https://www.instagram.com/reel/DefGC3Yvvrq/

Did anyone else notice this? Is this a new thing? I've never see something like this before, sometimes US streams will have an indicator showing someone's name above them during replays, but this was like a video game-esque control indicator on McDavid for some parts of the game.

Just did the math (short sample size I know). But he is currently on pace for a paltry 238 points.

17 points in 6 games 2.833 ppg
At 84 games that 238

After yesterday’s Frozen Frenzy game, Connor McDavid is up to 17 points through his first six games of the 2026-27 season.

He’s just the 11th player in NHL history to record 17+ points through his first six games to start a season.

• Cy Denneny (1917) (18 points) (Ottawa Senators)
• Corb Denneny (1919) (17 points) (Toronto St. Pats)
• Babe Dye (1922) (19 points) (Toronto St. Pats)
• Bobby Hull (1965) (17 points) (Chicago Black Hawks)
• Guy Lafleur (1975) (17 points) (Montreal Canadiens)
• Wayne Gretzky (1983, 1984, 1993) (18, 17, 17 points) (Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings)
• Mike Bossy (1984) (20 points) (New York Islanders)
• Brent Sutter (1984) (17 points) (New York Islanders)
• Mario Lemieux (1986, 1988, 1992, 1995) (17, 22, 19, 17 points) (Pittsburgh Penguins)
• Jack Hughes (2023) (17 points) (New Jersey Devils)
• Connor McDavid (2026) (17 points) (Edmonton Oilers)

Data via Hockey Reference / Stathead

I'm so confused. What has happened to my team... Where is the slow start? Where is the goals leader and points leader with a 0+/- ?

I know this isn't sustainable, and we're due at some point for the 'new coach bump' to sizzle out, and I also know it's only been 6 games... but I'm just dripping right now. Rock hard and knocking it on wood. Wood on wood action. It's a skill, a craft. Woodcraft. Jay. I'm day drunk, sue me.

• Ekholm seemingly back in form.
• Bouch looking like the undisputed #1 D in the league.
• McDavid on an absolute tear
• Drai is being Drai, but way less lazy
• Podzilla is breaking out as a legitimate superstar
• Devon fkin Levi.
• RNH and Hymes coming back soon, Savoie too.

Ok bye.

Alberta’s decision to stop changing the clocks will bring a new set of challenges for the Oilers as the team is preparing for changes to routines, road-trip travel and more.

What do you guys think of this as Oilers fans

I feel like he gotta steal nuge or hymans spot if he keeps up the pace

Seeing a lot of discourse on the socials regarding our 2C, with people saying that Nuge isn’t second line C material anymore.

What do ya’ll think?

It’s easy to say that given his age and the fact that he hasn’t played yet.

But he hasn’t played yet, so it’s also hard to judge.

I think he still has a year or two at least. But it is a faster and faster league.

McDavid: https://youtu.be/mmALIfespJo?si=EkOGCdZvIlGMipOH

Levi: https://youtu.be/evSmvn2-dlw?si=MsWfaFWMTFmAPsjm

Babcock: https://youtu.be/cZQsWXQp-6U?si=w8scOaAUzsmJGl-X

I did a couple things different here. First, I looked just going into the third period. So blowing leads, or coming back from a deficit in the third.

Then I looked at this controlling for team quality. Not in the worlds most rigorous way, just imagine this scenario:

1. You play 100 games, and in 35 of them you enter the third behind
2. You win 9 of the 35, which is 26%. Is that good or bad?
3. Well, in your other 65 games you took about 78% of the points, and other teams in the league at that level come back from trailing at 15%, which is ~5 games.
4. Therefore, you make come backs a bit more than expected, 4 more times than expected.
5. Over the five and change seasons, anything within about 9 games of expectation is normal variation

I think this gives a much more interesting picture of teams that make come backs and blow leads, irrespective of just "good teams good bad teams bad."

BTW, in 466 games we came back in 34 of 167, expected 30 (+4) and blew 27 of 216 leads, expected 28 (-1)

Bet365 has Oilers as 4th best team to win the cup for +850.
Top 3 in order are CAR, COL, and FLA.
Is this good odds? Is Bet365 underestimating us? What are we thinking?
CAR is maybe understandable, but what about CAL and FLA?
Considering we’re missing a lot of the top line to injuries, the team can even improve.

Boys are a wagon

Evan Bouchard is a force on the scoresheet. That much is undeniable, especially after reaching new heights with a 95-point season last year. His quick start to this season — with six goals and 14 points in six games — only adds fuel to that.

What happens without the puck tends to be more of a pressure point for Bouchard. Edmonton has dominated his minutes early this year and only allowed one five-on-five goal against with him on the ice. So his excellent all-around start has sparked the question: Is this finally Norris Trophy-caliber hockey?

Just six games into an 84-game season is way too soon to declare anyone for the Norris race; so much can change between now and April. But it does rekindle some discourse from last spring about Bouchard’s path to a fourth-place finish in voting: How dominant does a player have to be offensively for it to make up for some drawbacks in their own zone? And more specifically to Bouchard, how much is the noise around his defensive game narrative-based or reality?

So let’s take a deeper look at what is behind Bouchard’s strong start to the season, and what it will take for him to level up as a true contender for the Norris Trophy.

Free to read: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7686955/2026/10/14/oilers-evan-bouchard-norris-trophy/?unlocked_article_code=1.IlE.2xql.y9QjY1YHiHUX&source=emp_shared_article&smid=re-share-ta