And we’re back. It’s always such a long summer and early fall waiting for hockey. I used to watch the closing credits of the final Hockey Night in Canada broadcast with a mixture of melancholy (well, as much as one is able to gather at age 10), sadness and resolve. I promised to meet everyone back in the fall, and to try not to be a pain to Mrs. Stewart at the Rexall Drugs in Maidstone if The Hockey News was a week late in July (that was the draft, trade and stats issue).
There will be massive Oilers developments this season, we’ve already had the McDavid contract and the European signings all showing well. What’s next? Suspect it’s a better Game 1 than we saw last fall, and the fall before it.
LINES AND PAIRINGS
Draisaitl-McDavid-Frederic
Mangiapane-RNH-Savoie
Podkolzin-Philp-Kapanen
Howard-Henrique-Tomasek
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Regula
Kulak-Emberson
Skinner
Pickard
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OCTOBER
At home to: Calgary, Vancouver (Expected 2-0)
On the road to: Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Detroit, Ottawa (Expected 2-2-1)
At home to: Montreal (1-0)
On the road to: Seattle, Vanouver (1-1)
At home to: Mammoth, Rangers (1-0-1)
Expected Record: 7-3-2, 16 points in 12 games
Expectations
This is going to be an interesting season for Oilers fans. Expect a massive ovation for Connor McDavid tonight, the contract he just signed puts him on a different level as a leader and a team player. I’m genuinely amazed by the AAV, and suspect history will say 97 did everything he could to help this team over the line. And then some.
Stuart Skinner will be a big story for these Oilers in 2025-26. The split in the fanbase isn’t 50/50, suspect Skinner has more supporters than detractors even now. It doesn’t matter. Stan Bowman can’t enter another playoff spring with the same goalie tandem. Connor Ingram would likely be the first tweak, but one imagines a deadline deal if Skinner can’t find another gear.
The Oilers are more top heavy than a year ago, with four players representing $46 million of the projected $96 million total via Puck Pedia. That means inexpensive players in feature roles.
The value contracts this year: Stuart Skinner $2.6 million; Jake Walman $3.4 million; Brett Kulak $2.75 million; Alec Regula (potentially) $775,000; Vasily Podkolzin $1 million; Matt Savoie (potentially) $1.95 million; Ike Howard (potentially) $1.617 million; David Tomasek (potentially) $1.2 million. Edmonton needs several of these names to step into a prominent role and thrive.
I like the bets here, and am pleased to see several names young enough to grow during the season. It isn’t where Savoie and Howard are on opening night that is key, it’s what they are come the spring.
On the Lowdown today, Kevin McCurdy will help us preview the Oilers game tonight and the season to follow. We’ll have wall to wall coverage of the events leading up to game time and your comments are welcome. Sports 1440 and You Tube, noon to 2pm today.
New for The Athletic: Six critical questions for the Edmonton Oilers entering the 2025-26 season
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6697111/2025/10/08/edmonton-oilers-2025-26-schedule-questions/
I would add a seventh: WTF happens with the PK? To my eye this has been a significant vulnerability since that hallucination of a PK evaporated after June 2024. Not just poor. A real chink in armour. The new system looked awfully anemic in preseason…
Howard – Henrique – Tomasek with the 100% xGF%
Mangiapane – Nuge – Savoie 9%
Entertaining for sure. Impressed by our team’s play, not so much. Early season jitters, maybe. Goaltending, I’ll only say… that 3rd goal against just cannot happen. I’ve been a Stu supporter, but my faith is wavering. Lots on my mind after that performance tonight, but I’ll leave my comments at that.
The Jay’s on the other hand, put on an outstanding show earlier tonight. Go Jay’s!
