April 1997 wasn’t supposed to be the Edmonton Oilers‘ year. They were young, unproven, and had just barely made the playoffs. Their first-round opponent? The Dallas Stars—a structured, hard-hitting team led by Joe Nieuwendyk and former Oiler Andy Moog. On paper, it looked like a mismatch. Related: Edmonton Oilers’ 5 Best Draft Classes Since 2010 … Read more
We’re officially in the midst of the NHL summer lull. With little news to write about and a lot of patience required before training camps and the regular season begin, trade proposal posts are part of the norm this time of year. The Hockey Writers’ scribe Jesse Courville-Lynch, posed one such pitch, when he wrote, … Read more
It feels like it’s been a somewhat quiet offseason for the Edmonton Oilers. There’s been no offer sheet drama, only a steady stream of player signings and trades highlighted by the re-signing of Evan Bouchard, signing Curtis Lazar, and trading prospect Sam O’Reilly to the Tampa Lightning for Issac (Ike) Howard. One signing that almost … Read more
The Edmonton Oilers boast a once-in-a-generation duo in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But in today’s NHL, championships aren’t won on the backs of two players alone. You need a strong supporting cast, and the most cost-effective way to acquire it is through the draft. From 2012 to 2017, Edmonton made first-round picks that failed … Read more
In order to be a true contender in today’s NHL, it is imperative that you limit the number of bad contracts on your roster. While essentially all 32 teams across the league have at least one contract that’s less than ideal, the general managers (GMs) who are able to limit those types of contracts generally … Read more
The Edmonton Oilers have one major contract they need to deal with sooner rather than later, but despite the positive updates surrounding it as the offseason moves along, fans continue to grow concerned without an announcement. Connor McDavid, the captain of the Oilers and the team’s best player, is eligible for an extension, and his … Read more
Time flies. There’s no better proof of that than how far Connor McDavid already is in his NHL career. It seems like yesterday that McDavid was being talked about as a generational talent entering the draft. But it’s been 10 years since the Edmonton Oilers selected him first overall in 2015. Related: Oilers’ Nurse Not … Read more
Stuart Skinner is the Edmonton Oilers’ goalie right now, and sure, there’s been talk about other names possibly taking over, but for the moment, he’s the guy between the pipes. Lately, though, there’s been a lot of chatter around what’s gone wrong with him and whether he’s really the goalie the Oilers can count on … Read more
As the offseason rolls on, so do the Edmonton Oilers’ player grades. The last report card graded Vasily Podkolzin, and next up is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The 32-year-old recorded 20 goals and 49 points in 78 games last season, with a plus-4 rating. He finished fourth on the team in goals, behind Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, … Read more
Edmonton Oilers fans haven’t been excited about prospects in a while, but with the additions of Matthew Savoie and Isaac Howard, who are expected to take big steps forward next season, fans are hopeful they can establish themselves as stars and can help the Oilers remain contenders for quite a few seasons. Head coach Kris … Read more