Edmonton Oilers News, Stats & Fan Discussion

Connor McDavid and the Oilers’ leadership group vetted Mike Babcock before hiring him, believing his experience and technical approach could provide the final piece in their Stanley Cup push. Sidney Crosby, who worked with Babcock on Team Canada, called him organized and strong at managing the bench and defining players’ jobs. The pitch is simple: regular-season accolades are no longer enough, and Edmonton is chasing the last one per cent.

The Oilers have opened the door on the 2026-27 season, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and a long list of regulars taking part in the first skate. Rookie camp starts Friday, players report for training camp Sept. 15, and the preseason opens Sept. 19 against Winnipeg. The early wrinkle: McDavid and Draisaitl appeared to be working together, though nobody is ready to carve that lineup decision into stone just yet.

The Oilers are being tipped to finish second in the Pacific Division at +280, largely because they have finished second in six of the past seven seasons. The division-title price is shorter at +175, but the numbers suggest Edmonton fans may be staring down another spring date with the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1.

Rogers and the Oilers have extended their partnership, keeping the Rogers Place name on Edmonton’s rink through 2036. The 10-year commitment follows the arena’s first decade and includes Rogers giving away 1,500 tickets to customers this season, including 300 for the Sept. 29 home opener against Vancouver.

Sidney Crosby says Mike Babcock was organized, sharp with line matching and clear about players’ responsibilities during their Team Canada years—traits the Oilers will be counting on in Edmonton. Crosby also says he wants to keep playing and has already had contract discussions with Pittsburgh, though he isn’t sure how many more years he can commit to.

The Oilers made their biggest goaltending overhaul of the McDavid era, but the problem hasn’t exactly packed its bags. Frederik Andersen is expected to miss the start of the season and may not return until late October, leaving Edmonton to lean on Devon Levi and Tristan Jarry—two options carrying plenty of question marks.

Caden Harvey and Andrew Robinson could become key leaders for a changing Windsor Spitfires team this season, giving both Oilers draft picks valuable responsibility before moving on to college. Harvey posted 34 points in 68 OHL games last season and Robinson had 24 points in 63 games, with both adding strong playoff production. Windsor may be headed toward the lower end of the Western Conference, but that could mean more opportunity for the pair to drive the club and keep developing.

Zach Hyman remains a first-line player for the Oilers, and the numbers back it up: he scored 31 goals in 58 games last season after returning from wrist surgery. With Matt Savoie injured to start the season and Isaac Howard still trying to earn a regular NHL role, Mike Babcock has every reason to keep Hyman alongside Connor McDavid or driving the second line when McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are paired.

The latest Connor McDavid-to-Toronto chatter was clarified as a conditional theory, not a suggestion that the Oilers captain wants out of Edmonton. The scenario only applies if McDavid reaches free agency and Toronto is a strong team, with the reporter also naming the Rangers and Kings as possible suitors. In other words, this is speculation wearing a louder hat than usual.

The Golden Knights replaced interim coach John Tortorella with Ryan Craig and reinforced the blue line, but their biggest off-season move was dealing Pavel Dorofeyev to the Rangers for two first-round picks and a third. Dorofeyev scored 37 goals and 64 points last season, so Vegas may be no worse overall—but it definitely lost some bite up front. In a soft Pacific Division, that could still be plenty to win the neighborhood.

Lowetide sees striking parallels between Mike Babcock’s arrival in Edmonton and Pat Quinn’s 2009 hiring, with the 2026-27 season potentially ranging from a Stanley Cup run to Babcock being gone by Christmas. Early talk of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl playing together at five-on-five, plus Josh Brown handling a regular shift, has raised questions about how quickly Babcock will figure out the roster and whether younger players such as Matt Savoie, Vasily Podkolzin, Josh Samanski and Devon Levi get bigger roles.

With Mattias Janmark and Matthew Savoie expected to miss the start of camp because of offseason injuries, Edmonton may need another forward, and Curtis Lazar remains available after his Oilers contract expired June 30. Lazar led the team in faceoff percentage last season and provided reliable, physical fourth-line work, making him a sensible PTO candidate even if the club appeared to move on earlier in the summer.