When the National Hockey League officially unveiled their realignment plans for the 2013-14 season, the Edmonton Oilers looked as though they would be staring at a fairly daunting task to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not exactly what a team who has failed to reach the post season for seven consecutive years wanted to hear. With the top three teams in the Pacific and Midwest Divisions guaranteed a playoff spot and the next two best records grabbing spots seven and eight, one could argue the Oilers road to earning a playoff spot is no more difficult today, than it was via the now defunct Northwest Division.
