When the puck dropped on the Edmonton Oilers’ 2026–27 season, there was concern that it could be a rough start. Injuries to key players Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Matt Savoie, and Jason Dickinson, along with presumptive starting goalie Frederik Andersen, were looking to be major blows to the team.
The Oilers managed to persevere, however, going 5–1–1 over the first seven games of the season. More impressively, they were the last team in the league to lose in regulation. Since Connor McDavid joined the Oilers, they have won five of their first seven games three times: in 2016–17 (the first year the team made the playoffs in over a decade), in 2019–20 (when the team looked to be finding its groove when an unfortunate event of some kind halted that momentum), and in 2021–22 (when they made it to the Western Conference Final). They actually won six of those seven games in each of those years, though, so this start falls just shy.
The Oilers sit second in the league in points percentage, behind reigning Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. They are also tied for first in goals for per game with the Colorado Avalanche.
This year is certainly a turn around from the past few seasons, and a welcome one by fans and the team alike (even if in two of those years where they were below 0.500 to start eventually led to them making the Stanley Cup Final).
So what has been going right for this Oilers team, especially compared to years past?
Evan “if you won’t give me the Norris then I’ll go for the Rocket and Art Ross” Bouchard
Many people would argue that Evan Bouchard deserved to win the Norris last season (especially yours truly). They would also argue that he should have made Team Canada. However, many, many more would argue that he shouldn’t even be in the discussion for either of those.
Maybe Bouchard heard those rumblings, and maybe he, as Michael Jordan once said, “took that personally.”
His play this year would certainly seem to support that, as Bouchard looks like a man on a mission.
Bouchard almost singlehandedly willed the team to a comeback win in the season opener. He scored a hat trick (the first defenceman to do since Mark Howe in 1980), and assisting on the other two goals for a five point night (the first defenceman in NHL history to do that in their team’s opener). He followed that up with three points the next night, and his eight points set an NHL record for most points by defenceman in a team’s first two games to start a season. This was previously held by Harry Cameron in 1917 (you know, the first ever NHL season).
He currently leads all defenceman in goals (6), points (15) and plus-minus (+14). His 15 points put him third in the entire league in scoring as well. All of his goals and 12 of his points have also come at even strength, which sort of goes against any “power play merchant” narrative, especially when his 12 even strength points would still have him tied for the lead in points.
Bouchard’s defence has also been excellent, despite what some people may say. His 12.4 scoring chances against per 60 minutes is the best in the league among defencemen with at least 100 minutes this season, while his 0.92 goals against per 60 minutes is 9th best.
If Bouchard keeps this play up, at some point even his biggest haters are going to have at acknowledge that he may, in fact, be a pretty good defenceman.
Owen Michaels making himself known
Hands up, who had Owen Michaels making the Edmonton Oilers out of training camp? If you raised your hand, you are a liar. Even the coach said he wasn’t even on the radar.
But Michaels not only made the team, but has slowly seen his role get bigger and bigger. That is certainly due to the injuries that have plagued the team, but it also has to do with his play. He has chipped in three points in seven games, and played a career high 16:50 in the team’s 4–1 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
Not too shabby for an undrafted signing out of college.
Where is goaltending at?
One day, I will write an Oil Check article that doesn’t even discuss goaltending, good or bad. Today is not that day.
However, today is a day to discuss it as being pretty good. That’s right. An article about the Oilers praising their goaltending. Go buy a lottery ticket and look outside for a flying pig.
Devon Levi had a shaky first start, letting in seven goals on 22 shots against Vancouver in that aforementioned 9–7 win. However, he rattled off save percentages of 0.950, 0.935, and 0.975 his next three starts, before being victimized for three goals on 24 shots in the loss to the Utah Mammoth. The first and last games bring his season percentage to 0.898, but that is still good for 17th best in the league among goalies who have played at least three games.
Tristan Jarry also had a very rough first game in the season opening loss, but bounced back in his second game stopping 19 of 20 shots in a 3–1 win over San Jose.
Jarry gets the start tonight in the rematch with Utah, so we will see which of the two games he brings. But at the moment, goaltending isn’t dominating the headlines in Edmonton, and that is a good thing.
Connor McDavid is Connor McDavid
It is crazy to think that McDavid put up seven points in the first two games and nobody batted an eye. It has become par for the course with McDavid, where we have all been almost desensitized to his greatness.
But seven games into the season he leads the league in points with 18 and plus-minus of 15. He also played his 800th game, scoring four points, making him the third highest scorer in NHL history in their first 800 games.
So, yeah, needless to say McDavid is in top form, which the team desperately needed in light of their injuries.
The injury bug
I’ve mentioned the injuries multiple times, which makes the 5–1–1 record all the more impressive. When three of your top seven players are out of the lineup for the majority of the season, that is a tough hurdle for any team to deal with.
With Zach Hyman, Colton Dach, Jake Walman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jason Dickinson all set to come back in the next week, that should help the Oilers keep up this momentum.
Of course, there are no guarantees, and in any event you have to give the current team credit for the hard work they have done to get here. A bunch of players who deserve a solid pat on the back are going to have to come out, which really shows the depth of the team this year.
All in all, you couldn’t ask for a much better start this year. Let’s hope that the team can keep it up, ideally through to the end of June.
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