Oilers believe scoring will pick up as their season progresses

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) and Will Cuylle (50) protect the net from Edmonton Oilers' David Tomasek (86) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in New York.

They’ve gotten points in each of their first three games of the National Hockey League season, but the Edmonton Oilers find themselves without players in familiar spots near the top of the overall player scoring table.

Neither Connor McDavid nor Leon Draisaitl, both former NHL scoring champions, are anywhere near the Top 10 in player points, the former with four assists for four points to lead the Oilers, the latter with two goals and an assist for three points.

It’s simply too early to worry about offensive numbers, head coach Kris Knoblauch said Wednesday, the morning after a 2-0 road win over the New York Rangers to lift their record to 2-0-1.

“All three games, I thought the opposition goalie put in a solid game and played well,” Knoblauch told media after practice as his team prepares to play the New York Islanders on Thursday.

“In two of the three games, I’ve liked what we’ve created offensively. It’s just a matter of time before we can score more than we have.”

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McDavid, who assisted on Adam Henrique’s empty-net goal Tuesday night in Manhattan, said the team’s focus has been on producing a good start to the season – the last two campaigns, the Oilers have had to claw their way up the standings after dismal beginnings – and on a new system.

“There’s been a little bit of a feeling-out process, but I feel like it’s gone really well,” McDavid said. “Everybody’s paying attention, trying to learn it as fast as they can, and it’s only going to get better with time as we understand it better.”

For Knoblauch, observing who meshes with who and what line combinations work among the forwards is a focus on the Oilers’ current road trip – a five-game eastern odyssey that started Tuesday – as half of them are new to the team.

The coaching staff will also have to consider who stays with Edmonton and who will be sent down to the minor leagues with the likes of defenceman Jake Walman, and forwards Mattias Janmark and Zach Hyman, due to come off the injured reserve list over the coming days and weeks.

“We’ll see how things work out and there’s some fluctuation,” he said. “We moved lines a little bit the other night in New York, and there’ll be a little bit more throughout the road trip, but after the road trip with guys coming off (injured reserve), we’ll probably have a better idea who’s here for the long run.”