Right on cue,Stew says he thought he played well. Unbelievable
I don’t think we should be blaming Skinner for a high stick that should not have counted, or for a strange deflection off his own player when Skinner was in the mid-transition to the other side of the crease for the one-timer from the Flame that never got there. The other one was a mental flub, but also a strange move by Bouchard. His number one responsibility when a forward is coming hard at the net is to protect the net front and his goalie. Also, Bouchard went to the wrong side if he was going to be an outlet pass, so I don’t really put that totally on Skinner either. Plus, let’s not forget that Skinner is still only 26. Historically, that’s often been the age when goalies finally become either an NHL goalie or a starting goalie. Let’s all take a breath and relax.
Cmon. Skinners out at the hash marks bootin it around. Thats Bouchards fault? Goal #1 cant go in either. Keep your stick on the ice. Skinner cant do that either. Basic goaltending fundamental.
I thought a reaction save on the first was possible. The high stick goal – ya goals get scored, Skinner can’t stop every shot. The flub? Reminds me too much of that Kings goal from last year.
These things happen, these games happen. That it happened in game 1, when everyone already has doubts of goaltending was not good.
Just stop giving our Andrew Raycroft reps. We’re on year 4 now, it’s time. Bring in a goalie with better fundamentals. I don’t care to continue watching Skinner develop, even if he’s a nice guy. This isn’t that difficult. Bring in someone who is beyond that point.
I really only watched the third/OT/Shootout but bits of the rest. It was an entertaining game. I thought the oilers controlled a good portion of it and I expect the stats will ahow them as the better team. Calgary gets some lucky bounces and a skinner brain fart and get the win in the shootout. How many goals will Calgary score this year? Not sure there is much offensive depth on the team. Wolf played great, I think he deserves a lot of credit for the Calgary win.
In terms of shaking out the rust I think it was a good game for both teams. Tomasek is getting a massive push but he also looked pretty good in that game. Felt like he drove his line and played with energy. I liked Howard too on that line, he has a heavy shot and was dynamic at times. Shame he didn’t win it in the shootout. The big guns all played pretty well in my opinion. They did everything they could to win and came close.
The reffing was shitty, missed calls both ways. But overall it was fun to watch. I watched a little blue jays earlier, and while that was a huge series win for them, watching baseball is agonizing, pitcher changes every 10 min. I found G1 of the NHL schedule more engaging than the ALDS game (Congrats Jays tho!). Hockey is back!
Two things.
First game of the season and I have already seen enough and more than enough of McDavid and Drai on the same line together.
You could win a Stanley with a goalie like Wolf … Skinner … not very likely.
Flames should have had no life in this game. Outplayed for the vast majority of the game and only 1 goal that was earned
Which one was earned? The illegal high stick one? The other 2 were flukes. Sucks to lose what should have been a 3-0 game with 2 flukes and a ‘no goal’.
Geez only one game in and I already have had enough of Jack + Louie.
I hate when they are manifesting for the opponent to win. In OT, to say “Flames looking to make the first comeback…” until times is not what any Oilers fan wants to hear on an Oilers broadcast.
Goaltending cost us that game. 864 save % for Skinner and 917 for Wolf. Can’t wait for Stews interview after thegame. Thought I played well but I have to be better. Blah blah blah. Never thought I would be pining for Koskinen????????????
You can’t blame him for a high stick that shouldn’t have counted, or really for a strange deflection of his own player when he was in the middle of moving to the other side of the crease for the one-timer from the Flame that never got there. The other one was also a strange move by Bouchard. His number one responsibility when a forward is coming hard at the net is to protect the net front and his goalie. Also, Bouchard went to the wrong side if he was going to be an outlet pass, so I don’t really put that on Skinner either.
The numbers don’t lie!
Numbers lie all the time in a small data set.
That’s completely on Skinner. Just cover the puck up. He is facing the play and should have seen Coleman. It’s not defensible.
They keep force feeding Skinner when Pickard who’s barely back-up status is the better goalie. Bowman needs to step in and end this love affair with Skinner. He’s not a stating Goalie everyone knows it.
Can’t defend Stu after that game. The goaltending was most definitely the difference in this game.. and some sloppy play.
