The Edmonton Oilers now know what the 2026-27 season will look like on the themed-night front, and the club rolled out the full slate on Wednesday.
Tickets go on sale Aug. 27 at 10:00 AM MT, with the Oilers’ first home game set for Sept. 29, 2026 against the Vancouver Canucks. That opener comes after four pre-season games and also doubles as the team’s series opener.
The first special event on the calendar arrives almost a month later, when Edmonton hosts the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes, on Oct. 22 for Indigenous Celebration night. Last season, that night was held on Jan. 20, 2026.
From there, the Oilers move into a stretch of recognizable annual dates. Nov. 7 is Hockey Fights Cancer night, with the Canucks visiting Edmonton. Founded in 1998, Hockey Fights Cancer has raised over $44 million according to its website, and every NHL team features a night for it.
Just four days later, on Nov. 11, the Oilers meet the Philadelphia Flyers for their Remembrance Day game, which will include a pre-game tribute. Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation night follows on Jan. 17 against the Winnipeg Jets.
December is the lone month without a themed game.
When the schedule turns to the new year, Edmonton opens with Oilers Next Gen night on Jan. 9 against the New York Islanders. Four days after that, the San Jose Sharks come to town for Ukrainian Heritage night, a nod to the city of Edmonton’s large Ukraine diaspora.
February brings two more themed nights tied to major calendar observances. On Feb. 3, the Oilers face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Black Excellence game as part of Black History Month.
Then, with Lunar New Year falling on Feb. 6, Edmonton will stage its themed game on Feb. 12 against the St.
Louis Blues.
The Oilers’ annual women in sport night lands on Feb. 22 against the Ottawa Senators. Last season, a portion of the proceeds supported the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.
March features two more entries. On Mar.
9, Edmonton hosts the Los Angeles Kings for Celebrating Pride night, which recognizes and supports the 2LGBTQ+ community. Later in the month, Mar. 20 against the Dallas Stars will be Celebrating Oil Country.
The final themed night of the regular season comes on Apr. 10 against the Jets, when the Oilers close out the 2026-27 schedule with fan appreciation night.
In Other News...
Oilers Fans Face A Familiar Connor McDavid Tradeoff This Season
Connor McDavid has made a career out of turning the Oilers into a nightly must-watch team, and this season the conversation around him is familiar: how much individual production comes with the territory when the bigger goal is winning in the spring. A recent fan survey suggests Edmonton supporters are bracing for a slight dip in his point totals, but not in the broader value he brings if the team is better positioned for playoff success.
The more interesting part is the temperature around what comes next if the Oilers keep coming up short. Fans may be willing to trade a little offense for a deeper run, but there is still an uneasy sense that the long view of McDavids future in Edmonton will depend on whether those results ever arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Face Intriguing Next Step With Two Young Forwards
The Capitals are already looking ahead to a tricky but important piece of business after a promising stretch from two young forwards. Ryan Leonard and Justin Sourdif have given Washington enough reason to think about long-term commitments, and the next step for the front office will be figuring out how to reward recent performance without losing flexibility as the roster continues to take shape.
Around the league, the broader landscape is shifting in ways that could matter down the road for teams trying to build and keep star power. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has suggested Houston could be the next expansion market, with play potentially beginning in the 2029-30 season, while Connor McDavids future continues to be a topic of conversation as his Oilers contract plays out. For the Capitals, the immediate focus remains on Leonard and Sourdif, but the market for young talent is only getting tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Use A Familiar Face To Solve A Camp Dilemma
With training camp coming fast and the preseason shortened, the Oilers could use a low-risk way to add bodies and get a read on depth under new coaches Mike Babcock and D.J. Smith. Kurt Leavins of The Edmonton Journal floated the idea of bringing in a familiar face on a professional tryout contract, a practical move for a team that may lean toward players the staff already knows rather than spending precious time evaluating complete unknowns.
Curtis Lazar fits that description well. He has already worn an Oilers sweater and remains unsigned, making him an easy name to circle if Edmonton wants experience in a bottom-six role and some comfort in the camp competition. The appeal is obvious, even if the final decision still hinges on whether the organization wants to keep looking inward or give a known depth option another shot. [Read more 🡒]