McDavid's Record Start and Edmonton's Goalie Questions Head to UBS Arena

Let's start with the number that's hard to get past. Connor McDavid set an NHL record for assists to open a season in the Oilers' game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday, and he has picked up an assist in each of Edmonton's first 13 games. He leads the league with 28 helpers and has 36 points overall, including 8 goals.

McDavid's start keeps getting bigger

It's hard to find new ways to be historic when your résumé already reads like a list of records, yet McDavid has done exactly that in the 2026-2027 season. The shape of his production is what stands out to me. He isn't riding one hot shooting stretch. He's distributing the puck in every game and keeping the Oilers' offense moving at a pace few teams can match.

Leon Draisaitl, who plays alongside him, put it about as well as anyone could. Speaking about McDavid, he said, "You just really run out of words." That's the reaction of a linemate who watches every shift up close, and it fits the numbers.

The Islanders won't be trying to stop the stat sheet in general. They'll be trying to slow a top unit that turns nearly every rush into a chance, and that's a tall order on any night.

Edmonton's net is still the open question

Goaltending has been a recurring theme for the Oilers for several seasons, and this year hasn't changed that. Yahoo Sports has described the situation as approaching crisis mode, strong language that makes more sense once you look at who is available.

Devon Levi was the young option who looked like a possible answer. Before his injury in the team's recent win over the Hurricanes, he was 6-1-0 with a 3.11 GAA and a .887 save percentage. Those numbers are a mixed bag. The record explains why he was in the conversation, but the rest of the line suggests he still had work to do.

With Levi on injured reserve, veteran Tristan Jarry has taken the net. His adjustment to Edmonton hasn't been smooth, but his 24-save shutout of the Flames gave the team a reason to feel better. One strong night doesn't settle a rotation, though, and Jarry will need to show that performance can repeat.

Frederik Andersen is on Long-Term Injured Reserve until at least December, so the Oilers recalled netminder Matt Tomkins from the Bakersfield Condors. Depth goalies rarely decide a season by themselves. What they do is determine how bad a bad week gets. Here's the thing: whoever starts against New York will have a huge cushion. Edmonton leads the NHL with 4.23 goals per game, and that kind of support takes pressure off a goalie who's still finding his footing.

Road form and a Halloween trip

The Oilers visit UBS Arena on Oct. 31, and yes, the Halloween angle is the obvious hook. The more interesting story is what Edmonton has done away from home. The Oilers are 5-0-0 on the road to begin the season. They sit atop the Pacific Division with a 9-2-2 record and are within a game of the top spot in the entire Western Conference.

For the Islanders, the path is simple and familiar: score first. Before their game against the Wild, New York was 6-0-1 when it opened the scoring. That matters more against Edmonton than against most opponents. A team with this much firepower can turn a tight game into a long night quickly, so getting ahead early takes away its easiest route back.

Leon Draisaitl arrives with 12 goals, second in the league, which means New York can't afford to give the Oilers easy looks in the opening period. And that said, the Islanders have a clear plan to build on. Set the tone early, make Edmonton work through a building that has been hard to visit for opponents, and keep the goalie question in the back of the visitors' minds.

Trick or treat at UBS Arena? My read is that the answer depends on the first 20 minutes. If New York gets on the board first and forces Edmonton to play from behind, the Oilers' road streak faces a real test. If Edmonton scores early and lets its offense do the rest, the Halloween candy goes to the visitors.