We&#8217;re exactly one month away from the beginning of the 2025-26 NHL season.
Barring any last-minute <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/former-oiler-klim-kostin-interested-in-return-edmonton">additions</a> or changes during training camp, it seems we have a pretty good idea of how the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">Edmonton Oilers</a> are going to look when they host the Calgary Flames on October 8.
With that in mind, let&#8217;s put together Edmonton&#8217;s season-opening lineup. For this exercise, we&#8217;ll assume that the Oilers are fully healthy at the beginning of the regular season.

<h2>Forwards</h2>
This off-season, the Oilers added Ike Howard, Curtis Lazar, David Tomášek, Andrew Mangipane, and a few other European players who may or may not factor into the lineup later in the season.
The centre for the first line is pretty obvious, as <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-how-many-goals-will-connor-mcdavid-score-2025-26-season">Connor McDavid</a> will once again lead the team. Assuming Zach Hyman has recovered from his wrist injury, he’ll line up on the captain&#8217;s right side. As for the left side, well, that’s up for grabs. Howard is a candidate if he has a strong pre-season, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has chemistry with McDavid, while Trent Frederic would offer some more size and grit.
For the second line centre, Leon Draisaitl has that spot locked down, and it sounds like Vasily Podkolzin is going to be on his left once again, as the German pivot had some kind words for the young Russian winger in a recent interview. Draisaitl&#8217;s right wing has two main candidates: Andrew Mangiapane and Matthew Savoie. My guess is that the more experienced Mangiapane will get the nod, while the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-1-matthew-savoie">organization&#8217;s top prospect</a> will start on the third line.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Leon Draisaitl is just gassing up Vasily Podkolzin; he loves to play with him.
📹: <a href="https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EdmontonOilers</a> <a href="https://t.co/LcShgqWX2a">pic.twitter.com/LcShgqWX2a</a>
&mdash; Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/OilersNation/status/1963671605349069128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But who will centre Savoie on the third line? There are a few different paths the Oilers can take. If Howard plays on the first line, sticking Nugent-Hopkins at centre with Frederic on the left wing is an option (and the best one at that). If the longest-tenured Oiler returns to play alongside McDavid, Adam Henrique may jump up to the third line while Frederic moves down to the fourth line left-wing spot to make room for Howard as the 3LW. Two rookies on the same line is less than ideal, though.
As for the fourth line, there’s a strong likelihood that Henrique centres that line, but if he moves up to the third line, Lazar, Noah Philp, and Tomášek are options. Moreover, Mattias Janmark can play centre, but is best suited as their fourth-line left winger. Kasperi Kapanen likely plays on the fourth line right wing.
Howard-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Mangiapane
Frederic-RNH-Savoie
Janmark-Henrique-Kapanen
Tomášek, Lazar
<h2>Defence</h2>
Not a whole lot has changed with defence, but there are still three lingering questions for the Oilers. First and foremost, how healthy is <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-mattias-ekholm-stanley-cup-olympic-aspirations-tremendous-grind">Mattias Ekholm</a>? Which left-handed defenceman will flip over and play on the right side? Which right-shot defenceman will play on the third pairing?
You can expect the team&#8217;s top pairing to be Ekholm and Evan Bouchard, but things could change later in the season. Darnell Nurse will likely be the second-pairing left-shot defenceman, but after that, things are dicey.
Edmonton&#8217;s best left-shot defenceman who can play right side is Brett Kulak, as he’s had plenty of time in that role as an Oiler. Jake Walman is also an option who has more offensive upside and is the best puck-moving defenceman on the Oilers, not named Evan Bouchard. Walman probably gets the nod to play on the second pairing with Nurse.
Assuming Kulak plays on the left side, there are a few options to play on the right with him. Ty Emberson likely gets the first look as the Oilers’ brass rewarded him with a two-year deal before last season ended. Alec Regula will be pushing for a spot in Edmonton, but veteran Troy Stecher has the inside track. 
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Walman
Kulak-Emberson
Stecher
Unless there is a move out of left field, it looks like the Oilers will run the Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard goaltending tandem once again. At this point, you have to hope that Skinner finds consistency in his game, and <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/why-edmonton-oilers-coaching-staff-change-goalie-needed">perhaps a new goalie coach can help with that</a>.
What do you think about my season-opening lineup for the Edmonton Oilers? Let us know in the comments how you think the team should look come October 8.
<hr />
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

We're exactly one month away from the beginning of the 2025-26 NHL season.

