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It’s time for the Oilers to turn Rogers Place into a fortress

Andrew Cawood — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 19:00:18 GMT

It’s time the Edmonton Oilers made Rogers Place into a fortress.

Every Halloween, there are local haunted houses that have been harder to get through. Earlier this year, Michael Menzies wrote about Edmonton’s poor home performance. In contrast, the road record has usually been solid in the Connor McDavid era.

Edmonton’s home record will need to improve if they want to have a shot at the Cup, though. They went 22-14-5 last season, with 22 wins and 19 losses, and that’s not good enough for this team. Their road record was 19-16-6, so technically 19-22. Neither record is good, but better performances at home would be a good start.

What does the team have to do to win at Rogers Place? Is it that important for Cup contenders to play well in their barns?

Here are the home records for the last five Cup champions. All of them are very impressive and show what contenders need to do:

Team	Regular Season	Playoffs
Carolina	29-10-2	8-2
Florida	27-12-2	6-4
Florida	26-13-2	8-5
Las Vegas	25-13-3	9-3
Colorado	32-4-5	7-3

How can the Oilers get to this level? How can they improve on last year’s dismal performance at their rink?

Start on time

This has been an issue for a few years. During the 2025-26 season, the Oilers were scored on first in 21 of their 41 home games. Edmonton went 7-11-3 in those games. That’s brutal. The new coaching staff will need to make sure the boys are ready to go. This is largely a psychological issue, so the players will have to find a solution with some guidance from Babcock and co. Clearly both teams should be ready to go, but there is a disturbing pattern with the Oilers falling behind in games. Scoring first at home puts immediate pressure on the other team and gets the home fans into the game. The Oilers went 15-3-2 when they scored first at Rogers Place.

Play better team defence

Stan Bowman made a big move at the last trade deadline, bringing both Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy in from Chicago. This duo are defensive specialists and take their role very seriously. Then the team added two new goalies, Frederik Andersen and Devon Levi, to shore up the goaltending position. Speedy, responsible Mathieu Joseph was also signed to help prevent goals.

A big part of better defence is the penalty kill. The Oilers’ unit didn’t get the job done last year. Ryan Shea’s addition should help, but the recently announced injuries to Matt Savoie and Andersen won’t help.

One of the main reasons why Mike Babcock was brought in was to address the defence. Ownership, management, and the team leaders are banking on a new game plan and player additions to cut down on goals against.

Be harder to play against

It’s time for Zach Hyman, Connor Murphy, Mattias Ekholm, Trent Frederic, Colton Dach, and Mathieu Joseph to be more engaged physically. Big Eduard Tralmaks will have a chance to make the team, and he could certainly make an impact. It’s also possible an old-school coach like Babcock brings up Josh Brown.

The Oilers have been way too easy to play against for most of the McDavid era. Evander Kane, Corey Perry, and Zack Kassian brought more snarl to the team, but they’re gone now. There are players like Frederic, Murphy, and Dach who should always challenge the opposing teams. It took some time, possibly because of the lingering effects of an ankle injury, for Frederic to find his game. No. 10 only really started getting involved physically in the second half of the year and has admitted he lost who he was last season.

Rogers Place should be a difficult place for opposing teams to win at. It’s time for the Oilers to step up.

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We’re going to Toronto for a #NationVacation and you’re all invited to join us

baggedmilk — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:45:18 GMT

If there’s one thing I always get excited to write about, it’s when we finally get to tell you fine folks that we’re packing our bags for another #NationVacation presented by jetSet Parking to watch the boys play behind enemy lines. And this time around, we’re heading to Toronto.

Every year when the NHL schedule drops, the first thing we do is start looking for the road dates that make the most sense for a group trip, and taking the squad to the Six just felt right. A weekend in Toronto, a Saturday night game on the schedule, and a chance to get a pile of Nation Citizens together in hostile territory? Yeah, that’ll work. From November 13-16, 2026, we’re heading east for a few days of hockey, memories, shenanigans, and whatever else happens when you put a bunch of amazing people in the same city with a mission for a good time.

If you’ve been on one of these trips before, then you already know the drill. We’re gearing up for a hell of a weekend on the road to give us all an experience that you won’t get anywhere else. If you haven’t travelled with us before, the whole point of the #NationVacation is to build a road game experience that feels bigger than just buying a ticket and finding your seat. We get an amazing crew together, head into another team’s barn, and do our best to make the place feel a little more like home for a night. Watching the boys on the road is always a blast on its own, but doing it with Nation Citizens adds a little dose of special to the whole experience.

And when you mix in the idea of landing in the self-appointed centre of the universe to cause some chaos, it’s hard to find downsides on what this weekend will be. There’s always a little more attention when our boys are playing there, the city has no shortage of places to hang out, and let’s be honest, there’s something satisfying about showing up in T.O. with a bunch of blue and orange in the building. I’m not saying we’re going there to be annoying, but I’m also not saying we’re going to be quiet either. Getting Edmonton rowdy is part of what makes these trips so much fun, and this latest iteration is going to be more of the same.

The other angle about these trips is that they always become their own thing in the best way possible. You maybe show up knowing a few people, meet a bunch more, and by the end of the weekend, you’ve got new life-long Internet friends that you may have only known from the comments, the podcasts, or yelling about the power play online. That’s the magic of the #NationVacation presented by jetSet Parking. It’s hockey, travel, and community all wrapped into one weekend, which is exactly why I’m already counting down the days until we take off.

Interested? Of course you are. Here are the details…

Ready for the details? Of course you are. And now that you’re mentally packing your bags, let’s get to the important stuff you need to know. Thankfully, your ol’ pal Baggedmilk has the important info right here.

When: November 13-16, 2026
Where we’re going: Toronto, Ontario
What you get: A #NationVacation weekend with fellow Nation Citizens, a ticket to watch the boys play in Toronto, an exclusive viewing party on the Sunday, and a few days with the best possible people you could ever hope to meet.
Tickets: Ready to get in on the fun? Click this link.

As always, these trips tend to move quickly once they’re announced, so if you want in, don’t wait too long to get yourself locked in. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell the other fans in your group chat who keeps saying they need a road trip, and let’s get a big crew together for a weekend in Toronto.

The boys on the road. Nation Citizens in the building. A few days in Toronto. I don’t know what else you need me to say here. This is going to be a blast, and waiting too long to snag your spot will mean you miss out. Procrastination is not your friend here, people. See you at the airport.

