Oilers News & Rumours: Hallander, Hyman, Frederic, Levi & More

Hallander, who is 26 years old, had just 18 games of NHL experience before the trade, where he notched seven points, and in four games with the Oilers, he has yet to register a point.

Stastney was acquired by the Oilers last season in a trade with the Nashville Predators, but coming into the 2026-27 season, it was clear his role with the Oilers was being the eighth defender, so his time was coming to an end, and he gets a fresh start with the Penguins.

Zach Hyman Returns & Scores

Zach Hyman made his return to the Oilers’ lineup against the Utah Mammoth on Saturday (Oct. 17), and was able to score a goal early on to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead.

It was Hyman’s first goal of the new campaign in just his second game, and him being back gives the Oilers some depth that they have been missing as they have dealt with some injuries.

Trent Frederic Fights Jack McBain, Has Elevated Play All Season

In what may have been fight of the year, Trent Frederic responded to a hit that Mammoth forward Jack McBain made in their previous matchup.

Frederic, who struggled last season under Kris Knoblauch with only seven points through 74 games, while often being a healthy scratch, has found another gear under Babcock, and continues to elevate his game physically in a bottom-six forward role.

Devon Levi Starting to Build Confidence

Goaltender Devon Levi, who was acquired by the Oilers from the Buffalo Sabres this offseason, has started to build some confidence and has established himself as their starting goaltender, for now.

His first game against the Vancouver Canucks was a tough watch and he struggled in a big way, but he has found a way to put that behind him and provide some solid goaltending to start the season. Through five games, Levi has a -0.6 goals-saved-above-expected (GSAX), a 2.83 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .898 save percentage (SV%).

As the Oilers look to push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990, having strong goaltending is a key to their success. If Levi continues to play the way he is, the Oilers may not have to worry about finding an upgrade between the pipes when the 2027 Trade Deadline rolls around.

Evan Bouchard: Defensively Strong

After being disrespected by voters last season, Evan Bouchard has found yet another gear and is proving to everyone that he deserves to be considered for the Norris Trophy.

While his point production early has been impressive, what actually might be more impressive is how strong defensively he has been, and considering he hasn’t had to sacrifice his offensive side, he should be a frontrunner for the trophy.

One of his biggest flaws, at least according to voters, was Bouchard’s defensive game, but now, there are no excuses. He has been the best all-around defenseman this season, and it hasn’t been close, whatsoever.

Fans gave a legacy vote to Cale Makar over Bouchard last season, despite him not being a top-three defender. This season, Bouchard is giving them zero ammunition against him, and barring a catastrophic collapse, there will be no excuse not to give him a first-place vote.

As the 2026-27 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.