Barring any last-minute <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/former-oiler-klim-kostin-interested-in-return-edmonton">additions</a> or changes during training camp, it seems we have a pretty good idea of how the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">Edmonton Oilers</a> are going to look when they host the Calgary Flames on October 8.

With that in mind, let's put together Edmonton's season-opening lineup. For this exercise, we'll assume that the Oilers are fully healthy at the beginning of the regular season.


<h2>Forwards</h2>
This off-season, the Oilers added Ike Howard, Curtis Lazar, David Tomášek, Andrew Mangipane, and a few other European players who may or may not factor into the lineup later in the season.

The centre for the first line is pretty obvious, as <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-how-many-goals-will-connor-mcdavid-score-2025-26-season">Connor McDavid</a> will once again lead the team. Assuming Zach Hyman has recovered from his wrist injury, he’ll line up on the captain's right side. As for the left side, well, that’s up for grabs. Howard is a candidate if he has a strong pre-season, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has chemistry with McDavid, while Trent Frederic would offer some more size and grit.

For the second line centre, Leon Draisaitl has that spot locked down, and it sounds like Vasily Podkolzin is going to be on his left once again, as the German pivot had some kind words for the young Russian winger in a recent interview. Draisaitl's right wing has two main candidates: Andrew Mangiapane and Matthew Savoie. My guess is that the more experienced Mangiapane will get the nod, while the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-1-matthew-savoie">organization's top prospect</a> will start on the third line.

https://twitter.com/OilersNation/status/1963671605349069128

But who will centre Savoie on the third line? There are a few different paths the Oilers can take. If Howard plays on the first line, sticking Nugent-Hopkins at centre with Frederic on the left wing is an option (and the best one at that). If the longest-tenured Oiler returns to play alongside McDavid, Adam Henrique may jump up to the third line while Frederic moves down to the fourth line left-wing spot to make room for Howard as the 3LW. Two rookies on the same line is less than ideal, though.

As for the fourth line, there’s a strong likelihood that Henrique centres that line, but if he moves up to the third line, Lazar, Noah Philp, and Tomášek are options. Moreover, Mattias Janmark can play centre, but is best suited as their fourth-line left winger. Kasperi Kapanen likely plays on the fourth line right wing.

Howard-McDavid-Hyman

Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Mangiapane

Frederic-RNH-Savoie

Janmark-Henrique-Kapanen

Tomášek, Lazar
<h2>Defence</h2>
Not a whole lot has changed with defence, but there are still three lingering questions for the Oilers. First and foremost, how healthy is <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-mattias-ekholm-stanley-cup-olympic-aspirations-tremendous-grind">Mattias Ekholm</a>? Which left-handed defenceman will flip over and play on the right side? Which right-shot defenceman will play on the third pairing?

You can expect the team's top pairing to be Ekholm and Evan Bouchard, but things could change later in the season. Darnell Nurse will likely be the second-pairing left-shot defenceman, but after that, things are dicey.

Edmonton's best left-shot defenceman who can play right side is Brett Kulak, as he’s had plenty of time in that role as an Oiler. Jake Walman is also an option who has more offensive upside and is the best puck-moving defenceman on the Oilers, not named Evan Bouchard. Walman probably gets the nod to play on the second pairing with Nurse.

Assuming Kulak plays on the left side, there are a few options to play on the right with him. Ty Emberson likely gets the first look as the Oilers’ brass rewarded him with a two-year deal before last season ended. Alec Regula will be pushing for a spot in Edmonton, but veteran Troy Stecher has the inside track. 

Ekholm-Bouchard

Nurse-Walman

Kulak-Emberson

Stecher

Unless there is a move out of left field, it looks like the Oilers will run the Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard goaltending tandem once again. At this point, you have to hope that Skinner finds consistency in his game, and <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/why-edmonton-oilers-coaching-staff-change-goalie-needed">perhaps a new goalie coach can help with that</a>.

What do you think about my season-opening lineup for the Edmonton Oilers? Let us know in the comments how you think the team should look come October 8.

<hr />

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Projecting the season-opening lineup for the Edmonton Oilers

Recent articles from Ryley Delaney

Breaking News