The Oilers should finally be the favourites over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Oilers-Maple Leafs is about as big as it gets in Canada.
The country's two best teams. Its biggest stars. Two teams constantly compared to each other as they've graduated from tanking to rebuilding to contending, while still searching for that elusive Stanley Cup.
And for the first time, the Oilers look like the team to beat in this matchup.
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Toronto has been one of the league's finest regular-season teams for years, while Edmonton has taken until the past few seasons to cement itself as a true contender. It's all come together this year, as the Oilers sit third in the NHL while the Leafs are just a step behind.
It all starts up front for Edmonton, where Leon Draisaitl has taken the next step as possibly the Hart Trophy favourite while Connor McDavid is still on pace for 113 points in a "down year".
Compare that with Toronto, where Auston Matthews has struggled with injuries and William Nylander's production has regressed. This year's Maple Leafs have been led by Mitch Marner, who has had a career year with 68 points in 51 games.
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That said, these are still extremely similarly built teams. Both have had trouble scoring without their top players on the ice, and both have shed their reputations as offence-only juggernauts to become legitimate defensive powerhouses.
Edmonton relies on a much-improved blueline to do so, while Toronto has enjoyed excellent goaltending from Joseph Woll and the injured Anthony Stolarz.
The Oilers also have a well-documented tendency to acquire former Maple Leafs in recent years. Zach Hyman, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, and John Klingberg all spent time in Toronto before coming to Edmonton. Tonight will be Klingberg's first game against the Maple Leafs since he played 14 games with them last season.
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The Oilers and Maple Leafs have split each of their past two season series 1-1, while Toronto took their previous meeting this season 4-3 in overtime back in November.
Both teams would take sole possession of first place in their division with a win tonight. Toronto is one point behind the Florida Panthers with 62, while Edmonton sits tied with the Vegas Golden Knights atop the Pacific Division with 68.
Tonight's game gets underway at 5:00 on Hockey Night In Canada.
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