logo
OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA
Oilers Thoughts: Roslovic’s return to the wing, Hyman’s Team Canada snub, Hutson & Howard’s recall, Ingram bounce-back, and more
Edmonton Oilers Quinn Hutson
Photo credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Sean Panganiban
Jan 2, 2026, 13:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 2, 2026, 12:26 EST
Comments
Just like that, the holidays are behind us. The Edmonton Oilers ended 2025 with a loss, but they kick off 2026 sitting pretty atop the Pacific Division.
With the calendar flipped following what was hopefully a fun and safe New Year’s Eve for everyone, it’s time for another edition of Oilers Thoughts, where we dive in on lineup shuffles, a Team Canada snub, recalls following red-hot AHL performances, and a bounce-back effort to keep an eye on.

Roslovic’s Ability to Play Centre Is an Asset, but Wing May Be the Best Fit

As 2025 came to a close and I reflected on what I’m thankful for, and Jack Roslovic falling into the Oilers’ lap at a ridiculous $1.5 million cap hit was at the very top of the list.
Before missing 11 games with an injury, he was one of the hottest Oilers. From Oct. 26 to Nov. 26, he ranked third on the team with 17 points and first with 10 goals in that span. Since returning on Dec. 21, he’s played in five games and seems to be heating up again, scoring two goals over the last two contests, including the game-winning goal against his former team, the Winnipeg Jets.
And adding another layer of his value to the club, Roslovic was asked to play centre over the past two games, a role he embraced, saying, “It’s always something that I’ve loved the challenge of.”
Nevertheless, it was a role I feel he held his own in — he didn’t give up a goal while playing down the middle, showed poise while transporting the puck through the neutral zone, and went 5-4 in the faceoff circle. However, after last game against the Boston Bruins, head coach Kris Knoblauch alluded that Roslovic will be moving back to the wing to play with Leon Draisaitl on the second line.
zach
zach
@zjlaing
·Follow

knoblauch on roslovic: "it looks like we need him playing in the top-six. having him up there, being a bit more dangerous, giving leon a little more support, i think that's important. as much as we want to get a third line and get something rolling there, i think having your best

216
Reply
Read 17 replies
While it was intriguing to see how Roslovic would fare as a centre, returning to Draisaitl’s wing is the right call. Draisaitl has only one point at five-on-five over the last four games, and he and Roslovic have already shown they click. With Roslovic sniping two goals over the last two games, he should be feeling pretty darn good about his shot, and Draisaitl should be happy to have a bonafide trigger man back on his line.
Oilersnation wants to hear from you, the reader, in our new weekly “Letters to the Editor” segment. Letters can be emailed to Oilersnation’s managing editor Zach Laing (zach.laing@bettercollective.com), titled “Letters to the Editor.” Please include a letter up to 200 words, including your name, place of residence (city, town, province, or state). Your letters may be edited for length and/or clarity. Letters must be submitted by 6 PM MT Saturday night to be considered for feature on Sunday mornings.

Max Jones Was Very Effective in Fourth-Line Role

Max Jones’ recent stint with the Oilers spanned eight games before he was loaned to the Bakersfield Condors, and found ways to be effective in his limited minutes in a fourth-line role.
The 27-year-old averaged 7:34 over eight games, threw 20 hits, had his motor going nearly every time he was on the ice, and recorded two points. Also, his goal against Winnipeg was a classic fourth-line effort — dumping the puck deep, with Jones pouncing on a loose puck to score his first of the season.
Moreover, he tilted the ice in the Oilers’ favour over his eight-game stint. According to Natural Stat Trick, from Dec. 14 to Jan. 1 at five-on-five, among Oilers forwards, he ranked:
– Third in Corsi with 51.09 CF%
– Third in expected goals for % with 60.77 xGF%
– Third in scoring chances for % with 56.10 SCF%
– Third in high-danger chances for % with 66.67 HDCF%
In addition, Jones ranked second on the team with 19.85 hits per 60 minutes during that timeframe, while also getting into a tilt last game against the Bruins. That said, hopefully Trent Frederic scribbled down a few notes on how to make a difference in limited minutes, following Jones’ example.

