On April 16th, the Edmonton Oilers confirmed their opponents in the 2026 playoffs: the Anaheim Ducks. Edmonton is a much older team than the Ducks, which is why that series was more in favor of the Oilers.
The Ducks unexpectedly won the first round in 6 games. Anaheim wasn’t even sure that they would make the playoffs, with only the 16 best teams in the league getting in. And here they arrive, eliminating one of the best teams in the NHL. They are now moving into the second round against the Utah Mammoth. That loss was very unexpected and, of course, surprised Canadians and the entire hockey world.
” We were an average team all year. An average team with high expectations, you’re going to be disappointed. We just never found it.” Connor McDavid told the reporters after their elimination.
In past years, the Oilers succeeded a lot in the regular season and in the playoffs. For two years in a row, they made their way up to the finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Unfortunately, they lost both times to the Florida Panthers. In the regular season, they performed super well, even though they had miserable, inconsistent goalies.
The Edmonton Oilers have two of the best players in the NHL. Connor McDavid, a 29-year-old center, is often the best player each year, scoring over 100 points most seasons. He is the captain of the Oilers, and he proved it by leading his team to the finals for two consecutive years. He was selected 1st overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He is now 29 years old, so he is at the peak of his career.
Their other star player is Leon Draisaitl, a German NHL player. He’s 30 years old and 6 feet 2 inches tall, which is a good frame for the NHL. He usually produces more than 100 points in a normal season, when he isn’t injured. This season, on March 15, he got a lower-body injury. That injury sidelined him for the last 14 games of the season, but he returned to action in time for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
There have been some rumors lately about a possible trade including Connor McDavid. He might get traded to another team next year for one big reason. The main problem is that the Oilers are not winning the Stanley Cup. In the last 5 years, they got really close, but never managed to win it all. Connor McDavid has the talent to win one; he just needs the right team to help him win. ” All options are on the table.” Said the star player about a month ago to journalists.
