Here we go again.
The Edmonton Oilers beat Seattle 4-0 on Saturday afternoon. Stuart Skinner got a shutout. McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hyman all scored and added an assist. They killed all six Seattle power plays, including a 5-on-3 that lasted 1:45. They held the Kraken to just 26 shots total.
And now comes the question we’ve been asking all season: What if this is the game that changes everything?
It probably isn’t. The Oilers are 11-10-5, and we've seen this before: beating Florida 6-3, getting Zach Hyman back and looking transformed for a game, then giving up eight goals to Dallas one game later.
But what if?
“You kind of felt that we were all fighting for each other,” Skinner said after the game. Head coach Kris Knoblauch said they rediscovered “a little bit of a team identity."
So yah, maybe this is. Or maybe not.
Digging Deep On Jordan Binnington
Jordan Binnington to Edmonton isn’t just a rumor anymore—it’s gaining traction. Nick Kypreos reported the Oilers are showing real interest in the Blues goaltender, with Stuart Skinner potentially heading the other way. After watching their goalies surrender eight goals to Dallas, you can understand why Stan Bowman is making calls.
The timing would make sense. The Oilers are about to start a five-game homestand. Minnesota visits Tuesday, then Seattle again Thursday, followed by Winnipeg, Buffalo, and Detroit. If there’s ever a time to string together wins, this is it.
Nugent-Hopkins opened the scoring 8:41 into the first period with a power-play goal—his sixth of the year and 300th of his career.
Draisaitl made it 2-0 with 7:30 left in the second, extending his point streak to eight games. Hyman finally scored his first goal of the season on a power play with 1:09 left in the second. McDavid added his 11th at 6:25 of the third.
“I think it was good. I was able to play a solid game,” Skinner said. “I think this is one of the games where we were able to play a really solid 60-minute game.”
Oilers Prospect Featured On Top Young Players List
This Oilers prospect is being viewed as one of the top young players in hockey.
Saturday had all the elements of a potential turning point. Nugent-Hopkins back after missing nine games. Curtis Lazar returning from injury. The structure intact. The goaltending solid. Special teams excellent—2-for-2 on the power play, perfect on the penalty kill.
“The special teams were outstanding tonight, both power play and penalty kill,” Knoblauch said.
The thing is, we’ve seen this before. The Oilers look great, everything works, and you start thinking maybe they’ve figured it out. Then the next game happens and you remember why they’re so low in the standings.
If this is the game, it’s a good one to start with. The Oilers have played 26 games, dealt with constant injuries, and survived a brutal schedule. Now they’re getting healthy. Now they’re home. Now the pieces are falling into place.
But the red flags remain. Skinner gave up four goals on eight shots against Dallas before getting pulled. The defensive breakdowns haven’t disappeared—they just didn’t show up Saturday. And they just lost Jack Roslovic, their most consistent forward, for multiple weeks.
Ex-Oilers Forward Heating Up With New Team
Former Oilers forward Connor Brown is continuing to make an impact with the Devils.
The Oilers don’t need to be perfect. They just need to be consistent. String together three wins, then five, then seven. Build something that looks like momentum instead of random good performances scattered between disasters.
The Pacific Division is tight—four points separate first place from where Edmonton sits at sixth. They’re tied for a wild card spot. They’re not buried. They just need to stop spinning their wheels.
Saturday’s win was the kind of game that makes you wonder if this is where it starts. Clean sheet. Four different goal scorers. Dominant performance. Fighting for each other, as Skinner said.
Or it could be another mirage. Another game where we ask “what if?” only to watch them give up five goals in the next one.
That’s where the Oilers are. Every good performance feels like it could be the turning point. Every disaster reminds you why trusting that feeling has burned you before.
What if Saturday’s win over Seattle is the game? What if the structure they showed is finally here to stay?
It probably isn’t. The Oilers have given us too many reasons not to believe. But if it is—if this really is where they turn the season around—at least it was a convincing start.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.