Based on their 2-4 record through the first six games, the Edmonton Oilers aren’t necessarily looking like the Stanley Cup favourites that many hockey pundits expected before the season started. However, good thing there are 76 more games to be played because it’s still very early.
The Oilers’ three leading point producers from last regular season—Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard—have combined for only 12 points through six games. They need to find their game, as the Oilers’ success typically follows when those three are performing at their best. Having said that, below are six more insights from the club’s first six games.

Corey Perry Showed up Ready to Compete This Season

Former Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry is proving that there’s still plenty of game left in the tank at 39 years old in his 21st NHL season. Although he has only one goal to his name, he’s been buzzing around the net and working well with Derek Ryan on the fourth line, supported by some solid underlying stats.
According to Natural Stat Trick, at even strength, he’s posted a 30-16 advantage in shots, an 11-7 ratio in high-danger chances, and a 64% edge in scoring chances for. Additionally, he’s shown he still has some slick mitts, proving it on Jeff Skinner’s goal against the Nashville Predators, where he toe-dragged to the front of the net, setting up a play that led to a goal, even though he wasn’t credited with an assist.
The Oilers’ oldest player also leads the team with three drawn penalties and has shown he still has that fire in him. He provided an emotional boost against the Philadelphia Flyers when he dropped the gloves with Joel Farabee after Troy Stecher’s fight with Sean Couturier, helping spark the Oilers’ comeback win. Although bringing Perry back for another season seemed questionable at first, the NHL veteran is showing that his gamesmanship is still a valuable asset.

Oilers Need More out of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

It’s safe to say many Oilers need to up their game with their 2-4 record, like McDavid and  Draisaitl with ‘only’ a combined 11 points in 12 games. However, if I had to single out a forward who needs to elevate their game, it would be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, with just two assists through the first six games. Looking at the advanced stats, at 5-on-5, he ranks third-last on the team in shots for per 60 mins (24.02), second-last in expected goals for per 60 mins (1.42), and third-last in scoring chances for per 60 mins (24.09).
Throughout the six games, his decision-making has seemed a step behind, whether it’s hesitating to pass or delaying a shot on net. Moreover, NHL Edge data shows the hardest shot he’s taken this season was clocked at 74 MPH, compared to 86.11 MPH last season, and his top skating speed this season is 21.57 MPH, down from 22.60 MPH last season, indicating he still has another gear to hit.
That said, he’s trending in the right direction. He was a monster in the faceoff circle against the Dallas Stars, going 13-2, and picked up a primary assist on the Oilers’ lone goal, which will hopefully be a catalyst to get the former 100-point man going.

Is it Time to Change the Personnel on Oilers 1st Unit PP?

With the Oilers’ power play struggling at the bottom of the league with only 6.7% efficiency, it feels as though we’ve entered some strange parallel universe, a far cry from their days dominating on the power play in recent seasons and the only goal they’ve put on the board was by the first unit, with Draisaitl’s PP tally against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Yet, technically, the second PP unit, consisting of Perry, Jeff Skinner, and Viktor Arvidsson up front, has been somewhat more productive, scoring twice just after the power play expired—once when Skinner shot the puck from a bad angle, and Perry cleaned up the rebound, and another time when Perry dangled the puck toward the net with Skinner finishing off the play.
One potential way to kickstart the team is by changing the player personnel on the first PP unit, with many leaning toward a switch from Nugent-Hopkins to Jeff Skinner. Additionally, head coach Kris Knoblauch talked about potential changes, stating, “We’re at the point where we have to consider making some adjustments to it.”
That said, I’d probably stay away from making a Nugent-Hopkins-for-Skinner swap just yet, mainly because the core members of the first PP unit have worked so well together for so long, and you don’t want to send a bad message to your players by replacing such a loyal member of the unit for the shiny new toy on the team.
Yet, sending a message could still be a good thing. I agree with the idea that Liam Horrobin mentioned—why not send the second PP unit out first to start a power play? They might score one, and at the very least, it sends a message to the first PP unit that it’s time to get their killer instinct back.

