RSS Oilers Team Notes

[Edmonton Oilers]

Sunday Scramble: Todd McLellan isn’t happy, 2026 free agent class now boring, and the NHL scheduling debacle

Now with real-life games to blow through, the NHL is back. Fans are angry.

This is the good stuff again…

McLellan carves Red Wings, but they respond​

I’ve had a fun time questioning the Yzerplan over the last couple of years, as the Red Wings flirt with the postseason but can never close the deal. Inconsistent goaltending, inconsistent scoring, inconsistent defending…they’re inconsistent. Bottom line.

The pipeline is fully stocked, and we understand Steve Yzerman’s acumen for the draft. Axel Sandin-Pellinka, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Nate Danielson. Goalies Trey Augustine and Sebastien Cossa. Never mind the youthful insurgence of the more well-known commodities in Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson et al.

We get it – the future is seemingly bright.

But when does the future become the present for the most successful franchise from 1990 to 2015? It’s been a long time since the Wings were good. Some may even call in a Decade of Darkness.

Cue up the season of renewal and excitement…splat!

The Red Wings got buried by the Montreal Canadiens 5-1 on home opener night. Newcomer goalie John Gibson was yanked after five goals against on 13 shots. Travis Hamonic’s career rehabilitation was hammered upon.

Questions surrounding the franchise were amplified, particularly after these hot comments from head coach Todd McLellan.

“Clearly, it’s still a huge issue. We just played the game – we didn’t play to win the game. And, we have no chance. And the players will say, and probably have already said to you, that you know what, we can fix this. When? It’s time. Some of them have been doing it for years. It’s time. We just spent three weeks, three and a half weeks of training camp dealing with these situations.

“Now, if it happened once or twice in a game, it’d be ok, but there was maybe six or seven outnumbered rushes at the end of the first period. It’s unacceptable; we’ll have to drill it back into them.”

Game one and Todd reads the riot act. You don’t think there’s pressure?

Steve Yzerman has been at the helm since April 2019. This team must make the playoffs or any remaining good faith from fandom towards management will strike midnight.

At some point, your hockey team has to win games in the here & now.

A poor start chasing the dog’s tail and Red Wings ownership is going to consider a devastating proposition: Axe one of the greatest players in franchise history.

By the way, I get it. It’s one game. They play 82. But a bad start will not settle the questions.

Fast forward to Saturday night – Hockey Night in Canada – and the Wings offence outscores the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3.

The players are saying the right things. Just a shaky first night?

When the Detroit Red Wings are good, whenever that occurs, it will be in part because of Yzerman’s work. But will he be employed when that happens? I grow skeptical.

Free Agency class a non-story​

All the sudden the electric free agency class of Summer 2026 has gotten real boring. Jack Eichel signs. Kyle Connor signs.

The names are not so sexy, but one of them is Alex Kempe (a little rhyme-time boys and girls).

As the AAVs come millions less than Kirill Kaprizov’s $17-million behemoth contract, I found this quote from Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin instructive .

“Look, everybody’s got a price to where they want to play in their market, and Kirill is worth that to us. He’s that important to us,” Guerin told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.

“And we couldn’t take the chance of letting him go. That’s great for those other teams, but it’s still great for us that we have him for nine years. And yeah, Jack is at $13.5 million, and that’s great. But Kirill is that important to us. If we let him go or we even flirt with it, who knows? The worst-case scenario is definitely that he leaves. It’s worse than paying him $17 million.”

There’s been a collective dunking on the Wild this week, and it makes sense. Your guy guns for the biggest bag while other stars take less.

I’ll take some credit here and repeat my point from before. The Wild are not talked about as being one of the most disappointing franchises of the past 15 years because it’s not a flashy market. But after seven consecutive playoff rounds lost – it’s high time.

They need to win a round, and Kirill gets to benefit most of all.

Who schedules this stuff?​

The National Hockey League scheduling department is a gong show of the highest order. Somewhere these guys with their spreadsheets and their forty thousand monitors in Toronto and New York, can’t figure out that Day 4 of the regular season should not be vacant.

No games?!

Saturday night is hockey night. Everyone wants to go to a game on Saturday. But where is your momentum as you completely shut down your league – an alleged major professional sports league in North America that thrives on the volume of content throughout October to June – on the fourth day of the regular season.

It doesn’t help that the NHL app is just a bad app. The thing hardly works. How?!

Good news hockey fans, if you wanna watch some puck this Sunday, there’s just the one game.

A quick scroll through the October schedule and there’s no complete skip over dates remaining, and just a couple with one or two games… Hey Bettman! Figure it out.

(As a brief aside, Sunday hockey does suck. As Bonnyville Pontiacs management knows, I don’t complain about much (seriously) but Sunday games are at the top of the list. Friday and Saturdays please. Sunday, no thanks.)

Rapidfire​

Sabres struggles​

Doom and gloom for the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo deserves so much better. That’s a good hockey city. The NHL is better when the Buffalo Sabres are a good team. It’s so painful to watch how this franchise has relegated in a tier of their own.

A pair of ugly losses. Shutout in the home opener. Just one goal in 120 minutes. Head coach Lindy Ruff after the 3-1 loss to Boston:

“I thought our compete was terrible. Worst competing, skating, moving feet that I’ve seen.”

Mix in a brutal injury to Josh Norris, and as a Sabres fan, you’d have to wonder who smashed all the mirrors? What type of curse is this? Fourteen years without playoffs.

Chaos in San Jose​

San Jose Sharks are profiling as the Fun & Sadness team. Boy, have the first two games been enthralling and comical.

The double skip on Alex Nedeljkovic to tie the game vs Vegas on Thursday, followed up by a 7-6 heartbreaker in OT to Anaheim – the kids can score. They can’t defend a lick, either. Not a surprise, obviously, but if they can have super seasons for Celebrini and Smith, and maybe, just maybe Askarov shows signs, then general manager Mike Grier can smile.

Parity arrives?​

How about this for parity by the way? The league has been through five days, and only six teams are winless: San Jose and Chicago in the west; Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and the New York Islanders in the east. Which one of these teams is not like the other?

In local news…​

Edmonton Oil Kings off to a pretty darn good start. 6-2 near the top of the WHL’s East Division.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/sunda...ass-now-boring-and-the-nhl-scheduling-debacle

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

‘What the future holds, I don’t know’: Agent for McDavid, Matthews downplays potential idea of both playing for same NHL team

Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.

Two long-time friends, fierce competitors and players who will forever be intrinsically linked as franchise players who helped usher in this latest generation of elite hockey players.

Drafted first overall a year apart — McDavid in 2015 by the Edmonton Oilers and Matthews in 2016 by the Toronto Maple Leafs — fans have always wondered what it would be like to see them on the same team. And while they got a taste of it at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey when they joined forces on Team North America, there’s always been a curiosity about them being on the same NHL team.

With McDavid’s two-year extension set to expire after the 2027-28 season, the same year that Matthews’ current $13.25-million deal expires, both have the chance to enter unrestricted free agency at the same time as Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski.

All three are represented by Wasserman’s Judd Moldaver, who joined Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukaskas on the 32 Thoughts podcast, where he was asked about two of the three potentially playing on the same team.

“I know it’s a two-way street when they’re competing against each other, either international or in (NHL) games. It’s all about winning,” he said of McDavid and Matthews, specifically. “That’s just too far in the future. You know, it so happens, I guess, that they’re all UFA the same summer. What the future holds, I don’t know.”

Werenski, drafted eighth overall in the 2015 draft by the Blue Jackets, is much like McDavid and Matthews in that he has only played for one team throughout his entire career, a situation Moldaver said he would ideally like to see for all three.

“I think I can clearly say for all three of them: they love their organizations, the Leafs, the Jackets, the Oilers, respectively,” Moldaver said. “And for them it’s winning where they’re at and in all three cases have only played for one organization.

“And if they can continue on in a good light there and have a chance to win, hopefully they all stay where they are. I think that’s sort of the easy target that they’re all UFA the same summer is again, I guess an interesting scenario. But what the future holds, I don’t know.”

Much like McDavid and Matthews, Werenski has catapulted himself to being one of the best at his position in the league, racking up 23 goals and 82 points in 81 games last year amid a breakout campaign. When that summer hits, Werenski will be coming off a six-year, $9.583-million deal, and as is the case of the other two, will be in line for a pay raise in this world of a rising salary cap.

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/judd-...s-auston-matthews-downplays-playing-same-team

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilersnation Radio: Oilers heading out for first road trip of the NHL season

It’s Tuesday afternoon and there’s a fresh episode of Oilersnation Radio set, which means the NHL regular season is just around the corner because we’re back to two podcasts per week. On today’s podcast, the fellas discussed the Oilers’ first road trip of the year, Baggedmilk’s trivia, season predictions, and much more.

We kicked off the Friday episode of ONR with a delicious debate about what the Oilers need to do on their first road trip of the season to call it a successful run through the East. Given that the Oilers are supposed to be one of the best teams in the NHL, the guys all had very different ideas of what the Oilers need to do to be considered a success. The tricky part of predicting results on an early road trip like this is that teams are still so sloppy early in the year, creating opportunities for unexpected results.

