The Edmonton Oilers have Connor McDavid back after a three-game suspension and, with that, came some pretty major line changes.

Podkolzin notched an assist, two shots on goal and a minus-2 rating in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Capitals.

How does a team replace Connor McDavid in their lineup? That’s an easy question — They don’t. With the team’s captain serving the first game of a three-game suspension for cross-checking, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said it’ll take a community approach to handle playing without McDavid.

The best news the Edmonton Oilers could have received? They just got it. This in from the National Hockey League today, “The NHL and NHLPA also announced that team payroll ranges for the next three seasons would be an Upper Limit of $95.

The Edmonton Oilers dropped a disappointing loss to the Detroit Red Wings last night, and in response, Coach Knoblauch is breaking up the most consistent line this season.

If Klingberg assuages the Oilers’ No. 1 need coming out of training camp — a right-handed Top 4 defenceman — then Edmonton’s trade capital can be spent elsewhere at the March 7 trade deadline. Quite likely on a left winger to play next to Leon Draisaitl, one with superior offensive capabilities to what Vasily Podkolzin provides.

Are the Edmonton Oilers a better team than they were a season ago? I think they might be. A year ago this week the Oilers were riding an incredible 16-game winning streak and preparing for the NHL All-Star Break Feb.

THROUGH GAMES OF WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29, 2025

Not exactly a masterpiece at Rogers Place on Monday night, but the Edmonton Oilers ’ mastery of the Seattle Kraken continued with an eighth consecutive victory for the blue and orange. As was the case in Seattle at the beginning of the month, the Oilers walked away with a 4-2 win, an emtpy-net goal sealing the deal in each instance.

It has not been the type of season that the Edmonton Oilers had envisioned for free-agent signing Jeff Skinner.

Connor McDavid is back and the blender is out. Ahead of Monday’s game against the Seattle Kraken, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch made a few changes to his team’s forward lines.

The improvement in scoring at five-on-five (by far the largest game state) represents a major positive shift for the Oilers in 2024-25. The coaching staff is trying to suppress opposition offence while making certain the elite talent on the Oilers can wheel.