Hurricanes vs Oilers tonight: McDavid's hot streak meets the Cup champions
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- The defending champion Hurricanes visit Edmonton for a 9 pm ET game against the Oilers, the highest-scoring team in the NHL.
- Connor McDavid leads the league with 26 points in 9 games.
- He is the fastest player ever to reach 20 assists in a season.
- Nikolaj Ehlers has 5 points in his last 4 games.
- He needs one more point to reach 600 in his career.
The Carolina Hurricanes play the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton. It is a meeting of the defending Stanley Cup champions and the highest-scoring team in the NHL. That is why the matchup is one of the most searched games of the night.
What happened
The Hurricanes are off to a strong start as they defend their title. Carolina sits at 8-2-1 with 17 points, first in the Metropolitan Division. The team won the Stanley Cup last season.
It was the first title since 2006. Carolina beat the Vegas Golden Knights in the final, according to Sportskeeda.
Edmonton is right behind at 7-1-1 with 15 points, second in the Pacific Division. The Oilers have won two games in a row. The latest was a 4-3 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, The Hockey News reported.
Carolina is on the fourth game of a five-game road trip. The team is 2-1 so far, Inside The Rink reported. The Hurricanes bounced back from a snapped seven-game winning streak with a 6-3 win at Vancouver on Tuesday.
The two teams rarely meet. The Hurricanes are 34-40-12-4 all time against the Oilers. Carolina has gone 10-4-2 in the last 16 meetings, The Hockey News reported.
Last season they split the season series.
Why it matters
This game is a test for both teams early in the season Carolina has the league's fourth-best attack at 3.82 goals per game and the fifth-best defense at 2.45 goals allowed per game, NHL com reported
Edmonton scores more than anyone: 4.56 goals per game, the best mark in the NHL
Connor McDavid is the biggest reason Edmonton scores so much. He has 26 points (6 goals, 20 assists) in just 9 games, the most in the league. He is the fastest player in NHL history to reach 20 assists in a season.
That mark came through 9 games, Inside The Rink reported. McDavid has 25 points in 18 career games against the Hurricanes.
Leon Draisaitl gives Edmonton a second star He has 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists) in 9 games, NHL com reported
The Oilers also own the league's second-best power play at 31 percent
Carolina's answer is team depth and its own star. Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes with 14 points. He has 27 points in 18 career games against Edmonton.
Nikolaj Ehlers is the hottest Hurricane right now He has 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in his past 4 games after a slow start, NHL com reported
He also scored the winning goal against his old team in Winnipeg on Saturday
Ehlers is one point away from 600 in his career, The Hockey News reported. The 30-year-old joined Carolina last season and helped the team win the Cup. He posted 71 points in the regular season and 18 points in 18 playoff games.
There is also a fun reunion angle. Taylor Hall was drafted first overall by the Oilers in 2010. He played 381 games for them.
He is out with an injury now. Frederik Andersen, now Edmonton's goalie, played 159 games for Carolina from 2021 to 2026, The Hockey News reported. Andersen is out with a knee injury.
What to watch
Keep an eye on special teams. Carolina's penalty kill ranks fourth in the NHL at 89.2 percent, while Edmonton's is 22nd at 74.1 percent, The Hockey News reported. If the Oilers take penalties, Carolina can hurt them.
If the Oilers get power plays, their 31 percent success rate can change the game fast.
Seth Jarvis may return for Carolina. He was activated off the injured non-roster list on Wednesday and could play, The Hockey News reported. The Hurricanes are missing several regulars, including Jordan Staal (calf) and Taylor Hall (upper body).
Edmonton is also short-handed, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on injured reserve.
The projected goalies are Brandon Bussi for Carolina and Devon Levi for Edmonton. Bussi is 2-2-1 with an .882 save percentage, while Levi is 5-1-0 with an .898 save percentage, The Hockey News reported.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi has points in three straight games for Carolina, and Nicolas Deslauriers has scored in two straight. For Edmonton, Zach Hyman and the second line will need to help McDavid and Draisaitl.
Oddsmakers made Carolina a small favorite at -115, with Edmonton at -104, Sportskeeda reported. The over/under is 6.5 goals.
The game starts at 9 pm ET at Rogers Place.
The game airs on Sportsnet and the Hurricanes Hockey Network. NHL Network and ESPN Unlimited also carry it nationally, according to Inside The Rink and DIRECTV.
What happens next
The winner takes a big early-season statement. Carolina wants to prove its Cup run was no fluke. A road win against the league's best attack would do that.
Edmonton wants to show it can beat the champions and take control of the Pacific race.
For fans of Thursday night hockey, this is the game to watch. If you follow the night's other NHL matchup, read our preview of the Rangers vs Maple Leafs game. Carolina fans can also catch up on the Hurricanes' comeback win over the Capitals earlier this month.
The early-season NHL standings show just how tight the top of the league already is.
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