The Edmonton Oilers have -- to put it mildly -- had a slow start to the 2025-26 National Hockey League season.
The team has struggled to generate offence from the depth and from their backend with their goaltending as a whole being underwhelming. Both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard currently have a sub-.900 save percentage to start the year.
However, despite the start and some of the underperformances, the team has still had a few players standout. There are also three specific players who have exceeded expectations to start the year and if they can keep up their performance, will be a big part of the team's fortunes this season.
Noah Philp
The 27 year old Noah Philp has been a revelation in Oil Country. Although just a few seasons ago he was playing at the University of Alberta in USports, he has become a fan favourite for his hometown team. He is a big bodied centre who fits in most in a bottom-six role but has shown he is capable of providing legitimate secondary scoring.
Now, he has made the club out of camp and is starting his career as an overaged rookie. Despite not playing in every game, he has been impressive in the six game she has dressed for so far. He has scored two goals and one assist for three points in six games. He has also averaged over 11 minutes a game so far.
If he can keep up his scoring pace, he could prove to be a reliable depth option this season and beyond, giving the Oilers some legitimate options at third line centre.
Jake Walman
The recently extended defenceman Jake Walman started the year off on injured reserve, only returning to play the past five games. However in that time, he has been a lethal force driving play and has fit in with his partner Darnell Nurse quite well.
In his five games, he has scored one goal (an overtime winning goal) and four assists for five points. Although he is known as an offensively gifted defender, his point-per-game numbers far exceed his career average.
He has been a perfect fit ever since general manager Stan Bowman acquired him back in March at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
Ty Emberson
The bottom-pairing stay-at-home defensive defenceman Ty Emberson has looked like more of a two-way option to start the season. He has been getting the bounces and although it is likely unsustainable, his high end defensive play is quite sustainable.
Through 11 games, the 25 year old has notched three points (one goal, two assists) while logging crucial time on the penalty kill and playing third pairing minutes at even strength. He is much more widely known for his defensive prowess, which according to evolving-hockey.com has been phenomenal as he ranks as the Oilers best defenceman in shot suppression and scoring chances.
He may not be the sexiest name on the backend but Emberson brings sound play and with his importance on the PK, he may have made himself untradeable.