6 bold Edmonton Oilers predictions for 2025-26 NHL season
The Edmonton Oilers are practically set for the 2025-26 NHL season, so what should we expect from them?
The most obvious difference is the amount of changeover for this team. Several new players have been added to the roster, and a youth movement is expected to take place heading into the new season. Matt Savoie and Ike Howard are leading that youth movement, but players like Andrew Mangiapane will help this team get a lot younger than last season.
Goaltending remains the same, but some changes have been made to the coaching staff with Peter Aubry becoming Edmonton’s new goaltending coach.
Expectations couldn’t be any higher for the Oilers with two straight Stanley Cup Final losses under their belt. The objective is clear: they are still trying to win it all.
So, with all the moves we’ve seen so far, here are six bold Oilers predictions heading into the new season:
1. Matt Savoie or Ike Howard is a Calder Trophy Finalist
Both Matt Savoie and Ike Howard are expected to not only be full-time NHL players but also get significant roles in the Oilers’ top nine.
Between Howard’s offensive toolset and Savoie’s two-way acumen, it’s a good bet that at least one of them will find success in their rookie season. Howard could potentially line up next to Connor McDavid on the first line, giving him ample opportunity to show off his shot, while Savoie could play beside one of Draisaitl or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
It’s about as good an opportunity two rookies could ask for in the NHL, and we shouldn’t be surprised if one of them winds up being a finalist for the Calder Trophy.
2. Oilers (finally) trade for a goalie at the trade deadline
The Oilers’ goaltending saga seems destined to continue at least for the start of the 2025-26 NHL season.
Both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard are in line to make up the team’s goalie tandem on opening night, but we shouldn’t expect that to last. The goalie market has grown stale in the summer, but as the season wears on, that should change.
Depending on where teams wind up, it’s a good bet that at least one NHL starting goalie becomes available. Don’t expect GM Stan Bowman to hesitate this time around, as that remains one of the only remaining question marks surrounding this roster.
Who that goalie could be remains a mystery.
3. Andrew Mangiapane scores at least 20 goals
Andrew Mangiapane was Edmonton’s premier free agent addition this summer, and all signs point to him being a top-six forward.
The former Calgary Flames forward has been a consistent scorer throughout his career, notching 35 goals four years ago. He hasn’t hit that mark since, however, and struggled to gain the trust of the Washington Capitals, playing primarily in the bottom-six this past year. Despite that, he still found the back of the net 14 times last season.
With more opportunity in Edmonton, the potential for him to get up to at least 20 goals has never been greater.
4. Adam Henrique gets traded
Edmonton is hurtling towards a logjam at the centre position heading into the new season.
All of McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Adam Henrique, Curtis Lazar, Mattias Janmark, and Noah Philp are capable of playing, meaning at least one player is likely destined to be traded. Henrique makes the most sense to move as having $3 million 4C is not a luxury the Oilers can afford to have.
The veteran does have trade protection, which makes a move tricky, but Bowman will find a way to free up both a roster spot and some cap space ahead of the trade deadline.
5. McDavid signs 5-year extension before training camp
Much has been speculated about McDavid’s future with the Oilers, but we’re predicting that will be put to rest sooner rather than later.
We saw the same song and dance with Draisaitl last summer, before he inked his eight-year extension in early September. Nothing says we should expect any different from McDavid this time around.
While it won’t be the eight-year deal that most Oilers fans are hoping for, it’ll also be longer than the rumoured three or four-year deal that has been making its rounds this summer.
As for the AAV, we expect the contract should land around the $15-$16 million mark.
6. Oilers win Stanley Cup, finally defeating the Florida Panthers
Third time’s the charm, right?
With a younger, faster Oilers team going into the new season, Edmonton has addressed most of the issues that plagued them in last year’s Stanley Cup Final. If they can nab a bona fide starting goalie at the deadline (like we predicted), then there is no reason why we should bet against Edmonton finally getting the job done.
Out East, the Florida Panthers are looking primed to make a fourth-straight run at the Stanley Cup. However, this Oilers team will finally get the better of the Panthers, defeating them in just five games to capture the first Stanley Cup in franchise history since 1990.