The Edmonton Oilers suffered their first regulation loss of the season on Thursday night against the New York Islanders.

Devils: Meier has three goals and five points in his last five games. Dawson Mercer has two goals and three points in his last two contests. Oilers: McDavid has three assists in his last three games while Leon Draisaitl has two goals. Andrew Mangiapane has a goal and an assist.

The Edmonton Oilers began the 2025-26 season with a long list of injured players. From No. 1 line right winger Zach Hyman, through top-four defenceman Jake Walman, checking winger Mattias Janmark and most recently depth defenceman Alec Regula, the overall thrust of the lineup was altered greatly due to injury.

Evan Bouchard took full blame for the Oilers loss on against the Islanders. Coach Knoblauch criticized Bouchard's performance; teammate Ekholm defended him, citing occasional mistakes. Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard didn’t try to spin the narrative after playing one of the worst games of his career.

The Edmonton Oilers are officially a few weeks into their season, which sees them with a record of 2–1–1. The team has already been active with the addition of forward Jack Roslovic last week.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch looks on ...

After Evan Bouchard’s turnover-filled night drew sharp criticism from head coach Kris Knoblauch, Ekholm came to his teammate’s defense, insisting one bad game doesn’t change who Bouchard is. Knoblauch made headlines Thursday after Edmonton’s 4–2 loss to the New York Islanders, calling out Bouchard’s performance.

Following a 2–0 win at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, the Edmonton Oilers turned their focus to Long Island. After a win over the New York Rangers, the New York Islanders awaited, hungry for their first win of the season.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, a 28-year-old ice hockey sensation, is widely hailed as the world's best player. His remarkable speed, vision, and skills have earned him multiple accolades, including three Hart Memorial Trophies.