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Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins watches the puck go past Winnipeg Jets goalie Eric Comrie (Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images)

3 Bright Spots on a Struggling Oilers Defence

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jackson Scherger | Last updated Mar 2, 2026 10:45 AM ET

It hasn’t been an ideal stretch of games for the Edmonton Oilers. They went into the Olympic break losing three in a row and have lost two of three since starting back up. They’re also allowing a large amount of goals in their losses lately (and even some of their wins). However, it hasn’t been all bad, as a team that is still in a playoff spot does have players playing some defence.

There has been some shaky defensive play, but there are three guys that have stood out to me as mostly positive contributors and will be important for the team towards the end of the season.

Spencer Stastney

The replacement for Brett Kulak has been a defensive stalwart since the minute he arrived. Spencer Stastney doesn’t put on a show offensively, but it’s the quiet work in his own end that should be getting him more flowers from fans. He is very smart with the puck in all zones and possesses great stick play on anyone he’s defending, whether it be in the corner or out in the open.

He sees average third-pairing minutes with another good depth guy in Ty Emberson; however, it wouldn’t hurt to give him even more time out there. He’s second among defencemen on the roster in on-ice expected goals against per 60 minutes with 3.1, and is third among Oilers defenders in takeaways. He seems to only be getting better as he gets more time in the team’s system. Stastney is strategic in every play he makes and will continue to be a key piece on the back end.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

He’s not a defenceman, but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins plays some of the best and most underrated two-way hockey in the league. “Nuge” has been there for the team’s highest and lowest points, and recently, he has been a huge help in steadying the defensive woes, all while still maintaining his steady profile as a top scorer on the team.

Nugent-Hopkins has among the lowest totals on the team in terms of both regular giveaways and defensive zone giveaways. He also has an on-ice goal differential of 25, which is fifth best on the team. Nobody back checks harder than him, and even in the tough losses as of late, he has never seemed to waver at any point and continues to play at a consistent pace.

Evan Bouchard

Evan Bouchard isn’t known for his defensive game, and it’s often what yields him criticism in the media. And yet in all the team’s struggles, he has made some rather impressive plays lately that might go unnoticed. His calm presence makes him unpredictable sometimes, but that’s also a good thing when taking on opposing offences. He is able to steal pucks and turn them around into high-danger offence.

Bouchard handles a large workload. He averaged over 25 minutes per game in the month of January and played similar minutes in a short February. He has stood his ground in the defensive end and been more aggressive lately in pursuing the puck and putting pressure on attacking players. His offence is undeniable, making him a perfect partner for defence-first Mattias Ekholm. If his defence continues to improve and be noticeable, the Oilers’ top pair will be near unstoppable.

Edmonton has some players playing some great defence right now, and some not so much. This critical time around the trade deadline is when the team needs everyone to pitch in and become a playoff-caliber defensive team.