Vasily Podkolzin is Holding His Own Despite No Points

Oilers’ forward Vasily Podkolzin hasn’t recorded any points this season, but the 23-year-old has held steady, given his limited role on the team. He was placed on a quasi-second line for a game and a half, but I feel he’s better suited for the fourth line, at least for now. Despite not putting up any points, he’s managed to find a degree of success, leading the team with 17 hits, and at 5v5, he sits near the top of the Oilers in several underlying metrics:
-1st in Corsi: 69.37 CF%
-1st in Expected Goals For: 73% xGF
-2nd in Scoring Chances For Percentage: 67.86 SCF%
-3rd in High Danger Chances For Percentage: 75% HDCF%
-4th in Shots For Percentage: 62.75 SF%
I understand that the ‘fancy stats’ aren’t as impactful as producing actual points, but in the last two games against the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, he’s created solid scoring chances, and with a few more favourable bounces, his line would’ve scored. Overall, he’s gaining momentum on the fourth line, and hopefully, he’ll start producing soon.
It’s been mentioned that he struggled with confidence issues during his time with the Vancouver Canucks. Let him rebuild his confidence in the bottom six, and if he starts scoring, perhaps consider elevating him higher in the lineup later in the season.

Zach Hyman is Due for Some Puck Luck

After scoring a phenomenal 54 goals last season, it seems Zach Hyman’s rich upbringing isn’t paying off this year like it did last year (kidding). Last season, it felt like Hyman couldn’t miss, but in the early goings of the 2024-25 campaign, he can’t catch a break when it comes to scoring.
The former 50-goal scorer boasts a scoring chances ratio of 94-45, with 40 of those 94 being high-danger chances at 5v5. Moreover, in the last game against the Stars, he had plenty of opportunities in front of the net but just couldn’t get the puck past Jake Oettinger, who was the difference maker.
That said, last season, the 32-year-old wasn’t just finishing off beautiful plays; he was also benefiting from some luck, with many pucks bouncing off him or deflecting off something and landing on his stick for easy tap-ins. I’m not overly concerned about Hyman because I believe the goals will come in bunches soon—due to the law of averages, he’s bound to get some puck luck eventually. My prediction: Bouchard’s point shot will deflect off Hyman’s shin and find its way into the net to break his scoring drought.

Oilers Need Stuart Skinner to Bounce Back Again

Oilers’ netminder Stuart Skinner took his team to the Stanley Cup Final last season, but it was a bumpy ride to get there. He faced some ups and downs along the way and was even pulled in the second round in favour of Calvin Pickard. However, he was given the net again and ultimately led his team to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. What we know about the soon-to-be 26-year-old netminder is that he has a knack for bouncing back.
Skinny currently sits 52nd in the NHL with a 4.03 goals-against average (GAA) and 55th with a .851 save percentage (SV%) over four games, which is a significant drop from his career averages of 2.73 GAA and .908 SV%. Also, according to MoneyPuck, he has the second-worst goals saved above expected (-3.9), indicating that he has allowed four goals this season that he should have saved.
All things considered, though, you can’t blame the netminder for the loss to the Stars last game, as he played fairly well. Also, Aaron Bordato and I discussed on “Oilersnation After Dark” whether Skinner should have saved the first goal against the Stars, where he let one in with just under 30 seconds left in the second period. Should he have saved it? Sure. However, it’s important to note that the Oilers allowed Matt Duchene, who has scored 344 career goals, to walk in and pick his spot. The shot also may have been tipped, altering its trajectory.
Still, we’ve reached another moment where the Oilers need their starting netminder to stick to his M.O. of ‘bouncing back’ before they sink further in the standings. At the same time, frequently having to rely on your go-to netminder to recover is a tough pill to swallow, as it highlights a pattern of setbacks. However, in the big picture, when you look at the recent salary trends for goalies—like Jeremy Swayman and Oettinger, both signing for eight years at an $8.25 million cap hit—I’m still sticking with Skinner as my go-to guy, with Game 7 Stanley Cup Final experience, at $2.6 million per season.
Nonetheless, it seems like Skinner and the Oilers, as a whole, are trending upward. Despite the loss against the Stars, they put together a strong first 39 minutes against a deep team, and Money Puck’s ‘Deserve to Win’ meter favoured the Oilers at 62.3%. Having said that, what are some of your takeaways from the Oilers’ first six games?

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