The Edmonton Oilers have given themselves a chance to measure just how real this fast start is, and the Minnesota Wild are the perfect barometer.
Both clubs come into tonight tied at 13 points, even though Edmonton has played one fewer game. The Oilers are 6-1-1 and sit second in the Pacific Division, while Minnesota is 6-2-1 and leads the Central. In the bigger picture, they’re tied for first in the West, which gives this matchup a little extra edge as Edmonton opens a five-game homestand.
That homestand follows Saturday’s 6-2 win over Utah, a game that checked a lot of boxes for the Oilers. Connor McDavid racked up five points, Zach Hyman scored in his return from injury, and Mike Babcock got the kind of production he had been looking for from his bottom three lines.
McDavid’s season has been ridiculous so far. He has 23 points through eight games, the best opening stretch of his career, and Edmonton is averaging 4.63 goals per game. Vasily Podkolzin has also been producing at a strong clip alongside McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, which has helped keep the offence rolling even with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Matt Savoie still out.
Minnesota, though, has been rolling in its own right. The Wild have won four of their last five and arrive in Edmonton on a two-game winning streak.
Kirill Kaprizov has been a major driver of that run, putting up 10 goals and 15 points in nine games. Jesper Wallstedt has backed that up in net, posting a .922 save percentage and a 1.99 goals-against average for a team that can also fill it up offensively.
The Wild have been sharp on special teams too, going 32.1 per cent on the power play and 89.3 per cent on the penalty kill. And they’ve had Edmonton’s number lately, winning all three meetings last season.
Devon Levi is expected to get the start for the Oilers after Tristan Jarry win over Utah. Levi took his first loss of the season last Thursday, though that didn’t register as a major concern.
Edmonton is also expected to ice the same lineup that beat Utah, so Hyman, Colton Dach and Jake Walman should all be in again for their second straight game after coming back from injury. McDavid logged nearly 26 minutes in Thursday’s loss to Utah, but that dropped to 19:52 on Saturday.
Babcock has been clear that he wants four lines pushing every night, and the Utah game offered a glimpse of what that can look like once this group gets healthier. The Oilers responded to a rough night with a more controlled performance, and tonight gives them a chance to prove they can keep that standard against one of the conference’s top teams.
A win would move Edmonton two points ahead of Minnesota with a game in hand. Even in October, that’s a strong opportunity against a team sitting right beside them near the top of the standings.
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Connor McDavid was once again at the center of it all with three assists, keeping the offense humming while the Oilers found yet another way to get a result. The team has built a habit of delivering in big moments lately, and this latest win added another layer to the growing sense that Edmonton is finding its stride when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
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Nugent-Hopkins Return Creates A Big Oilers Top-Six Decision
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The biggest question now is where Nugent-Hopkins fits once the puck drops. Edmonton is expected to use him in a prominent second-line role, and the ripple effect could be felt throughout the forward group as the staff sorts out the best mix around him. With the Oilers trying to settle into a rhythm early, his return adds needed stability, but it also forces a lineup decision that could reshape the balance of the entire top six. [Read more 🡒]