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Roster makeup

The Oilers have two elite centres in McDavid and Draisaitl, but the shutdown pivot (Dickinson) isn’t at the level of Babcock’s previous centres (including Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Nazem Kadri). There is some evidence Draisaitl is taking on the role for the top line; his defensive position and attention to detail have been exceptional. McDavid has also delivered some exceptional defensive work and pass interceptions as well.

On defence, Nick Lidstrom was one of one. Evan Bouchard plays a different style, but his early season performance has been stellar. Bouchard has emerged as a pristine five-on-five outscorer going back several seasons, but it appears he has cleaned up some defensive wobble and is delivering at an elite level.

The goaltending is a work in progress, with Devon Levi showing well in the early going. Babcock’s goaltenders of the past include Dominik Hasek, Chris Osgood and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, so it’s a high bar for all involved. Frederik Andersen is a former and current Babcock goaltender who is currently injured.

Babcock’s wingers are also fluid in nature, with Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin delivering outstanding performances on the top line. With Zach Hyman and Matt Savoie out, Babcock has been auditioning incumbents with a range of skills (Trent Frederic, Kasperi Kapanen) but leaning heavily on two-way newcomers (Alex Formenton, Mathieu Joseph, Filip Hållander).

He is absolutely fading top prospect Ike Howard, but pushing rookie centre Owen Michaels up the depth chart and raves about Colton Dach. The intel on Babcock from the past is holding. If a player can work across 200 feet (Michaels, Dach), Babcock will overlook shortcomings. If he’s one-dimensional or not yet playing with consistent discipline (Howard), the minutes are few.

Puck possession

We are early days in 2026-27, so there has to be a caveat when comparing season-over -season totals. We can see trending though, and the puck possession metrics offer some interesting insight.

|| || |Per game|49 mins, 55 secs|47 mins, 33 secs| |Corsi|50.3|48.8| |Fenwick|51.1|48.7| |Shots|52.7|47.8| |Goals|48|63| |GF-60|2.55|3.6| |GA-60|2.76|2.16| |XGoal Pct|51.4|49.6| |XGF-60|2.78|2.26| |XGA-60|2.63|2.29|

All numbers at five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick

The key numbers are highlighted and suggest the Oilers have been running good luck offensively. We also know the Oilers are benefiting from softer competition (Utah was the first substantial team on their schedule) and the elite skill of the top line is feeding off each other to form an historic offensive run. This kind of gap between goals scored and expected goals scored cannot stand. Regression is coming.

Read the rest for free here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7691416/2026/10/17/edmonton-oilers-mike-babcock-stats-start/?unlocked_article_code=1.JVE.qkNw.hOGIrXSzDcFg&source=emp_shared_article&smid=url-share-ta

Hyman: https://youtu.be/pFDzo1Ts3lM?si=1gbofPAagMFPPjmc

Babcock: https://youtu.be/D6pWfVeQy3E?si=6cGgv2g2PPK8zDEa

Snapped this picture at the game last night. Goalies are weird and I love it.

I know this is a huge long shot but worth a try.

Back in 2005 when the Oilers retired Paul Coffey’s number 7, they had players wear commemorative warm up jerseys with the player name and his number 7. The jerseys were then signed by both the player and Paul. When that auction went off, I was a dumb 19yo kid and spent basically my life savings to buy the Radek Dvorak warm up jersey. It was one of the lower end costing jerseys but a player I loved at that time. Anyway, a couple of years later and still young and dumb, I sold it online to make some money to put towards a wedding. To this day, and post divorce lol, I regret selling that jersey and I’m curious to know where it ended up and if there was any remote chance of buying it back. If anyone here knows about these jerseys, has one, or may want to sell one, please let me know. Go Oilers!!

Walman: https://youtu.be/BMHhGz-yiOY?si=bIUKeak1sWxtvOOu

Babcock: https://youtu.be/RyZUOBbepgw?si=i9NxfhCOlV7m64fa

turns out one of the hottest starts to the season doesn’t make a difference.

OEG charging an arm and a leg and the fans have had enough.

EDMONTON — The top line couldn’t spare the Edmonton Oilers from their fate.

After six games spent riding historic offence from Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, the bottom finally fell out in a 4-2 defeat to the Utah Mammoth at Rogers Place on Thursday night.

Entering the third period trailing by a pair, it wasn’t difficult to imagine Edmonton’s stars dragging them to a flawed comeback victory with some late heroics. But Clayton Keller’s empty-net goal handed them what had long been coming.

The loss was necessary, if only to show that the process by which they soared to the top of the standings has come with warning signs.

“Even if we won the game, there would have been a lot of work to do still,” defenceman Connor Murphy said.

The loss ended the Oilers’ five-game win streak, making them the final NHL team to drop a game in regulation this season.

Not coincidentally, the injury-plagued and depth-starved Oilers finally played a team outside the Pacific Division, the one McDavid infamously called a “pillow fight” late last season. So far, that description still feels accurate in 2026-27.

With just two of their first half dozen games coming against teams that qualified for the 2026 playoffs — and none giving the Oilers significant headaches — the Central Division’s Mammoth were by far the best club they’d seen so far.

“They were solid and have as balanced a lineup as you’re going to see throughout the league,” McDavid said. “They play four lines, big, fast. There’s a lot to like over there.”

They have what the Oilers are currently missing. Utah’s depth completely outclassed Edmonton’s.

After Thursday morning’s skate, head coach Mike Babcock spoke of the need for his bottom nine forwards to possess the puck “way more” following a collection of pedestrian performances in L.A. Aside from one early third period shift that culminated in Shakir Mukhamadullin’s fortunate bounce off Andrew Peeke’s skate to bring Edmonton within a goal, the Oilers largely failed that mission.

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Speak your mind.

Obviously you can’t win them all, but as a new fan of both the Oilers and the NHL, I’m trying to learn more about the team and try to get a better/in-depth understanding of the team itself and how they and their players/playstyle works.

Were they trying something different or were they missing any of their strongest players? Again can’t always win, but I was just seeing if there’s anyone here who can help explain things to a new fan here. 😂.

Got the first one last year at a game. Its gotten pretty dirty. I saw the same one at the game tonight and decided f it. 2 of the same hat lol

Back when the season ended I spent a day at WEM, where I found the mini figure factory! I thought to myself, why not, and hand drew this oilers jersey.

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McDavid: https://youtu.be/PjksBMoNIxg?si=Hn2Zl01hXNul-JX0

Murphy: https://youtu.be/02Q85Il6XgE?si=eLTIvLrld8mqDua3

Babcock: https://youtu.be/qFeRZkhPP3M?si=R-_S-G2hI4imDsYe

Two teams doing quite well this season, but that ain't stopping McJesus 🔥

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Stan Bowman’s record as Oilers GM has been uneven, with major moves drawing criticism. But smaller trades for Vasily Podkolzin and Ty Emberson have paid off, and this summer may have been his best yet. Is Bowman getting better at his job?

Read for free.

Still very early season so these numbers are pretty unstable. Oilers are favored to win, but the Mammoth have had far better depth and goaltending all season so far.