The Edmonton Oilers are heading into the 2026-27 season with a lot of moving parts, and the first week will tell a lot about how quickly this group can settle in. Edmonton opens Tuesday, Sept. 29 against the Vancouver Canucks, and with new faces, familiar names, and some real questions in the mix, the spotlight is already fixed on a few players who could shape the early months.
A fast start matters for this team, and not just in the standings. The Oilers have a blend of veterans, young talent, and additions who all need to click in a hurry.
Some players are trying to rebound. Others are trying to carve out a real role.
One of them is simply trying to stabilize the crease. Here’s where the pressure is heaviest.
Zach Hyman is the kind of forward who can tilt a game with his work around the net. He’s built to be a nuisance in the offensive zone, and his spot near the crease on the power play has made him a reliable finisher for Edmonton. The concern isn’t whether he can produce once he’s rolling - it’s whether he can avoid the kind of slow opening that followed him last season.
Hyman began the 2025-26 campaign on injured reserve after a wrist injury suffered in the 2025 Playoffs. That delayed his season and left him with just one goal and four points in his first eight games back, while the Oilers were also grinding through a sluggish opening month.
He eventually found his rhythm and wrapped up the year with 31 goals and 52 points. If he comes into 2026-27 healthy from the start, Edmonton could get a much stronger early return from one of its most important scorers.
Isaac Howard is another player worth watching closely. Since arriving last summer, he’s already been shuttled between the American Hockey League and the NHL a couple of times, and his place in the lineup still isn’t settled. That could change quickly if he gets going in October.
Howard put together a solid preseason, finishing with two points in four games and a plus-2 rating. He looked comfortable and made some strong plays, which is exactly what the Oilers need to see with Matt Savoie expected to miss extended time. That opens a lane for Howard to show he belongs before Savoie returns, and the opportunity is right there for him.
Jake Walman enters the season with a chance to reset after a 2025-26 that didn’t quite match expectations. He’s healthy, and with Edmonton’s blue line getting a makeover, he should be asked to take on more. The Oilers know what he can do when he’s on.
Walman was arguably Edmonton’s best defender in the 2026 Playoffs, helping on both ends and keeping the team in the series at times. His ability to lead and make dynamic plays will matter for a team that needs stability in the room as much as on the ice.
It will be interesting to see whether his role grows with the added responsibility, or whether younger players push some of those minutes down. Either way, Walman finding his place early is a must.
Then there’s Tristan Jarry, and nobody on this list needs a strong opening more than him. He’s heading into his second season with Edmonton, and first full season, and appears to be the opening night starter. The numbers from 2025-26 were rough: a 3.86 goals-against average and a .858 save percentage in 19 appearances.
With Frederik Andersen expected to miss time, the Oilers need Jarry to steady things right away. Devon Levi is there behind him, but Edmonton would prefer not to lean on the former Buffalo Sabre and presumed third-string option this early. That puts plenty of pressure on Jarry to give the Oilers competent goaltending from the jump.
All four players bring different concerns and different chances, but they share the same basic assignment: help Edmonton build momentum and keep the push toward the Stanley Cup Final alive.
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Oilers May Be Eyeing A Risky Bet They Cant Afford
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Dachs path in Montreal has been complicated by injuries, and his recent performance has not matched the promise he showed when he first arrived with the Canadiens. Martin St. Louis has also publicly stressed the need for Dach to stay alert and work hard during games, a reminder that any team betting on him is buying into potential as much as production. For the Oilers, the question is whether that kind of gamble is worth the risk. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Identity Under Babcock Is Already Showing In One Key Area
Mike Babcock did not wait long to put his stamp on the Oilers in preseason, and one of the clearest signs came in the simple but often overlooked matter of faceoff location. In Edmontons game against Vancouver, the focus was less on one flashy shift than on structure, with the coaching staff clearly paying attention to where different groups were starting their work and how those choices could shape the flow of the game. It was the kind of detail that can look minor in September and matter a lot more once the points count.
The setup also hinted at how Edmonton wants to build confidence throughout the lineup, giving certain units a chance to attack from favorable spots while others handle more defensive responsibility. Faceoffs after stoppages, especially following TV timeouts, became part of that larger rhythm, with the Oilers trying to turn those moments into momentum rather than just another restart. It is early, but the way those draws are being deployed suggests this teams identity under Babcock may already be taking shape in the margins. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Cap Crunch Could Create A Tough Roster Squeeze Soon
The opening of the season has already pushed Edmonton into a familiar kind of early-schedule bookkeeping, with the roster deadline now behind it and the club juggling a tight cap picture. The Oilers are carrying $2.85 million in dead money, including Jack Campbells buyout, and only a sliver of breathing room under the ceiling, which means every roster move carries extra weight for a team trying to stay competitive while managing injuries.
That pressure has only grown with a cluster of players on injured reserve, including Mattias Janmark, Alec Regula, Frederik Andersen, Jason Dickinson and Matt Savoie. How the Oilers navigate those placements and any related call-ups or transactions will matter not just now, but over the course of the season, with the cap situation likely to shape decisions well before the trade deadline. [Read more 🡒]