The Edmonton Oilers enter the 2026–27 season with perhaps their most interesting defensive group of the Connor McDavid era. The departure of Darnell Nurse represents the end of an era, and the Oilers will attempt to replace his minutes through a combination of established veterans, one significant free agent, and a continued belief in younger players earning a spot.
So just how different is Edmonton’s defence, how does it shape up, and what can we expect from the players within it?
Evan Bouchard
One thing that certainly didn’t change in the offseason was Evan Bouchard’s status as the Oilers’ undisputed #1 defenceman. Coming off a career season where he produced 21 goals and 95 points in 82 games, Bouchard has firmly established himself as one of the NHL’s premier defencemen. His overwhelming offensive skill makes him one of the most dangerous players in the league, and at just 26 years of age, he still has a lot of good hockey ahead of him.
The expectations for Bouchard this season will be more of the same. Anchor the first pair and first power play unit, and produce impressive numbers offensively. The only step Bouchard could take past last season is prove himself to be a true #1 defenceman both offensively and defensively. Although Bouchard’s defence is nowhere near as bad as some believe it to be, it is the weakest part of his game. If he could eliminate the occasional bad turnovers, Edmonton will have one of the very best blueliners in the game today.
Mattias Ekholm
Mattias Ekholm also remains as the steady eddie alongside Bouchard on the first pair. I don’t need to go on about how dominant the Ekholm-Bouchard pairing is—at their best, they might be the best duo in the league.
Ekholm’s game also hasn’t taken any steps back, even as he continues to get older. His defensive instincts and 5v5 awareness are as sharp as ever, and he’s still a very dependable penalty killer. He brings so much to the Oilers lineup even as he enters his age 37 season.
The expectations for Ekholm will be fairly simple: stay healthy. Ekholm has dealt with injuries the past two seasons, and as he continues to battle Father Time, it’s understandable health can become an issue. If Ekholm can stay relatively healthy, he’s such a boost to Edmonton. If that requires a drop down the lineup into easier competition, that might be a trade Edmonton is willing to make. A healthy Ekholm makes not just the first pairing, but the defence as a whole better.
Jake Walman
The first defenceman with some real expectations and concerns is Jake Walman. An uneven 2025–26 was marked by injuries and an extended stretch playing his off-side, where he historically struggles. After the Connor Murphy trade, Walman was moved back to LD, where his play improved. Walman is looking for a big bounceback season.
When he was acquired at the 2025 trade deadline, he had an instant impact, and was one of the Oilers’ best defenceman during their return to the Stanley Cup Final. It’s the main reason the Oilers signed him to a $49M, seven-year deal. With Nurse gone, Walman is the presumptive #2LD, and he’s got a big chance to prove not just his ability to play that role, but to earn the worth of his contract.
Walman’s expectations should be just that—prove he can play #2LD, and do it well. Walman’s offensive skills are the best part of his game, and although he’s not exactly a shutdown master, he can play good defence when he has to. Presumably playing alongside Connor Murphy, Walman has the chance to show he can really be the offensive ying to Murphy’s defensive yang. If he’s able to hold down the second pair and stay healthy, Oilers fans will have no issues with his contract. If he doesn’t, he runs the risk of becoming something of a Nurse 2.0, a player making too much money in too important of a role.
Connor Murphy
Speaking of Connor Murphy, the Oilers re-signed the 33-year old deadline acquisition to a five-year, $20.50M contract this offseason. The Murphy trade brought the Oilers something they were desperately seeking last season in defensive responsibility. Murphy excels at playing difficult defensive minutes, clearing the net-front, and bringing physicality.
Assuming he’s paired with Walman, the duo could form an effective pairing with fairly simple jobs. Walman plays the offence, and Murphy plays the defence. The balance of skills, at least on paper, looks like a good match.
Murphy’s job this season is very easy: defend. Play a physical game, block shots, throw hits, be responsible with the puck. Any kind of offensive production is gravy for the Oilers. If Murphy can become their most reliable defensive defenceman and consistently be a tough matchup for opposing forwards, he will more than justify his new contract. Ideally, him and Walman form a classic “rush defenceman/stay-at-home defenceman” second pairing that gives the Oilers options on both ends.
Ryan Shea
Heading into the season, Shea is Edmonton’s biggest wild card on the back-end. The 29-year old is coming off a career season in Pittsburgh, scoring six goals and 35 points in 80 games in a largely third pairing role. For this, the Oilers rewarded him with a five-year, $20M contract in free agency.
Shea isn’t a flashy defenceman. He doesn’t excel at any one skill in particular. However, he is a proto-typical jack-of-all-trades player. He consistent made the simple play with the Penguins, keeping the puck out of harm’s way with easy passes. Shea will likely begin the season on the third pair, but he’s got a major opportunity to make his mark.
Shea’s goal this season is fairly clear: prove last year wasn’t a fluke. It’s pretty rare for a player to break out just before he turns 30, but Shea’s stats last season were genuinely good, not just propped up by the fancy metrics. Shea’s ability to both move the puck well and kill penalties will make him a key piece in Edmonton this season, especially if he keeps his level of play high. Shea reminds me a lot of Brett Kulak, a steady third-pairing player who can elevate if needed, consistently makes the smart play, and is just overall good. If that’s the kind of guy the Oilers signed, then Shea will be mainstay in the lineup the entirety of his deal in Edmonton.
Shakir Mukhamadullin
The main return in the Nurse trade, Mukhamadullin profiles as a big-bodied 24-year-old with size, reach, and a willingness to play a physical game. Those are all valuable traits, and on top of his ability to play the right side despite shooting left, he allows the Oilers some flexibility if pairings demand it.
Mukhamadullin is still fairly new at the NHL level, with just 83 career games played. Starting on the third pair, likely with Shea, is a good bet for him to continue to ease into the NHL pace and style. His experience killing penalties and 6’4”, 200 lb frame are other good things to have. It seems that Mukhamadullin has all the tools to be a solid NHL defenceman, but it still needs to be proven.
That’s what Mukhamadullin’s job will be this season—prove he belongs at the NHL level. He doesn’t have to be perfect right away, but he does need to show he can be a dependable option even in a third pair setting. The Oilers can’t afford him to be unreliable for major stretches of play. By showcasing his best attributes in size, reach, and physicality, he can easily carve out a role as an bruising end of the lineup d-man who’s hard to get around and even harder to get through.
Spencer Stastney/Ty Emberson
Both Stasney and Emberson are still very much in the mix to start the season in the lineup. Emberson played 72 games last season and showed he was a reliable #3RD. He’s a defensively responsible player who can also make the simple plays, and it’s very possible that he begins the year on the third pair, not Mukahamadullin. Even if he doesn’t, his right-handedness will keep him close to the lineup if any injuries occur. The key for Emberson will be reliability. If he proves himself to be the steadier option over Mukhamadullin, then he’ll get the playing time.
Stastney is a bit of a different case. He only played 36 games last season, but in those games he showed flashes as a mobile left-shot man who was solid on the defensive end. The additions of Shea and Mukhamadullin have made his position on the roster a bit tenuous, however. His best shot to make the team would be similar to Emberson, just proving he’s a more dependable player than the next guy. Just making the team would be a big success for Stastney.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
