The Edmonton Oilers wrapped up the 2025-26 regular season with a 6-1 trouncing of the Vancouver Canucks. Anything less would have raised red flags about the club. Instead, the big win provided an exclamation mark to what has otherwise been a good season.
Their win locked The Oil as the second seed in the Pacific Division, pitting them against the Anaheim Ducks in the opening round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Oilers are on their way to a third-straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. And as a recent study showed, Edmonton is Canada’s best shot at ending its three-decade-long championship drought.
According to a study by the folks at casino.org, the Oilers have a 6.91% chance of winning the Stanley Cup this season. The study averaged the numbers across various odds-making platforms (including a mix of oddsmakers and Sportsbooks), leading to a near 7% chance to win the NHL championship.
Additionally, two other Canadian clubs were included in the study. The figures show that the Montreal Canadiens got a 4.9% shot, while the Ottawa Senators received a 3.49% probability.
The numbers may not look too good for Montreal and Ottawa, who arguably have tougher brackets in the Eastern Conference than the Oilers do in the Western Conference.
However, Edmonton will eventually face a formidable opponent in the Western Conference Final, as it will run into one of the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, or Minnesota Wild, should the club make it that far.
Oilers Lead Thin Canadian Field in 2026 NHL Playoffs
Unfortunately, only three of the seven Canadian teams in the NHL made it to this year’s postseason. Two of last year’s teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets, failed to make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames continue their descent into full-on rebuilds.
As such, that leaves the Oilers as the most seasoned Canadian team in this year’s playoff field. While the Canadiens are a solid team, they lack the battle-hardened experience that the Oilers have.
As for the Senators, fans should keep an eye on this club. If there’s a team that could pull out a first-round upset, it’s the Sens. They rode a hot streak towards the end of the regular season. So, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see them make life tough on the Carolina Hurricanes.
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This Could Be the Year in Oil Country
The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs could finally be the chance the Oilers have been waiting for. This year’s playoff field will be bereft of the two-time champs, the Florida Panthers.
The Panthers, of course, will not be able to defend their title as they did not qualify for the postseason. The Panthers’ playoff miss was one of the biggest shocks this season. And it opens the door for Connor McDavid and the Oilers to finally get over the hump.
While it won’t be easy, the Oilers have their best shot at hoisting the cup, as their biggest foe is out of the way.
It’s worth noting that the path to the Stanley Cup this year won’t be easy for the Oilers. But at least, it will be easier, given the tremendous amount of talent in this year’s field.
If there was ever a year for the Oilers to make it, it’s this one.
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