 Goaltenders Ty Conklin and Jussi Markkanen were unreliable in net, and Peca also struggled with offence.However, in-season acquisitions, such as defencemen Jaroslav Spacek and Dick Tarnstrom, goaltender Dwayne Roloson and left winger Sergei Samsonov, helped Edmonton finish the regular season with 95 points and clinch the final playoff spot in the Western Conference over Vancouver.In the first round of the playoffs, the Oilers played the Detroit Red Wings (winners of the Presidents' Trophy).