Oilers Thoughts: The Penalty Kill is looking great again

There were many highlights from the Edmonton Oilers’ 2024 run to the Stanley Cup Final, including their Game 7 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, Stuart Skinner’s outstanding performance in Game 6 against the Dallas Stars, and the team’s dominant penalty kill. Edmonton killed off 23 consecutive penalties before Evan Rodrigues scored in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, finishing the playoffs with a 94.3 per cent success rate. At times, the penalty kill even felt like an advantage, given the chances Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown created, each scoring a shorthanded goal.

The Oilers made several changes over the summer, parting ways with more penalty killers than they should have. Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, Cody Ceci, and Desharnais all left either through trade or free agency. The team posted a middling 78.16 percent penalty kill during the regular season, and they’ve killed 65.9 percent in the playoffs. While that number isn’t impressive, recent changes in personnel and style might be helping Edmonton peak at the right time.

The third period in Game 1 against the Stars marked the ultimate collapse. The Oilers held a 3–1 lead heading into the period, but came out 6–3 losers after failing to kill a penalty. We all know the story. But what if it wasn’t as bad as it seemed? Dallas executed almost perfectly, creating chaos that forced the Oilers into poor positions, preventing Skinner from seeing the puck, and they scored. It sounds simple, but that’s exactly what happened. Fortunately, Edmonton has since recovered well and was performing solidly even before that night.

Since Game 2 of the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton has allowed a power-play goal in just one game. Granted, they gave up three goals that night, but they’ve shut out the other team’s power play in five of six games. The overall percentage isn’t flattering at 79 per cent, but the penalty kill has only cost them once over that stretch. That’s a remarkable turnaround.

They were too passive in Round 1 against Los Angeles and early in the Vegas series. They’ve since shifted to a more aggressive style, limiting opponents’ time and space. They’re making life easier for their goaltender by allowing clear sightlines on shots or committing to blocks before the puck reaches the net.

The coaching staff has also tightened the rotation. In Round 1, 15 players logged more than 30 seconds on the penalty kill. That number dropped to 13 against Vegas and now sits at 11 versus Dallas. Every defenceman except John Klingberg has seen time on the kill, while forward duties have been limited to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Henrique, Connor Brown, Mattias Janmark, Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman.

The most significant factor? They’re staying out of the box. Edmonton has been relatively disciplined, and Game 1 was an outlier. They’ve since allowed only four power plays over the last two games. The best way to improve your penalty kill is to avoid taking penalties in the first place.

Edmonton’s penalty kill isn’t perfect. Last season’s standard was exceptionally high, and it was always going to be difficult—perhaps impossible—to match in the playoffs. But the Oilers are finding ways to succeed with the adjustments they’ve made, even against a Stars team that has thrived on the power play. If they maintain this form, Dallas won’t beat Edmonton on special teams alone.