The Edmonton Oilers are in a spot that demands attention.
After 19 games, they’re leading the Pacific Division, sitting second in the Western Conference and third overall in the NHL. Only the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild are ahead of them, and Edmonton has already beaten both of those teams head-to-head this season. That’s the kind of start that makes a team look built for a serious spring run.
There’s a long way to go before the Stanley Cup Playoffs, of course. A lot can shift between now and Game 84. But right now, the Oilers are tracking toward something bigger than just a strong regular season.
At their current pace, Edmonton is on course to challenge a franchise mark for standings points. The Oilers are winning 76.3% of the points available to them, and if that holds, they wouldn’t just be in line to take the Pacific for the first time since 1987. They’d also be threatening the club’s best points total in a season.
That record belongs to the 1983-84 and 1985-86 teams, both of which finished with 119 standings points. This version of the Oilers is projected to reach 128, which would also account for the fact that this season has two more games than those teams played.
There’s also the old-school wrinkle from the 1980s: no shootouts, and games could end tied after a scoreless 5-on-5 overtime. That makes those 119-point seasons look even stronger. Then again, as the source material puts it, most defensemen couldn’t skate backward in those days, so maybe it balances out.
The payoff for a regular season like this goes beyond the standings. A top finish in the division, conference and league would give the Oilers home ice advantage through the playoffs, and that matters.
The example from recent history is easy to see: if Edmonton had owned home ice throughout the 2023-24 postseason, the Stanley Cup Final would have started at Rogers Place, and Game 7 would have been there too if the series had gone that far. The Florida Panthers were a strong team, but the idea is clear - with the final change and the crowd behind them, home ice can change the feel of everything.
In Other News...
Connor Murphy Is Becoming An Oilers Problem They Can't Ignore
Even with the Oilers piling up wins, Connor Murphys place on the blue line has become harder to gloss over. The veteran defenseman has drawn criticism for the numbers underneath the surface, and the concern is less about one bad night than a pattern that has made his minutes a talking point around the team. Edmontons overall record can hide a lot, but it does not erase the fact that Murphy has not driven play the way the club needs from a regular defenseman.
The bigger issue is that Murphy may not be the only problem, which is what makes this situation tricky for Edmonton. The second defensive pairing has been thin enough that his struggles are being viewed in the context of weak support around him, and the Oilers next move could depend on who returns to the lineup and how much depth they can trust. If the team wants to stabilize that side of the defense, it may have to make a decision that changes Murphys role, even if that answer is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Trade Buzz Suddenly Centers On One Believable Star Target
The Oilers have not made any recent trades, but the conversation around their next move is starting to sharpen. If Edmonton decides to add, the focus would be on either a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman, which is exactly the kind of upgrade that can matter most when a contender is trying to squeeze a little more out of its roster.
Among the names being weighed, Quinn Hughes looks like a long shot and Elias Pettersson comes with obvious contract questions, leaving the discussion to drift toward a different established star. Roman Josi stands out as the cleanest fit for Edmontons needs and the most believable of the options, even if there is still plenty standing between speculation and an actual deal. [Read more 🡒]
Babcocks Return To Toronto Adds Extra Heat For The Oilers
Mike Babcocks return to Toronto gives this Oilers road trip a little extra edge, even beyond the standings and the usual late-season noise. Now behind Edmontons bench, the former Maple Leafs coach is back in the building where he spent a memorable stretch with one of hockeys biggest franchises, and he spent time reflecting on both the good and the difficult parts of that run while also taking stock of his current group, which sits atop the Pacific Division.
For the Oilers, the setting adds another layer to a meeting that already matters, with Toronto trying to steady itself under new coach Jim Hiller while the Leafs continue to search for traction in the Atlantic Division. Babcocks presence turns the matchup into more than just another cross-conference game, because the conversation around it is as much about history and unfinished business as it is about the points on the line. [Read more 🡒]