4 Oilers who could set new career highs this coming season

After falling just short in their goal of winning the Stanley Cup, the Edmonton Oilers are expected to be a very competitive team again in 2024-25.

Not only did the Oilers re-sign several of their pending free agents, such as Adam Henrique, Connor Brown, and Mattias Janmark, but they were also able to add some major additions in Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson.

Their additions have them as the favourite to win it all next year as per Fanduel, and many in the hockey community agree. While there are still questions regarding their blue line, they were already a very dangerous team offensively who got even more weapons. Thanks to the improvements, there are four players in particular who could be in store for career years.

Stuart Skinner

Stuart Skinner had a lot of pressure entering the 2023-24 season. The 25-year-old fell apart in the 2023 playoffs, causing many to question whether or not he had what it took to be a true number-one goalie at the NHL level. Any such doubts are now gone following a strong performance in both the Western Conference and Stanley Cup Final.

Skinner was able to appear in 59 games this past season, putting together a 39-16-5 record. That in itself is solid, but is all the more remarkable given that the Oilers started the year 5-12-1. Barring injury, he should once again be able to set a career high in wins this coming season.

Evan Bouchard

The 2023-24 season marked Evan Bouchard’s first as a member of the Oilers’ first-unit power play, and he exceeded even the highest of expectations. The 24-year-old exploded for 18 goals and 82 points in 81 games, though he’s still only scratching the surface.

Bouchard’s 32 points in 25 playoff games show he’s only continuing to get better on the offensive side of things. The Oilers are going to continue to score goals at will in all situations next season, which could see him hit 90 points.

Jeff Skinner

Skinner is coming off of a down year with the Buffalo Sabres in which he still managed 24 goals and 46 points. The 32-year-old has hit the 30-goal mark six times, including a career-best 40 in 2018-19. Now, he’s joining a team with far more offensive talent than he’s ever been surrounded with.

Regardless of whether he winds up playing alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, Skinner is going to have all sorts of opportunities to fill the back of the net. His addition could also see the Oilers opt to use their second power play unit on a more regular basis, which will only help him as he looks to set a new career high in goals.

Though some may doubt Skinner’s ability to score north of 40, there was absolutely nobody predicting that Zach Hyman would ever score 54 when he first signed with the Oilers. Playing on a team with two of the world’s best players should be very beneficial for Skinner.

Evander Kane

Though Evander Kane’s future with the Oilers appears to be up in the air right now, if he remains on the roster and is healthy to begin the 2024-25 season, it could be a massive year for him.

Rather surprisingly, Kane has never hit the 60-point mark in his career, with his best season total being 57. When healthy, he has shown the ability to be a serious threat offensively, and he, too, will be playing alongside some very skilled players. Though many have written him off, this coming season could very well prove to be the best of Kane’s career.

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