This Christmas, unfortunately, an oil spill has occurred across the league, and we have seen it happen throughout the month of December. The reason I say an oil spill is because the Edmonton Oilers have been so good as of late that the rest of the league seems to keep slipping and losing their footing. The Edmonton Oilers are currently 7–3–1 in their last 11 games in the month of December.
In terms of all of the gifts that we have been given so far in this season (December), Connor McDavid has been playing at such an elite level that we have not seen since the 2022–23 season (153 points in 82 games), Leon Draisaitl has been right up there in terms of points with McDavid (22 points in 11 games), 30 year-old Tristan Jarry being undefeated as an Oiler (three wins in three starts), and the team being able to play themselves into third place in the Pacific Division.
Christmas is a season to be jolly, and for the most part, the Edmonton Oilers have been able to entertain us in this way because of the way they have been playing. Why not finish the first half of the 2025–26 season with a set of wins and the final win coming through the Battle of Alberta against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, December 23? It is time to look at some of the best gifts that the Oilers have given us in the month of December and decide which gift is the favourite.
The Captain has given us the best gift so far
Connor McDavid has given us the Christmas “miracle” on ice so far this season, and it has been way more noticeable with how he has played in the best month of the year (December). McDavid had a slower start to the season, but this month, he has been on fire. Through 11 games in December and 10 games in a row with a point, McDavid currently has amassed 12 goals and 14 assists for a “winter” wonderland total of 26 points. With an average of 2.36 points per game (realistically, 2.6 per game), what other gifts does McDavid really have to give us, except a future Stanley Cup win?
We can not forget about McDavid’s current “elf,” Leon Draisaitl. Santa’s elf has been on a heater in terms of making toys and presents, but instead of toys and presents, he has given us goals and assists. Lately, Draisaitl has only been hot and not cold, and this stems from his production as of late. Through 11 games in December and four games in a row with a point, Draisaitl currently has two goals and 19 assists for a “gift-giving” total of 21 points. With an average of 1.91 points per game (2.25 in his past four games), what other gifts does Leon Draisaitl have in store to give us?
The new goalie has given us the gift of wins
One of the best gifts to receive on Christmas is sometimes the biggest ones. The biggest gift for the Edmonton Oilers so far this season has come with wins. When Tristan Jarry was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins by the Oilers on December 12, fans did not know what to expect from him. It was uncertain to say what he had planned for the team and fanbase in terms of his gifts. While it is hard to judge Jarry on his play as an Edmonton Oiler because of his lack of history and longevity with the team, one gift is for certain, and it is the gift of being 3–0 and undefeated.
Throughout his three games played in the orange and blue, yes, Jarry has allowed eight goals, but he has also been very solid and has helped Edmonton win 6–3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, 6–4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and 3–1 against the Boston Bruins. Through those three games, the Oilers managed to score 15 goals, while only allowing eight. Tristan Jarry had a .893, .867, and a .923 save percentage in each of those games. Who knows what Jarry has for us throughout the rest of the year, but all I can say is that Edmonton’s goaltending situation/future looks just a little bit brighter.
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The gift of the Edmonton Oilers being in a playoff position
With the start of the season for the Edmonton Oilers in terms of their record, being one of the worst gifts that you can be given as a fan, no one was sure if they were going to make the playoffs this season or not. 9–8–3 is obviously not a great record to start off a new season with, but since then, and once the team was able to gain more confidence in themselves, their teammates, and their staff, they have been almost in cruise control throughout the month of December.
December has seen Edmonton avoid the “cookie crumble” with a string of victories, leading to a 7–3–1 record, but hockey is a team game, and even though McDavid and Draisaitl are both dominating in terms of their skills and production, it is still and always will be a team game. There is no I in team, and everyone seems to have picked it up and is starting to play at a higher level. Other than McDavid and Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jack Roslovic have also had really solid seasons so far, with 33, 30, and 18 points, respectively.
What gifts could we see throughout the rest of the season?
At one point or another, Christmas will officially be over, and we will lose our hockey festivity. Yes, it is only for one year, but there are other ways that we can stay jolly and merry even when the holidays and the new year are over.
In terms of gifts and what we could receive from the team and their players, it is hard to say where the Oilers could end up after Christmas, in the new year, and after the 2026 winter Olympics in Italy. One thing is for sure: Connor McDavid has definitely been the Oilers’ greatest gift in this era of NHL hockey and is only going to continue to light up the league and produce insane numbers as his time goes on.
Oilers fans! What is your favourite gift so far in December or throughout this season? Are there any others that I may have missed, or are these the most important?
