5 Random Thoughts ahead of the 2025–26 Oilers Season

With the offseason dragging on and my brain running on vibes, coffee, and mid-summer Kool-Aid excitement, I figured now’s the perfect time to throw out a few random Edmonton Oilers thoughts about the season ahead. These aren’t predictions but rather a few questions that are rattling around in my brain that I need your help in answering. This week, we’re looking at Connor McDavid’s extension, Mattias Ekholm needing a new deal, expectations for Evan Bouchard, and more.

1. What does Connor McDavid’s extension look like?

Let’s just say it out loud: Connor McDavid is going to sign an extension with the Edmonton Oilers at some point this summer. His current deal runs through June 30, 2026 — there’s still a year available to get something done — but every second that ticks by without an extension is making Oilers fans sweat just a little bit more than they’d like to. But assuming he stays — and I’ve already stated that I think he will — the question becomes: what’s the term? Is it another 8-year deal that carries him into his mid-30s? Does he go shorter to retain flexibility, as the most recent rumours have suggested? Does the cap spike push this thing over $17 million per season?

I don’t know what it’ll be, but I do know this: whatever McDavid signs for, he’ll still be underpaid based on the impact he makes every single night. Give him a blank cheque, let him fill in the details, and thank your stars he chose Edmonton in the first place. What I’m more interested in is not the money No. 97 will be paid, but how many years he’ll give the Oilers on this next extension. I’ve seen anywhere from two to four to eight years, and while I’ll be happy no matter the term, I’d really prefer that we don’t have to do this all over again in a few years, you know? But until he signs his name on this next contract, the questions rolling around in my head will only get louder until we finally get the news. What’s your bet on term?

2. What’s a reasonable term for a Mattias Ekholm extension?

Mattias Ekholm turns 36 in May of 2026, and while it sometimes feels like he just got here, we’re already inching toward extension territory for a pivotal piece on the back nine of his career. As we stand today, Ekholm’s got one year left on his current deal, and the question I want to know is how long do you re-up a veteran D-man who’s still highly effective but not exactly on the younger side. As much as I wish Big Viking Daddy could be with us forever, the reality of pro sports is that you have to be tactical with a player of his age.

Three years? Too long? One year? Too short? Two feels safe, but it might take three to get it done and I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t make me nervous. Ekholm’s been a stabilizing force for Evan Bouchard and the entire blue line since arriving from Nashville, and keeping him happy is super important but it’s also a tricky decision at this stage of his career. His minutes are heavy, his impact is clear, and losing him without a succession plan would be a serious blow, but how much term can you give a guy who will be 36 years old by the end of the season? Ekholm is still playing top-four minutes on a Cup contender. That’s worth something — even at 35 — I just can’t figure out how long that next deal needs to be.

3. New contract expectations for Evan Bouchard

Speaking of extensions, Evan Bouchard’s new contract is still pretty fresh as I write this, but with a $10.5 million AAV price tag next to his name, I’m curious to find out what happens next. Bouchard had 67 points in 82 games in 2024-25 after going a point-per-game the year before, and he’s been an absolute menace on the power play. He is the catalyst for the Oilers’ offence from the back end, played over 23 minutes per night, and shows flashes of offensive brilliances on a nightly basis. The offence is undeniable, but with this much higher number hitting the books, so do the expectations.

At $10.5 million, Bouchard becomes one of the highest-paid defencemen in the league. That means the microscope tightens even more than it already is. No more casual gap control. No more lapses late in games. He’ll be expected to deliver not just numbers, but results. Big ones. And while I absolutely I believe he can continue to evolve his game, the margin for error shrinks when the money hits double digits. So how does that affect Evan Bouchard’s upcoming season? I think the noise will be louder than it’s ever been, and it will be fascinating to see how he navigates the increase in expectations and whether his game is ready to take the next step. We know the offence is there with Bouchard, but now the question becomes whether he can round out the two-way side of his play and keep that level up even through a long 82-game season.

4. Will Zach Hyman be ready for the season?

Hyman’s wrist injury in the playoffs was devastating for so many reasons. Not only did the Oilers lose one of their best forwards for the Stanley Cup Final, but they also lost an emotional leader who always gives it his all when he’s on the ice. That was a huge blow no matter how you slice it. At a time when the Oilers desperately needed offence, grit, and guts, losing Hyman was one of the worst possible outcomes that could have happened. The thing that I’m thinking about now is how that wrist is healing since we last saw him in early June.

The big question now is whether he’ll be 100% by opening night, and whether his wrist will take time to get back up to speed even if he is on the ice. Hyman is 33, plays a physical game, and just had a “down” year with 27 goals through 73 games. If that wrist isn’t right by October, it changes things — especially if the Oilers are leaning on him again to produce early in the season while the rest of the lineup settles in. There’s been no official update since the playoffs, but here’s hoping a quiet summer has done him some good. This team needs a healthy Hyman — full stop.

5. How can the Oilers improve the PK?

Let’s be honest: the penalty kill was pretty damned mediocre last year. The Oilers finished 16th in the NHL at 78.2%, which isn’t a disaster, but it’s also nowhere near what you need if you’re going to win games consistently. Special teams matter, and while the power play is always going to be a threat, the PK has some serious room for improvement ahead of next year. So how do you fix it? Personnel is part of it. Could David Tomasek or Curtis Lazar help? Can someone like Mattias Janmark or Noah Philp step in and lock down a spot as a premiere penalty killer? We almost need it, right?

While we know a lot of the fix will down to who’s on the ice, just as much of the PK’s success will come down to structure — pressuring more aggressively, forcing bad passes, and clearing rebounds quickly. Too often last year, the Oilers’ kill sat back and let the opponent dictate the play, granting wide open passing lanes across the middle of the ice or even clear shots from dangerous zones. This isn’t about becoming the 2011 Bruins overnight, but if the Oilers can push that number to 82–83%, it’ll be a game-changer in close matchups, especially come April and May. But is it possible for the same group to improve this much? Unless there’s more change on the way, we’re going to need this group to figure it out in a big way.

The Wrap