“From Rivalries to Redemption: The 10 Most Anticipated Edmonton Oilers Games That Could Define Their 2025-26 NHL Season Run”
The Edmonton Oilers enter the 2025-26 NHL season with a sense of urgency, unfinished business, and sky-high expectations. After coming painfully close to capturing hockey’s ultimate prize in recent seasons, this year’s team is more determined than ever. Led by the unstoppable duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, a retooled supporting cast, and a coaching staff with deep playoff scars turned lessons, Edmonton’s path to redemption will be paved with high-stakes battles, revenge narratives, and moments that will either fortify or fracture their championship hopes. While every game matters over the grind of 82 nights, certain matchups carry emotional weight, playoff implications, or legacy-defining potential. These are the games that fans mark on their calendars the second the schedule drops. These are the nights when Rogers Place turns electric, road cities get hostile, and the entire hockey world tunes in to see if the Oilers are for real.
One of the most anticipated games of the season is the opening night clash, where the Oilers will look to send a message from puck drop. The NHL loves drama, and there’s no better script than starting a season against a recent playoff rival. Whether it’s Vegas, Dallas, or Florida, whoever lines up across from the Oilers on night one will be walking into a storm. The energy, the stakes, and the need to shake off last season’s heartbreak with a thunderous start will be palpable. For McDavid and company, it’s more than just two points—it’s a tone-setter.
Then there’s the first Battle of Alberta. Edmonton vs. Calgary remains one of the fiercest rivalries in all of hockey, and no matter where each team sits in the standings, these games are wars. The Oilers have largely had Calgary’s number in recent years, but that doesn’t make it any less intense. Expect a sold-out crowd, flying fists, and maybe a highlight-reel goal or two from McDavid that will be replayed for weeks. Beyond the bad blood, these are points that could decide playoff seeding, divisional supremacy, or even just bragging rights. And if you think Calgary has forgotten being knocked out in previous playoff matchups, think again—they’ll be gunning for Edmonton with everything they’ve got.
Another matchup that Oilers fans should be buzzing about is their showdown with the Colorado Avalanche. This is a clash between two teams that were both, not long ago, seen as the NHL’s next great dynasty. The Avs got their Cup in 2022, but the Oilers still hunger for theirs. These games always feel like Western Conference Final previews, and they often deliver the kind of fast-paced, elite-level hockey that makes fans fall in love with the sport. Watching McDavid and Draisaitl go head-to-head with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar is worth the price of admission alone. These are the nights when the superstars shine, and the smallest mistakes can swing the game.
Speaking of playoff rematches, a return game against the Florida Panthers will be emotionally charged if the Oilers faced them in the Stanley Cup Final. If that was the case, then this is a circle-the-calendar, “revenge or repeat” kind of night. Even if it wasn’t Florida, whichever Eastern Conference team handed Edmonton heartbreak will be met with a furious response. For McDavid, who continues to chase the Cup-shaped validation to match his personal accolades, games like this offer a chance to write new chapters of greatness. It’s not just about winning—it’s about proving that last season’s ending was a lesson, not a verdict.
Another heavyweight bout that should have fans salivating is when the Oilers take on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Canada’s two most iconic franchises, both led by generational stars, both desperate to end their respective championship droughts. These games don’t just attract national attention—they dominate it. The McDavid vs. Matthews showdown always delivers, and the Toronto media frenzy only adds fuel to the fire. Whether it’s in Edmonton or at Scotiabank Arena, expect playoff-like intensity, superstar moments, and maybe a few viral highlights.
Also intriguing are the contests against the defending Stanley Cup champions, whoever they may be. These games are the ultimate measuring sticks. Beat the best, and you send a message to the league that Edmonton is not just a contender—they’re a favorite. Lose, and you expose areas that still need work. The Oilers have built their identity around speed, skill, and power-play dominance, but it’s games like these that test defensive depth, mental toughness, and the ability to adapt mid-game. If Edmonton wants to lift the Cup, they’ll have to go through teams like this—and these matchups will be the early exams.
Looking at the calendar, a particularly grueling stretch of road games against Central Division powerhouses could define the middle of Edmonton’s season. Stops in Winnipeg, Dallas, and Minnesota over a two-week span will test endurance, discipline, and the ability to steal points in tough barns. These aren’t always the most glamorous matchups, but for teams with Cup aspirations, they are crucial. Depth players need to step up. Goaltending must be sharp. Special teams can make or break the trip. It’s in these dog days that championship teams separate themselves from the rest.
Then there’s the Connor Bedard factor. Edmonton’s games against the Chicago Blackhawks, now featuring the NHL’s newest phenom, will carry extra intrigue. Bedard grew up idolizing McDavid. Now, he gets to face him. These matchups have all the makings of passing-the-torch moments, or perhaps a reaffirmation of McDavid’s status as the game’s undisputed best. Either way, the hockey world will be watching, and if Bedard rises to the challenge, these could become must-see events for years to come.
Late-season games against division rivals like the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks could also hold immense weight. Playoff positioning, home-ice advantage, and potentially even qualification itself could be on the line. These are the games where playoff intensity starts weeks early. Every shift is tighter, every goal feels heavier, and every mistake could be the one that changes the course of a season. Edmonton’s leaders—especially veterans who have felt postseason heartbreak—will need to guide the younger players through the storm. These aren’t just games. They’re rehearsals for what’s coming.
And finally, there’s Fan Appreciation Night, the regular season home finale at Rogers Place. No matter where the Oilers sit in the standings at that point, it’s always an emotional, electrifying night. It’s a celebration of a city that lives and breathes hockey, and of a team that, for all its ups and downs, continues to carry the hopes of a province and a country on its back. It’s a night where fans remember the journey. A night where players look ahead. And if all goes according to script, it might just be the beginning of something historic.
With a loaded roster, unfinished business, and a fanbase starving for glory, the Edmonton Oilers will face no shortage of defining moments this season. But it’s in these particular games—these emotionally charged, high-stakes battles—that legacies can be shaped, narratives rewritten, and championships dreamed into reality. Hockey’s a long season. But if the Oilers rise when it matters most, we might just look back at some of these nights and realize that the story of their Cup run began long before the playoffs ever started.
