How many points will Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, RNH, Connor Brown and Evander Kane score this year?

We are slowly drawing to the beginning of the Edmonton Oilers regular season. Part of that preparation involves our own expectations and predictions. In light of ESPN releasing their Rankings and projections, I've decided to make my own regarding the Oilers and the 2023-25 season.

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In this first installment, I'll focus on the top-6 forwards and how many points I think they will finish the season with. We will go in reverse order, starting with the lowest point totals to the highest point totals.

Honorable Mention: Dylan Holloway

G: 10 A: 32 Points: 42

Dylan Holloway should be in the Oilers top six in October. My best guess is that he starts on the third line and they move him up as necessary. If he is given a chance in the top six, a 40 point season won't be out of the realm of possibility.

Connor Brown 

G:15 A:32 Points: 47

I have Connor Brown only scoring five points more than Holloway. Brown has a different skill set - and is known for his tenacity and penalty killing prowess, not his offensive creativity. However, if he sticks with Connor McDavid on the top line for a long stretch he could reasonably hit 50+ points.

Evander Kane

G:35 A:33 Points: 68

The 2023-24 season should be a return to form for the power winger. Evander Kane missed substantial time last year, because of the freak injury. Look for him to agitate a lot of people and tally up a good amount of penalty minutes and hits. So far at captain skates he's seen time with McDavid, so I expect him to hit his typical 30-goal threshold.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

G:30 A:55 Points: 85 

It will be extremely tough for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to replicate the offensive success that he attained last year. I don't think he hits those heights again - instead I think it's reasonable to predict that he will be a point-per-game player. He could surprise everyone and break the 100-point ceiling once again, especially if the power play goes into overdrive this year.

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Zach Hyman 

G: 35 A:52 Points: 87

Similarly to Nugent-Hopkins, I think Zach Hyman will be around a point-per-game pace for the entire 2023-24 regular season. He has set career highs each year that he has played with the Oilers - this year will be no exception.

Leon Draisaitl

G: 62 A: 70 Points: 132

The 2023-24 season will be the year that Leon Draisaitl finally scores 60 goals. In the off-season he worked on shooting through defenders. The loss to the Vegas Golden Knights is fresh in their minds - and both he and Connor McDavid will do whatever they can to get to the ultimate goal, the Stanley Cup.

Connor McDavid

G: 55 A: 109 Points: 164

Many point projections for McDavid grossly underestimate him. He can change the atmosphere of a game at the drop of a hat. I believe McDavid finally hits the two points-per game production level. The last time an NHLer tallied that kind of production it was Mario Lemieux in 1995-96

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