As a final note, everyone who attends the trip will be required to sign a waiver absolving Daily Faceoff Edmonton of any liability for your actions while on the trip. If anyone would like to see the waiver ahead of time, feel free to reach out and we will send you a copy.

Why the Edmonton Oilers must be ready for a strong start to the 2026-27 season

Jason Gregor — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:45:54 GMT

It is September. The NHL regular season begins in 29 days, and the Edmonton Oilers need a strong start this season. They were sluggish to start the past three seasons, going 2-7-1, 4-5-1 and 4-5-1 in their first 10 games of the 2024, 2025, and 2026 seasons, but that shouldn’t happen this season.

They are fresh and rested.

Their core players had no off-season surgeries to recover from.

They are annoyed after losing meekly to Anaheim in round one last April.

They have a new head coach and a new associate coach and will want to impress them.

They have a favourable schedule to start the season.

Add those five things together, and I expect the Oilers to have a very good start. Here’s the Oilers’ early schedule:

Sept. 29 v. Vancouver
Oct. 1 @ Vancouver
Oct. 3 v. Seattle
Oct. 7 @ Anaheim
Oct. 10 @ San Jose
Oct. 13 @ Los Angeles
Oct. 15 v. Utah
Oct. 17 @ Utah
Oct. 20 v. Minnesota
Oct. 22 v. Carolina

They have no back-to-back games. They have two days between games three times, and three days between games once. Eight of their first 10 games involve teams below them in the standings last season, with only Minnesota and Carolina having more. Their first five games are against teams who ranked 32nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th in goals against/game last season. It would be difficult to find a more favourable early-season schedule.

They will start the season without Matt Savoie, Frederik Andersen and Mattias Janmark, but those injuries aren’t debilitating. Edmonton’s best forwards, top defencemen and starting goalie are healthy and rested. There is no excuse for not coming out of the gate flying.

We can’t overlook how this core group has responded when hiring a new coach. Jay Woodcroft replaced Dave Tippett on Feb. 10, 2022. The Oilers were 23-18-3 under Tippett but finished the season 26-9-3 with Woodcroft. They won their first five games with their new head coach. Fast forward to 2023 when Woodcroft was let go on Nov. 12, and Kris Knoblauch took over. The Oilers started the season 3-9-1, but when Knoblauch took over, they went 26-6 in his first 32 games and had the best record in the NHL from Nov. 13 on and went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

They respond to a new coach. I don’t believe Woodcroft was infinitely smarter when he was hired than he was when he was fired. Same with Knoblauch. Both could have made better decisions in their final seasons, but the roster didn’t magically improve the moment a new coach took the bench. But the players played with more intensity and determination, and they thrived under the subtle tweaks both new coaches made. I expect the same with Mike Babcock.

Once again, the Oilers need to be better defensively. This has been the main underlying issue for the past decade. They’ve proven, at times, they can be consistent and committed defensively. They did it in 2017 under Todd McLellan. They did it in 2020 with Tippett, again in 2022 with Woodcroft and in 2024 with Knoblauch. But each time, eventually their attention to detail defensively and how they managed the puck in the offensive and neutral zones diminished.

It is easy to blame the coach, but having seen this movie repeat itself, the players must recognize that their on-ice decisions were an equal part of the problem. Be prepared to hear the core group discuss how they will be better defensively and manage the puck better when training camp begins. Babcock inherits a talented team that wants to win, and just like Woodcroft and Knoblauch, I expect early success for Babcock.

The Oilers need a good start. Despite downplaying their inability to win three games in a row until Game 74 last year, during their end-of-season interviews, the leaders did admit it was a problem as they never found any consistency in their game. I’d assume they will learn from that. They can’t expect to just flip a switch when the playoffs begin. Edmonton doesn’t need to win the Presidents’ Trophy to have a successful regular season, but they need to find a foundation in their play they can trust and revert to when they struggle. You need to know you can play solid defensive hockey and survive when the opposition takes over a game. The opposition will inevitably have strong stretches of play, and the Oilers can’t force things, turn over pucks at the offensive blue line and give up high-danger chances regularly. Learn to play patient and safe when needed. They’ve done it in previous seasons. They were unable to find any momentum last season, really at any point, and I guarantee the veterans will remind teammates of that when the preseason begins.

There is no excuse for a lethargic start. The Oilers are more talented than most teams in the NHL, but they need to match the work ethic and smarts of their opponents when the puck drops on Sept. 29. They need to be ready.

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Oilers 2026 Prospect Countdown No. 10: Connor Clattenburg

Spencer Pomoty — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 15:00:59 GMT

Welcome to Daily Faceoff Edmonton’s countdown of the top 20 prospects in the Edmonton Oilers system.

We’re now into our top ten with Bakersfield Condors forward Connor Clattenburg. He’s another selection I was in the building for, and another draft pick I didn’t quite understand at the time.

#10: Connor Clattenburg

Age: 21

Position: W

Shoots: Left

Nationality: Canada

Date of Birth: May 2, 2005

Drafted: 2024, fifth round, 160th overall

Height and weight: 6-foot-2 / 205 lbs.

2025-26 stats (AHL):

32 GP | 2G | 2A | 4P

Contract status: Year two of three, entry-level contract, $928,333 cap hit.

The 2022-23 season was Clattenburg’s first season of NHL draft eligibility, where the six-foot-two forward scored two goals and added eight assists in 56 games. Clattenburg was ultimately left undrafted. During the 2023-2024 season, Clattenburg was traded to the Flint Firebirds after spending 30 games with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The former Firebirds captain finished his campaign with 13 goals and 29 points in 60 games. That was good enough for the Edmonton Oilers to select him in the sixth round of the NHL draft.

I went back to the hotel room once again and still didn’t understand the selection. Why would they take an overage player who scored under half a point per game? But of course I wasn’t watching film in Las Vegas, and when I got my eyes on Clattenburg, I saw the vision that the team was hoping for. In his final OHL season, the left-shot winger scored 16 goals, had 35 points in 46 games, and, not to mention, 108 penalty minutes. It was a big step offensively, and that is a positive sign for a player who is in his final year of junior hockey; it is expected that, as an older player in the OHL, your point total will grow.

