American Thanksgiving is here, which is a great benchmark to reflect on the Edmonton Oilers. They have played 25 games thus far, and their schedule is more than a quarter complete. They have had an underwhelming start, like they do every season in recent memory. They are 10-10-5 and sit sixth place in the Pacific division, which isn’t where they want to be.
This season has had many lows and not nearly enough highs. There’s plenty of negativity surrounding this team right now, so it’s important to reflect on the positives. Despite being a Canadian franchise on American Thanksgiving, the Oilers and their fans have plenty to be thankful for, even though things haven’t been going their way. With that said, here are three things the Oilers should be thankful for as we approach the holiday season.
Back-To-Back Stanley Cup Final Appearances
The Oilers have appeared in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Florida Panthers both times. While that’s a tough pill to swallow, 30 other teams wish they were in that position, so the fans shouldn’t take that for granted. You never know when or if you will get back to that point, so enjoy it while you can. While it sucks to come up short, they were right there and still have Stanley Cup aspirations, despite their slow start. Their Cup window is still open.
Related: Why the Oilers Mean So Much to Edmonton
The fan base had the opportunity to watch their team play in June, and that’s a luxury. It was a fun rollercoaster ride. This team gave us plenty of memorable moments, with hopefully more to come and we should be thankful for the memories and excitement they provided us. Making the Stanley Cup Final is a difficult feat, so the fact that they accomplished it in consecutive seasons is impressive regardless of the outcome.
Jack Roslovic
General manager Stan Bowman struck gold when he inked free agent forward Jack Roslovic to a one-year, $1.5 million contract during the Oilers’ season opener. The Oilers haven’t had success in the free agent pool in the last few seasons; they signed Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson during the 2024 offseason, and neither player worked out. Skinner was constantly healthy-scratched and signed with the San Jose Sharks as a free agent, while Arvidsson was traded to the Boston Bruins in the summer after an underwhelming season. The Oilers also signed Andrew Mangiapane this offseason, and he’s still struggling to find a role on this team. So, at least Roslovic has been an impactful player and a rare bright spot in a relatively-disappointing campaign.
The 28-year-old has scored 10 goals and accumulated 18 points in 23 games so far, including 17 points in his last 16 games, with five multipoint performances. He has been a perfect addition to the top six and has added some much-needed 5-on-5 secondary scoring. The Columbus, Ohio, native has also been on the first power-play unit with the injuries to Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, has been an exceptional complement to the big guns, and carries an extremely affordable contract. Where would the Oilers be without his production?
Connor McDavid’s Contract Extension
Connor McDavid remains the best player in the world and is in the final season of his eight-year, $100 million contract, carrying a $12.5 million cap hit. The Oilers’ captain was eligible to sign an extension on July 1, and he finally signed his new deal on Oct. 6, right before the season opener. However, this deal shocked the hockey world as he signed for two more years at the same $12.5 million cap hit.
Many people thought that he was going to cash in with a lucrative extension, but that wasn’t the case. He took a massive discount to stay in Edmonton and hopefully chase that elusive Stanley Cup championship. He could’ve demanded a lot more, and would’ve gotten it, either from Edmonton or on the open market. However, it’s clear he wants to win in Edmonton and has given the organization every opportunity to build a championship-calibre team around him these next few seasons. He left millions of dollars on the table, and for that, the fan base should be thankful.
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