If you lived through what many dub the 'decade of darkness' in Oil country, you will rejoice hearing that three Edmonton Oilers players were ranked among the league's best players by Sportsnet National Hockey League (NHL) insiders.
Sportsnet released a list of the top 50 players league wide entering the 2025-26 regular season, featuring players from all around the league playing all three positions. Saying "There was only one rule: As with last year’s list, this ranking is forward-looking. It doesn’t factor in legacy or past performance; it considers only how the league’s best are expected to stack up against each other in 2025-26."
Unsurprisingly with the club making two straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances, multiple Oilers players made the cut. The first player is
Evan Bouchard
The first Oilers player ranked on the top 50 list, Evan Bouchard who was 38th on the list, sandwiched right in between New York Rangers defenceman, Adam Fox at 37th and Ottawa Senators blueliner, Jake Sanderson at 39th.
Bouchard, 25, is a right-handed defenceman who has become one of the premier offensive blueliners in the entire NHL. He scored 67 points (14 goals, 53 assists) in 82 games last season and looks poised for a bounce back season after amassing 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 22 playoff games.
He inked a four-year contract extension earlier this summer, worth $10.5 million annual average value (AAV). This contract makes him the fourth highest paid defenceman by AAV for the 2025-26 season and rightfully so. He is worth it as an elite defender in the NHL.
Leon Draisaitl
The next player ranked on the Oilers is all the way at No. 3, German star Leon Draisaitl. If not already, Draisaitl will be known as the greatest German hockey player of all-time when he hangs up his skates and for a variety of reasons.
He is the definition of a dual-threat player showcasing elite vision as a playmaker and is one of the NHL's most lethal snipers. On top of this, he has done work to add a two-way element to his game and has spoken about wanting to becoming a true Selke trophy candidate to further solidify his two-way prowess.
Looking ahead, if he can find a way to continue scoring at his 100+ point pace, challenging for Rocket Richard trophies year after year, while also being a shutdown centre, his spot this high will be more than justified. What a better time to hit this level than when he is slated to be the highest paid player this upcoming season, on the first year of an eight-year deal, carrying a $14 million AAV.
Connor McDavid
Last but certainly not least, Oilers captain, Connor McDavid. One of the best ways to describe the pure dominance of McDavid is to point out that he had one of his worst statistical seasons last year, scoring 26 goals and 74 assists for 100 points in 67 games.
The 28 year old is the top star in the NHL and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, he is a truly dominant generational talent. He is also entering the final year of his eight-year deal, paying him $12.5 million AAV and looks to enter the season without a contract extension in hand.
Moving forward, McDavid is bound to bounce back in the short term, going back to his previous totals well surpassing his 100 point totals. More importantly, McDavid hopes to finally capture the evasive holy grail of hockey, the Stanley Cup.