Changing gears, the guys looked back at the Oilers’ 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, and how that game was far more lopsided than the score probably suggested. As much as it was frustrating in the moment, it was hard not to be impressed by how well Thatcher Demko played and how he was the only reason this wasn’t a blowout. The guys also discussed the $2500 fine issued against Tyler Myers for sticking Connor McDavid in the pills, and how a value like that is meaningless for a player who’s made $90 million in his career. We also discussed the new line combinations that are set for Tuesday’s matchup vs. the Rangers.

Finally, we wrapped up the Tuesday episode of ONR with another round of season predictions for the 2025-26 NHL season, including some additional goal totals, head-to-heads, and anything else we could think about to build out what we started last week. From team goal predictions to Pacific Division standings to how many starts Stuart Skinner will make this season, the end of the first Tuesday episode of ONR was as fun as it was all over the map.

Listen to the Friday episode of Oilersnation Radio below:

Subscribe to Oilersnation Radio for FREE on Soundcloud here, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts from!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oiler...ing-out-for-first-road-trip-of-the-nhl-season

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

You want contract extensions? Oilers GM Stan Bowman’s got them for you

The Edmonton Oilers signed a handful of key players and their head coach to contract extensions over the past few weeks, locking up the team’s core for the foreseeable future. Let’s go through the new deals for Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, Connor McDavid, and Kris Knoblauch, and what they mean for the organization.

The Viking stays — Oilers extend Mattias Ekholm for three years, $12 million​

That’s an AAV of $4 million per season, to do the math. The first year includes a $2 million signing bonus with a $2 million base salary, while the remaining two years are pure base salary. All three years come with a No-Movement Clause. This is overall a solid deal, and even though Ekholm was 35 when he signed the contract, it doesn’t count as a 35+ contract. The NHL, man, they love making things needlessly complicated.

Although there is some risk to this contract considering his age and the fact that he’s just coming off a major injury, Ekholm is widely considered one of the best defensive blueliners in the league and, believe it or not, has got some puck-moving game, too. Because they have a higher ceiling, these players typically age better because they’re coming down from a higher place and thus typically take longer to decline than most players. That doesn’t mean the contract doesn’t come with risk, but I would agree with Stan Bowman that the risk is manageable and calculated. The fact that he took more than a $2 million AAV haircut from his previous contract also shows that both he and his agent are very much attuned to where he is in his career and will help the team out going forward, much like Connor McDavid did — more on that later.

Oilers extend the length of the Wall, man — Jake Walman signs for seven years, $49 million​

Think of Walman as a younger version of Mattias Ekholm with slightly less size. Walman showed great value to the league before his trade here last season, as he was able to put up 6-26-32 in 50 games for the rebuilding, offensively challenged San Jose Sharks, which is very impressive considering the lack of firepower and defensive help he had down there. He filled a critical vacuum on the team by forming instant chemistry with Darnell Nurse after the team had failed to find a legit partner for him since Cody Ceci lost his chemistry with Nurse. He immediately made an impact, putting up eight points in 15 games in the regular season and another 10 points in 22 playoff games, not to mention since he was playing on a better team, his plus-minus immediately shot up from minus-one to plus-five. This contract should age well, and the Oilers have locked up a key piece of their blueline for the long term now. The contract also comes with a full No-Movement Clause until June 15, 2030, when it reverts to a 15-team No-Trade Clause for the remaining three years.

Walman is a quality player who rounds out our top four, and now that we have him locked up long term, we can breathe a sigh of relief. He’ll be 36 by the time the contract ends, so just like with Ekholm, there is risk, but the risk is very minimal as Walman is coming down from a fairly high level.

The paradoxical confusion — Connor McDavid signs for another two years, $25 million​

That’s the same $12.5 million AAV he’s signed to now. This is Connor McDavid putting his money where his mouth is and showing that he’s committed to winning. No question, this is the great element of this signing. It also comes with an NMC for both years.

What troubles me about this signing is that it’s so short-term. Oh, I don’t blame Stan Bowman in the least, as both he and McDavid’s agent knew full well that McDavid had all the leverage in these negotiations, so Bowman could only pay him what he asked for as long as he asked for. Thus, the short term of this contract is not Bowman’s fault at all.

The bad news is the term. To me, what this says is that Connor McDavid believes in this team, but not enough to sign long-term. No one can answer this but him, but I have to wonder what this endgame is. Is it simply a ploy to light a fire under management and win the Cup before the end of this contract? Is he planning to go to Florida or Toronto in two years (oh, that last one will get any Toronto-based readers going….)? Is he planning to do something completely unexpected, like retire after winning? I have to think that last one is unlikely, but I’m just thinking out loud. Stranger things have happened.

I don’t know what Connor McDavid is thinking here. No one does except for him, his wife Lauren, and his agent Judd Moldaver. Of course, I’ve already written about how I think McDavid will only wear one jersey his entire career here, so I’m not going to do that again.

Head coach Yoda — Oilers extend Kris Knoblauch for three years​

Terms were not released. This was always going to happen because Knoblauch has taken the team to the Cup Finals two years in a row, and why wouldn’t they want that guy back as head coach? All Knoblauch has to do is conquer the Florida Panthers, or at least not face them again in the Finals, and then he should be able to cement his legacy as an NHL head coach. If he fails again this year to get the team over the final hump, he risks going down in the history books as the head coach of the NHL’s version of the Buffalo Bills, who were a team that got to four straight Super Bowls in the early ’90s and lost all of them. I have to think that’s the last thing anybody wants.

That being said, all the ingredients are in place for Knoblauch this year. Key guys in McDavid, Walman, and Ekholm have been extended. There’s been a youth movement to replace the older veterans that either became luxuries we couldn’t afford or were underperforming, and guys like Matt Savoie, Ike Howard, and Noah Philp are proving themselves in the early going to different extents. Howard is arguably the most “underperforming” of the bunch, but I put that in quotation marks because when you’re a rookie pro two games into a career without setting the league on fire, that is hardly a condemnation. He’s stayed even in those two games, so even if he hasn’t produced offense, the good news is he hasn’t cost the team offense either. I say let the kid get his feet under him and then, as the season progresses, we should be fine. Maybe we’ll even see him in the top six, who knows? We’ve also got a new goaltending coach who has publicly said he can help both goalies get better.

Even Tkachuk and Barkov will be out most of, if not the entire, season on the Long-Term Injured Reserve, so after two long Cup runs, the Panthers may not be healthy enough or have enough energy to make a third Cup run, which should give the Oilers easier opposition in the Cup Final. This is assuming, of course, that they get back there.

Personally, I can’t think of another guy I’d rather have as head coach right now on the Oilers than Kris Knoblauch.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...ct-extensions-ekholm-walman-mcdavid-knoblauch

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Better Lait Than Never: Oilers win two, Stuart Skinner’s shutout, and NHL fines make no sense

It’s been a busy week around here, and I’ve got a fresh episode of Better Lait Than Never ready to hit your ear holes with another dose of Oilers adjacent shenanigans. On today’s podcast, I talked about the Oilers bouncing back from their season opener loss, Stuart Skinner doing what he can to shut up the haters, Jack Roslovic’s Edmonton debut, and much more.

After a tough loss to the Calgary Flames in the season opener, the Edmonton Oilers rebounded with a pair of wins over the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers. While those two wins came after very different games and with very different heroes, the larger point is that our boys found a way to win despite two vastly different styles on the ice. Not only were those wins important, but I also got the chance to pump Stuart Skinner’s tires a little bit after quieting down the haters with his first shutout of the season. Finally, I wrapped up the news with a quick look at Jack Roslovic’s Oilers debut, and wondered whether he can do enough in the next few weeks to cement his spot in the lineup.

Finally, I wrapped up this week’s episode of BLTN with a Righteous Sack Beating about player fines before wrapping up the podcast with another round of voicemails. The voicemail was quiet again this week, but the messages were as varied as they were entertaining. The voicemail is my favourite way to wrap up the show and give everyone a chance to share their thoughts. Another hearty thank you to everyone who contributed to this week’s episode, because having all of you in the mix makes the show so much better.

Want to leave a voicemail for next week’s show? Do it here!

Subscribe to Better Lait Than Never for FREE on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts from! Better Lait Than Never is proudly presented by Sports Interaction, Star Mechanical, Odd Company, and Trilogy Oilfield Rentals. Without them, this podcast would not be possible.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/bette...-skinners-shutout-and-nhl-fines-make-no-sense

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

GDB 4.0: Oilers Winning With Defence (5:30 PM MT, SN360)

Just as many expected. The Edmonton Oilers are winning early on this season on the strength of good defensive play and sound goaltending.

Through the first week of the season, the Oilers lead the NHL with a 1.33 GAA (goals against average), while ranking 25th in goals per game at 2.67.

The Oilers have three 5×5 goals, the fewest in the league, but they’ve allowed the third fewest (also three), and so far, their defensive play has carried the offence. Kasperi Kapanen leads the Oilers with two 5×5 points. The third line of Kapanen, Vasily Podkozlin, with either Noah Philp or Trent Frederic at centre, has scored two of the team’s three 5×5 goals. That line, and specifically Kapanen, have been their most consistent line 5×5.

