After a frustrating loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, the Edmonton Oilers are right back at it tonight against those same Canucks, and the message is pretty simple: clean up the mistakes.
The most obvious target after that defeat was Tristan Jarry, who took the bulk of the blame. Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s goal early in the third period made it 3-2 Vancouver, and it was the kind of shot that can’t beat you in the NHL. Vancouver tacked on a couple more soon after, stretching the gap, and the crowd’s sarcastic cheer when Jarry finally made a save told the story.
There’s always a hope that a player who struggled the year before can bounce back when a new season begins. Jarry was that guy for the Oilers, which made the opening to this one especially disappointing.
But the problems weren’t limited to the man in net. The skaters in front of him gave up too much by forcing the issue in the offensive zone and chasing the perfect play instead of making the smart one. That’s how the Canucks kept turning Edmonton’s mistakes into rushes the other way.
The Marco Rossi goal that made it 2-1 is a good example. Connor Murphy pinched on the right side and got the puck deep, but an unlucky bounce off the stanchion gave Vancouver an easier exit to the boards.
Jake Walman then paused because his partner was already out of position, which pulled him out of the play, and Colton Dach didn’t stay in the middle to help. It was the sort of breakdown that never should have happened.
Then came another costly turnover, this time from Connor McDavid.
McDavid tried to force a play inside to Bouchard, but the Canucks defender picked it off right away. With the Oilers in the middle of a line change and Vasily Podkolzin basically defending, the whole thing unraveled fast and suddenly it was 4-2 Vancouver.
That was a moment where McDavid needed to slow things down. Zach Hyman was there if McDavid had worked the puck low and held possession, which would have given the two players coming off the bench time to join the play and let everyone reset. Instead, the rush was forced and the structure disappeared.
The worst of it came in overtime. In the On Everyday chat yesterday, viewers kept pointing out that Ryan Shea was outworked by Paul Cotter, who had a strong game.
But the bigger issue was that both Oilers forwards were nowhere to be found in frame and never became options. They were cheating for offence again, the same habit that haunted this team last season.
That’s the part Edmonton has to fix. The comebacks are fun, but they can’t define the team.
Mike Babcock called it “ridiculous.” That fits.
No more soft plays in the offensive zone that turn into chances against. No more unnecessary pinches when a partner is already out of position.
No more weak work around the net. Mistakes are going to happen, but they can’t pile up like this.
If the Oilers want to play the kind of mature hockey that leads anywhere meaningful, this is where it has to start. Because if those errors keep showing up, they’re not winning a playoff round, never mind a Stanley Cup.
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The rematch with Vancouver comes quickly for Edmonton, and it arrives with a different look in net than many fans expected. After the season-opening loss, the Oilers are turning to Devon Levi, who is set to make his debut and earn his first start of the 2026-27 season as the club tries to steady itself against the same Canucks team that handed it the opening-night setback.
The crease change comes amid a longer injury shuffle for Edmonton, with Tristan Jarry having struggled and Frederik Andersen sidelined, while the forward group is also taking hits. Zach Hyman will miss the game, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been moved to injured reserve, forcing the Oilers to call up Josh Samanski from the AHL to help fill out the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Huge Night Still Left Fans Worried About One Problem
The goals came fast and the points piled up in a wild 9-7 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Edmontons second game of the 2026-27 season, the kind of night that showed why this roster can still overwhelm opponents when its best players are rolling. Connor McDavid finished with five points, Leon Draisaitl added two goals and Evan Bouchard kept driving the attack from the back end, giving the Oilers the sort of offensive burst that can make almost any early-season concern feel secondary.
Still, the unease around this start is hard to miss when the scoreline gets that messy. The Oilers were asked to win a track meet, and while they did it, the kind of defensive and goaltending stability this group usually needs never really settled in, leaving fans with plenty to celebrate and one lingering question about how sustainable nights like this can be. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Suddenly Have A Real Chance To Test Josh Samanski
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Now, the Oilers suddenly have a real opening to see what Samanski can handle under pressure. An emergency recall put him back on the NHL roster because of injuries, giving Edmonton a chance to evaluate whether his blend of size, structure and limited offense can hold up against bigger responsibilities. For a team always searching for affordable depth down the middle, his ability to survive this stretch may tell them a lot about how quickly he can move from promising call-up to something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]