The Edmonton Oilers are gearing up for what promises to be an exciting season, as they boast a stacked lineup and power play dominance. With a trio of 100-point players in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, as well as Zach Hyman’s impressive 36-goal campaign, there are no question marks surrounding the team’s offense. In fact, the Oilers were the highest-scoring team in the NHL last season with 325 goals, 20 more than second-place Boston. The team’s power play was also exceptional, operating at a remarkable 32.3% clip in the regular season and an even more impressive 46.2% success rate in the postseason.
However, the Oilers have also placed a renewed emphasis on their defensive game. They hope to see goaltender Stuart Skinner, who had a stellar regular season as a Calder Trophy candidate, and Jack Campbell, who aims to have a bounceback season, to keep pucks out of the net. Skinner stepped in as the starting goalie after Campbell struggled in the previous season and won 29 games with a .914 save percentage. However, Skinner faced difficulties in the playoffs, with his save percentage dipping to just .883.
With limited cap space, the Oilers couldn’t bring in high-priced veterans, placing a greater focus on their established core group. Head coach Jay Woodcroft has been able to concentrate on fine-tuning the team’s defensive system during training camp, with positive results being observed.
While some changes were made to the roster, including the departures of forwards Kailer Yamamoto, Klim Kostin, and Nick Bjugstad, the biggest addition to the team was power forward Connor Brown. Despite his limited playing time due to a knee injury last year, Brown has proven himself as a reliable goal scorer, having achieved 20-goal seasons in Ottawa and Toronto.
Looking ahead, the Oilers have several key matchups circled on their calendar. They will face the Calgary Flames in the Heritage Classic on October 29, with a full house expected at Commonwealth Stadium. Additionally, they will go head-to-head with reigning champion Vegas on November 28 and April 10. Fans can also anticipate the highly anticipated rivalry between Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews when the Oilers take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 16 in Edmonton and March 23 in Toronto.
As the Oilers prepare for the upcoming season, their stacked lineup, power play dominance, and renewed focus on defense make them a formidable force to be reckoned with. Fans can expect an exciting and promising season ahead.
