Though things did get quite tense in recent weeks, it now looks as though the Edmonton Oilers will indeed be back in the playoffs for a seventh consecutive year. Thanks in large part to a current three-game winning streak, they are second in the Pacific Division and trail the first-place Anaheim Ducks by just three points. With eight games to go in the season, the opportunity to win the Pacific remains alive.
While the Oilers appear to be safe, there are still plenty of teams scrapping it out in the Western Conference to determine who will get into the playoffs. That, paired with the Oilers’ undetermined seeding means that there are still several teams Edmonton fans could see their team up against in the first round. Here are the most likely teams they will face, ordered from the least difficult matchup to the most.
Seattle Kraken
Season series: 2-1-0
The Oilers’ chances of facing the Seattle Kraken in the first round aren’t all that strong. That said, it’s not an impossibility given just how tight things are in the Pacific right now. If this matchup were to come to fruition, it would be one that Oilers fans would be quite happy with.
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While the Kraken are a scrappy bunch, they aren’t a team anybody would view as a true contender heading into the postseason. Their leading scorer, Jordan Eberle, has just 51 points, while only four players on their roster have surpassed the 40-point mark. Though they do have an OK goaltending duo between Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer, they lack the offensive firepower to handle the Oilers in a seven-game series.
Nashville Predators
Season series: 2-0-1
The Nashville Predators appeared set for the draft lottery through the first half of the 2025-26 season, but have been playing some much better hockey in recent weeks. In fact, they currently sit one point ahead of the LA Kings for the final wild-card position.
Like the Kraken, the odds of the Oilers facing the Predators aren’t all that strong, but it’s a matchup they would welcome with open arms. The Preds have some talent in players like Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, and Ryan O’Reilly, but don’t have a particularly strong back end. On top of that, Juuse Saros has struggled between the pipes for the second-straight season.
LA Kings
Season series: 1-0-1
We can’t see an Oilers and Kings first-round matchup for the fifth-straight year, can we? These two teams have turned into recent rivals given their regular playoff meetups, though Oilers fans may laugh at the notion of a rivalry given that their team has come out on top in all four meetups.
The Kings have one of the game’s more underrated talents in Adrian Kempe, but lack much scoring behind him. In fact, Quinton Byfield sits second in team scoring with only 42 points. That in and of itself won’t be good enough to get past the Oilers should they run into them in the first round yet again.
Anaheim Ducks
Season series: 2-1-0
The Anaheim Ducks are certainly on their way to becoming a great team, though some may be a bit too high on them just yet. Sitting atop the Pacific Division is more of a reflection of other teams’ struggles rather than their own success.
The Ducks would by no means be a cakewalk for the Oilers. They have some excellent young talent both up front and on the back end, and have an excellent head coach in Joel Quenneville. What would give the Oilers the major upper hand in this series is their playoff experience, something the Ducks’ top players are lacking.
Utah Mammoth
Season series: 2-0-0
Much like the Ducks, the Utah Mammoth are a team on the rise and one that should move into contending status in short time. They have a ton of youthful talent on their roster, particularly up front, and could surprise teams with their depth in the playoffs.
While the Mammoth are certainly a team to keep an eye on in the years to come, they, like the Ducks, lack playoff experience. They do feel like a group that could cause the Oilers some fits, but you wouldn’t find many picking them over Edmonton in a seven-game series.
Vegas Golden Knights
Season series: 3-0-0
This is where things start to get really interesting. Heading into the season, the Vegas Golden Knights, much like the Oilers, were considered a true Stanley Cup contender. That said, their season-long struggles have not only led to a 33-26-16 record, but also resulted in the firing of head coach Bruce Cassidy earlier this week.
The Oilers have had success against the Golden Knights this season, but as we all know, things can change drastically in the playoffs. The Golden Knights have a very deep roster on paper, and have Stanley Cup pedigree. If bringing in John Tortorella behind the bench is what it takes to get them going, they could be a very difficult matchup for the Oilers, though one that isn’t impossible by any means to win.
Colorado Avalanche
Season series: 1-1-0
This doesn’t just apply for the Oilers, but almost every team in the West: going up against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round will be a death sentence. There has been no better team than the Avs this season, who own an NHL-best 49-14-10 record.
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The Avalanche got even better at the trade deadline, bringing in both Nazem Kadri and Nic Roy to help solidify their centre depth. The good news for the Oilers is that playing the Avs in the first round would only come by finishing in the second wild-card position. That isn’t impossible, but isn’t all too likely at this time.
Oilers Should Move Past First Round
The Oilers should be counting their lucky stars that they are able to play in the Pacific Division. As long as they finish in a top-three position, which is looking very likely at this time, their first-round matchup is one in which they should be heavily favoured. It could also see some other great teams forced to go head-to-head, which could help their chances of going on a deep run. They’ll need to be at their best, but this season suddenly isn’t looking as lost as it did just a few weeks ago.