Fast forward to this past season, where the former Flint winger played in his first professional season with the Bakersfield Condors. Looking at Clattenburg’s point total during his OHL years, you can understand that he will probably not score much during his first season. During his 32 AHL games this season, the former fifth-rounder potted two goals, finished with four total points, 131 penalty minutes, and nine fighting majors. Clattenburg was called up to the Oilers this year for five games, and the 205-pound winger scored his first career NHL goal. Of course, the tough forward also had his first-ever NHL fight. I do worry about head injuries; fighting ten times in 37 total games is a recipe for disaster. To be fair to Connor, there were multiple instances where he was grabbed and almost forced into dropping his gloves, but still, it’s okay to play hard without fighting sometimes. Clattenburg missed some time this season due to an eye-related injury.

When I talk about the “vision” that the Oilers saw for Clattenburg, it is clear as day once you see him play, and I bet all the Oilers fans saw it in his five NHL games. The hard-hitting forward is a pest; there is a clear path for him to become an everyday fourth-liner. But it’s not just about being a “fighter”; in my viewings of Clattenburg, I found him to be an incredibly aware defensive player. There are multiple instances of him hustling on the backcheck, playing the center role when he is the first forward back in the zone, and getting in passing lanes. I have some excellent examples below.

The first clip of the bunch puts on display the effort and awareness Clattenburg plays with defensively. The first-year pro constantly skates hard back through the middle of the ice and recognizes danger immediately. The third clip is along the same lines as the first one linked above. Clattenburg easily recognizes the danger and gets his stick on the shot to send it wide. The second video above showcases the awareness even better. The product out of Arnpior, Ont., is watching the two-on-two battle down low. Clattenburg is on the faceoff dot to the right of Connor Ingram, protecting the middle of the ice. As soon as the Calgary player isn’t a threat to the middle, Clattenburg rushes to the boards, taking away one of the only passing lanes the forward would have; then it’s an easy steal, and the Condors are going the other way. I wish the defensively sound forward would have gotten a bit more ice time on the penalty kill throughout the season, and maybe that will come this year.

Another reason I can see Clattenburg as a fourth-line forward one day is that his skating mechanics are good and he is excellent on the forecheck. Even though the big winger doesn’t move his feet overly quickly, I’m a big believer in his mechanics overall. Clattenburg has his knees over his toes, uses his long stride, has a very good lean at the hips, and will use his crossovers even if they aren’t overly light.

That’s a nice little move in transition by the Bakersfield forward in the second clip. But you can see from the above clips that the mechanics are very clean, and if Clattenburg can up his foot speed, there is a lot of potential that can be unlocked in his feet. Nobody likes to get in on the forecheck more than the powerful winger, and other teams hate that about him. Below is just a perfect clip showing off Clattenburg being a pest on the forecheck.

A quick little face wash on one defenceman, followed up by a hard hit on the other. However, Clattenburg isn’t just about the hit. While forechecking, the scary forward has his mind set on creating contact, winning the puck, and protecting it along the wall with his body.

This style of play may not result in goals for, but it definitely helps keep pucks out of your net. I don’t expect Clattenburg to have much offence as a professional player, but he moves the puck efficiently and fills in all the proper lanes.

Clattenburg rarely turns the puck over, and the simplistic play style helps with that, but it also shows that his thought process is a strength. Not everything has to be complicated, and he doesn’t go out of his way to be a player he’s not. Taking care of the puck is crucial for a player like Clattenburg; if you constantly turn the puck over in your ten minutes of ice time, you won’t be playing many games after that. Now I don’t see the former Greyhound making slip passes, deceiving defenders, or making no-look plays, but if you aren’t going to create much offence, you have to take it away from the opposing team, and that’s what Clattenburg does.

Beau Akey’s 2026-27 projection and NHL timelines

Connor Clattenburg is one of the few players on this list to already have some NHL games under his belt, and I see a path where he is constantly playing fourth-line minutes at the NHL level. Clattenburg doesn’t get much ice time per game; some of that is due to fighting, but even without the fighting, in most games he is only playing around ten to twelve minutes a night. I would love to see him get some more playing time with the Condors, and if he could get some consistent penalty-killing time, that would be a great step in the right direction.

With the depth the Oilers signed, I don’t know if we will see Clattenburg in an Oilers jersey this year, but by 2028 he could have a serious case to be on the roster as a 13th or 14th forward at minimum. Everybody watching Clattenburg knows the role he plays, and the only reason I don’t have him higher is that I believe the ceiling on his potential is capped as a bottom-line player. I would love to see a bit more offence come out this year, but if not, that doesn’t concern me. What will concern me is if Clattenburg continues to fight at the pace he is on. Imagine Clattenburg in a playoff series for the Oilers? I hope he continues to develop because he’s the type of player other teams will hate to see coming.

Top 20 Oilers prospects for 2026-27

Rank	Name	Pos.	Age	2025-26 Team (League)	2025-26 Stats	Acquisition	NHL timeline
20	Owen Michaels	F	24	Western Michigan University (NCAA)	39 GP \| 13G \| 13A \| 26P	NCAA UFA	2028-29
19	Tomas Cibulka	D	22	HC Motor České Budějovice (CZE)	47GP \| 5G \| 7A \| 12P	European UFA	2028-29
18	Eemil Vinni	G	20	Joensuun Kiekko-Pojat, Ketterä (Mestis)	JoKP: 17GP \| 8-5-4 \| 2.99GAA \| .884sv% \| 1 SO Kettera (Loan) 4GP \| 2-1-1 \| 1.23 GAA \| .951sv% \| 1 SO	Drafted	2030-31
17	Connor Ungar	G	24	Bakersfield (AHL), (3x ECHL teams)	13 GP \| 9-2-2 \| 2.51GAA \| .923sv% \| 1SO	USports UFA	2029-30
16	David Lewandowski	F	19	Saskatoon Blades (WHL)	57 GP \| 17G \| 41A \| 58P	Drafted	2030-31
15	Damien Carfagna	D	23	Bakersfield Condors (AHL)	66 GP \| 7G \| 15A \| 22P	NCAAA UFA	2028-29
14	Zack Sharp	D	21	Western Michigan University (NCAA)	37 GP \| 5G \| 14A \| 19P	Trade	2030-31
13	Asher Barnett	D	19	University of Michigan (NCAA)	40 GP \| 5G \| 13A \| 18P	Drafted	2030-31
12	Samuel Jonsson	G	23	Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL)	33 GP \| 21-8-2 \| .910 Sv% \| 2.38 GAA \| 5 SO	Drafted	2029-30
11	Beau Akey	D	21	Bakersfield Condors (AHL)	42 GP \| 2G \| 8A \| 10P	Drafted	2028-29
10	Connor Clattenburg	W	21	Bakersfield Condors (AHL)	32 GP \| 2G \| 2A \| 4P	Drafted	2028-29

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Top 100 Oilers: No. 17 — Chris Pronger

Michael Menzies — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:00:49 GMT

Oilersnation is reviving the Top 100 Edmonton Oilers of All Time list, a project originally created by the late Robin Brownlee in 2015. Chris Pronger comes in at No. 17 on our updated 2025 list. He was ranked No. 15 on Brownlee’s original list.

