10 bold Oilers predictions: Why this season will end with a Stanley Cup win
The Edmonton Oilers are still in Stanley Cup-or-bust mode after coming up just short a few months ago — and they're probably even better on paper heading into this season. That means there's lots to opine about.
There should be a few players set for notable years ahead. It's not like the roster is set in stone, either, so that leaves more to wade in on.
Here are 10 things we predict will come to fruition for the Oilers in the months ahead.
The drought makes this a bold prediction, but I guess it shouldn't be otherwise.
The Oilers are far and away the class of the Pacific Division. The Vancouver Canucks enter the season missing their No. 1 goalie Thatcher Demko . The Vegas Golden Knights appear to have taken a step back and lost Jonathan Marchessault . The Los Angeles Kings are without injured defenceman Drew Doughty long term. The rest of the division isn't great.
The Oilers have deficiencies on their roster, but nothing major and nothing they can't overcome. The Pacific is theirs to lose.
There's just something about odd-numbered years and Hart Trophy wins for the league's best player. Connor McDavid has claimed the league MVP three times — in 2017, 2021 and 2023. He'll add 2025 to that list by June.
McDavid will be hard-pressed to win the triple crown of goals, assists and points like he did in 2022-23 or record 100 helpers like he did last season. Something like 47 goals and 93 assists should work out just fine.
Stuart Skinner was solid in the playoffs save for the Vancouver series and enters the season as an undisputed No. 1 goalie for the first time in his career. He should be primed for a breakout campaign. With a Stanley Cup-contending team in front of him, there's no reason to think that shouldn't happen.
But this won't be a case of Skinner simply riding his teammates' coattails. The defensive group has some major question marks. The PK, so outstanding in the postseason, has undergone significant turnover. Skinner will deserve his roses for an excellent season.
A likely spot on Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off tourney will only increase the spotlight on him and give NHL GMs — the voters on this award — more reason to cast ballots in his favour.
Evan Bouchard is now firmly entrenched among the NHL's top defencemen after posting 82 points in 81 games and adding 32 points in 25 playoff contests. That earned him a fifth-place spot in Norris voting and got him on two Conn Smythe ballots — including mine.
Look for the soon-to-be 25-year-old defenceman to take another massive step in 2024-25 — a contract season for the pending RFA.
It'll be difficult for Zach Hyman to replicate his 54 goals — plus 16 more in the playoffs — but that doesn't mean he won't light the lamp frequently. He's still playing next to McDavid and occupies the net-front position on the first power-play unit.
Hyman's production could take a hit thanks to a more robust top six featuring newcomers Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson . He'll still surpass the 40-goal mark for the second time in his career, though.
Whether Noah Philp cracks the season-opening roster, there's no question he's turned heads over the last couple of weeks. He's exactly what the Oilers need in the depth centre position in the near and long term because he's big, shoots right and skates well.
Giving Philp time to work on his defensive play and penalty-killing chops in the minors wouldn't be the worst idea in the world, but it's not hard to envision a quick recall if that's the case. Once that happens, there's no use having him spend much time in the press box even if some kind of rotation with elder statesmen Derek Ryan and Corey Perry has merit.
Enhancements to the roster by the trade deadline could hurt Philp's chances of getting into the lineup down the stretch. Either way, he'll be their most impactful rookie this season.
For all the angst about the right side of the defence, the bottom six isn't without question marks, either.
The third line of Adam Henrique between Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown has all of one series together — the Stanley Cup Final. It's not inconceivable that all three of them are on different lines by the postseason.
It's worth noting that Brown was scratched to start the playoffs. Ryan and Perry were held out at times, too. All three players missed six games. As for Vasily Podkolzin , the bottom six isn't exactly his ideal role. An injury and/or some effective play, and Podkolzin could find himself on a scoring line. Poor performance, and he could be out of the lineup.
With all this uncertainty, the bottom six is bound to have some change in the weeks and months ahead. Here's betting there's a new third- and fourth-liner for Game 1 of the postseason.
Barring a setback or something unforeseen, Evander Kane isn't expected to miss the rest of the regular season . He should be back in the lineup with enough time to get his bearing before the playoffs.
The top six should be set by then and coach Kris Knoblauch played Kane a ton on the third line last season. There's some proof of concept. A line of Kane, Henrique and another winger could be the ticket to success in the postseason.
As I cock my ear, I can almost hear some Oilers fans yelling at their devices as they read the previous sentence. Hear me out before you break anything.
Cody Ceci is beloved by the core members of the team; Just ask Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins , for example. That feeling extends to some in hockey ops, too. He's a reliable penalty killer, and the Oilers have a ton of turnover there. If there are issues in that facet, he'd be an easy player to slide back in. Finally, there aren't many high-quality pending UFA right-shot defencemen or those expected to be available. Ceci might be the best of the group.
One issue is the San Jose Sharks don't have any salary retention slots available, but they could always send him to another team first before the Oilers make their bid.
We're not talking about a long-term reunion here. But having Ceci back for a few months isn't out of the question.
The Oilers are the betting favourites to win it all, and the Florida Panthers just emerged victorious one year after losing in the final. If this doesn't seem bold, remember: This is a bolder stance than saying they won't win.
It's the second part of this prediction that'll raise some eyebrows. I predicted McDavid will win the Hart Trophy and he already won the Conn Smythe in a losing cause. He's the best player in the league, so won't he have to be excellent for the Oilers to claim the Cup?
All this is true. I'll be real: This is just a hunch. Leon Draisaitl is one of the best playoff performers of all time. He could easily get the playoff MVP like Evgeni Malkin did instead of Sidney Crosby in 2009. How about Skinner? We all know about a goaltender's importance in the postseason. Don't forget about Bouchard, too.
McDavid will be in the running whether he wins it or not. Knowing him, he couldn't care less as long as he's hoisting the big silver trophy over his head.
(Photo of Mattias Ekholm, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl: Jim Rassol / USA Today)
