The Edmonton Oilers are in store for another exciting season for a variety of reasons. They will have some new weapons up front in Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, along with a new defenceman fans seem to be optimistic about in Ty Emberson.
Thanks to the additions of Skinner and Arvidsson, the Oilers are currently the betting favourite to win the Stanley Cup. While that is top of the list as to why fans should be excited, there are also plenty of milestones a number of players can reach this coming season, which will help add to the fun. Here is a look at the five most notable ones.
McDavid Closing in on 1,000 Points
Connor McDavid has amazed time and time again throughout his NHL career, but perhaps the most telling stat of how dominant he has been is the fact he’s just 18 points away from 1,000 in his career at only 27 years old.
McDavid, who has played only 645 games, has had seven seasons in which he has hit the 100-point mark. Barring injury, he will do so again, and should be able to hit 1,000 early in the season. He will join Wayne Gretzky (1,669), Jari Kurri (1,043), and Mark Messier (1,034) as the only players to post more than 1,000 points in Oilers franchise history.
Draisaitl Chasing 400 Goals
McDavid’s right-hand man, Leon Draisaitl, is nearing a historic feat of his own. The 28-year-old has 347 goals, putting him just 53 away from 400 in his career. It won’t be an easy task for him to accomplish that total this coming season, though he has hit the 50 mark three times in his career, including a personal best 55 in 2021-22.
The only three players to score more than 400 goals in an Oilers sweater are Gretzky (583), Kurri (474), and Glenn Anderson (417). Draisaitl has a chance to join that list with a big 2024-25 season, and also sits just 50 points shy of 900 in what has been an outstanding career thus far.
Skinner Approaching 100 Wins
Thanks to 36 wins in 2023-24, Stuart Skinner is approaching a big milestone early in his career. The 25-year-old sits just 28 wins shy of 100 in his career, which, if he is healthy, he should pass with flying colours. The Oilers are believed by many to be an even better team than a year ago, which could see him set a new career-high in single-season wins.
Should Skinner get to 100, he will become the 13th goalie in Oilers franchise history to do so. At spot number 12 on that list is Jussi Markkanen with 102, who he should be able to pass this season. Despite still having his fair share of critics, he has certainly racked up a lot of wins early on in his career.
Nugent-Hopkins Nearing 900 Games Played
Another milestone Oilers fans are sure to love belongs to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The 31-year-old, who was selected first overall in 2011, is just 19 games shy of 900 in his career. While that may not seem as significant as a few other milestones already mentioned, it will make him just the third player in franchise history to log 900 games with the organization.
Second place on that list is Ryan Smyth at 971, who Nugent-Hopkins has a chance at surpassing next season. Kevin Lowe is first with 1,037 games. That is still a ways off, but given Nuge’s contract situation, it feels like a strong bet that he will surpass that mark. That will be a big day in Edmonton, as he has been a fan favourite for well over a decade.
Perry Climbing All-Time Games Played List
One of the few players on the Oilers roster who has logged more games than Nugent-Hopkins is Corey Perry. The 39-year-old has logged a whopping 1,311 games throughout his lengthy career. That total is good enough for 68th in NHL history.
Having slowed down with age, Perry is expected to be a depth piece for the Oilers this coming season. As a result, it’s uncertain how many games he will suit up for. That said, he’s just 67 games back of Joe Sakic, Dean Prentice, and Vincent Damphousse, who sit tied at 48th. He’s also just 71 shy of Trevor Linden for 47th, and 73 shy of Larry Robinson for 46th.
Plenty of Others to Monitor
There are plenty of other milestone chases this season as well. Zach Hyman is just one point shy of 400 in his career, while Jeff Skinner is only 30 away from 700. Evan Bouchard sits just 29 points shy of 200, while Viktor Arvidsson is just 21 goals shy of 200. While the Stanley Cup is the big goal, there will be plenty of other reasons for Oilers fans to cheer this upcoming season.