If they’d start their best goalie, they win that game. Probably about 5-1.
That’s why I and Reja and others keep saying it.
Goaltending cost us a point tonight. I typically haven’t been on the run Stu out of town bandwagon but he certainly didn’t do himself any favours tonight. He seems to let in so many flukey goals??? Bowman has done such good work on this roster. Have to hope Stu or perhaps Ingram can rise to the occasion. Maybe Pickard takes over???
I am always pulling for Stuart Skinner. He’s shown he can be an NHL goaltender for long stretches. But you can’t defend him after this game. Goaltending was the difference, the Oilers were the better team.
Better hope he gets it together, because there’s no help on the way anytime soon.
On the plus side, it’s better than losing an opener 6-0.
That’s all I got.
It isn’t though. It’s the same plus one participation point.
I think if you look back to your grade one math, you’ll find that one is in fact a larger number than zero and therefore, objectively better.
This game ended badly, Oilers were the better team and should’ve come out of this game with two points.
But, geez, its not the end of the world.
No, one point is better than zero points – objectively.
Lost to a first place goalie on a last place team
Little miffed at the coach not giving Mangiapane a shot.
Not a bad game, Oilers. Much better than the past few season openers.
A great squad that finds ways to sabotage itself into losses.
It had to be Kadri
fook me
They should cap the shoot out at 3 or perhaps 5??
Bouchard should shoot every single shootout.
Instead a bunch of guys trying to skate the puck into the net.
So…they don’t win shootouts…but the coach never changes the shooters…
The coach is an old fuddy duddy.
Handssaitl
Leon with first blood!
Connor’s shooting choices left an absolutely ton to be desired tonight.
Wolf has saved how many goals? 3? 4?
That’s called normal goaltending.
I know we aren’t used to it anymore.
it also isn’t common to be trying to make excuses for the goalie more often than saying “wasn’t he great?”.
Goalies at the NHL level are supposed to have a lot of great nights.
The Skinner experiment must end the league has figured him out. This should of been a easy win. Start Pickard until he loses Enough with the Skinner favouritism .
I don’t know if it’s normal goaltending. Wolf looked awesome in the shootout. He moves so well. The contrast was pretty evident. I watched shootouts from other goalies and not many can move like Wolf. I think the shootout is going to be one my personal evaluation tools for goalies moving forward. There is no debate about who’s fault the goal is and it’s fairly easy to compare.
Skinner been quite good since the gaf
Wolf has been good all game. The 2 goalies responsible for 4 goal swing
True, was juat looking for a positive back there!
Man Disco is deep in his net
Positives: Leon, Regula, Mangiapane.
Nuge!
Disco Stu backstopped us to probably 1 point tonight.,
Spit up my drink,very funny ????
A minute to go, killing a penalty in a tie game, and Regula is on the ice. Coach showing a lot of confidence in him.
McDrai for a shorty….why not
Hanging on for OT.
Another dumb penalty very likely to cost the game.
Frederic cant play up there!
Frederic lost that wing job they tried so hard to give him after less than a game.
Can they hire a preseason specialist who will show the how to run one effectively?
Haven’t noticed him at all tonight?
Oh just noticed him….
Season doesnt start for a few weeks you know
Freeric has value, but not on a 1st line!
And then not…
UGH.
And he takes a super stupid penalty.
Yah now Wolf has the ability to shut the door.
When will this team learn to play a complete game?
Regula is a good noticeable
Sure hope this game doesn’t go to a shoot out…..
This crowd sucks lighten up its game 1.
Library.
Hey, Captain, shoot the damn puck!
Didn’t watch any preseason…
I’m okay with Bouch-Walman-Regula on the right side. Emberson still makes me anxious. Him and Stetcher will be needed, but hopefully not too often.
Man, the Oilers are hard on the emotions.
Dominate first thirty minutes, every line looking good, find out we added a middle-six forward. The world is looking wonderful, I’m singing Louis Armstrong.
