Oilers Have Put Their Slow Start Behind Them

The Edmonton Oilers are back.

There was a lot of consternation around the team's dismal start to the season, after an 0-3 start and 5-5-1 October that were uncomfortably reminiscent of their disastrous 2-9-1 start in 2023-24. Their goal differential was in the tank, nobody could score, the special teams were horrendous, and the goaltending was nonexistent. Was this the end of the Oilers' contention window?

The short answer: no.

One strong month later, and the Oilers look to be mostly back on track, dragged down only by that 0-3 start. In fact, since that streak ended on November 15th, the Oilers are 5th in the league in points percentage with a 13-6-2 record -- a 109-point pace over a full season.

Over that span, the Oilers can boast a top-10 offence (3.29 goals per game, tied with Vancouver and Minnesota for 10th) and a top-5 defence (2.76 goals against per game, 4th leaguewide). Their 33.4 shots per game are tied with Carolina for most in the league, and even their once-disastrous penalty kill has climbed out of the bottom 10.

The numbers only get better as you shorten the time span. In November, the Oilers were the NHL's fourth-best team, with an 8-4-1 record and +8 goal differential. Their penalty kill -- which, remember, got off to one of the worst starts in league history -- was a top-10 unit at 82.8%, including a run of 17 consecutive kills that ended on Saturday in Colorado.

Just about any way you slice it, the Oilers have been back among the NHL's elite since the middle of October. Currently riding only their second three-game win streak of the season, their best may be yet to come.

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