It can be easy for fans of the Edmonton Oilers to get caught up in the emotions of their current four-game winning streak, the longest of the season. However, it shouldn’t be forgotten that just a few weeks ago, the Oilers looked completely lost in two disappointing home losses to the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Seeing that the Oilers have had a Jekyll-and-Hyde type of season, should they be considered contenders or pretenders as the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs draw near?
Did Connor McDavid give the Oilers a wake-up call in his postgame comments following the disappointing 5-2 loss to the Lightning on March 21? Possibly. McDavid praised Lightning head coach Jon Cooper and the Lightning team when he said, “They have a great system, they’re perfectly coached. They all know what they’re doing all over the ice. It’s impressive. They’re a great team.”
Some fans and media pundits felt it may have been an indictment of Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch and the Oilers as a whole, but his comments most likely got blown out of proportion. Regardless of the intention, McDavid’s comments might have been the turning point the Oilers needed.
Oilers Have Been Playing Strong Defensive Hockey Lately
After the loss to Tampa Bay, the Oilers have gone on their longest winning streak of the season. They’ve accomplished this feat thanks to a commitment to strong defensive play but you have to wonder if this will last. The Oilers have defeated the Utah Mammoth, Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks and Seattle Kraken in their last four games; however, they haven’t faced a great team like the Lightning.
Could it all come crumbling down when the Oilers face a powerhouse team like the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, or Minnesota Wild, or is the team finally living up to its potential?
Seven Games Left To Prove They’re Playoff Ready
Looking ahead to the Oilers schedule in April, their toughest games could be the Golden Knights on April 4, the Los Angeles Kings on April 11 and the Avalanche on April 13. How they fare in these games could give Oilers fans a true idea of whether the Oilers have a realistic chance of going far in the postseason.
Oilers Goaltending Still a Question Mark
Even though Oilers starting goaltender Connor Ingram has looked sharp in the past two weeks, there are still questions on whether he can carry the team to a Stanley Cup championship. There are even bigger questions about backup Tristan Jarry; he’s been disappointing since coming to Edmonton via trade in early December but he played well in his last outing against the Mammoth on March 24. With the recent focus on team defence, Ingram and Jarry have looked better, but there are still questions about whether they are big-game goalies or not.
Winning Without Leon Draisaitl
What might be most impressive about the Oilers’ current winning streak is that they’ve played well without Leon Draisaitl in the lineup. Draisaitl’s season-ending injury on March 15 forced Knoblauch to change his player deployment and to roll all four forward lines. This has helped with team chemistry and even helped with player development for forwards such as Josh Samanski and Max Jones.
Related: Oilers’ Max Jones Is Having a Quiet Impact This Season
If Knoblauch can resist the urge to overplay McDavid and Draisaitl when he does return to the lineup for the playoffs, the Oilers could have something positive going.
Are the Oilers Contenders or Pretenders?
With the Oilers trending in the right direction and getting hot just before the playoffs, you could start to believe they are contenders. However, considering they’re not beating the best teams in the league, you have to wonder what will happen when they face the real contenders in the NHL’s Western Conference.
If the Oilers get things firing on all cylinders, get big saves at key moments from their goalies, and get even better once Draisaitl returns, then they should be considered contenders. Only time will tell what kind of team the 2025-26 Oilers truly are. Your guess is as good as mine.
