I wish I knew what it is about October that causes the Oilers to look so uninterested in playing hockey, but that was the feeling around these parts after watching the boys drop three straight to the Islanders, Devils, and Red Wings. It wasn’t that any of those teams were world beaters, but the boys sure did do a good job of shooting themselves in the foot on all three occasions by finding new and creative ways to cough up goals. It was tough, but it’s still early. And while the Oilers were able to beat the Senators to finish their road trip on a high, they sure did take the hard way to get there.

Jake Walman’s season debut couldn’t have come at a better time. I know I’m stating the obvious here, but not having him back there as a guy who can move the puck leaves a massive hole. After missing training camp, the pre-season, and the first six games of the 2025–26 season with some kind of upper-body injury, the Oilers finally got No. 96 back in the lineup against the Senators, and he wasted no time showing why they missed him. At 18:51 in TOI, fifth among Oilers defencemen, you can tell the coaching staff wants to ease him back into game shape, but it didn’t take long to remember and appreciate what he can do even with his minutes scaled back. I’m not saying it was perfect — there were some rusty moments — but he was blocking shots, firing pucks, and snapping quick passes in a way that the guys he’s replacing simply can’t replicate.

And when the game hit overtime, Walman showed why it’s nice to have more than one guy on the point who can hammer the puck. With time ticking down on a 4-on-3 power play that looked like it was about to blow its chance, a faceoff win by Matt Savoie got tipped back and Walman absolutely unloaded. He unleashed hell on that puck, and there was nothing anybody could do about it. Smoke trail behind it, the shot zipped over Linus Ullmark’s shoulder before he could even react, and just like that, it was game over. You could almost feel the relief from the bench and everyone watching at home. After nearly letting another one slip away, the Oilers got the finish they needed, and it came from a guy playing his first game of the season. One game, one goal. It wasn’t just a big goal — it was a reminder of what this team looks like when Jake Walman’s back there doing his thing.

THE ICE MAN COMMETH! We’ve all been excited to see what Isaac Howard might bring to the Oilers’ lineup, and on Tuesday night, he came through with a beauty for his first NHL goal. Fresh out of the penalty box less than a minute into the second period, Howard had the chance to join the rush with the Dynamic Duo still on the ice, and he made the most of it. A McDavid-forced turnover turned into a Draisaitl setup, and Howard was in the perfect spot to cash that cheque. Parked in the slot, he stepped into the pass and snapped it low past Linus Ullmark before the goalie could even move. It was clean, quick, confident, and exactly the kind of finish we’ve been hoping to see since he came over from Tampa Bay back in July.

The Oilers brought him in hoping to spark some secondary scoring, and while it’ll take time for him to find his footing, you could see why they wanted him on that play. Howard has that sneaky scorer’s touch, you know? He has the kind of shot where the puck’s gone before you even realize he’s loaded up. I don’t want to get too excited about one goal, but it’s been a minute since the Oilers have had a kid who can rip the pill like that. Coming off a Hobey Baker Award–winning season at Michigan State, where he posted 26 goals and 26 assists in 37 games, there’s still a long way to go before we find out just how good he can be. Maybe he ends up back in Bakersfield once the roster settles, but for now, the Ice Man is on the board and I’m not ashamed to admit I was fired up watching the kid bury what we hope is the first of many goals to come.

Adam Henrique hit a major milestone on Tuesday night, suiting up for his 1,000th NHL game as the Oilers took on the Senators in the last game of this road trip. That’s a long road, and I always admire players who get there because of how much damage their bodies have likely been through along the way. It’s one thing to be good enough to stick in the NHL that long, but it’s another to stay healthy enough to play this much. What makes Henrique’s milestone even cooler is that he’s the first player in franchise history to reach the 1,000-game mark as an Edmonton Oiler. Isn’t that insane? I didn’t know that until the hours leading up to puck drop. It’s a wild one to think about when you consider how long this team’s been around and how many players have rolled through.

Since coming over at the 2024 trade deadline, Henrique has quietly become one of those guys every team needs — even if we do wish he’d score a little more often. He’s played 110 regular-season games for the Oilers, putting up 38 points (19G, 19A), and added another 14 points (8G, 6A) in 39 playoff games. He’s played all over the lineup since getting here, and that’s likely to be the case again once the team finally gets healthy. At this stage of his career, nothing Henrique does is overly flashy, but you know he’s going to give you steady, smart minutes when he’s out there. From New Jersey to Anaheim and now Edmonton, Adam Henrique has built himself a hell of a career on consistency, reliability, and finding a way to adjust to whatever role he’s given. You don’t play this long in the NHL without a lot of hard work, skill, and a little luck to stay healthy. Congrats, Uncle Rico — that’s a damned big number and a well-earned one at that. Nuge is up next.

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