The Edmonton Oilers sit pretty in the Pacific but crumble against elite Central Division opponents. Can they compete when the playoffs roll around?
The Edmonton Oilers are running into a harsh truth this season: when they face the really good teams—especially the top teams in the Central Division—they just don’t measure up.
Right now, they’re sitting pretty in second place in the Pacific, but their record against Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota? A brutal 0-6. And, it's not just the losses, it's the way they're losing.
Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild was just another example of the Oilers struggling to elevate their game against stronger opponents and the teams they might face in the 2026 playoffs. They’ve been outscored 34–12 in those games. That’s not a small sample; it’s a pattern.
A 9-1 blowout by Colorado back in November, an 8-3 loss, and a 4-3 shootout defeat to Dallas, then three straight against Minnesota—1-0, 5-2, and just last night a 7-3 drubbing. Only in the 1-0 loss to the Wild were the Oilers arguably the better team.
Outside of that performance -- one that flipped a switch in Connor McDavid's game -- every time Edmonton plays one of these three teams, the same problems show up. The elite provide a little offense, but the Oilers don’t have the speed to keep up. Their defense gets exposed badly against quick, skilled forwards. Their goaltending (no matter who is in goal) puts up horrid stat lines. The team looks exposed.
Jack Roslovic scored for the Oilers, but it was too little, too late versus the Wild. Photo by
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Last night against the Wild was a perfect example. Both teams had chances. The Oilers were in the game in the first period. But, as things rolled along, Minnesota’s special teams were sharper, their goalie was better, and they were simply faster. The Wild showed what the difference is between a contender and a team that might flame out early.
People keep saying the Oilers are built to compete in their own division, and maybe they are. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the Pacific Division isn't very good. Against the best teams in the West—the ones they’ll have to beat to go deep in the playoffs—the Oilers look like they’re missing something big.
Craig MacTavish said on Got Yer' Back on Saturday that he believes the Oilers need another star. Some analysts believe Edmonton needs a third-line center. Maybe it's a steadier, stay-at-home defenseman. Who knows, despite their changes in goal, maybe the problem still isn't solved.
"It's tough, I think the chances that we're giving up, some of the shots, they're tough. I think it's a lot of Grade A's and a lot of breakdowns, so I think it's tough to think about your game at this point. I think it's a whole team game," Tristan Jarry explained after a loss in which he was pulled on five goals in 20 shots. He added, "...I think that everyone knows, when we play the game that we want, I think that's the game that we want to put on the ice and that's the game that will put us on the better side of things, more so than not. I think to be on that side, we need to tighten up and eliminate some of the chances."
With the Olympic break coming up, it's a perfect window for management to really dig into these games and figure out what’s wrong. Because right now, the way things are going against Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota, it’s hard to see this team making a serious run when it matters most.
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