The Edmonton Oilers are set to start their 2026 playoff run.
It took 80 of 82 games to clinch a spot, and it wasn’t even the Oilers win that locked the spot in the postseason. While it was exciting to have confirmation that Connor McDavid would get to work his magic past game 82, there was something lacking in the announcement and the feeling.
What was missing with the Oilers “clinched” announcement was the same thing that has been missing from several key factors: urgency.
Breaking it down
Inconsistent play with spectacular highs and crushing lows led to it taking 97% of the season to punch a ticket to the playoffs. But while “inconsistent” describes the season, it may be too broad a term to dig into what has been plaguing the Oilers.
A sense of urgency seems to be missing from many games. This is especially true down the stretch once Zach Hyman was ruled out with an injury. The Oilers exhibited several play styles that lacked the momentum we all know they are capable of. Unfortunately, there are also several players whose effort doesn’t seem to be matching what the team needs.
Lets’s take a look at some of the examples.
A struggling power play missing key pieces
The Oilers, for the second year in a row, have the strongest power play in the league. Their offensive special teams has operated at 30% on the season, which is impressive. But let’s take a step back and look at it since losing two of the key players: Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman.
Not including the last game against Vancouver, since March 15, the Oilers have had 43 opportunities on the man advantage. While they capitalized on the power play for five goals, this is only 11.6% and ranks 30th in the NHL. They also allowed three shorthanded goals, putting the power play at only +2.
The power play unit is clearly struggling while trying to replicate its earlier success, with little to no results. The Oilers tend to have three options they rely on while on the man advantage. The first, drop the puck to McDavid just outside the neutral zone, let him work his magic, and speed/dance to the net. Second, set Draisaitl up in his office so he can tee off a one-timer. Thirdly, tie up the net/screen the goalie (this is where Hyman normally comes in), pass the puck up to the offensive blue line, and let Evan Bouchard try to blow the puck through the boards.
While missing Draisaitl and Hyman from the lineup, two of those options have evaporated. McDavid has almost single-handedly driven the power play to any of the success that it has seen lately. Although it has looked spectacular, it makes it easier to point towards what is lacking.
The Bouchard of it all
Oilers fans have dubbed the term, “Bouch-Bomb,” and for good reason. Bouchard lets the puck go at terrifying speeds. As a goalie—or worse, a player looking to block a shot for their goalie stopping a puck—travelling around 90 MPH would not excite me. This makes the Oilers more than a one-trick pony on the power play. However, Bouchard being the quarterback for the power play hasn’t been the case for some time.
Since losing Draisaitl and Hyman, Bouchard looks hesitant to shoot the puck. Bouchard has had many chances to take a quality shot and has been given ample opportunity to score. Still, time and time again, he has been choosing to pass the puck, even if it jeopardizes the play. Bouchard has looked much better since the Olympic break. However, with the missing players, Bouchard has not been nearly as impactful. He has a lot of potential to have a positive impact.
When Bouchard is beaten by an opposing skater, and it seems that he gives up trying to chase them. At the very least, he could be trying to poke check the puck away. Poke checking is dangerous and can bring about a penalty. Even so, that is almost preferable to a breakaway that has resulted in a goal more often than not lately. There needs to be a clear effort from Bouchard when he’s beaten, because it has happened frequently this season. The steal and the breakaway from Artemi Panarin is the most recent example; there was no urgency in Bouchard when it came to at least trying to make up for the mistake.
It’s frustrating as a fan to see a player with a deadly shot refuse to use it. It could come down to a lack of confidence at the moment, or even a potential lingering injury. However, if that is the case, Bouchard will need to re-evaluate and rework his play style if he wants to get back to leaving a positive impact. He hasn’t had an abysmal season by any means, as he has cleared 90 points for the first time in his professional career. But even as a top-tier offensive defenceman, that does not put you above the mistakes made on the ice.
Winless without a McDavid point
If the opposition boxes out McDavid and he can’t contribute to a point, the Oilers are winless in those games this season. McDavid is a massive part of the team, being a franchise player and an anchor of their success. While the Oilers are far better for having him—any team would be—their success is directly linked to him at the moment. It’s expected for a superstar player to take part in a large percentage of the points for. This season, however, has created a dependency on McDavid and his next-level play in order to win. The Oilers have scored 282 goals so far this season, and McDavid has factored in 138 of them.
Looking at the stats, McDavid has been a part of 48.9% of all of the goals the Oilers have scored. That might seem low to some hockey fans, especially with the expectations that McDavid carries. However, when he can’t work his magic and create at least one goal opportunity in a game, the Oilers haven’t been able to take a victory.
There have been 14 games this season where McDavid has not scored, or at least help someone else do the same, and the team has gone 0–12–2 in those games. McDavid is a lynchpin of the Oilers—that fact isn’t disputed. But those were 14 opportunities where everyone else on the team had the chance to be the hero, but each time the results came up short. The Oilers are built around McDavid, but that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t have diversity up and down the lineup. Unfortunately, the team has struggled when its captain doesn’t record a point. This has to change with the playoffs about to begin.
With Draisaitl set to return in Round 1, that will help immensely, but the Oilers need a new hero. Corey Perry was a work horse in the playoffs last season, and the team will need someone to step up. Any of the young guns, such as Vasily Podkolzin or Matthew Savoie, would be the expectation. However, a veteran player taking the reins, like Adam Henrique, Ryan Nudgent-Hopkins, or Kasperi Kapanen would be the ideal situation.
Looking to Round 1
With the playoffs starting for the Oilers soon, we can look forward to postseason excitement. We can hope that urgency finds its way to the Oilers overall game, and we can only guess which version of Bouchard we will see.
But let’s go into Round 1 with a positive mindset. Let’s hope that the Oilers can find that next level of play in order to hoist pro sports most difficult trophy to attain.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
