Edmonton Oilers News, Stats & Fan Discussion

The NHL’s four-game preseason gives Oilers rookies and bubble players more practice time and bigger minutes, but fewer chances to make an impression before the real games begin. With veteran players limited to two games, Mike Babcock may save a full lineup for Game 4, leaving young players needing to make their case early. The abbreviated ramp-up could also complicate recovery and system work for injured players such as Matt Savoie, though the lighter workload is a reasonable trade for an 84-game regular season.

The Oilers are bringing in Misha Donskov as a coaching consultant for a select number of home days each month while he remains Hockey Canada's vice-president of Hockey Operations. Donskov, a former NHL assistant coach with Dallas and Vegas, will also coach Canada's 2027 World Junior team in Edmonton and Red Deer, giving Edmonton's staff another experienced hockey mind in the room—part-time, but hardly a lightweight.

Connor Hellebuyck has publicly confirmed he asked the Winnipeg Jets for a trade months ago, saying he believes moving on is best for him and his family. The 33-year-old goalie carries an $8.5-million cap hit and has a full no-movement clause through 2026-27, while former Oiler Stuart Skinner is already signed as Winnipeg’s likely insurance policy.

Matt Savoie and Frederik Andersen are expected to miss training camp after offseason injuries, with TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reporting both could be available around late October. The injuries haven’t been disclosed, though Bob Stauffer believes Savoie’s is lower-body, and the absences would trim Edmonton’s projected cap space from $4.725 million to $1.928 million while adding a wrinkle to the penalty kill and three-goalie plan.

Isaac Howard’s first NHL look was underwhelming, with two goals and five points in 29 games, but his AHL season showed why the Oilers still view him as a major prospect. He scored 24 goals and 50 points in 47 games for Bakersfield, and the big question for 2026-27 is whether better minutes and stronger linemates can help him make the same kind of jump Matthew Savoie did.

The Oilers are heading toward camp without Matt Savoie, Frederik Andersen, Alec Regula and Mattias Janmark, with Savoie and Andersen expected back in October. That leaves a hole on the penalty kill and raises bigger questions in goal, where Devon Levi and Tristan Jarry are the projected tandem, so Edmonton may have to revisit the free-agent market.

Adam Oates went undrafted out of RPI but built a Hall of Fame career as one of the NHL’s premier setup men, finishing with 1,420 points and 1,079 assists over 19 seasons. He made goalscorers such as Brett Hull, Cam Neely and Peter Bondra better, then wrapped up his playing career with the Edmonton Oilers after stops in Detroit, St. Louis, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia and Anaheim.

Samuel Jonsson’s first North American season was a solid step forward, with the 6-foot-5 Swede going 21-8-2 with a .910 save percentage and 2.38 goals-against average for Fort Wayne. His hands, hockey sense and rebound recovery give him a real shot to claim an AHL job, though his low pad work still needs cleaning up. The projection has him reaching the NHL as early as 2029-30, which in goalie years is practically tomorrow—or next decade.

Matt Savoie, Mattias Janmark, Frederik Andersen and Alec Regula will all miss Oilers training camp because of injuries or other maladies, giving the roster picture an early shake. The biggest question now is who replaces Savoie on the McDavid line and whether Edmonton adds a free-agent centre before camp, with Mathieu Joseph and Josh Samanski among the players gaining opportunity.

Viljami Marjala enters the season with a real shot at an Oilers audition after producing 17 goals and 36 points in his first AHL season with Bakersfield. The playmaking centre also contributed on the penalty kill, giving him a possible bottom-six path, though he’ll need to prove he can handle the physical side and make a strong impression before his contract expires after the season.

Mattias Ekholm is coming off a healthy, productive 2025-26 season, posting six goals, 41 points and a plus-32 rating while remaining a strong partner for Evan Bouchard on Edmonton’s top pair. At 36, with plenty of mileage and a physical style, the question is whether he can stay healthy and maintain that level; if not, Jake Walman or Ryan Shea could push him into a lesser role.

Shakir Mukhamadullin ranks third in this Oilers prospect countdown and is expected to get a fresh start in Edmonton after arriving as the major piece in the Darnell Nurse trade. The 6-foot-4 defenceman can skate, move the puck well enough and jump into the attack, but his defensive reads still need work; there’s a useful NHL player here if the decisions catch up with the tools. Connor Clattenburg and Quinn Hutson also show promise, with Clattenburg offering bottom-six chaos if his puck play improves and Hutson bringing smart, productive AHL work despite modest size and skating.