The Oilers' announcer, Jack Michaels, is reminding fans why a late-season surge isn't out of the question.
The Edmonton Oilers pulled off a big win on Tuesday versus the Utah Mammoth, and they'll be looking for another similar strong performance on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. One win doesn't say a whole lot. Two wins might suggest the team has found something. A run can be the difference between a successful season and a flop.
While there's a lot to be proven before fans jump on the "Oilers are back" train, play-by-play voice Jack Michaels reminded those same fans that there are reasons for optimism.
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He posted in an X.com update on Wednesday, "Some have forgotten the Oilers were a .500 club for the last 2.5 months last year." He added, "Proclaiming 'this isn’t their year' makes zero sense. Like last season (when EDM won 13/15 in the playoffs), if it comes together, watch out."
He believes that a couple of big wins against some good teams "show it’s still there."
Michaels might be right. The Oilers are traditionally a team that finds it at some point in the season. They've gone on runs before, even entering the playoffs as the hottest team in the NHL. During the 2024-25 season, the Oilers finished 48-29-5 (101 points), but they had stretches where they played closer to .500.
The Oilers' best stretch that season was a seven-game winning streak in mid-December with wins over STL (4-2), TBL (2-1), MIN (7-1), VGK (6-3), BOS (3-2 OT), SJS (3-2 OT), and OTT (3-1). They also had a 6-game winning streak in mid-January.
But in the 2025 playoffs, the Oilers went on a deep run to the Stanley Cup Final. They won 14 playoff games overall. The point is that Edmonton has shown they can flip a switch in the postseason despite regular-season ups and downs.
For the 2023-24 regular season, the Oilers' best stretch was a 16-game winning streak — a franchise record and the second-longest in NHL history (behind only the 1992-93 Penguins' 17). That season, they also went to the Final.
Do the Oilers have it in them to go on a run? Photo by
© Rob Gray Imagn ImagesThe Oilers have shown they can go on heater stretches even after mediocre runs, especially once the playoffs hit.
Is There a Chance Michaels is Being Too Optimistic?
The issue with his argument is that this is not the same team as in years past. The group has lost a lot of depth, and they're relying on some new faces to really step in and produce.
Fans aren't sold on the idea that this version of the Oilers has the personnel to make a long run. Unlike in other seasons when the team put together winning streaks, Edmonton has yet to do so in 2025-26. Their longest streak is three games, and it took most of the season to reach that mark.
Tuesday night was the approach the Oilers are going to have to play to have a shot at going on a run. They can't outscore their problems and it will be important they focus on good team defense.
The question becomes, was the game against Utah a one-off or the start of something?
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