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McDavid dances past defence to score on Stuart Skinner: Best Oilers goals of 2025-26

Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

By Ryley Delaney

Jul 23, 2026, 17:30 EDTUpdated: Jul 23, 2026, 17:38 EDT

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This summer, Oilersnation will recap the top five Edmonton Oilers goals, the top five fights, and the top five overall moments from the up-and-down 2025-26 season.

The middle of December was a busy time for the Edmonton Oilers. On December 1, they made a trade with the team they were set to play just four days later. Not only that, but two notable goals were scored, both of which will rank on these lists.

One goal, a milestone goal, will rank on the top moments list, while the goal scored in this game ranks as our fourth-best goal of the season.

Connor McDavid scored a bunch of highlight-reel goals this season. Let’s take another look.

Connor McDavid races by the Penguins’ defence

McDavid has his hands all over this list. One of his more underrated highlight-reel goals from last season was against the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 16. Shortly after Leon Draisaitl’s milestone goal, the Oilers won the faceoff and got the puck to McDavid with speed.

As he’s done a billion times before, McDavid broke into the zone, blazed past the defence, and deposited it past the netminder with a sneaky backhand. What makes this goal stand out was his tremendous balance after Parker Wotherspoon attempted to stop his path.

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Sorry, Stu, this ain't practice for you no more. Connor McDavid turns on the jets and beats Stuart Skinner. 📹: Sportsnet

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1:05 AM · Dec 17, 2025

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What role did the recent Oilers-Penguins trade play in the goal?

What makes this goal even better is the context. Just four days before the Oilers were set to play the Penguins, Edmonton sent Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick to Pittsburgh, acquiring Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin in return.

Skinner started this game, and despite facing McDavid plenty of times in practice, he didn’t stand a chance when McDavid regained his balance, even more so when he got Skinner to bite on a forehand shot. That fake allowed him to calmly backhand it into the net.

McDavid went on to score another goal, as well as two assists in what was one of seven games with four or more points this season. This goal wasn’t as good as the other two on the list, but it’s a perfect example of what separates McDavid from any other player on the planet.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on X at @Ryley__Delaney.

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