Team Canada Passed on Zach Hyman, One of the NHL’s Hottest Players Last Month

Congratulations to every player who made the roster for Team Canada for the upcoming Olympics. There were some definite snubs, like Mark Scheifele and Sam Bennett, but call me biased — I still think Zach Hyman should’ve made the team.
The obvious reason is the undeniable chemistry he has with Connor McDavid. He wins his puck battles, gets the puck into his captain’s hands, and knows exactly where to be to tap in passes from his centreman. And just as McDavid has been playing at his best lately, his chemistry with Hyman appears to be at its peak as well.
If the Team Canada decision-makers based their choices when selecting players on the entire season, I can understand leaving Hyman off the team, since he missed the first 19 games. However, I also feel you have to consider who’s been hot lately. Over the last month, Hyman’s 11 goals rank fourth in the league. For comparison, two players who made the Team Canada roster over him — Tampa Bay Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel — have scored just one and three goals in that span.
That said, for all we know, Team Canada could win the gold, and this will all be forgotten, but if they don’t, I’ll be shaking my fist furiously at my TV for at least a few seconds, insisting that Hyman should’ve made the team.

Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard’s Recall Is Deserved

The Oilers recalled Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard, who were scorching in the AHL.
When Hutson returned to the Bakersfield Condors after his three-game stint with the Oilers, he tallied four points in two games (three goals, one assist), bringing his season total to 32 points in 26 AHL games, tied for fourth-most in the league and first among rookies.
Howard had been on a tear after being sent down to the AHL on Nov. 14. In 16 games, he recorded 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists), with a 1.44 points-per-game (PPG) average that ranked second in the league. He also scored a hat trick against the Coachella Valley Thunderbirds on Dec. 20.
The youngsters’ recall is well-deserved, coming at a time when the Oilers are in need of some depth scoring. Hutson looked good in his recent three-game stint with the Oilers, he was confident with the puck and showed quicker first steps compared to last season. Howard’s confidence should be sky-high after lighting the lamp regularly in the AHL.
The question I have is where are they going to play? Limited minutes on the fourth line might not be the best for their development and could be a sure way to halt their momentum.
But perhaps two-thirds of a kid line — two youngsters on the wings with Adam Henrique in the middle — is worth a shot on line three. It would be somewhat similar to when Shawn Horcoff, an aging veteran with slower boots down the middle, was sandwiched by two hotshot rookies —Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle — back in 2010-11, though they were more highly touted than the Oilers’ current pair of rookies.

Connor Ingram Has a History of Bouncing Back After Sub-.800 SV% Games

Connor Ingram had been stellar in net for the Oilers in his first three games while wearing the orange and blue, posting a .919 save percentage (SV%) and three wins — but you can’t win them all. He was bound to lose eventually, allowing six goals in the loss last game against Boston and finished the night with an underwhelming .793 SV%.
But after the netminder’s sub-.800 SV% performance against the Bruins, I’m curious to see how he bounces back.
Looking at the last two and a half years, I found instances of a pattern: whenever Ingram posts a sub-.800 SV%, he tends to bounce back strongly, particularly in the second game after the poor performance:
– Oct. 24, 2023: .667 SV% → next two games: .967, .933 SV%
– Dec. 19, 2023: .500 SV% → next two games: .846, 1.000 SV%
– Feb. 8, 2024: .500 SV% → next two games: .865, .933 SV%
– Nov. 18, 2024: .692 SV% → next two games: .938, .917 SV%
Additionally, in the AHL this season with the Condors, he posted a .750 SV% on Nov. 2, 2025, followed by .895 and .926 SV% over the next two games. Given that pattern, I’ll be keeping a close eye on his save percentage to see if history repeats itself.
On that note, Kris Knoblauch said Tristan Jarry is expected to return to the lineup around mid-January. He also mentioned that the decision of who will start in the games before his return —Ingram or Calvin Pickard — will be made on a game-by-game basis.
That said, it’s a crease battle I’m looking forward to, as both should bring their A-game, likely with the backup job on the line once Jarry returns. Even though I have a soft spot for Pickard because of his past playoff heroics, at this point in the Oilers’ goaltending saga, I’m just rooting for whichever netminder stops the most pucks, whether it’s Ingram or Pickard.

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365

Oilers Talk

Featured

Editorials

Breaking News