It has all come down to this. The

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Matiash: Leon Draisaitl. I’ll go with the figure who just joined Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux in rounding out the trio of fastest players to reach 100 career playoff points. The same clutch skater who has registered at least one point in every postseason contest so far, averaging a league-leading 2.09 points per game. Unless the Canucks can somewhat stifle Edmonton’s “other” superstar, we’re likely in for an Oilers-Stars conference finals.

Öcal: Connor McDavid. “Gee, thanks Arda. Are you in commercials, because you’re being Captain Obvious.” But hear me out: McDavid has had two of his patented electrifying games so far this series, as well as three games (3, 4 and 5) in which he wasn’t his explosive self, posting one assist across that stretch. If McDavid is held off the scoresheet in Game 7, the Oilers will lose.

This is the third Game 7 in the McDavid era for the Oilers. In 2017, McDavid had zero points in 24 minutes of ice time in a Game 7 loss against the Ducks in the second round. In 2022, McDavid had a goal and an assist in 27 minutes of ice time in a Game 7 win against the Kings in the opening round. The best player in the world must show up.

Shilton: Stuart Skinner. It’s one thing to win in Game 6 when all the pressure is firmly on your opponent to close the deal. It’s another story in Game 7, when urgency and desperation will be sky-high on both sides. Can Skinner handle the heat in that situation?

Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch put his faith in Skinner to help the Oilers survive another day by tapping him for Game 6. But it doesn’t mean much if Skinner falls apart again in Game 7. He has every right to feel confident and reassured after a strong return to the crease on Saturday. Now it’s a case of “don’t change much” despite Vancouver projecting to push harder than ever to reach the Western Conference finals. Skinner’s performance could be the difference.

Wyshynski: Evan Bouchard. As I mentioned in discussing Quinn Hughes, Bouchard has been the most impactful defenseman in this series. Edmonton is a plus-6 in goal differential when he’s on the ice at 5-on-5; that balloons to a plus-11 in all situations. He’s tied with McDavid in points scored in the series with nine (both of them trailing Draisaitl, at 13). Bouchard is also leading the Oilers in average ice time (26:35).

He had the winning goals in Games 2 and 4, and has points in five of six games. Can he be the Game 7 hero, too?

The final score will be _______.

Clark: Canucks 4-3. The chances of Game 7 being decided by a single goal are extremely realistic. Until Game 6, every game of this series has been decided by one goal. Furthermore, the Canucks had played nine consecutive one-goal games this postseason until they lost Game 6. It’s possible the Oilers could have another offensive outburst. But in a series that has been so tight, it would be fitting that the final conclusion is decided by the narrowest of margins.

Matiash: Oilers 3-2, with Draisaitl scoring the game winner in OT. Don’t get me wrong, a frenzied goal-fest would be more fun, preferably decided in the waning minutes (overtime would be even better). But is that too big of an ask, considering how infective both teams’ power plays have been of late? While Edmonton has one goal with the extra skater since Game 3, the Canucks are 0-for-11. Plus, in the spirit of not overthinking matters, two of the past three games in this series have been decided by a score of 3-2. So there’s that.

Öcal: Oilers 6-4. I know, I know, how can a Game 7 be a track meet when players typically play not to make mistakes and nobody wants to be “that guy,” right? This one feels different. I say it blows wide open and we see a back-and-forth battle between two exciting teams. It’ll be 5-4 late in the third, with an empty-netter to seal it.

Shilton: Canucks 5-4. There will be goals. Lots of them. There will be pressure. Lots of it. In the end, Vancouver can get it done with the right focus and execution from throughout their lineup, from stars to role players. The Canucks and Oilers both have great depth, but if Vancouver can maximize its entire bench they can squeeze by Edmonton in a nail-biter and punch their ticket to the WCF.

Wyshynski: Oilers 3-2 in overtime. Both teams have shown the ability to defend well. In the Canucks’ case, it’s in the team DNA; in the Oilers’ case, it’s a bit more scattershot game to game. Both teams will bring that defensive aptitude in Game 7.

Vancouver can be shut down offensively: In Game 6, the Canucks were held to 15 shots (or fewer) for the third time this postseason. That’s tied for the second most in a single postseason since first tracked in 1959-60, tied with the Bruins in 1988 and trailing only the Stars (4) in 1998. A tightly played game will end up in overtime, and one of the Oilers’ skill players makes a play while Stuart Skinner holds the fort.