There’s an annual ritual that takes place in Oil Country every March. As the weather slowly warms up, geese can be seen returning from their southern holiday, and the Edmonton Oilers get on an end-of-season heater. The 2025-26 NHL season seems different for some reason.
The Oilers have only had one three-game winning streak all season, and you have to wonder if they’re actually capable of piling up a bunch of wins in a row.
Oilers Can Ride Connor Ingram’s Steady Play
The Oilers’ goaltending situation has been unsteady and unpredictable all season, to say the least. After leaving training camp with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard as their top two goalies, Oilers general manager Stan Bowman shook things up. He signed Connor Ingram, then traded Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin.
With Jarry struggling mightily, Ingram has emerged as the Oilers’ starter thanks to his strong, steady play. Could Pickard get called up from the Bakersfield Condors to back up Ingram after being waived on Feb. 2? Stay tuned.
Oilers Can’t Get on a Heater Without Strong Defensive Play
With Jarry’s inconsistent goaltending and breakdowns in the defensive zone, it’s hard to say if the Oilers can tighten things up and start playing playoff-style hockey. There have been glimpses, as the Oilers beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on March 8, then turned around and beat the formidable Colorado Avalanche 4-3 two nights later.
After those two games, it looked like the Oilers might’ve turned the corner—but then came a 7-2 thrashing at the hands of the Dallas Stars on March 12 and a humbling 3-2 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on March 13.
The Oilers Have Five Weeks to Figure It Out
The 2025-26 NHL season has come down to five weeks and 15 remaining games for the Oilers to get things going. Are they capable? With so much inconsistent play all season, it’s hard to say. Players such as Trent Frederic, Matt Savoie, Vasily Podkolzin, and Kasperi Kapanen have all played well since the Olympic break. The additions of forward Jason Dickenson and defenceman Connor Murphy at the trade deadline have shown promise, too.
The biggest thing the Oilers have lacked is consistency. That might be attributed to a condensed schedule and the fact that the Oilers have played the second most amount of games in the past two seasons, next to the Florida Panthers.
The Pacific Division Is There for the Taking
Teams that go on winning streaks near the end of the season often carry that momentum into the playoffs. The Dallas Stars, who are currently on a 9-0-1 run in their last 10 games, might be peaking too soon. Meanwhile, the Oilers have a chance to grab the bull by the horns and ride their annual March winning streak right to the top of the NHL’s Pacific Division standings.
The Oilers are only two points behind the first-place Anaheim Ducks and one point behind the Golden Knights. Winning their first division title since 1987 is well within their grasp. But they have to start the streak now.
How Will the Oilers Brass Handle the Roster Down the Stretch?
There are so many things that need to go right for the Oilers to start winning consistently. Head coach Kris Knobluach needs to trust his players more and resist the urge to overplay superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Meanwhile, Bowman has to properly balance the salary cap with injuries and call-ups from the Condors. The biggest issue will be goaltending.
Related: How’s Stan Bowman’s “Something Different” Working for the Oilers?
If Jarry continues to be unreliable, the Oilers don’t have time to waste, and calling up Pickard might become a priority. However, they’ll have to send a D-man or forward down to Bakersfield to make the numbers work. It’s really a fine line.
Still More Questions Than Answers at This Point
The biggest thing the Oilers need is to continue to tighten things up in their own end. They’ve shown glimpses in recent wins over Vegas and Colorado, but now’s the time to put it all together. Maybe when the spring air finally arrives in Oil Country, the Oilers will realize it’s time to go on one of their patented season-ending winning streaks. The way they’ve been playing all season, it’s getting harder to imagine that it’s possible. However, with a team led by McDavid, Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard, you can never say never.