The great news for the Oilers is they haven’t needed their superstars to carry them, which illustrates how good the Oilers actually are. I was perplexed by how many pre-season prognostications from fans and pundits questioned the depth of the Oilers. Their core remains the same, and they’ve added more speed to the lineup. Not to mention head coach Kris Knoblauch has improved their defensive play significantly since he was hired in November of 2023.

The Oilers can defend, and now they just need their offence to wake up. They’ve outshot teams 68-47 at 5×5 and have the second-best shots for percentage in the NHL at 59.1 percent, but like last season, they are struggling to finish. Their net front offence is last in the NHL through three games. They miss Zach Hyman’s presence around the net, but even when he returns, the Oilers need more players around the net. That’s where the majority of goals are scored. The Oilers have to score a goal with anyone in front of the net. Look at their goals thus far.

Their first goal came on a nifty three-way passing play on the power play. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins finished it off nicely.

Nuge season starts now #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/hi3u0rfyjc

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 9, 2025

Andrew Mangiapane ripped a wrister top-shelf from the top of the circle and beat Dustin Wolf over the glove.

Fresh Bread #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/qZePCRsh09

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 9, 2025

Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play on a great no-look-behind-the-back pass from David Tomášek.

burgers flipped #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/2wdDKD0WOU

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 9, 2025

Noah Philp scored off the rush against Thatcher Demko.

NOAH DOUBT ABOUT IT #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/RcAUqqhziR

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 12, 2025

Mangipane picked off a pass and waited patiently before beating Demko.

Now we’re c̶o̶o̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ baking #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/esw1iHMfKu

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 12, 2025

Trent Frederic scored his first as an Oilers on a breakaway against Igor Shesterkin.

In one hole and out through the other, Trent Frederic opens the scoring! #LetsGoOilers

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/5hTeudXVIe

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) October 15, 2025

They’ve also scored two empty net goals.

The good news is the Oilers have shown they have the skill to make great plays, and finish chances off the rush. But eventually they will need to score some gritty/ugly/deflection goals as well. It hasn’t been an issue yet, because of how well they’ve played defensively, or in the case of Tuesday’s game, how well their goaltender played. Good teams find different ways to win, and the fact their superstars haven’t taken over a game, and they’ve still picked up five of six points is a positive. However, the lack of 5×5 scoring and ranking 31st in SH% is a concern, considering that was an issue last year as well.

Their opponent tonight, the New York Islanders, could be the perfect cure for their offensive woes. The Islanders rank 30th in GAA at 4.33 and have allowed 13 goals in three games. I recognize the Oilers will start to score more, because they have enough skill to do it, but considering how many shots and scoring chances they create, they should have scored more than they did last year, and it is only three games, but the trend of lacking a net-front offence has continued.

One of the main differences in the Stanley Cup Final, was Florida’s net-front game compared to Edmonton. I don’t think it is incorrect to point out, it is an area of their offensive game they can improve.

SNAPSHOTS…​

— Stuart Skinner is looking for his 100th career win as an Oiler tonight. His next win will make him the third quickest goalie to 100 wins in franchise history trailing Grant Fuhr (168 starts) and Andy Moog (149 starts). Tonight is Skinner’s 171st NHL start. If you go by games played, Moog did it in his 168th game, Fuhr in his 174th game and Skinner in his 177th, if he wins tonight.

— Skinner has a record of 2-1 v. the Islanders with a .908Sv% and 2.34 GAA. He has a win against every NHL team, except New Jersey. He’s 0-3 against the Devils, and I wonder if that plays into Kris Knoblauch’s decision on which game his goalie starts this upcoming weekend. Calvin Pickard is 4-1 v. the Devils in his career. The Oilers play in New Jersey on Saturday afternoon and in Detroit on Sunday.

— Odd fact. As of right now Skinner and Pickard have both made 176 NHL appearances. Pickard’s first game came in 2013/14, while Skinner debuted in 2020/21. Skinner has made 170 starts, while Pickard’s made 145. I always enjoy being reminded of Pickard’s perseverance. He spent three years in the AHL, then over the next three seasons he played 86 NHL games, including 50 in 2017. Over the next six seasons he played 30 NHL games and 129 in the NHL, and in the past three years he’s played 60 NHL games and four in the AHL. He kept grinding.

— The Oilers could benefit from drawing a few penalties tonight. The Oilers had no PP chances v. the Rangers. Their PP is a respectable 22.2% going 2-for-9, while the Islanders PK is very leaky at 70%.

— Brett Kulak has played 267 consecutive games since joining the Oilers on March 24th, 2022. His 267 consecutive games played is the 11th longest active streak in the NHL. Only 64 active players have even played 100 consecutive games. The Oilers franchise record is 518 consecutive games set by Craig MacTavish between 1986 and 1993.

— Matthew Schaefer was the #1 pick this past June, ten years after Connor McDavid went #1 overall. Both played for the Erie Otters when drafted. Schaefer has had quite the introduction to the NHL. Tonight is his fourth NHL game, and he’s already faced Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin and tonight he gets to play against McDavid and Draisaitl. Not a bad opening week. Schaefer is averaging 23:18/game, and he’s produced three points (1-2-3) in three games. He’s the only D-man on the Islanders to outscore the opposition at 5×5. He’s been paired with veteran Scott Mayfield and when they are on the ice together the Islanders have outshot teams 24-17 and without them together, they’ve outshot teams 46-44.

— The Islanders are 0-3 this season, yet they’ve outshot teams 70-61 at 5×5, but they’ve been outscored 9-5. On special teams they’ve scored two power play goals and have allowed three while penalty killing. They haven’t been awful, but they’ve allowed nine goals on 61 shots 5×5. They have the second lowest 5×5 sv% at .852%.

— Ilya Sorokin is 0-3 with a .854Sv% and 4.18 GAA. He will get the night off tonight and David Rittich will start his first game as an Islander. In 10 career starts vs. the Oilers, Rittich is 5-4-1 with a .920Sv% and 2.49 GAA. The Oilers didn’t play very well, except Stuart Skinner, against the Rangers on Tuesday and I expect a better effort from the skaters tonight.

LINEUPS…​

Oilers…​

Mangiapane-McDavid-Tomášek
RNH-Draisaitl-Roslovic
Podkolzin-Frederic-Kapanen
Howard-Henrique-Savoie
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Stecher
Kulak-Emberson
Skinner
Knoblauch split up Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl halfway through Tuesday’s game looking to find more offence and they will centre their own lines tonight. Tomášek played well with McDavid, and I’m interested to see how he does over a few games. He’s a big body, with good hands who sees the ice very well. He’s excellent at protecting the puck, and he and Andrew Mangiapane offer different skillsets to complement McDavid.
Jack Roslovic showed signs of his offensive acumen in his first game and playing him with either McDavid or Draisaitl makes sense. He’s quicker than I thought and showed some creativity in his first game, but both he and Tomášek will need to play well before Hyman returns to remain in the top six.

Islanders…​

Drouin-Horvat-Heineman
Duclair-Barzal-Palmieri
Lee-Pageau-Shabanov
MacLean-Cizikas-Holmstrom

Schaefer-Mayfield
Pelech-Pulock
Romanov-DeAngelo

Rittich

The Islanders are hoping for more from Mat Barzal, who has one assist in three games. He only played 30 games last season and didn’t play after February 1st, so it might take him some time to get back up to speed, and they are hopeful he can produce similar to the 80 points he had in 2024.

TONIGHT…​

Photoshop by Tom Kostiuk
GAME DAY PREDICTION: Oilers win their third game in a row and defeat the Islanders 5-2.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Oilers score a PP goal.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Tomášek scores his first career NHL goal.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/gdb-4-0-edmonton-oilers-new-york-islanders-preview

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Islanders beat lacklustre Oilers for first win of season: Recap, Highlights, and Reaction

For the first time this season, the Edmonton Oilers fell in regulation time.

Facing the New York Islanders on the road, the Oilers lost by a score of 4-2, putting Edmonton at 2-1-1 on the early season. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.

Late in the first period, Evan Bouchard turned the puck over, leading to a breakaway for Mathew Barzal. Bearing down on Stuart Skinner, Barzal held the puck on his backhand before quickly moving it to his forehand and roofing it to make it 1-0 for the Islanders.

Barzal's first of the year! #LGI | @FORD pic.twitter.com/T7pKlwucSh

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 17, 2025

It didn’t take long for the Oilers to tie the game, as they received a power play shortly after the opening goal. Off a face off, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid had a nice little give-and-go, with Draisaitl scoring his third of the season.

Give & goal #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/Dpve6btU2f

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 17, 2025

Midway through the second period, the Oilers got their first lead of the game. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins entered the zone, got to the face-off dot, and beat David Rittich far side for a 2-1 lead.

Nuge wrist rocket #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/nJD1dJu7Ms

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 17, 2025

It looked as if the Oilers would head to the second intermission up one, especially since they were on a power play with two minutes left in the second. However, Bo Horvat left the zone early and was found for a breakaway, making no mistake in beating Skinner to make it 2-2.

