Edmonton Oilers shockingly off to best start in three seasons
The Edmonton Oilers are once again off to a bad start to the season, but somehow it’s the best they’ve had in three seasons.
An OT loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night dropped the team to 4-4-2 through the first 10 games of the season. For a team that preached the importance of having a good start, it’s not exactly the kind of performance that inspires confidence. Yet, it’s been a better effort than in previous seasons.
In each of the last two seasons, which ended with runs to the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton has looked much worse through the first 10 games of the year. In 2023-24, the Oilers got off to a horrid 2-7-1 start, while just last season they were at 4-5-1.
Losing in OT to the Canucks wasn’t ideal, but it was just enough to boost them over last year’s mark.
Shockingly, this is the best #Oilers start through 10 games in three seasons
2025-26: 4-4-2
2024-25: 4-5-1
2023-24: 2-7-2The last time EDM got off to a good start was 2022-23, with a 7-3-0 record.
— Preston Hodgkinson (@NHLHodgkinson) October 27, 2025
The Oilers have managed to snag 10 points through the first 10 games, placing them fifth in the Pacific Division, but just three points back of the leading Vegas Golden Knights. It’s not nearly as big a hole as the team has had in recent seasons.
That isn’t to say that there is nothing to worry about. This year’s edition of the Oilers seems to have struggles in scoring goals, ranking 21st in goals-for, along with a -3 goal differential. It’s a weird stat for a team chalked full of offensive talent, but head coach Kris Knoblauch has yet to find a mix that works.
It has been a while since the Oilers went an entire game without Knoblauch making some sort of change to the forward lines, and that might be affecting the chemistry of the group. Nearly 30 different line combinations have been trotted out early in the season, but none seem to be sticking as of now.
The goaltending has also continued to be suspect, though not as much as in years past, while the defence has been overly solid, though prone to momentary lapses.
October vibes may not be the best around the Oilers, but it’s the best it’s been for quite some time and an indication that it’s still far too early to press the panic button.