State Your Case: Will Oilers or Maple Leafs go deeper in playoffs?

The Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs have advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in their respective conferences.

There always are a lot of eyes on the teams from Canada, and the deeper they go in the playoffs, the more hype there is. The Oilers got past this point last season, when they lost to the Colorado Avalanche in a four-game sweep in the Western Conference Final.

The Maple Leafs are in the second round for the first time since 2004, when they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

So between the Oilers and Maple Leafs this season, who goes further?

That's the question before NHL.com staff writers Tracey Myers and William Douglas in this installment of State Your Case.

Myers:I'm going with Toronto. Yes, I can hear your jaws dropping and see your eyes getting wide as I type that (well, except for Maple Leafs fans, who are as in on them as I am, of course). Listen, I know the history. I know the Maple Leafs getting past the first round has been an incredible source of frustration for them, and finally slaying the first-round dragon (this season, the dragon being the Tampa Bay Lightning) has them on cloud nine.And one of the biggest thorns in their postseason side, the Boston Bruins, were eliminated by the Florida Panthers. So things are just different this postseason. It's different for the Maple Leafs too, for me. They've got confidence now. And while the Panthers are no slouches, the Maple Leafs are going to take it and run.

Douglas: Actually, my jaw stayed firmly on my face. The Maple Leafs deserve consideration after finally getting out the first round. They're obviously an offensively talented team with Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner, and they've added a dimension of grit and Stanley Cup Final experience with the arrival of Ryan O'Reilly in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. That said, I've got to go with the Oilers. Connor McDavid, the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season, and Leon Draisaitl look like they've taken it up a notch in the postseason. Draisaitl is tied for the playoff lead with seven goals; he had a point in all six games and scored a goal in five of them. And there's not the usual handwringing about the state of Edmonton goaltending this postseason. Stuart Skinner has settled in nicely, giving confidence to the players in front of him. All of those are the ingredients for a long playoff run.

Myers:I can see the argument for the Oilers, for sure. They've got a lot going for them. I think I may be a little more skittish on them given how the Vegas Golden Knights have gotten a good amount of rest after finishing their first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets in five games and the Maple Leafs will be getting a Panthers team that, while obviously on a great roll after beating the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins, nevertheless are coming off an emotional seven-game series. As you said, Bill, O'Reilly, Matthews, Marner, it's a nice combination up front. Marner leads the Maple Leafs with 11 points (two goals, nine assists) and Matthews is second with nine points (five goals, four assists). I know goalie Ilya Samsonov hasn't had the most dominating postseason thus far (4-2, 3.14 goals-against average, .900 save percentage), but I think he settles down from here on out. Just sensing this is the season for the Maple Leafs.

Douglas:Good point about Toronto facing Florida coming off an emotional seven-game series. But remember, the Maple Leafs are coming off an emotional rollercoaster, too, winning their first playoff series since 2004. You could see the weight flying off the shoulders of the players and hear the collective sigh of relief throughout Toronto. With the burden lifted, will they be able to recalibrate and face the Panthers and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who has rediscovered his groove? And yes, Vegas hasn't played since they finished Winnipeg in Game 5 on April 27. But will the Golden Knights be rested or rusty? Plus, Edmonton has done well against Vegas during the regular season. The Oilers were 3-0-1 against the Golden Knights this season and are 6-1-1 against them the past two seasons. McDavid has 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 18 all-time games against Vegas while Draisaitl has 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 19 games.