HORVAT? SCORED THAT. #LGI | @FORD pic.twitter.com/kphlebQUrw

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 17, 2025

Late in the third period, Trent Frederic took a horrific penalty, giving the Islanders a power play. Early on that power play with just five minutes left in the game, a pass came Horvat’s way in the slot, with the former Vancouver Canucks ripping it past Skinner to make it 3-2. Horvat sealed the game with an empty net goal, getting the hat trick.

HORVAT PPG! #LGI | @FORD pic.twitter.com/0EWonb0dEy

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 17, 2025

Takeaways…​

The Islanders opened the scoring late in the first period. While their lead didn’t last long, it was the first time this season that the Oilers had trailed in a game, as their lone loss came in a shootout. Of course, they took the lead with about five minutes left in the game and never let go.

Stuart Skinner allowed three goals on 24 shots, an .875 save percentage. That doesn’t tell the whole story, as he made numerous big saves early in the game to keep the Oilers in it. Moreover, two of the Mariners’ goals came on a breakaway; it’s always hard to blame the goalie on those types of goals.

One of those breakaways was because of Evan Bouchard, who was a little too casual on a puck in the neutral zone. It’s another one of those giveaways that he shouldn’t be making. It also wasn’t the only bad giveaway he had in this game.

Matthew Savoie had a good game, drawing two penalties and being active on both the penalty kill and forecheck. One of the penalties he drew led to the Oilers first goal, and that was because both he and Ike Howard did well on the forecheck.

Kasperi Kapanen has been buzzing so far this season, generating a good chance thanks to forcing a turnover. He got an assist on Noah Philp’s first goal on Saturday. However, his linemate, Trent Frederic, didn’t have a great game. His penalty late in the third led to the game-winning goal for the Islanders.

Connor McDavid had a rough game, as he was on the ice for three of the Islanders’ four goals, finishing as a -3. It was tied with Bouchard for worst in the game. Sure, he got an assist, but he needs to be better, including on this play below.

McDavid scored 64 goals once in a season.

Why is he passing this? pic.twitter.com/uCVPU40NMQ

— Ryley Delaney (@Ryley__Delaney) October 17, 2025

Next up for the Oilers is a matchup against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at 1:30 PM MT.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/islanders-beat-lacklustre-edmonton-oilers-first-win-recap-highlights

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Pagnotta: Oilers watching Adrian Kempe’s contract situation with Kings

A solid secondary scorer has apparently caught the attention of the Edmonton Oilers.

Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe has begun the final season of his contract, with many wondering what the future could be between the player and the team.

On Thursday, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period hopped on Oilersnation Everyday to discuss the matter. He admits that, while there’s no current deal in place for Kempe to be in Los Angeles through next season, Kempe’s intentions are to stay in Hollywood.

“[Kempe] wants to stay,” Pagnotta said. “In talking to him over the years, in talking to him again at the media tour in Vegas, and talking to some of his teammates, he genuinely wants to stay. But at the same time, and I think he’s a guy that’s willing to take a smidge less, but he needs to be in that competitive window, that competitive ballpark financially. They just haven’t been there yet.”

Kempe’s current deal is a four-year contract that he signed with the team in July 2022. The deal has a cap hit of $5.5 million. The 29-year-old has been one of the best players on the Kings for the past few seasons, and is destined for a significant pay raise.

“The Kings and Kenny Holland have to accept the fact that his contract’s likely going to be in the [$11 million range]….the talking point from Kempe’s camp was in the [$10 million range]. From L.A’.s side, it was [$9 million] and just under. Both of those numbers have increased. I don’t know if L.A. has made significant ground in terms of bridging the financial gap. That’s one of the reasons why they put a pause in negotiations for the time being.”

Pagnotta also mentioned that the two sides will be meeting later this month.

There are certainly several reasons why Kempe has quickly become a sought-after commodity over the last couple of years. He has hit the 50-point mark in each of the past four season, scoring at least 60 in the past three years, including a career-best 75 points during the 2023-24 season. Last year, Kempe posted 35 goals and 38 assists for 73 points in 81 games, before scoring 10 points in the six games against the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.

Even though there’s the possibility of Kempe taking a “hometown discount,” Pagnotta mentioned that the Kings will have to pay some sort of premium to keep him away from other teams.

“With the changing of the landscape, they’ve got to figure that out, from L.A. side of things, and accept the fact that it’s going to cost you a lot to keep this guy, and that there are teams like Edmonton and others that are quasi-lurking in the weeds, just curious as to where this is going to go. If he hits market, first of all, the [$11 million] is going way up. You’re talking [$12 million] in the open market. There are going to be a number of potential suitors that are going to go after this guy.”

In 635 NHL regular-season games, Kempe has scored 196 goals and 210 assists for 406 points, with another 29 points in 28 postseason contests.

You can watch the full episode below. The Kempe conversation starts around 1:09:00

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/pagno...n-kempes-contract-situation-los-angeles-kings

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilersnation Radio: Oilers mistakes, Evan Bouchard, and first impressions of Jack Roslovic

It’s Friday afternoon, which means a fresh episode of Oilersnation Radio is ready to massage your eardrums with an hour of off-season Oilers talk. On today’s podcast, the fellas discussed the Oilers’ season opener, Thursday’s matchup against the Islanders, line combos, and much more.

We kicked off the Friday episode of ONR with a delicious debate about the start of the Oilers’ road trip through the first two games in New York. While the Oilers did beat the Rangers, it wasn’t exactly their best performance. When it came to the Islanders, the boys made so many mistakes that it would have almost been a miracle had they been able to pull off the win. The good news is that many of the errors that led to that loss are fixable, and the boys all expect the team to be better going forward.

Continuing with the breakdown of Thursday’s loss, the boys wanted to give Stuart Skinner some love for his work last night even though the stats would suggest he wasn’t as good as he was. Had it not been for Skinner, that loss to the Islanders would have been way worse than it ended up. From there, we offered our first impressions on Jack Roslovic. Even though he’s only played two games with Edmonton so far, it’s tough to get an accurate read on the player when he’s trying to get up to speed after missing training camp and the pre-season.

Finally, we wrapped up the Friday episode of ONR with another round of Ask the Idiots, betting talk for our friends at bet365, and Hot and Cold Performers to look back on the week. With the 2025-26 season underway, the guys spent the bulk of the Friday episode discussing a range of topics, some related to the Oilers and others not, but that’s what happens at this stage of the new year.

Listen to the Friday episode of Oilersnation Radio below:

Subscribe to Oilersnation Radio for FREE on Soundcloud here, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts from!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oiler...uchard-and-first-impressions-of-jack-roslovic

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Pickard starts, Howard sits, and Lazar debuts as Oilers face Devils

The Edmonton Oilers are going with Calvin Pickard between the pipes for Saturday’s matinee against the New Jersey Devils.

It wasn’t the only notable change in the Oilers’ lineup, as rookie forward Issac Howard will watch the game from the press box, allowing Curtis Lazar to make his team debut against his former club.

Lazar, 30, joined the Oilers on a one-year contract but hadn’t drawn into a game yet this year. He’ll do so against the team he spent the last two-and-a-bit seasons with, drawing in for 123 games, scoring nine goals and 30 points.

The Oilers mixed their lines up as a whole, bringing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to the top line alongside Connor McDavid and Andrew Mangiapane, as Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen drew in on the flanks of Leon Draisaitl.

The third line featured Trent Frederic centring Matt Savoie and Jack Roslovic, as David Tomasek centred the fourth line with Adam Henrique and Curtis Lazar. The blue line remained the same from Thursday’s game against the Islanders.

The @EdmontonOilers pre-game skate:

RNH-McDavid-Mangiapane
Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Kapanen
Savoie-Frederic-Roslovic
Henrique-Tomasek-Lazar

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Stecher
Kulak-Emberson

Pickard

— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) October 18, 2025

The game marks Pickard’s fourth start against the Devils in an Oilers uniform, posting a 2-1 record, a .897 save percentage and a 2.39 goals against average in his previous three.

For Howard, meanwhile, it marks his first scratch as an NHL’er. Earlier this week Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said the team is still evaluating their lineup, finding where each player fits.

“About half our forwards are new,” he said Wednesday. “It’s a new lineup, finding out who complements each other well.

“I don’t want to staple somebody in a spot. I think we have some young players that could move up in the lineup. I think with some opportunities, they can contribute more offensively. Right now, we’ve got Howard and Savoie playing special teams, but maybe over a period of time they can move up in the lineup and play more regular, even-strength minutes and we’ll see how things fit in.”

After Saturday’s game against the Devils, the Oilers will trek east to visit the Detroit Red Wings for a Sunday matinee. Puck drop for that game is set for 1:00 pm MT.

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/calvi...-debut-edmonton-oilers-face-new-jersey-devils

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

As Oilers get healthy, Emberson and Janmark could be available in trade

The clock is ticking on the Edmonton Oilers getting healthy.

While the team placed defenceman Alec Regula on the injured reserve on Sunday ahead of their afternoon matinee with the Detroit Red Wings, the Oilers are also expecting some key players to get healthy in the coming week. Zach Hyman can return from the Long-Term Injured Reserve as soon as November 1st. Jake Walman is expected back in the lineup soon. Mattias Janmark is also expected back sometime soon.

