The Edmonton Oilers concluded their pre-season schedule with a 4-2-2 file after dropping 3-2 in additional time to the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Enviornment on Friday (Oct. 3).
General, this was a fairly stable preseason for the Oilers. Whereas the crew won’t look as ready for the common season as some followers would like, the play of Edmonton’s prospects over these eight video games has given cause for pleasure in Oil Nation.
From the veterans that had been in midseason type to the aspiring NHLers that made an enormous impression, listed below are Edmonton’s prime 5 gamers of the 2025 preseason.
Kasperi Kapanen
After enjoying maybe his finest hockey as an Oiler within the latter a part of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, veteran ahead Kasperi Kapanen seems to have carried that momentum by means of the summer season.
Kapanen ranked at or close to the highest of many statistical classes for the Oilers this preseason, tying for the crew lead with three targets, tying for second with 10 pictures, and main the way in which with 20 penalty minutes. He exhibited hustle and depth proper from the opening of Edmonton’s preseason schedule on Sept. 21, when he potted the game-winner towards the Calgary Flames.
The 29-year-old winger was considered one of solely three gamers to swimsuit up for a team-high six video games, and the opposite two had been younger prospects Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard. Which will point out how necessary the Oilers really feel it’s for Kapanen to begin robust, following a rocky 2024-25 marketing campaign which noticed him wrestle to get on monitor after being claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.
Darnell Nurse
Among the many larger names on the Oilers, Darnell Nurse was simply the sharpest and hardest-working participant throughout the preseason. Averaging slightly below 23 minutes of ice time, the 30-year-old defenceman was in every single place at each ends of the ice, attacking the sport with playoff vitality.
Nurse was Edmonton’s unlikely co-leader for targets within the preseason, scoring 3 times in 4 video games to tie with Leon Draisaitl and Kapanen for first on the crew. He additionally led the Oilers with 17 pictures on purpose, together with six towards the Canucks on Friday.
Over his 4 appearances, Nurse totalled 13 blocks and 10 hits. Towards the Flames at Rogers Place on Sept. 21, he had 5 blocks and 5 hits, one thing the veteran of 11 NHL seasons has solely carried out 4 instances in 716 profession regular-season video games.
Noah Philp
Noah Philp may need been the Oilers’ prime ahead over the primary few video games of the preseason. The 27-year-old centre was notably spectacular in Edmonton’s 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Sept. 23, when he recorded two main assists (together with establishing Ty Emberson for the game-winning purpose), 4 hits, one blocked shot, and went 8-7 within the faceoff circle.
Whereas Philp didn’t fairly stand out as a lot in the direction of the tip of Edmonton’s schedule, he nonetheless completed the preseason with 4 factors in 5 video games, tying for the crew lead in assists (three) and plus/minus score (plus-3).
After showing in 15 video games with the Oilers final season, Philp has actually performed himself into competition for a spot on the crew’s season-opening roster. He’s a well-rounded participant who has proven the utility skillset very best for a bottom-six position.
Alec Regula
Alec Regula’s shocking preseason has created maybe the hardest choice for the Oilers, as they determine whether or not to incorporate the 25-year-old defenceman on their season-opening roster or danger dropping him on waivers.
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Nobody knew fairly what to anticipate of Regula, who hadn’t performed a single recreation of aggressive hockey since March 2024 after spending all final season recovering from knee surgical procedure, however the Michigan product made an enormous impression over 5 preseason appearances.
Logging almost 19 minutes per recreation, Regula showcased nice puck-moving skill. He performed sensible and sound hockey, trying like somebody who has much more than his 22 video games of NHL regular-season expertise. However in maybe the best testomony to his readiness, Regula skated with 4 completely different defensive companions and meshed nicely with all of them.
Matthew Savoie
There’s quite a lot of stress this season on Matthew Savoie, who is anticipated to make the leap from the American Hockey League (AHL) to the NHL full-time and have a big position for the Oilers in 2025-26. However based mostly on what he confirmed throughout the preseason, the 21-year-old centre is able to assembly these lofty expectations.
Whereas he solely scored as soon as in 5 video games, Savoie demonstrated a terrific two-way recreation, doing all of the little issues. He has velocity, is an efficient passer, wins puck battles, and kills penalties. Savoie additionally completed tied for second on the crew with 10 pictures on purpose.
However above all, he regarded like a veteran. Savoie possesses large hockey IQ and at all times appears to be in the proper place. He proved that he’s prepared for the NHL and has the potential to blossom into probably the greatest all-around gamers the Oilers have had in a very long time.
Edmonton begins its forty sixth season within the NHL with a house recreation towards the Flames at Rogers Place on Wednesday (Oct. 8).
