn’t go their way.” he added.

Button also noted the impact of losing depth players compared to the Oilers' last season.

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Craig Button believes Los Angeles Kings are a "better team" than Edmonton Oilers

Craig Button believes the Los Angeles Kings are an improved squad after gaining playoff experience over the last couple of seasons.

"The LA Kings are a better, bigger team, and they’re a team that, I think, after the experiences of the last couple of years, they now have been able to turn the tables where they’re a better team than the Edmonton Oilers heading into this playoffs.” Button said.

The Oilers have won eight of their ten all-time playoff series against the Kings, including the last six in a row. But with Edmonton limping into this year's playoffs, Button believes the Oilers have a tough battle ahead of them to win this series.