Something Feels Different in Edmonton This Time Around

Few teams have more riding on this season than the Edmonton Oilers. Let’s break down what’s helping them and what’s stacked against them as they head into another run at the Cup.

What’s Working In the Oilers’ Favour?

Start with the obvious: this team still has McDavid and Draisaitl, arguably the two most dangerous offensive players on the planet, playing together. That alone gives Edmonton a ceiling almost nobody else in the league has. Evan Bouchard’s emerging as a genuine elite defenseman, the Nurse trade cleared out a big contract, and the roster has real speed built for exactly the kind of heavy forecheck system a team like this should run. On paper, the talent gap between Edmonton and most of the league hasn’t closed.

What’s Working Against the Oilers?

Here’s where it gets heavy. McDavid’s entering his 12th NHL season with two years left on his new deal, and he’s eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2027-28 season. He’s done literally everything an NHL player can do except actually win the Cup. Every season without it, the noise around his future only gets louder. At some point, the pressure to win becomes impossible to ignore, even for a franchise player this loyal, and that clock is now ticking louder than ever.

Then there’s Babcock. Hiring him was already controversial before a single puck dropped, and the criticism hasn’t quieted down. Guys like Mark Messier have publicly torched the decision. If this doesn’t work out, and Edmonton misses again, there won’t be anywhere to hide. Every part of the organization, the coach, the front office, even McDavid himself, is going to get scrutinized in a way that hasn’t happened before.