NHL insider has absolutely no belief in the Oilers winning the Stanley Cup

Many have pegged this as the year of the Edmonton Oilers, after being heartbreakingly close last season. But their dynamic top six forwards, headlined by generational talents Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, are the reason behind such optimism. However, some analysts, such as Craig Button, think that this strength up front comes at the cost of the team's depth and may just be what lets them down, especially on the back end.

Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard anchor the blue line as one of the best defensive pairings in the league, but beyond that, things start to get a little murkier. Button points out that Darnell Nurse had a rough playoff showing, even setting a record for the worst plus/minus in postseason history. Meanwhile, young talent Ty Emberson has only 30 games of NHL experience, while players like Troy Stecher and Brett Kulak are just dependable sorts rather than the high-impact defenders one usually finds on a championship team.

Button also mentions that they lost Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway on offer sheets. That meant the Oilers were scrambling to fill some key holes, and GM Stan Bowman wasn't able to recover from the hits. Yes, McDavid and Draisaitl are game-changers, but Button insists they can't on their own bring success to the Oilers in a team sport that requires up-and-down lineup participation and contribution.

While Button often says things that raise the ire of people, the salt in this take on Edmonton may not be entirely unwarranted. The former Calgary Flames GM is certainly no stranger to taking shots at the Oilers, but even his most outlandish statements hold a kernel of truth. Depth has been an issue in Edmonton for some time, especially along the blue line.

It's hard to simply write off a team that has made it a habit to silence critics, and the Oilers aren't finished assembling their roster. With the very real possibility of a monumental trade deadline move, and also the potential return of Evander Kane healthy in the spring, Edmonton could be stronger than ever by the time the playoffs roll around. If they fix the defensive depth and make the right moves, another run at the Stanley Cup is within reach.