Add Jack Roslovic joining the mix on the NHL roster, and suddenly, the Oilers have a significant logjam once everyone is healthy.

The Oilers will have to move three players off their roster in order to be compliant with the 23-man roster limit, but the team is already evaluating options, hockey insider Frank Seravalli reported during a Thursday radio hit on Sports 1440.

Among them? Sending Issac Howard to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, placing Curtis Lazar on waivers, and potentially trading Ty Emberson and/or Mattias Janmark.

“I think there’s going to be a pecking order here. I think the first player likely to move is Issac Howard, because he’s waiver-exempt. Then, I’d say it’s probably Curtis Lazar, and as you work through the permutations, the Oilers want to do everything they can to avoid putting Noah Philp on waivers, because they think he’s likely to be claimed and I do too. And I think the really interesting thing to watch is it seems like Alec Regula is trending towards this weekend to play, and when everyone is healthy, Walman’s healthy… that Regula is going to be in and the odd man out is going to be Emberson. When that happens, do the Oilers look to make a trade and move Emberson? And the other part is I think they would be open to moving Janmark in the right trade if that were to present itself.”

Emberson, 25, was acquired by the team in the wake of the 2024 offer sheets for Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, traded to Edmonton from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Cody Ceci and a third-round pick. The Oilers signed him to a two-year, $1.3-million AAV extension in April, a deal that carried no clauses. He appeared in 76 regular season games for the Oilers last year, playing all six games against the L.A. Kings in the first round of the playoffs — as well as three games against the Vegas Golden Knights — before falling out of favour in the lineup.

Janmark, 32, is entering his fourth year with the Oilers after signing a one-year deal the team in the 2022 free agency class. He inked another one-year pact for the 2023-24 season, before inking a three-year, $1.45-million AAV extension in July 2024 — a contract that carries a 10-team no-trade list. He’s appeared in 217 regular season games with the Oilers, scoring 16 goals and 55 points, adding another seven goals and 13 points in 52 playoff games.

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-get-healthy-ty-emberson-mattias-janmark-trade

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers’ sloppiness continues, a three-game losing streak, and why Noah Philp should stay in the lineup

After a pair of mistake-riddled losses to the Islanders and Devils, the Oilers made their way to Detroit to take on the red-hot Red Wings in search of simplicity. When the boys are getting caved in by errors, the best approach to climbing out of the hole is by playing simple hockey instead of trying to pass their way into the net, so that’s what I was looking for on Sunday. Unfortunately, what we got was another tough 60 minutes for the Oilers, as their losing streak hit three games after a painful 4-2 loss in Detroit.

ANOTHER ROUGH START FOR THE OILERS​

You always worry about how the boys will start the second half of a back-to-back, right? Well… the Oilers hit the ice like they’d just woken up from a nap, and only managed to generate three shots on goal in the first period despite having more than a few opportunities to test John Gibson. For a team gagging for offence, trying to pass your way into the net just isn’t good enough. If anything, I’d much rather they dumb it down a bit. Keep things simple until guys start getting some mojo back. Cram bodies in front of the net, fire pucks from everywhere, and bang away for the greasy ones. Gibson came into Sunday’s matchup with an .867 save percentage and a 3.57 GAA in two starts, so this wasn’t a goalie locked in and stealing games. Even so, the Oilers barely tested him. Everyone knows my motto in games like this is to shoot from the parking lot, but we didn’t get anything close to that.

On the bright side, Stuart Skinner was absolutely ready to go early and was very sharp when he needed to be. Stu cancelled out a couple of mistakes like the early one-on-one with Andrew Copp, but overall, the Oilers did do a better job limiting the kinds of dangerous chances that burned them against the Islanders and Devils. The defensive structure looked cleaner and more intentional, which is encouraging, but the lack of urgency in the offensive zone was still a major problem. I know the wheels fell off defensively in the second period, but the D was cleaner early. At the other end, you can’t expect to win when you’re passing up your best looks for passes to the perimeter, and the Oilers will need to adjust that mindset going forward if they plan to start stringing wins together. I’m not saying shooting for the sake of shooting is always the answer, but it’s certainly a better approach than not putting anything on net at all.

THREE STRAIGHT LOSSES​

For the third straight game, the Oilers found a way to beat themselves, this time dropping a 4–2 decision in Detroit that was very tough to watch. The most frustrating part? It wasn’t that Detroit played some world-beating flavour of hockey or anything — don’t get me wrong, the Wings were solid — it’s that the Oilers played with zero sense of urgency. I know the Oilers were in action yesterday in New Jersey, but they just weren’t engaged nearly enough. The slow start I wrote about above seemed to set the tone for what ended up as a lacklustre effort until it was too late. They didn’t shoot nearly enough, and even when lanes did open up, they hesitated or tried to make one pass too many. That lack of a killer instinct bled through the whole game. It wasn’t until the Oilers were down by two goals in the third that they finally started to look alive.

When the give-a-shit meter finally spiked, the boys actually started to control play and hem the Wings in their own end. The problem, of course, is that by the time they realized they were playing, it ended up being too late to matter. Leon Draisaitl’s goal at 7:33 of the third period cut the deficit to one and gave them plenty of time to grin out another one, but it never should’ve taken forty+ minutes and a hole to climb out of to get there. The Oilers finished the night with only 18 shots on goal (18!!!) and somehow still managed to stick John Gibson with a .889 save percentage. Why they didn’t think it was a good idea to test a goalie whose been wobbly more than they did is a mystery. You can’t score if you don’t shoot, and you can’t win if you wait until desperation kicks in. They didn’t lose because the other goalie was unbeatable or the other team was dominant; they lost because they looked like they’re playing as if these games don’t matter until April. And until that changes, we’re going to keep watching the same movie on repeat.

NOAH PHILP SHOULD STAY IN THE LINEUP​

If the goal is to find a 4C who can give you a range of skills, play 10–12 minutes effectively, and do it on a cheap contract, then Noah Philp has to be that guy. After scoring his first NHL goal against the Canucks in the second game of the year, he was scratched for three straight, only to jump back into the lineup against the Red Wings and score the Oilers’ lone goal through 40 minutes. Philp is big, he’s quick, he’s right-handed, has solid possession numbers, and shows decent offensive instincts, which is exactly what you want from a player in that position. His goal at 12:25 of the second period came on a slick deflection from the slot off Vasily Podkolzin’s wrister from the point, and that only happens because he went to the greasy area and had the touch to make something of the chance when he got there.

We’re dying for goals around here, and Philp’s second of the year in only his third game puts him third in team scoring. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about where this group is at right now, I don’t know what other numbers will. And while I thought he played well against Detroit, the bigger story is that Noah Philp is exactly the type of affordable depth centreman the Oilers need. Sure, the dream scenario would be having someone who can also kill penalties — and Philp hasn’t earned that trust yet — but that doesn’t mean the coaching staff shouldn’t recognize what’s working at even strength. There will be growing pains, no doubt, but right now it feels like there’s a lot more good going on in his game than bad. And for a bottom-six that’s struggled to provide any signs of life, that’s not a player you can afford to keep sitting in the press box.

PRESENTED BY ODD COMPANY​

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...sing-streak-why-noah-philp-should-stay-lineup

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

The Oilers need more from Darnell Nurse

Darnell Nurse has been a key contributor on the Edmonton Oilers’ blueline for nearly a decade, but inconsistency and playoff struggles in recent years have cranked up the pressure for him to perform. Through six games of the 2025-26 season, he is off to one of the roughest starts of his career, and it’s draining life from the team at both ends of the ice.

The Oilers have been outscored 3-0 in Nurse’s 5-on-5 minutes thus far, and the high-danger chances are 21-8 for the opposition. These results would be concerning on their own, but they become even more jarring when you contrast them with what happens when the Nurse isn’t on the ice. The Oilers have outscored the opposition 8-6 and hold a 36-31 lead in high-danger chances at 5-on-5 when he’s on the bench.

The numbers paint a clear picture — Nurse has been a drag on Edmonton’s play. What’s more concerning is that these results aren’t isolated to bad luck or a few unfortunate bounces. They stem from recurring habits in his game.

What’s happening with Nurse?​

What we’re seeing from Nurse at the moment is nothing new. The same issues that have plagued him in past slumps. Panicked puck retrievals, failed clears, and poor decision-making are once again dragging his game down. While these weaknesses are present in the regular season, they typically don’t reach a boiling point until the postseason, when teams bring more physicality and effort on the forecheck and in board battles.

Something to watch for in Game 4: how the Edmonton defence handles the puck in the defensive zone.

The Panthers have been forcing piles of turnovers, especially from Kulak and Nurse, by disrupting exit attempts and winning battles for loose pucks in the defensive zone. pic.twitter.com/HiAyOuqAwY

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 12, 2025

Unfortunately, the same version of Nurse who can’t seem to perform in the playoffs is the one showing up in the first few weeks of the regular season. The Oilers don’t need him to be perfect; they need him to be reliable. Right now, that version of his game feels far away. Fixing it starts with simplifying his play and getting him the right partner to help steady things.

