Edmonton Oilers News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner makes a save against the Ottawa Senators (Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images)

5 Takeaways from Edmonton Oilers’ First 10 Games of 2025-26 Season

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Rupert McDonald | Last updated Oct 28, 2025 3:25 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers have gotten off to a better start in 2025-26 than they did in each of the prior two seasons. That is a positive takeaway through their first 10 games, though those who have paid attention to this team know it wasn’t a tall task. Despite how good they’ve been in recent years, slow starts have plagued this team in the past, and are an issue once again in 2025-26.

The Oilers haven’t been awful in the early going, but have been far from elite. Through their first 10 games, they sit at 4-4-2, which has them tied with the Chicago Blackhawks point wise for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. That record is certain to improve as the season moves along, though in order to do so, they will need to get better in certain areas. With that said, here are five takeaways from the Oilers’ first 10 games of the season.

1: Skinner & Pickard Working in True Tandem Role

When the Oilers chose not to add a goalie this offseason, the expectation was that Stuart Skinner would continue to work as their number-one netminder. That hasn’t exactly been the case, however, as he and Calvin Pickard appear to be instead working in a nearly evenly-split rotation.

Through the first 10 games, Skinner has made six starts to Pickard’s four. Furthermore, Pickard has started both of the Oilers’ last two outings. It’s unclear as to whether this is being done as a wake-up call to Skinner, or perhaps a planned idea in order to help keep him fresher once the postseason rolls around. Either way, based on the early results, we could see a very evenly-split crease for the entirety of the season.

2: McDavid Quiet Once Again

Connor McDavid entered this season saying that he wanted to start shooting the puck more. While few if any expected him to reach the 60-goal mark as he did in 2022-23, the expectation was that he would easily surpass last year’s total of 26. Based on these first 10 games, that may no longer be the case.

McDavid has been pretty quiet overall to begin the season, particularly in the goal column, as he’s found the back of the net only once. Through 10 games, he’s managed just 12 points. What’s worth noting, however, is that he had just 10 points through his first 11 games last season, and went on to put up 100 in only 67 games. He will get back to producing elite numbers in no time, but it definitely hasn’t been the best of starts for the 28-year-old.

3: Bouchard Struggling

Perhaps the most disappointing player on the Oilers roster to begin the 2025-26 season has been Evan Bouchard. The 26-year-old, fresh off of signing a four-year, $42 million deal, went pointless through his first six games of the season before finally getting on the scoresheet with an assist in a 3-2 overtime win versus the Ottawa Senators.

Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Bouchard has since managed a point in four-straight contests, though a goal and four points through 10 games is far less than he’s expected to provide. Making matters all the worse is that he owns a team-worst minus-9 rating and has committed several ugly turnovers in the early going. The Oilers are going to need him to be far better and far more consistent going forward.

4: Young Players Receiving Limited Opportunity

Given the number of veteran departures they had in the offseason, the Oilers came into the season hoping for young players such as Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie to make a difference. So far, that hasn’t happened, as the two have combined for just two points on the season.

A big part of their struggles has been a lack of opportunity. Savoie is averaging just 12:52 minutes of ice time, while Howard has averaged less than 10. With the Oilers struggling as a collective group to find the back of the net early in the season, it may be wise for head coach Kris Knoblauch to consider giving both players more opportunity to see what they’re truly capable of.

5: Oilers Missing Hyman in a Big Way

Part of the reason things haven’t been fully clicking for the Oilers offensively is that they have been without Zach Hyman the entire time. The 33-year-old, who scored a career-high 54 goals in 2023-24, is continuing to recover from a fractured wrist suffered in the 2025 Western Conference Final versus the Dallas Stars.

Zach Hyman, Edmonton Oilers (Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

The good news for the Oilers is that a Hyman return doesn’t appear to be far out, as he has been practicing with the team in recent weeks. It sounds as though he will be back in early November, which should not only help McDavid increase his offensive output, but help the Oilers rack up wins on a more consistent basis.

Nothing for Oilers Fans to Worry About

Though the fan base is growing tired of these slow starts, there is nothing Oilers fans should be worried about at this point in time. There are still 72 games remaining, and this group has shown time and time again that they get better as the season goes on. The good news is that despite this slow start, they are still just three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division.