Let’s get through this quickly so we can carry on with the list.

Look, there was going to be a point on this Top 100 countdown of where to slot Chris Pronger. Brownlee had him 15. We have him 17. For a player who suited up just one season with the Oilers to be ranked that high is a testament to how much of a game-changer Chris Pronger was.

In terms of the most talented, well-rounded defencemen to ever play for the team, it’s him and Paul Coffey. For the total package that Pronger brought to the game, you can argue that he’s the best pure defenceman the Oilers have ever had — even if for just one season.

But it can never just be that simple for ol’ Prongs, remembered for what happened off the ice, remembered for his agent’s trade request hours after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and remembered for never letting us forget.

He has an impeccable sense of timing. This week alone, he alluded to being vilified in Edmonton for requesting a trade, omitting crucial details as to why and how early into his brand new contract he wanted out. Ya know, the relevant stuff in this case. It was all the same song and dance, the woe-is-me act implicit in his book tour from the spring, the same one where he counsels on personal ownership and life principles.

He must’ve known his place in the Top 100 was coming. Twenty years later, old wounds have been opened, and re-opened, and the Oilers fan has been bled dry from this story.

Yet the list must go on…

Notable

The Hartford Whalers selected Pronger second overall behind Alexandre Daigle in the 1993 NHL Draft, but after two seasons in the northeast, Pronger looked like the bust and Daigle the viable future star.

Mix in a trade for St. Louis Blues fan favourite Brendan Shanahan, and the pressure kept mounting on Pronger, who admitted he wasn’t taking the game seriously enough as a cocky kid.

The Gretzky trade to St. Louis in 1996 helped take some of the spotlight off him, and from there, he started to become the player many believed he could be: a physical, minute-munching, athletic freak who could chime in offensively too.

That translated into his one and only Norris Trophy, and wrestling away the Hart Trophy in 2000 from Jaromir Jagr.

The Blues were looking to shed salary as the NHL entered into the season-long lockout, and that’s how the Oilers were able to acquire him.

Pronger, drunkenly, he says, agreed to a five-year contract without consulting his wife, a bargain in comparison to the massive salaries around the league just a couple years before.

Once traded to Anaheim, he’d lift the Stanley Cup the very next season, and would help another low-seed in the Philadelphia Flyers go on an unexpected run to the Final in 2010, three trips with three different teams in five years.

His career would end unceremoniously due to concussions.

Clippings from the June 24, 2006 edition of the Edmonton Journal details Chris Pronger’s trade request.

The Story

At this point, what else is there to say?

I reviewed his book Earned in April (written with some AI assistance), and it’s shockingly light with interesting hockey stories, which any time in front of a microphone he’s all too eager to share, making sure to laugh the loudest at his own jokes.

He says he agreed to the Edmonton contract drunk without telling his wife, and that’s why there was an aversion to the city. Even then, GM Kevin Lowe responded harshly to this version of events. Years before on Spittin’ Chiclets, he had said the Oilers “sold him a bill of goods” that wasn’t fulfilled. There’s all the rumour and innuendo about his private life away from the rink.

Ultimately, the Pronger Situation remains the symbol of an incredible, dream-like rise from the ashes, through cash constraints, franchise instability, and perennial playoff losses to Dallas that marred the post-Glory Day Oilers. As quickly as he and Mike Peca arrived for the press conference, they seemed to be gone.

He was the biggest no-doubt difference maker of this magnitude since Mark Messier, allowing the rest of the blue line to play fewer minutes and be more effective.

In the spring of 2006, an inconsistent but obviously talented team caught lightning in the bottle, dialled into coach Craig MacTavish’s program, and beat the Detroit Red Wings, who finished with the fifth most points in NHL history that season.

They clawed out of a 2-0 hole against the San Jose Sharks and won in six. Edmonton ran through the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Final.

But surrendering a three-goal lead in Game 1, originally helped by Chris Pronger’s penalty shot goal (the first in NHL history), then Marc-Andre Bergeron’s collision with Andrew Ladd bursting into Dwayne Roloson, and Ty Conklin’s gaffe in the dying moments of regulation, changed the mood right away in the Stanley Cup Final. Yet, they didn’t quit, sending the series the length.

If the Oilers had been successful in Game 7, Pronger likely would’ve become just the seventh defenceman ever at that time to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. He scored five goals and 21 points in 24 playoff games, leading the team in playoff scoring, while averaging 30:57 minutes a game in that two-month stretch.

Instead, the Oilers lost, his house in Edmonton already packed up. The betrayal dropped like an anvil, crudely waking up fans from their dream.

Today, Pronger periodically re-envisions this history as a podcast guest. My guess is he’s holding out for a cushy front-office job somewhere.

Now to the players we’d like to remember fondly. ‘Nuff said.

What Brownlee said

“Even before the Edmonton Oilers went on a magical playoff run that took them all the way to Game 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup finals, it was obvious the Oilers had found the franchise cornerstone they needed in Norris Trophy winner Chris Pronger and that the five-year contract they’d signed him to during the summer of 2005 was a bargain. Pronger was a stud, a skilled, mean, minute-eating freak and the straw that stirred the drink.

“What wasn’t obvious is that date with the Carolina Hurricanes, as the eighth seed out of the Western Conference, wasn’t the beginning of a return to contention by the Oilers most fans anticipated. It was a blip on the screen, a one-off. While Pronger embraced the city, his wife Lauren, a wealthy St. Louis socialite, never did. She didn’t want to be here. In the end, that simple truth spelled the end of Pronger’s tenure as an Oiler after 80 regular season games and 24 more in the playoffs. It marked the beginning of a decade of defeat and some of the darkest days in the history of this storied franchise.

“I can’t think of anybody in the history of the franchise, save for perhaps owner Peter Pocklington after he sold Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings, who went from hero to villain as quickly as Pronger did when his trade demand went public within days of Game 7.”

The Last 10

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Remaining free agents who could be of interest to the Oilers

Ryley Delaney — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 02:00:21 GMT

The 2026-27 National Hockey League season is less than a month away.

