The Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers are set for what could be their fifth consecutive playoff meeting, according to a recent projection from JFreshHockey.
This recurring matchup has quickly become one of the most intense rivalries in the NHL playoffs, with both teams battling it out every year, and fans getting in on the action.
small tweak to the projection based on updated depth charts. will answer any question on these projections (which i'll post updated the day before the season and hope, as every year, will be among the least incorrect ones) pic.twitter.com/1s1qwMKIc7
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 27, 2025
Who has the Edge?
When it comes to which team has the star power, the edge goes to the Oilers. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to be a problem for the Kings' defense to find any way of containing both stars.
Those two alone make the Oilers so tough to beat in any series and always have the edge because of that, which is the reason why they’ve been in the last two Stanley Cup Finals.
On the other hand, the Kings lack a big star name or a superstar like the Oilers. LA has solid veterans and young stars on the rise, including Anze Kopitar, Brandt Clarke, Quinton Byfield, and Darcy Kuemper.
Kings may have the edge in depth and defense because they have more players that could attack and defend on the ice, but when it comes down to significant moments in the series, the Oilers own LA.
But, still, each time these two teams have met in the playoffs, they’ve been tightly contested games that have come down to the last few possessions.
Each playoff meeting does add more familiarity between the squads, making adjustments and execution even more critical. Many Kings fans argue that the series' last seasons would’ve been there’s.
But if head coach Jim Hiller hadn’t made the obvious coaches' challenge that wasn’t going to go their way, or failed to make any in-game coaching adjustments, maybe LA wouldn’t have blown the 2-0 series lead and three straight game collapses in the second and third periods.
Final Thoughts
If these projections hold, fans can expect another highly contested and intense series complete with high-speed action and scoring.
The Kings will look to finally overcome their postseason hurdle against Edmonton, while the Oilers will aim to continue their dominance, looking at the top of their throne as they dispatch LA.