Then a fluky goal, a bad penalty in the nuetral zone and a SH goal against, and a WTF Skinner goal and I’m singing Radiohead.
I’m firmly on the “I hope Skinner has a career year and feeds the haters crow” bus, just because it would be the least costly way for the Oilers to move forward, but…..get him a sports psychologist or something, this isn’t sustainable.
Now they’re just getting outworked
Dominating a hockey game and having to play with an empty net is hard work.
It deflates everyone including most of the fan base.
That doesnt help, but they’re getting beat to too many pucks and spending too much time in the D zone now that the Lames have some life. A Vet team that
knows how tois willing to play a simple low event game with a 3 0 lead wouldn’t get themselves in this position vs what will be the worst lineup they face all yearPoor follow up shift by the top 5
1st game in and already nothing to quell concern about PK, goaltending, and secondary scoring
Coughing up a 3-0 lead on Cgy is inexcusable on multiple levels
Having played basic hockey and double checking with my goalie buddy, yes, that one’s on Skinner.
Any doubt or confusion, cover. Because why wouldnt you be extra cautious with a loose puck in front.
Especially when you have one of the shittier sticks in recent memory.
Skinner has zero visible confidence
Zero hockey sense or awareness.
I have been saying the same thing for 2 years. Doesn’t track the puck very well and doesn’t ever seem to anticipate where the play is going.
But he’s local and he gives good interviews
He scrambles in a panic that’s why he lets in all these wierd goals. Call up Ingram if the Coach doesn’t have faith in Pickard
Ingram call up is a matter of when, Skinner continues on as is will be sooner then management was thinking.
I do believe that Knoblauch has confidence in Pickard, imo it’s an organizational choice to try and give Skinner as much opportunity as they can before cutting bait.
Hows Roslovic in between the pipes?
They should put McDavid and Drai together for a spark……..
they are too busy killing penalties
He’s done. I can’t take this team seriously anymore if Skinner continues to be the number one.
Take a deep breath. It’s early and Skinner didn’t get a lot of game time in the pre-season.
More excuses,then he shouldn’t have started. He must have told the coach he was ready to go.
Now is exactly the time to start. Sitting longer certainly isn’t going to help. If Skinner has a season similar to last season, I will admit he isn’t the answer, but until then, I will continue to support him. I think last season is the outlier.
I think he has had 2 sub par seasons in a row. As an Oilers fan I want him to do well. I just don’t see anything in his game that convinces me that he will ever be more then he is right now,extremely inconsistent.Hopebi am wrong.
His 2023-2024 stats line of 36-16-5, 2.62 GAA, .905 SP is a decent year in my books. His career (not including 2021-2022 with 13 GP) has been one good season, one decent season, one poor season. I view the decent season as being somewhat expected as basically a sophomore, which leaves one sub-par season. I’d feel more comfortable evaluating after Christmas at the earliest. There are plenty of examples of goalies who didn’t become established starters until their late 20s or older.
He’s had 3 seasons of pre-season.
I’m not even sure what that means.
I suppose the 3rd goal is on Bouchard and not skinner. Let’s hear from all the Skinner apologists for that goal. 3 goals on 13 shots. Yep Vezina type goaltending from Skinner.
Pickard had a better camp the funny thing is Skinner was actually thinking he might make the Olympics team.
He lost 15 pounds – didn’t you hear?
The problem was all that extra heft…
FFS these guys and their attitude on goalies drives me nuts.
Management won’t cut bait or make cheap upgrades – coach won’t pull when it’s clear he’s not locked in.
Ridiculous.
Context matters. Wolf was tied for 8th in Vezina and runner up for Calder, but gave up 2 goals on 9 shots.
Good shots.
Quality shots!
Dumb luck for Skinner. Like I said, context matters.
Dumb luck for Skinner. Like I said, context matters.
The worst goals against at the worst times. Nothing has changed.