What can the Oilers do to get Nurse back on Track?​

The key for Nurse is simplicity in his game. That’s why he’s always tended to play better next to a good puck-mover who can do the heavy lifting on breakouts to take some of the pressure off. Alec Regula has the potential to fill that role — he and Nurse showed some promise in the first two games, before he was injured against the Canucks. They were outscored 1-0, but Edmonton largely controlled play in their minutes, holding a 70% share of the expected goals.

The plan for now will likely be to pair him with Jake Walman, who the Oilers activated off the IR Monday morning. Walman is a mobile skater and puck mover who can facilitate zone exits and take the pressure off Nurse. Last season, they outscored the opposition 8-2 in their minutes together with a dominant 61% expected goal share. Prior to Walman’s injury in training camp, this was the planned duo to start the season.

Ideally, a $9.25M defenseman could anchor a second pair without requiring a partner with a specific set of skills to calm their game down, but that ship has sailed. Nurse is who he is. He may not live up to his contract, but with Edmonton’s D-core closer to full strength, he could at least live up to his role.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-need-more-from-darnell-nurse

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers fall eight places in latest NHL Power Rankings

Things have been a little rough for the Edmonton Oilers, and it’s leading to diminished respect from those around the game.

In the weekly NHL Power Rankings posted by Daily Faceoff, the Oilers are listed 11th among the 32 franchises in the league, a massive drop from third where the team was the week before.

DFO’s Hunter Crowther had the team listed as high as ninth, while fellow contributor Scott Maxwell was willing to dump Edmonton down to 15th. However, Crowther tries to remain optimistic despite another sluggish start in Edmonton, and the lack of scoring from its captain.

“I’m writing this now to remind everyone to refill their salbutamol inhaler prescriptions and take deep breaths,” Crowther wrote. “Connor McDavid is the best player in the world, and him not scoring a goal through the first six games of the season doesn’t change that. The Oilers are famous for their slow starts, and I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt to a team that made it to two consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances. If McDavid hasn’t scored by next Sunday, then we’ll talk.”

As of Monday, the Oilers are 2-3-1 on the season, and are coming off a disappointing loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon. It was the fourth game of a five-game Eastern Conference road trip, which started off with a solid win over the New York Rangers. Yet, Edmonton took a step back, losing to both the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils.

The losses have led the Oilers to falling behind the likes of Detroit, the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens in DFO’s rankings.

The level on inconsistency the Oilers have had in the month of October over the past few years has been concerning, even with the caliber of talent on its roster. While the team has managed to bounce back and finish near the top of the Pacific Division, along with advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in the past two years, there’s a greater number of questions about the quality of play in this year’s team compared to seasons’ past.

The Oilers wrap up their swing through the East on Tuesday night, when they pay a visit to the Ottawa Senators. Edmonton will be back home on Thursday to host the Canadiens.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-fall-eight-places-latest-nhl-power-rankings

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

WATCH: Oilers’ Isaac Howard scores first NHL goal

One of the prominent rookies in the game has tickled the twine for the first time.

On Tuesday night, Edmonton Oilers forward Isaac Howard scored the first goal of his NHL career, and it occurred with two of the best players in hockey alongside him.

It happened during the second period of the team’s game against the Ottawa Senators. It came when Howard was on the ice with Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, right after serving a penalty for the first time in his career. McDavid forced a turnover in the Senators’ zone, with Draisaitl picking up the loose puck.

Draisaitl then found Howard open in the slot, with Howard firing a shot through Linus Ullmark’s five-hole to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead.

FIRST NHL GOAL

ISAAC HOWARD

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/ynXmKEskh9

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) October 22, 2025

It was also the first point of Howard’s career. The Hudson, Wis. native had been held off the scoresheet in the first five appearances with the Oilers. Coming into Tuesday night, he had a plus/minus of -1 while averaging 9:46 of ice time. Howard had been spending most of his time in the bottom six, being listed with David Tomasek and veteran center Adam Henrique.

There was a lot of intrigue with Howard heading into his first season with the team. The Oilers acquired the former Michigan State Spartan’s signing rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning for Sam O’Reilly. Howard had originally announced that he was going to return to college hockey after failing to reach a deal with the Lightning. However, after signing with Edmonton, Howard immediately signed a three-year, entry-level contract.

Howard’s stock had never been higher, as he was coming off a great season at MSU, where he scored 26 goals and 52 points, finishing second among Big Ten skaters in scoring behind Penn State forward Aiden Fink. Howard ended up fifth in the nation in scoring, trailing Denver’s Jack Devine, who posted 52 points. Howard was later named the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey.

Howard has also experienced success on the international stage. He helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship and 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/watch-edmonton-oilers-isaac-howard-scores-first-nhl-goal

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

What does a successful 2025-26 season look like for Oilers’ Noah Philp?

Through seven games in the early 2025-26 campaign, the Edmonton Oilers have only four players on the team who have scored more than once, and centerman Noah Philp is one of them.

If there’s one word that sums up Philp’s hockey journey, it’s resilience. From going undrafted to stepping away from the game in 2023 and finding his way back, and now playing in the NHL, he’s continued to show that same determination this season by playing well despite a few early scratches. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what a successful season could look like for the Oilers’ centerman.

A Look at Philp’s Season So Far and What a Successful Point Total Could Look Like​

Philp had an unlucky bounce in the first game of the season against the Calgary Flames when a puck deflected off him and in, but he didn’t let that tough break get the best of him.

In the second game of the season against the Vancouver Canucks, the 27-year-old’s line with Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen clicked. After a couple of quick passes in the second period, Philp went backhand to forehand and fired a quick wrister past Thatcher Demko — who had been a wall all night up to that point — scoring his first career NHL goal, something he had likely envisioned countless times while playing road hockey in Canmore, AB.

Noah Philp

418th player in Oilers NHL history to score a goal pic.twitter.com/icC1oQQtHz

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) October 12, 2025

Now let’s talk about confidence. Confidence can be tricky, but it’s also an important factor in a player’s performance when they’re feeling it. After scoring his first NHL goal, something he wasn’t able to do in 15 games last season, and doing so against a quality netminder like Demko on a night when he was making highlight-reel saves one after another, one would assume Philp’s confidence would be near an all-time high. So, the logical choice would be to keep playing him, right?

Unfortunately, for some reason, Philp was a healthy scratch for the next three games, which was quite the head-scratcher considering he had just scored and was showing clear signs of improvement from last season.

Yet, the centerman made a statement when he was re-inserted into the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings last Sunday. With the Oilers down 2-0 and struggling to score, Philp found himself on the ice with Podkolzin again, and the rugged winger shot the puck on net and Philp got his stick on it for a beautiful tip, scoring his second goal of the season, quietly reminding the coaching staff that he belonged in the lineup.

NOAH PHILP HAS GOALS IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES!

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/GYcLcYRjpS

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) October 19, 2025

Now, after seven games, only four Oilers have found the back of the net more than once, and Philp is among them. Which brings us to the question, what could a successful season points-wise look like for the centerman?

He’s off to a good start, but he’s not going to maintain the goal-every-second-game pace that he’s currently on. Yet, when projecting a points total, we can use another former Oiler and U of A Golden Bear, Derek Ryan — who was also a right-shot centerman and retired early last month — as a comparison. Over his four seasons playing in Oil Country, Ryan averaged 10:32 of ice time, while Philp, in a small four-game sample, is playing slightly more at 11:49 per game.

Ryan averaged 14 points a season over his four seasons in Edmonton, with eight being the low and 22 the high. Of course, Ryan had veteran savvy, but I think Philp’s youth and size can help balance that out when it comes to producing points. Also, by the eye test, Philp looks like he’s playing with more assertiveness — for instance, against the Red Wings he lowered his shoulder and drove the net, while also holding onto pucks longer in the offensive zone against the Ottawa Senators, in comparison to last season, when he was just dipping his toes in the water and getting up to speed.

Considering all that, and given the strong start Philp has had to the season already (while also factoring in the inevitable periods of lulls), a successful season would see him match Ryan’s 20 points from the 2022-23 campaign — say, a 10-goal, 10-assist season for the 27-year-old. Moreover, with the hand-eye coordination he flashed on that beautiful, tipped tally against Detroit last Sunday, and given the team’s recent power play struggles, if the Oilers decide to do a PP shake-up, why not give Philp a few looks on the top unit standing in front of the net tipping pucks? He checks some boxes: big, a right shot, and one of 10 Oilers who’ve found their scoring touch this season.

Play a Solid Two-Way Game​

A 20-point campaign would go a long way toward a successful season points-wise for the centerman. But even if he doesn’t hit that plateau, at the very least, while playing in the bottom six, he’ll need to hold his own defensively and prove he can be relied on to play a solid two-way game.

Bottom-six centermen don’t need to find the back of the net every single night. However, if his line isn’t scoring, at minimum, his job is to ensure the other team doesn’t at 5v5. He didn’t get on the scoresheet last game against the Senators, but he made a solid defensive play in the first period — scooping up a loose puck in his own end, carrying it out with poise, and drawing a slashing penalty that led to an Oilers goal on the ensuing man advantage.

Noah Philp is a smart player, always makes the responsible play good defensively and chips in some offense as well. He should never be scratched another game.