Even before training camp started for the Edmonton Oilers, there were several reported injuries. One big loss, at least for the first month of the season, is Matthew Savoie. The speedy winger was set to get a look in the top six after the end of his 2025-26 season, and will likely get a look whenever he has recovered.

Also set to miss some time are fellow forward Mattias Janmark, defenceman Alec Regula, and netminder Frederik Andersen.

Despite training camp quickly approaching, there are several notable unrestricted free agents that could be of use for the Oilers. Some could factor into their middle-six, others a bottom-six role, a few for depth roles, and a couple of reclamation projects.

Let’s take a look at some of the names that the Oilers could have interest in.

Vladimir Tarasenko

The best unrestricted free agent on the market is Vladimir Tarasenko, and it isn’t particularly close. It’s a bit of a mystery as to why he hasn’t been signed as well.

Tarasenko, 34, most recently played for the playoff-bound Minnesota Wild, scoring 23 goals and 47 points in 75 regular-season games. In the 11 playoff games he played, the veteran sniper added two goals and five points.

He’s not the player he once was when he consistently scored 30+ goals, which also means he didn’t get a ton of power play time. That didn’t matter, as Tarasenko scored 18 of his 23 goals during even-strength play, something the Oilers desperately missed last season.

Tarasenko’s name is on the Stanley Cup twice, leading the St. Louis Blues to their first Cup in franchise history back in 2019, as well as defeating the Oilers back in 2024 with the Florida Panthers. He’s still a consistent 20+ goal scorer and a middle-six forward, even though his defence leaves a little to be desired.

The Oilers also have the space to get a deal done. As it stands, they have a little under $2 million in cap space according to PuckPedia, but if they were to send down Janmark, Isaac Howard, Spencer Stastny, Regula, and place Andersen on the LTIR, they’d have about $6.2 million in cap space. Last season, Tarasenko made $4.75 million, so the Oilers would also be able to accrue deadline cap space as well.

Michael Bunting

Michael Bunting is another player who can produce in the middle-six, but also has a chippy side to him that most Oilers lack.

The 30-year-old winger hasn’t had a consistent home in his seven-year NHL career, spending two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, two with the Toronto Maple Leafs, two with the Pittsburgh Penguins, two with the Nashville Predators, and parts of a season with both the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes.

Bunting has been traded at the past three trade deadlines, but consistently scored 19+ goals from the 2021-22 season until 2024-25. Last season, he scored 13 goals and 31 points in 61 games with the Predators, but struggled to produce upon a trade to the Stars.

The winger is a good candidate to bounce back in 2026-27, producing for the Oilers in a middle-six role.

Eeli Tolvanen

It’s a bit surprising that Eeli Tolvanen has remained unsigned. At just 27 years old, the Finnish winger is just a year removed from scoring 23 goals and 35 points in 81 games with the Seattle Kraken in 2024-25. His scoring dipped in 2025-26, potting just 12 goals, but he’s reached the 30+ point mark in each of the last four seasons.

The price point matters, but he’s the youngest player we’ll examine in this article and he’s a good bounce-back candidate like Jack Roslovic was before last season.

Adam Henrique or Curtis Lazar

Savoie and Janmark are two key penalty killers for the Oilers, so losing them, even for a bit, requires the Oilers to use Connor McDavid on the kill. Not ideal for a player who plays over 20 minutes a night.

Former Oiler Adam Henrique remains a free agent and has loads of experience on the penalty kill. There’s familiarity there, but Henrique regressed significantly last season, dropping from 12 goals and 27 points in 81 games in 2024-25 to just three goals and 15 points in 65 games this past season.

There aren’t a whole lot of penalty killers on the market, but Henrique is probably the best of the bunch.

Curtis Lazar is also a free agent. He had even weaker production than Henrique, scoring four goals and six points in 45 games, but he kills penalties and is a right-shot centre, another thing the Oilers need. Additionally, the Oilers went 25-15-5 with him in the lineup, or 16-15-6 without him in the lineup.

Luke Kunin

Luke Kunin is another right-shot, penalty-killing centre. Last season with the Florida Panthers, the 28-year-old played 62:19 on the kill, down from 127:02 in 2024-25, split between the San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets. Granted, he played 12 fewer games in 2025-26.

Kunin won 49.4 percent of the 443 faceoff draws he took last season, well up from his career average of 45.8 percent. He also averaged just under 10 minutes in his 62 games, scoring four goals and 10 points in 62 games.

The Chesterfield, Missouri product has a higher ceiling than Lazar, managing to score double-digit goals in five of his last six seasons before 2025-26.

Tyson Jost

Tyson Jost was born in St. Albert, Alta. and was selected 10th overall in the 2016 draft. He hasn’t, nor will he ever, live up to that potential, but he is coming off a season where he scored eight goals and 16 points over 69 games. That’s his best season these past three years, as he managed just nine points in 39 games in 2024-25 and six in 43 in 2023-24.

At his best, Jost consistently reached the 20-point mark, doing so in all but one season from 2017-18 until 2022-23. Jost is also a quick skater and kills penalties, totalling 95:21 on the kill with the Predators in 2025-26.

The winger’s speed gives the penalty kill a threat, as the Predators managed to score four goals and allow just nine when Jost was on the ice during a penalty kill.

Jost is a perfect candidate for a professional tryout.

Jonathan Drouin

Another top-10 pick who hasn’t quite lived up to his potential is Jonathan Drouin. Selected third overall in the 2013 draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Drouin was traded to the Montréal Canadiens after his third season, a season where he scored a career-best 21 goals and 53 points.

Drouin remained a productive scorer, hitting 46 points in 2017-18, then 53 points in 2018-19. But then he appeared in just 27 games in 2019-20, scoring seven goals. In the pandemic-shortened 2020-21, he scored two goals and 23 points, but didn’t appear in the Canadiens’ run to the Stanley Cup.

His lack of scoring and inability to remain in the lineup marked his final four seasons as a Canadien. In 2023-24, Drouin reunited with his junior teammate, Nathan MacKinnon, and scored 19 goals and a career-high 56 points. He followed that up with 11 goals and 37 points in 43 games in 2024-25, but missed half the season due to injury.

Drouin signed with the New York Islanders last off-season, but his goal-scoring production dipped again, potting just three goals and 21 points in 55 games. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues before the 2026 trade deadline, scoring a goal and three points in nine games. Despite signing a two-year deal, Drouin only played out one season as he was bought out earlier this off-season.

The Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts product has proven capable of playing with superstars, but has also had some abysmal seasons. Signing him to a PTO to see if he can form some chemistry with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl wouldn’t be the worst idea.

Patrik Laine

The 2016 NHL Draft is a weird one, and no players selected in the top five exemplify that better than Patrik Laine.

Drafted second overall, Laine consistently scores 20+ goals when healthy, but hasn’t reached the 30+ goal plateau since his first three seasons in the league. Still only 28 years old, Laine is best known for his shot, which is especially lethal on the power play.

The winger spent most of the 2025-26 injured, but scored 20 goals and 33 points with the Canadiens in 2024-25. It’s worth noting that just five of those 20 goals came during even-strength play. Will he get playing time on one of the best power plays of the best time? Probably not.

Like Drouin, it could be worth a flier to see if he finds chemistry with Draisaitl or McDavid on a PTO, but working him into the lineup is difficult given his defensive deficiencies and lack of five-on-five scoring.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for DFOEdmonton, DFOCalgary, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on X at @Ryley__Delaney.

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Oilers captain Connor McDavid’s off-ice character praised by Muskoka coach

Woz — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 23:00:52 GMT

Muskoka, Ont., has become known for its lush forests, pristine waters, and, in recent years, for serving as a training hub for the NHL’s best, including Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid.

As he always does, however, Connor McDavid is the one capturing all the attention out of all the stars who attend. Brady Leavold, a mental health advocate in the hockey space and a skills coach with Muskoka, shared a photo of him with McDavid on Instagram, along with a heartfelt message about him and how he is away from the ice.

Special week. One I’ll never forget. 🙏

It’s one thing to be the best hockey player in the world and truly world class at your craft. It’s another thing to carry everything that comes with being Connor McDavid and still have the humility to give people your time, make them feel valued and just be a genuinely good human being.

That’s what stood out to me most this week.

We all see the player. The talent, the work ethic and everything he does on the ice speaks for itself. But getting the opportunity to spend some time around Davo and see the person behind all of it meant more to me than I can probably put into words.

I’ll cherish the signed stick, but even more than that, I’ll remember how he treated me and everyone around him.

Hockey has taken me on one hell of a journey, and there were years where I never could have imagined being in moments like this again. I don’t take any of it for granted.

Just incredibly grateful. For the week, for the memories, and for the people this game continues to bring into my life.

Thank you Davo. Best of luck this season.

View this post on Instagram

More often than not, fans are quick to praise Connor McDavid for his jaw-dropping ability on the ice. Or, on the other side of the coin, criticize him for what he hasn’t been able to accomplish, which is lifting the Stanley Cup and captaining his team to the ultimate prize in hockey. One narrative that comes up in hockey circles for why he’s yet to experience that crowning achievement is his lack of leadership.

Which, of course, is subjective, as leadership can be perceived differently by anyone. And in McDavid’s case, it’s hard to judge, considering fans of the sport or the Edmonton Oilers don’t always get to see what happens behind closed doors. Only what’s been captured on camera. This was seen when Amazon showcased behind-the-scenes footage of the Oilers’ trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2024; the most viral moment was McDavid snapping at his teammates after they were being dominated by the Florida Panthers.

It was an intense moment, and a version of Connor McDavid that many were surprised to witness, and a debate was sparked online over whether that was a good example of leadership or not.

But a good example of quality leadership is how one treats those around them. McDavid’s humility and how he carries himself off the ice are key, as Leavold describes, sharing his experience and peeling back the curtain on what it’s like to be around the Oilers superstar. It’s a reminder to many of why the Oilers chose him as captain and why his teammates only rave about him as their leader.

As August comes to a close, summer skates in Muskoka will wrap up, and the captain’s skates in Edmonton will begin, with Connor McDavid front and centre once again as he approaches his 12th NHL season.

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31 Oilers Questions: Is Zach Hyman due for a decline in 2026-27?

Ryley Delaney — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 23:00:07 GMT

Heading into the 2026-27 season, Oilersnation will ask one question about every Edmonton Oilers player projected to be on the 2026-27 roster in preparation for the upcoming season. From Connor McDavid to Mattias Janmark, let’s ask some questions.

The best free agent signing in Edmonton Oilers’ history is Zach Hyman, and it isn’t particularly close. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 draft, the Torontonian joined his hometown organization after four seasons at the University of Michigan. With the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hyman blossomed into a solid middle-six option.

Entering the 2021-22 off-season as an unrestricted free agent, Hyman signed a seven-year deal worth $38.5 million, or $5.5 million annually. He’s been worth every cent, as Hyman’s production has ballooned since signing.

Although the Oilers have got their money’s worth, the back-end of Hyman’s contract was always the biggest question mark. Now 34 years old, will the 2026-27 season finally be the year that Hyman’s play declines?

Is Zach Hyman due for a decline in 2026-27?

Hyman set a then career-high of 27 goals in 2021-22, followed by 36 goals and 83 points in 2022-23. In 2023-24, Hyman became one of just 102 players in NHL history to reach the 50-goal plateau in a season, scoring a career-high 54 goals. This alone makes the contract worth it, no matter what happens in the next two seasons.

The winger’s 2024-25 saw him score just 27 goals and 44 points in 73 games, the worst season he had as an Oiler in terms of production. After scoring 16 goals in the 2024 postseason, something that hadn’t been done since the 1990s, Hyman scored five goals and 11 points in 15 playoff games in the 2025 postseason.

In Game 4 of the Western Conference final, Hyman’s postseason ended, as he collided with Mason Marchment and dislocated his wrist. The Oilers once again fell to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup final, with Hyman’s absence being incredibly noticeable. It also led to Hyman missing the first 19 games of the 2025-26 season, and a bit longer to actually get going.

By the 11th game he played, Hyman had just two goals and six points. Then he scored a hat trick against the Detroit Red Wings, starting a 33-game stretch where he scored 25 goals and 37 points.

Like most Oilers, injuries hampered Hyman down the stretch, missing five of the Oilers’ last six games. It was clear injuries played a factor in his postseason as well, scoring just two goals in the six games the Oilers played against the Ducks.

Still, Hyman finished the regular season with 31 goals and 52 points in 58 games, on pace for 43 goals and 73 points if he had played 82 games. He’s missed some time with injuries the last two seasons, but that type of production isn’t the sign of someone on the decline.

