Careful what you wish for, Oilers fans.
For years in the Connor McDavid era, Edmonton has been the same frustrating story: all speed, all offense, and not nearly enough finish when it matters. The coaching carousel has kept spinning too, with every new voice arriving with the same promise that this time things would be different.
That pattern got another reset this offseason with the controversial hiring of Mike Babcock. He showed up sounding every bit like the next man in line, confident and matter-of-fact, and then watched his team stumble out of the gate looking an awful lot like the old version of the Oilers.
Maybe worse.
Edmonton gave up 13 goals over its first two games, and the start got so ugly that even an 8-2 Oilers lead midway through Game 2 didn’t feel safe. Fans were already bracing for the floor to fall out from under them.
Then Game 3 arrived, and the Oilers finally looked like a team that had had enough of becoming a league-wide punchline. They tightened up defensively and actually played like a group intent on keeping the puck out of its own net instead of treating every shift like a race to the other end.
McDavid still found the scoresheet with an empty-net goal, and he still finished with the biggest share of the offense in a low-scoring game that felt nothing like the Edmonton chaos routine. He also logged 26:17 of ice time, which is another familiar refrain for this team and another promise new coaches keep making about changing.
Afterward, Babcock did something none of his predecessors had apparently been willing to try: he stood at the microphone and cracked a joke.
In Other News...
Flames Suddenly Have A Young Forward Decision Fans Didn't Expect
The Flames made a notable young-forward shuffle this week, parting with former first-round pick Connor Zary after placing him on waivers. The move sent a ripple through a Calgary roster that has been leaning on internal competition for depth, and it also opened the door for two more prospects to get a look with the NHL club as the schedule tightens.
Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Castagna have both been brought up from the Wranglers, giving Calgary a chance to see what each can add in a forward group that needs energy and production. Suniev has flashed offensive upside in preseason and AHL play, while Castagna has earned his way into the conversation with strong work in the minors, making this one of those early-season decisions that could quietly shape the teams depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Already Face An Early Roster Decision With Scoring At Stake
The Flames are already facing an early test of roster balance, with scoring depth suddenly at the center of the discussion. With the club looking for help up front, the next move is expected to come from the Calgary Wranglers, where a few forwards have put themselves on the radar with recent play and fit the kind of need Calgary is trying to address.
Aydar Suniev, Tyson Gross, Jonathan Castagna, Alex Nylander and Rory Kerins are all being viewed as possible options for an NHL promotion, and the teams decision could say plenty about how it wants to handle its forward group in the short term. Nothing has been made official yet, but the anticipation alone underscores how quickly the Flames may need to sort through their options if they want to keep enough offense in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Scoring Problem Puts One Veteran Option In Focus
Three games into the 2026-27 season, the Flames are already facing an offense that has produced just three goals, and that has naturally pushed help-seeking conversations into the open. On TSNs Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun reported that Calgary has at least discussed the idea of adding veteran winger Patrik Laine, a free agent who is still recovering from injury and would bring instant name value to a lineup that has struggled to find it early.
For now, though, the focus appears to be internal, with the team inclined to see what its young options can provide before making a bigger move. Aydar Suniev, Rory Kerins and Alex Nylander are among the Wranglers players the Flames want to evaluate, which leaves Laine as a potential fix rather than an immediate one. The interest is there, but the urgency to act on it does not seem to be. [Read more 🡒]