— Dyl (@dhockey13) October 21, 2025

Additionally, Philp has posted strong faceoff numbers early in the season, and he’s currently 57.1% on the dot. Against the Sens, with the score tied 2-2 and seven minutes remaining in the game, he was trusted to take a defensive zone draw. He won it, which was a small but telling moment that could earn him more trust in key situations.

Adding a Little Toughness Could Be a Big Bonus for the Oilers​

The Oilers gutted out an OT win over Ottawa last game, but overall, they were missing a few key elements for most of their recent five-game road trip, like execution, attention to detail in the defensive zone, and oh yeah, the big one — scoring goals. When those areas aren’t firing, especially scoring, one thing the team can rally around to kickstart a pulse into the club is team toughness. It may be an old-school type of approach, but as we’ve seen in previous seasons, when things aren’t going right, a pack mentality combined with toughness can at least help the team work its way out of a slump.

Former Oiler Corey Perry mixed things up last season when things weren’t going right or when his team wasn’t in the game. Trent Frederic, who might be experiencing a bit of an identity crisis due to his first-line opportunity to start the season, was re-signed long-term to provide the same toughness element, but we haven’t necessarily seen it yet. That said, I feel there’s room for Philp to carve out a little gritty niche, and while he’s not expected to, it’s an element he shouldn’t be afraid to show.

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, the usually soft-spoken 27-year-old has a sneaky tough side to him. Our friends over at hockeyfights.com show that Philp has fought three times in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors since 2022. Watching each one, the common theme was that he was defending a teammate who had taken a bad hit along the boards — Philp stepped in and dropped the gloves to stand up for them, with the most recent being a spirited affair last December against 6-foot-4, 231-pound Mason Geertsen, who is now with the Buffalo Sabres. That shows Philp shouldn’t be afraid to mix it up after the whistles every so often, because he can certainly throw ’em and isn’t afraid to back it up.

Philp’s M.O. isn’t to play a mean style of game, but with players like Perry and Evander Kane gone, the Oilers have fewer players who like to bring the extra-curricular activity after the whistle, and I’d imagine the coaching staff is waiting for someone to step up in that department. Overall, if he puts up 20 points this season, plays a strong two-way game, and adds a little bit of nastiness, the “Philp” you’ll see in the stands moving forward will be the one on the backs of fans’ jerseys, not in the press box.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/what-is-successful-2025-26-season-edmonton-oilers-noah-philp

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

How Stuart Skinner compares to other goalies who reached 100 wins with the Oilers

With a 3-2 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators earlier this week, Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner became the sixth netminder in team history to reach the 100-win mark.

Born in Edmonton, the Oilers drafted the 26-year-old 78th overall in the 2017 draft from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. After another season in junior and two full seasons in the minor leagues, Skinner made his National Hockey League debut in 2020-21. This was his first win, but he allowed five goals on 38 shots in his one and only NHL game that season.

Skinner played most of the 2021-22 season in the American Hockey League, but played 13 games with the Oilers, where he picked up six wins. During the 2022 off-season, the Oilers went out and signed Jack Campbell, which yielded less-than-ideal results.

Campbell’s struggles accelerated Skinner’s development, making him the team’s number one after just 14 games. Skinner went on to win 29 games that season, followed by 36 during the 2023-24 season, and 26 in 2024-25. Through five games in 2025-26, he’s won two games and is looking good between the pipes.

The question is, who are the other five netminders, and how did their Oilers careers go?

Grant Fuhr​

Grant Fuhr is undoubtedly the best netminder in the Oilers’ franchise history. Fuhr was the main netminder during the dynasty season, totalling four Stanley Cups while also being a part of the 1990 Oilers (more on that in a bit).

Drafted eighth overall in the 1981 draft, the Spruce Grove native played 10 seasons with the Oilers, accumulating 226 wins, along with 117 losses and 54 overtime losses or ties. In the modern day, his .883 save percentage doesn’t look great, but most of Fuhr’s seasons as an Oilers were spent in the high-scoring 80s.

On top of four Stanley Cups, Fuhr won the Vezina once in 1988 and finished as a runner-up three more times. He also earned Hart votes in the 1987-88 season, as he posted an .881 save percentage and 3.43 goals against average in 75 games.

The netminder was traded shortly before the start of the 1991-92 season, alongside Glenn Anderson and Craig Berube. Fuhr went on to play nine more seasons, retiring after the 1999-2000 season. In 2003, he was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Bill Ranford​

Fuhr missed a large chunk of the 1989-90 season, with Bill Ranford filling in. Ranford was nothing short of spectacular in the 1990 postseason, posting a .912 save percentage in 22 games en route to the Oilers’ fifth Stanley Cup (and their most recent until 2026, hopefully).

Ranford was acquired in a trade before the 1988 trade deadline from the Boston Bruins for another goaltender we’ll discuss soon. The netminder served as a backup to Fuhr in his first two seasons, but took over the reins in 1990-91, where he earned his only All-Star nod.

The Brandon, Manitoba native spent parts of 10 seasons with the Oilers, posting an .887 save percentage and 3.51 goals against average in 449 games. He accumulated 167 wins, along with 193 losses and 54 overtime losses/ties.

Ranford was traded back to the Bruins during the 1995-96 season and played for the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Detroit Red Wings over the next three seasons. The netminder returned to the Oilers in 1999-2000, playing 16 games where he had a 4-6-3 record, before retiring shortly after.

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Tommy Salo​

During the 1999-2000 season, Ranford served as the backup to Tommy Salo, one of the most underrated netminders in Oilers’ history. Drafted 118th overall by the New York Islanders, the Oilers traded Mats Lindgren and a pick in the 1999 draft to acquire him in March of 1999.

In his first full season with the Oilers, Salo posted a .914 save percentage and 2.33 goals against average in 70 games played, finishing the year with a 27-28-13 record. That season, he made the All-Star game and finished sixth in Vezina voting.

He followed up the 1999-2000 campaign with another solid year in 2000-01, where he had a 36-25-12 record and .904 save percentage, finishing seventh in Vezina voting. Salo earned his way to his second All-Star Game in 2001-02, posting a .913 save percentage in 69 games with a 30-28-10 record.

Unfortunately, Salo’s play slipped in 2002-03, managing to pick up 29 wins, but finishing with a sub-.900 save percentage for the first time in his Oilers career. After 44 games in 2003-04, he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche and made just five more appearances in the NHL.

With the Oilers, Salo had a 147-128-51 record in 333 games, with a .906 save percentage and 2.44 goals against average. What could’ve been if he hadn’t allowed that long-ranged goal in the 2002 Olympics?

Andy Moog​

Circling back to the aforementioned Ranford trade, the Oilers sent Andy Moog to the Bruins in return for Ranford. Drafted in the seventh round of the 1980 draft, Moog is one of three Oilers’ netminders with 100 wins that was drafted by the team.

The Penticton, British Columbia native played 15 games between his first two seasons, before playing 50 games in the 1982-83 season. That year, Moog finished with a 33-8-7 record, finishing fifth in Vezina voting.

His playing time decreased in 1983-84, playing 38 games with a 27-8-1 record. Moog played a similar number of games in the 1984-85 season, finishing the season with a 22-9-3 record. The netminder finished seventh in Vezina voting and was a first-time All-Star.

Moog was also an All-Star in 1985-86, playing 47 games where he had a 27-9-7 record, finishing eighth in Vezina voting. His final season with the Oilers was in 1986-87, where he once again finished eighth in Vezina voting thanks to a 28-11-3 record, the lone season as an Oiler where he had double-digit losses.

In seven years with the Oilers, Moog had a 143-53-21 record. He played six seasons with the Bruins, four with the Dallas Stars, and one with the Montréal Canadiens, finishing his career after the 1997-98 season.

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Cam Talbot​

All four of the goalies already mentioned are intertwined in a way. Fuhr is their best goalie, but Ranford took over for him and even won a Conn Smythe for his performance in the 1990 postseason. Ranford was acquired from the Bruins in exchange for Moog, who was Fuhr’s prior backup. When Ranford returned to the Oilers late in his career, he backed up Tommy Salo.

There’s no link to Cam Talbot. After Salo’s departure, the Oilers were left searching for a netminder, eventually landing on Dwayne Roloson. While Roloson didn’t reach 100 wins with the Oilers, he did help lead them to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final before his injury.

After Roloson, the Oilers signed Nikolai Khabibulin, who didn’t work out well for them. By this time, Devan Dubnyk was playing well and earned the starter role, until he struggled to start the 2013-14 season and was promptly traded, a very poor decision, even at the time.

The Oilers experimented with five other netminders in 2013-14, an incredibly fascinating season for the Oilers. After another season of trying to find their goalie, they finally pulled the trigger on a netminder at the 2015 draft, acquiring Cam Talbot.

Talbot posted a .917 save percentage in his first season as an Oiler, a .919 save percentage in his second season, and a .908 save percentage in his third season. Unfortunately, Talbot struggled in 2018-19, where he had an .893 save percentage before the Oilers shipped him off to the Philadelphia Flyers for Anthony Stolarz.