What it comes down to is whether his body can hold up. A power forward, Hyman is one of the best net-front goal scorers in the league. But of course, being that net-front presence for as long as he has also wears on the body. The good news is that up until last season, Hyman played at least 73 or more games in a season since joining the Oilers, while his injury was on the fluky side.

Hyman will surely never score 70 goals in a season as he did in 2023-24, but a major decline (think Milan Lucic) seems rather improbable. He still figures to be an important part of the Oilers’ power play and top-six.

The Donair Crown Is Coming 👑🌯

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Come celebrate with a live broadcast, championship trophy presentation, music and more — plus, on September 2nd from 11am-2pm customers will receive a FREE donair of their choice.

The battle is over. The reign begins.

📍 Famous Donair Sherwood Park
📅 Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Come for the crown. Stay for the donair.

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Do the Edmonton Oilers possess the winning formula for a Stanley Cup?

Matt Kuny — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 21:00:15 GMT

The Winning Formula.

It’s an oft-used expression and something that every professional sports franchise is chasing. But what is the “winning formula” in the NHL? If it were as easy as applying a template, surely one of the great hockey minds out there would have solved it by now. While some sportswriter isn’t going to crack the code, we can look for common themes, styles of play and specific attributes. Let’s look at the most recent Cup champions to find out.

What was the winning formula for recent Stanley Cup champions?

2026: Carolina Hurricanes = dominant possession + depth contributions + overwhelming territorial advantage

2024 and 2025: Florida Panthers (sorry Edmonton Oilers fans) = formidable roster depth & scoring + suffocating defence

2023: Vegas Golden Knights = scoring depth + protecting the middle + surprise elite goaltending

2022: Colorado Avalanche = superstar talent up front and on defence + depth to supplement the stars

2020 and 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning = superstars in all three major positions + defensively responsible bottom-six + playoff experience

The first common theme that sticks out is depth – in one form or another. I’m not blowing anyone’s mind with depth contributions being paramount to winning the Stanley Cup, however, the different types of depth are what are interesting. For the Hurricanes, Panthers and Golden Knights, depth meant depth scoring – every line was dangerous. For the Avalanche and Lightning, depth contributions came more in the form of shutdown defence and role players, allowing more contributions from superstars. Bottom line, while scoring up and down the lineup is nice, it’s not a must. As long as everyone is filling their role – whether that be winning key faceoffs, shutting down the opponent’s best player or filling the net – winning seems to follow.

For many of these teams, aggressive roster management and key adds at the deadline created depth. Picks and prospects were moved to add players like Seth Jones, Brad Marchand, Ivan Barbashev, Artturi Lehkonen, Josh Manson, and Blake Coleman. Each of these players was a key contributor in their teams’ Cup runs.

Another (not surprising) trend – playing excellent defence also seems to lead teams to the promised land. Again, however, this seems to come in different forms. The Hurricanes didn’t have to play much defence because they always had the puck. The Panthers were impenetrable, even with Connor McDavid barreling down on them at times. Vegas protected the middle especially well, leading to few high-danger scoring chances. Even with the possession numbers often not in their favour, they were able to control the game and capitalize on the counterattack. Tampa got excellent goaltending to help out the defence and also had the threat of Hedman to Kucherov to the back of the net going the other way if the other team overcommitted. Championship defence has come in different forms, but it always results in the same thing – fewer pucks in your net.

It’s also hard to miss that, outside of the Hurricanes in 2026, all of these winners have true, top-tier NHL superstars on their roster. Having players who can take over a game and will their team to victory provides a distinct advantage in the playoffs where matchups play more of a factor, and checking is tighter than ever. The Hurricanes proved this is not a true ‘must-have’ to win, however, they do have several upper-tier players, any one of which can be a game-breaker on any given night. Again, no one is surprised that having superstars on your roster helps you win Stanley Cups, but seeing this trend from past champions reinforces the motivation for teams to go out and bring in as much top-tier talent as possible when they’re in their winning window.

What isn’t in the formulas also is interesting: top five power plays and penalty kills aren’t necessary to win. Many of these former champions weren’t in the top five on the PP or PK during the regular season. But most also weren’t near the bottom of the league in these categories either. It’s more about not having any weaknesses that can be exploited and having depth to fall back on when the games get tough in May and June.

Another interesting trend is seen in the Panthers and Lightning. In the years they repeated, both had underwhelming regular seasons, and long Cup runs (and summers spent celebrating) took their toll on these teams. Their saving grace was players who had been there and done that – once the playoffs rolled around, they were able to flip the switch. The Oilers fell short on this approach last year. While they didn’t win, two long playoff runs in the previous seasons had the group pacing themselves in the regular season. The problem was, when the playoffs came around, they were too injured and weren’t able to flip the switch to do the same damage as these repeat champions.

How do the Edmonton Oilers compare to recent Cup champions?

Now, considering these models, how do the Oilers stack up this season?

The Oilers’ forward depth has the opportunity to be special this season. A combination of elite scoring, young players looking to take the next step, and proven grit in the bottom-six makes this group a nightmare to gameplan for. The defensive group has long been one of the question marks for this team. The addition of Connor Murphy last season should help shore up the defensive side of the puck and the penalty kill. It will be interesting to see how new additions Ryan Shea and Shakir Mukhamadullin fit, but each carries the skill and hockey IQ to make a real difference. Goaltending looks really deep on paper – 2 goalies with extensive NHL experience and a young up-and-comer who has a tremendous upside. With the NHL continuing towards the model of a tandem being required to win, especially with an 84-game season this year, the Oilers will likely need contributions from all 3 players to do damage.

The Oilers match up with any other team’s star players extremely well – we have seen time and again the ability for one of (or both) Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl to take over a game. Their crazy point totals and constant contributions sometimes overshadow the efforts of Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman; we know this core has the star power to take over games in the post-season.

While the recent injury news surrounding Matt Savoie and Frederik Andersen has resulted in the projected cap space taking a hit, I would be surprised if the Oilers don’t work some magic this season so they can make some adjustments via trades or in-season signings. While the team has a history of adding at the deadline, I would expect them to be aggressive this year, especially if there is an obvious hole that needs to be filled.

Mike Babcock also could be an X-factor. Combine his knowledge, experience, and systems with a deeper roster and the Oilers could make some huge progress on their previous defensive struggles. The opportunity to supplement the D-core with an additional, proven player also instills confidence.

