The Edmonton Oilers’ impressive 7-3 playoff record this postseason is largely due to their exceptional scoring depth.

In just 10 playoff games, the team has netted a total of 42 goals from 15 different goal scorers and 18 different players earning points. Compared to last postseason, where they had 13 goal scorers and 18 point contributors at the same stage, this year’s squad demonstrates significantly improved scoring distribution.

Notably, 11 Oilers players have scored two or more goals this postseason, compared to only eight players at this point last year. Even more impressive, 15 out of their 18 point producers this postseason have registered at least three points each, far surpassing last year’s total of just nine players achieving this benchmark.

Clearly, this surge in balanced offensive contribution across the roster has been instrumental in the Oilers’ playoff success.

Yes, the Oilers’ top players are producing. But this postseason, the contributions are more balanced—and that’s a good thing.
Connor McDavid has three goals and 17 points through 10 playoff games. Last year at this point, he had one more point. Leon Draisaitl sits at five goals and 15 points, down six points from the same stage last postseason. Evan Bouchard has four goals and 12 points, three assists fewer than a year ago.

Other key players have also taken a step back. Zach Hyman, who had nine goals and 11 points through 10 games last postseason, currently has three goals and eight points. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is down two points compared to last year.

At this same 10-game mark last postseason, McDavid and Draisaitl were involved in a significant share of the Oilers’ goals: 47.4% and 55.3%, respectively. This postseason, their involvement has dropped to 40.5% for McDavid and 35.7% for Draisaitl. Bouchard, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hyman have also seen decreased involvement.

Why is this a positive sign? Because other players have stepped up in their place.

Take Corey Perry, for instance. At nearly 40 years old, Perry scored just 19 goals and 30 points this regular season. Yet this playoff run, he’s delivered a team-leading five goals and seven points in 10 games.

Mattias Janmark scored only two goals during the regular season. Already this postseason, he’s matched that total with two goals and three points in 10 games. Clearly, Janmark elevates his game when it counts.

Connor Brown ended the regular season hot, and he’s carried that momentum forward. He now has four goals and seven points through 10 playoff games. Evander Kane, despite missing the regular season entirely, has matched Brown’s totals in just nine playoff games, an improvement from last year.

Meanwhile, Adam Henrique, who had a quieter regular season, now has three goals and four points through 10 playoff games. His two-goal performance on Monday was crucial, helping Edmonton push the Vegas Golden Knights to the brink of elimination.

The Oilers counted on their veterans stepping up when it mattered most, and the numbers prove they’ve delivered.
Another encouraging factor? Edmonton’s star players still have another gear to reach.

Last postseason, Connor McDavid had 18 points after 10 games, just like this year. But over the next 15 games, he exploded for six goals and 24 points, nearly breaking Wayne Gretzky’s single-postseason points record and earning the Conn Smythe Trophy despite being on the losing side.

Draisaitl, too, has shown he’s capable of more. He scored at least 10 playoff goals in each of the past two postseasons, including 13 goals in just 12 games in 2023. Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman also have room to elevate their performance, and there’s still the possibility Mattias Ekholm returns this spring.

The Oilers stand on the verge of their third Western Conference Final appearance in four years, thanks largely to their improved depth. Expect their top stars to hit another gear soon, and that’s a promising thought for Edmonton fans.