In 227 games with the Oilers, Talbot finished with 104 wins, 95 losses, and 19 overtime losses. His .912 save percentage as an Oiler is the second-highest for any Oiler netminder with 20 or more games played.

Talbot’s best season by far was in 2016-17, because on top of a .919 save percentage, the netminder played 73 games and finished fourth in Vezina voting. Now 38 years old, Talbot is still active as he plays with the Detroit Red Wings.

Notable goalies without 100 wins as an Oiler​

The netminder with the highest save percentage as an Oiler with more than 20 games played is Mike Smith. Unfortunately, Smith finished with just 56 wins in the 99 games he played. Mikko Koskinen spent time as his backup, and he finished with 83 wins, the seventh-most in Oilers history.

Roloson was the last player born in the 1960s to play in the NHL, and he finished his Oilers’ career with 78 regular season wins in 193 games played. Curtis Joseph is another notable Oilers’ netminder who didn’t finish with 100 wins with the team, finishing with just 76 in 177 games with the Oilers.

In 171 games, Dubnyk finished with 61 wins and a .910 save percentage, the third-highest for any Oilers’ netminder with 20 games played for the team. I can’t emphasize just how poor the decision was to trade him, even at the time.

Lastly, current Oiler Calvin Pickard ranks 12th in all-time Oiler wins, as he’s won 35 games as an Oiler in 61 games.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/how-s...ther-goalies-reached-100-wins-edmonton-oilers

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Real Life Podcast: Jays in the World Series, the NBA scandal, and the Oilers take on the Habs

Thursday afternoon means a fresh episode of Real Life was recorded, edited, and is ready to help you wrap up the week. On today’s podcast, the guys discussed the World Series, cruise ships, Oilers vs. Habs, and much more.

The guys kicked off the Thursday episode of Real Life with a look ahead at the World Series after Tyler walked into the studio wearing his new hoodie to commemorate the occasion. Not only did everyone want to hear about his experience for Game 7, but they also wanted to know what it was like to sit in a stadium that was going absolutely bananas. As you’ll hear, Tyler had plenty of stories from being at Skydome that were very exciting and entirely understandable, which only fuelled everyone’s excitement for Friday.

From there, the discussion somehow shifted to cruise ships. How did the podcast get to cruises? No one knows for sure, but the conversation gave Chalmers the chance to talk about how much he loves them. After winding through his honeymoon cruise story, the podcast eventually turned into a discussion about the NBA’s betting scandal that broke on Thursday. While this is certainly a very serious situation, the boys still had a bunch of fun talking about the absurdity of the situation.

Finally, the guys wrapped up the podcast with Thursday episode of Real Life with a random collection of topics, including a look at the Oilers vs. Habs, Vladdy Guerrero Jr’s translator, beefs of the week, intense crowd moments, and whatever else was the boys’ minds at the time. As you’ll hear, the last chunk of the podcast was all over the map, which is what you should almost expect now that the podcast is down to one episode per week.

Listen to the Thursday episode of Real Life below:

Subscribe to the Real Life Podcast for FREE on Spotify here, on Apple Podcasts here, on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/real-...e-nba-scandal-and-the-oilers-take-on-the-habs

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Experience Oilers hockey, making Habs fans sad, and David Tomášek’s first NHL goal

After snapping their three-game losing streak on Tuesday in Ottawa, the Edmonton Oilers returned to home ice to face the red-hot Montreal Canadiens. And after 60 minutes of the most ridiculous hockey you could ever imagine, the Oilers locked in a 6-5 victory that was anything but easy to get. There were ups, there were downs, but in the end, what we got was one of the most entertaining games I can remember.

EXPERIENCE OILERS HOCKEY​

That game was pure chaos from start to finish. I don’t even know how else to describe it. The Oilers went from trailing 1–0 to leading 3–1, then gave it all back just as quickly before falling behind 5–3. They went from leading to losing in the span of about eight minutes. At that point, it felt like we were watching yet another collapse unfold in real time, the kind that makes you fight the urge to grab the remote and remember all the other things you could have been doing with your night. And yet, somehow, the Oilers found a way. A Leon Draisaitl power play goal cut the deficit in half, a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins backhand tied it less than a minute later, and then Vasily Podkolzin capped off one of the most ridiculous wins we’ve seen in years. Nothing about it made sense, but I’m not complaining.

Given how the Habs were rolling early, I’ll be honest, I didn’t think Edmonton had the juice to crawl back once they blew that two-goal lead. Most teams would have folded after a meltdown like that, and honestly, it wouldn’t have been surprising if they did. But credit where it’s due, the Oilers didn’t quit. They dug in, cranked up the urgency, started shooting, and turned a disaster into a highlight reel comeback win. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t anything you’d want to replicate, but despite the stress, it was entertaining as hell. And on a night when Montreal fans packed Rogers Place, having the Oilers come back to win like that felt like a gift. I don’t ask for much this early in the season, but stealing two points while sending Habs fans home heartbroken was exactly what the doctor ordered.

SO LONG, HABS FANS​

It’s hard not to be annoyed when the Montreal Canadiens roll into town, you know? Let’s just say that seeing all that red in the crowd and hearing the “ole, oles” at Rogers Place isn’t exactly my favourite. As much as I get the love for an Original Six team, and it’s the same when the Leafs are here, that doesn’t make me want all of their fans to go home sad any less. In fact, I want the Oilers to ruin a night when those fans probably overspent on tickets and/or are pretending they’re not actually Oilers fans in a Habs jersey because they grew up reading The Hockey Sweater. The problem, of course, is that the Habs are good. They’re young, skilled, and playing a brand of hockey built to punish mistakes, and as we all know, the Oilers aren’t exactly keeping it tight these days.

What I didn’t expect, however, was that my dream of the Oilers ruining Habs fans’ night would happen in such dramatic fashion. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the Oilers would build a lead they didn’t really deserve, blow that same lead in the span of 1:52, give up four straight goals, and still come roaring back for a 6–5 comeback win. That might have been one of the craziest finishes I’ve ever seen. Nothing about that game made sense, but what I can say for certain is that it fills my heart with joy knowing everyone in a Montreal jersey just had their heart ripped out in spectacular fashion. Watching the Canadiens lose like that had to be more painful than anything I could have cooked up, and for that, I thank the Hockey Gords for answering my prayers with such creativity.

DAVID TOMÁŠEK’S FIRST NHL GOAL​

David Tomášek has had roughly a thousand chances to score so far this season, and it was kind of the Hockey Gords to finally reward him, even if his first NHL goal came off a friendly bounce. He didn’t even know he was the one who scored, but it was another reminder that a shooter’s mentality is a thing that actually works, and they might even like it. It wasn’t one of his many point-blank opportunities that got him on the board, just a couple of bounces that beat Sam Montembeault before he could adjust. The point? Good things happen when you shoot the puck. Call it luck or whatever you want, but I sure wish the rest of the team were as willing to fire pucks through traffic. Sometimes it works out.

For a guy coming off a scoring title in the Swedish league last year, it had to feel good to finally get something on the scoresheet, even if the goal was anything but pretty. There are a few guys gripping the stick a little tightly right now, and Tomášek was definitely among them. While no one expects him to match the 24 goals he scored in 47 games last year with Färjestad BK Karlstad, the Oilers need him to chip in from time to time if he’s going to keep his spot in the lineup. So far, he’s done a solid job of creating looks for himself, but the goals haven’t followed. Maybe getting a lucky one can spark some confidence. The instincts are clearly there, and now we’ll have to wait and see how much finish he has at this level. Can a fortunate bounce be the spark he needed? We’ll see.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/exper...-canadiens-fans-david-tomaseks-first-nhl-goal

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilersnation Radio: Oilers win in the most stressful way possible feat. Erik Sabrowski

It’s Friday afternoon, which means a fresh episode of Oilersnation Radio is ready to massage your eardrums with an hour of off-season Oilers talk. On today’s podcast, the fellas discussed the Oilers two recent wins, some recent milestones on the roster, David Tomasek’s first NHL goal, line combos, and much more.

We kicked off the Friday episode of ONR with a delicious debate about whether the boys felt the Oilers had the refs on their side as they did last night against Montreal. While there was some debate about the penalties called, no one on the podcast felt the Oilers had an unfair advantage because the Habs couldn’t kill penalties. The main point is that Edmonton took advantage of its opportunities, whereas the Canadiens could not.

Continuing with the breakdown of these last two wins, we looked at the issues that are preventing the Oilers from running the show, and most of them are self-inflicted. The good news is that the team is still finding ways to win even with these glaring issues standing in their way. That said, being as sloppy as the Oilers have been isn’t exactly the smartest strategy unless the goal is to live in the land of mediocrity.

Finally, we wrapped up the Friday episode of ONR with another round of Ask the Idiots, betting talk for our friends at bet365, and Hot and Cold Performers to look back on the week. With the 2025-26 season well underway, the guys spent the bulk of the Friday episode discussing a range of topics, some related to the Oilers and others not, but that’s what happens at this stage of a new campaign.

Listen to the Friday episode of Oilersnation Radio below:

Subscribe to Oilersnation Radio for FREE on Soundcloud here, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts from!

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/oiler...st-stressful-way-possible-feat-erik-sabrowski