Lastly, coming off a longer summer of rest, rehabbing injuries, and a sour taste in their mouths from an early playoff exit last season, the team is positioned well to enter the playoffs in much better shape than last season. It’ll be interesting to see what the winning formula for the Oilers adds up to this season.

How will future NHL salary cap changes affect winning teams?

Now back to the bigger picture. The league is in a period of transformation – the salary cap is growing (projected at $113 million in 2027-28), contracts are becoming shorter, and players are starting to have more of a say in where they are playing and for how long. This surely affects what the winning formula will be in the future. With more money in play and players around for shorter periods of time, the ability to build culture and camaraderie will be at a premium. Groups need to gel together to win in hockey, and more changes of key players will make this harder to do. Championship windows will also get shorter – this will put more pressure on GMs to make moves that work in the short term. Managing cap space will be at even more of a premium than in the past, and contributions from players on entry-level contracts will be even more important. Ensuring your team is relevant so you can attract talent and keep it will be crucial given it will be easier than ever for players to jump ship if things aren’t working out. Future Cup champions will be the ones who still have deep rosters because they were able to manage these changes better than everyone else.

Letters to the Editor

Daily Faceoff Edmonton wants to hear from you, the reader, in our new weekly “Letters to the Editor” segment. Letters can be emailed to Daily Faceoff Edmonton’s managing editor Zach Laing (zach.laing@bettercollective.com), titled “Letters to the Editor.” Please include a letter up to 200 words, including your name and place of residence (city, town, province, or state). Your letters may be edited for length and/or clarity. Letters must be submitted by Sunday morning to be considered for that week’s edition.

Oilers prospect Aidan Park looks to builds on freshman year after viral draft moment

Lane Golden — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:00:05 GMT

Taking the stage on NHL draft night is a special moment in a young player’s career.

Most prospects invite their friends and family, dress in their sharpest suits, and anxiously await their chance to make the walk. But that wasn’t the case when Aidan Park heard the Edmonton Oilers call his name at the 2025 draft.

He took to the stage in shorts and a hoodie.

“I was there the first night to support my friend Ryker Lee, and he was picked by the Nashville Predators (No. 26), and they flew him out to Nashville the next morning,” Park said. “I had a couple of more friends that were picked the next day, and we were hanging out and the next thing you know, the second-to-last pick is announced, and I hear my name. It’s funny looking back.”

Lee was in the middle of his first media availability in Nashville when he saw Park being drafted on the TV mounted in the Predators media room.

“That was my roommate last year, and he just got picked in shorts and a hoodie,” Lee said, bursting out laughing. His interview quickly made the rounds on social media, making Park one of the most talked-about picks of the later rounds.

“I don’t think I’ll ever hear the end of it,” Park said. “That’s a super funny clip, and I definitely won’t forget that.”

Park’s viral moment might be what most people remember, but it wasn’t the beginning of his draft story. A year prior, he experienced the disappointment of going undrafted. Despite a fantastic season at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, where he produced 93 points in 56 games, Park was passed over.

The following season, he left Shattuck St. Mary’s to play in the USHL fulltime for Green Bay. He had an impressive campaign, registering 66 points in 55 games, which propelled him to No. 94 on NHL Central Scouting’s rankings and put him on the Oilers’ radar.

“I think [not getting drafted] was a big part of it,” said Park after being selected by Edmonton. “It was a huge disappointment, and I just challenged myself to have a really good summer, put a ton of work in, and try to prove people wrong this year.”

How did Aidan Park perform in his freshman year at Michigan?

Following his unlikely path to the draft, Park once again moved up a weight class, playing his 2025-26 season in the NCAA with the University of Michigan. In his first college campaign, he recorded 16 points in 39 games and posted a plus-11 rating.

“He’s going to be a stud hockey player,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said in December. “He’s helping us right now, figuring some stuff out, having some success as a freshman. He’s going to be a big-time piece this second half and a big-time player for Michigan down the road. I think his best attribute is his hockey IQ. You’ve really got to watch him and then spend time with him to appreciate it. We see him down the road being used in all situations and a leader on this team.”

Park believes that playing his first season on a stacked Michigan squad did wonders for his development as a player.

“But being a freshman on such a loaded team, I learned a lot being surrounded by so many talented players that all work so hard. The older guys were great to me and all the freshmen, so I think I learned a lot.”

What are Aidan Park’s family ties to the NHL?

After being selected in the seventh round as an overeager, Park hopes to one day complete his improbable journey by suiting up for the Oilers. If he does, that would make him the second member of his family to make it to the big leagues, after his uncle Richard Park, who played 738 games for six different NHL teams.

Richard Park was born in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to California as a toddler. At age 13, he moved to Toronto with his sister to play hockey and developed into a promising prospect. In 1994, the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him 50th overall, kickstarting a nearly 20-year professional hockey career. Aidan’s uncle is a source of motivation for him as he tries to carve out his own path to the pros.

“His story, I think, is really inspiring,” Aidan Park said. “He was really courageous all of his career as a pioneer, and I think it’s really inspirational seeing the obstacles he had to overcome, he and a lot of people like him. I think the journey has been a lot easier for me, so I think I look at him with appreciation, and I really respect and admire his courage.”

Richard Park likewise has immense respect for his nephew.

“If anything, if I was somewhat of a role model as far as setting a good example and showing him that anything is possible, that’s probably the most I’ll take credit for,” Richard Park said. “Aidan worked hard to create his own opportunities. He went through some tough moments so far in his young career that is only going to make him stronger and better at the end of the day.”

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Remaining free agents who could be of interest to the Oilers

Vladimir Tarasenko

Michael Bunting

Eeli Tolvanen

Adam Henrique or Curtis Lazar

Luke Kunin

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Jonathan Drouin

Patrik Laine

The Donair Crown Is Coming 👑🌯

Oilers captain Connor McDavid’s off-ice character praised by Muskoka coach

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31 Oilers Questions: Is Zach Hyman due for a decline in 2026-27?

Is Zach Hyman due for a decline in 2026-27?

Other Oilers questions…

The Donair Crown Is Coming 👑🌯

Do the Edmonton Oilers possess the winning formula for a Stanley Cup?

What was the winning formula for recent Stanley Cup champions?

How do the Edmonton Oilers compare to recent Cup champions?

How will future NHL salary cap changes affect winning teams?

Letters to the Editor

Oilers prospect Aidan Park looks to builds on freshman year after viral draft moment

How did Aidan Park perform in his freshman year at Michigan?

What are Aidan Park’s family ties to the NHL?

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