The Edmonton Oilers are staring at a shot to end a drought that has stretched all the way back to 1986-87, and the setup in the Pacific Division could finally break their way in 2026-27. Forty years without a division title is the longest active drought in major North American professional sports, but this time the path to first looks more open than usual. The Oilers may not need a massive leap forward to get there; a lot of the division simply hasn’t done enough to keep pace, with San Jose the notable exception.
One of the biggest reasons for optimism is behind the bench. The offseason move to bring in Mike Babcock as head coach and DJ Smith as associate coach has steadily become more appealing.
Babcock arrives with plenty of pride and something to prove, and the hope is that he can jolt an Oilers group that has too often fallen short in the regular season. Smith, meanwhile, should bring a useful voice on defence and the penalty kill, areas where Edmonton should be sharper.
The organization has had strong coaching during Connor McDavid’s time there, but this pairing might be the one that finally pushes the team toward more consistent winning hockey.
The goaltending picture also looks far more stable than it has in years. Frederik Andersen, Tristan Jarry and Devin Levi give the Oilers a trio that should compete hard every night and, in theory, bring a level of calm that’s been missing.
Andersen comes in fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Carolina Hurricanes and already has a history with Babcock, which only adds to the sense that he can be a stabilizing veteran presence. Jarry is trying to bounce back from a rough 2025-26 season, while Levi will be looking to carve out a bigger name for himself.
It’s a fascinating mix, and one that could give Edmonton the edge it has needed in net.
The other big factor is simple: rest. Edmonton has played the most games in the NHL over the last four seasons, and this offseason gave a long list of core players a chance to recover and reset.
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins all stand to benefit from that break. With Babcock’s demanding style layered on top, there’s a real chance the veterans come out strong and sustain a better winning pace than they have in recent years.
San Jose, though, is the team that could make this a real race. The Sharks made the biggest leap in the division this offseason after landing Ivar Stenberg at number two overall and future star defenceman Keaton Verhoeff at number 10 in the 2026 NHL Draft.
They also added Michael Kesselring, Jacob Trouba and former Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse on the back end, while locking up Macklin Celebrini for the next five years. That’s a meaningful summer, and it sets San Jose up to challenge Edmonton right to the finish.
The rest of the Pacific looks far less threatening on paper. Vegas changed coaches, moving from John Tortorella to Ryan Craig out of its AHL affiliate in Henderson, and also shipped Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers in June without replacing his 37 goals. Cap issues could keep the Golden Knights from matching their previous billing, even if Kelly McCrimmon’s team should never be dismissed outright.
Anaheim also had a rough stretch. The Flyers’ offer sheet to Leo Carlsson forced the Ducks into matching an $18 million per season deal, leaving them in a tight financial spot as they still need to sign Cutter Gauthier and eventually lock up Beckett Sennecke. Add in the departures of veterans John Carlson and Jacob Trouba on defence, and the Ducks enter the season with real concerns.
As for the Kings, Kraken, Canucks and Flames, they simply didn’t do much to reshape their rosters. That leaves Edmonton in position to sit above them in the standings, with McDavid still chasing the first division title of his Oilers career.
Edmonton used to collect those crowns routinely in the 1980s, when Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey and Jari Kurri powered the club. After McDavid arrived, the expectation was that that sort of dominance would return.
It hasn’t happened yet, but after a decade that’s brought both high points and two Stanley Cup Final trips, the Oilers may finally be lined up for that first division title in his era.
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