NHL Odds: Is it time to start betting on the Edmonton Oilers?
A couple of months ago the sky was falling in Edmonton. The Oilers were well out of a playoff spot and it cost head coach Jay Woodcroft his job. Fast forward to 2024 and Edmonton has a new head coach in Kris Knoblauch, they have a new responsible style of play and they have a new franchise record 11-game win streak.
So, is it time to start betting on success for the Edmonton Oilers?
Don’t forget to check out our complete list of NHL game odds, NHL futures and NHL specials and props.
Record win streak
| Date | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| December 21 | @ New Jersey | 6-3 |
| December 22 | @ NY Rangers | 4-3 |
| December 28 | @ San Jose | 5-0 |
| December 30 | @ Los Angeles | 3-2 SO |
| December 31 | @ Anaheim | 7-2 |
| January 2 | vs. Philadelphia | 5-2 |
| January 6 | vs. Ottawa | 3-1 |
| January 9 | @ Chicago | 2-1 |
| January 11 | @ Detroit | 3-2 OT |
| January 13 | @ Montreal | 2-1 OT |
| January 16 | vs. Toronto | 4-2 |
The Oilers are riding a pretty amazing win streak when you consider none of the 1980’s dynasty teams in Edmonton ever won 11 games in a row. If you’re looking for more historical context, only 32 teams have ever had an 11-game win streak while the all-time record is the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins’ 17-game streak.
The Oilers’ win streak began December 21 in New Jersey and overall it has included an impressive eight road wins. Even more encouraging for Edmonton is the fact they’ve played the least amount of games of any Wester Conference team, so they could climb a lot higher in the standings. Currently sitting in the first wild card spot, the Oilers trails the Kings by just one point for third in the Pacific Division standings and they have one game in-hand. They also have four games in-hand on the top two teams in the Pacific, Vancouver and Vegas.
The winning streak obviously has to end at some point, but there’s reason to believe it won’t end in January. Edmonton has a pretty favourable schedule to close out the month, with four of their next five games coming against teams not currently in a playoff spot.
What has changed for the Oilers?
Essentially since Connor McDavid has entered the NHL, Edmonton has relied on skill and scoring to beat opponents. The major change over the last couple of months has been the Oilers’ ability to grind out close, low scoring games with contributions throughout the lineup. Edmonton isn’t winning 7-4 with Leon Draisaitl scoring a hat trick and McDavid putting up six points. In fact, McDavid has only had two multi-point games during Edmonton’s current streak.
The Oilers have also avoided using their power play as a crutch. Last season, Edmonton led the NHL with a 30 per cent success rate on the power play. This season, they’re clicking at 25 per cent and the power play hasn’t scored a regulation goal in four games. The point is, Edmonton still has a solid power play, but it’s not why they’re winning games.
Goaltending is the final pillar for the Oilers’ success. Jack Campbell was an absolute mess for Edmonton this season. He had just one win in five starts and posted an .873 save percentage and 4.50 goals-against average before being demoted to the AHL on November 7. Enter Stuart Skinner, who has been fantastic as the sole No. 1 in net. Skinner has played eight games over the Oilers’ win streak, allowing more than two goals just once. He’s stayed hot in January, recording a .951 SV and 1.40 GAA in five games this month.
Verdict
Bettors would be wise to take Edmonton now before their odds shorten. I’m still not sold on Vancouver being a legit contender and if the Canucks slip in the standings in the second half of the season, the payout for the Oilers will shrink. Edmonton at +380 to win the Pacific Division is a great price and it might even be worth it at +1000 to take the Oilers to break Canada’s Stanley Cup drought.
