Who said the Edmonton Oilers couldn’t defend?
Connor McDavid and co. have built a reputation as an offensive juggernaut in Alberta’s capital. As a result, Edmonton’s defensive prowess has been under scrutiny for what seems like decades, with things coming to a head during a disappointing first-round playoff exit last season.
The Oilers were a mess in their own zone during the 2025-26 campaign. They leaked goals, lacked a consistent defensive structure, struggled mightily on the penalty kill, and couldn’t rely on any of their goalies to bail them out when needed.
Edmonton made the playoffs but finished in the bottom 10 in goals against (GA), expected goals against (xGA), and goals saved above expected (GSAx). Those weaknesses ultimately kept the Oilers from going far in the playoffs, and they needed to make changes this season if they wanted to finally get over that Stanley Cup hump.
It’s early, but eight games into the new season, and it looks like new head coach Mike Babcock has done more than just improve the team’s overall defensive play. The Oilers have remained an offensive powerhouse, but are also one of the NHL’s most staunch defensive units.
Edmonton may be dealing with their fair share of injuries up front, but they haven’t stopped performing at a high level on the ice. According to HockeyStats.com, the Oilers are fourth in the league with 25 goals scored (GF), fifth in goals-for percentage (GF%), and ninth in expected goals-for percentage (xGF%), meaning they have no trouble finding the back of the net.
Much of that comes down to Edmonton’s top players carrying a large share of the load while others slowly return from injury, but the real surprise is that the defensive side of the puck has also been elite.
The Oilers have suddenly become a top-10 defensive team early into the season. They currently rank seventh in the NHL with 14 GA, and second with 12.5 xGA. They lead the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes at 1.9.
It should terrify opposing NHL teams that a shorthanded Oilers squad is starting to build its defensive game without sacrificing much offensive strength. And this is all without Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Matt Savoie, who should both return from injury over the next couple of weeks.
It also helps that Devon Levi has steadied the crease for Edmonton at the start of the year, posting a .939 save percentage over his last four starts.
Goaltending and defence have been the two sticking points the Oilers have struggled with in the McDavid era, but it looks like they may have figured both out this season.