OilersNation has reported:

The Edmonton Oilers are 4-0-1 after five games of the 2026-27 season, and five players have reached the top of NHL statistical categories in the early standings. Connor McDavid leads the league in points and plus/minus, Evan Bouchard is tied for the goal lead, Vasily Podkolzin tops two zone-time measures, Leon Draisaitl leads several five-on-five metrics and Kasperi Kapanen has recorded the fastest skating speed so far.

The Oilers entered the season saying they wanted a strong start. Through five games, their results reflect that aim, with the team playing in a connected way, depth players contributing as they settle into roles and its leading players performing well. The season remains at an early stage, but the individual numbers have drawn attention to the team’s opening stretch.

McDavid, Edmonton’s captain, has collected 13 points in five games, the most in the NHL. His point total follows what has been described as a longer offseason, which appears to have suited him. He also leads the league with a plus-12 rating.

His five-on-five underlying statistics have also been strong, according to Natural Stat Trick. McDavid’s Corsi for percentage is 69.50, his shots for percentage is 67.16, and his expected goals for percentage is 78.60. His scoring chances for percentage is 79.37, while his high-danger chances for percentage is 78.57; his goal share is 11-1.

Those figures show both offensive involvement and defensive responsibility. In a recent game against the San Jose Sharks, McDavid made a safe play by dumping the puck in without pressure late in the game. The observation was described as one of the first times the captain had made that particular play in such a situation, and as an example of game management that head coach Mike Babcock is likely trying to instil in the team’s stars and other players.

Bouchard has six goals and six assists for 12 points through five games, placing him second in NHL scoring. His six goals are tied for the league lead, and his five-on-five production has been particularly notable: when he has been on the ice, Edmonton has scored 13 goals at five-on-five, more than for any other player. His five-on-five goal share is 13-1.

Bouchard’s shot is known as the “Bouch Bomb.” His shooting percentage stands at 35.3 per cent, a striking rate that is unlikely to be sustainable over a full season. The sample is small, and his history offers context: apart from a seven-game stint in 2018-19, when he scored once on 10 shots, he has not finished a season with a double-digit shooting percentage.

The NHL highlighted one of his goals on Oct. 8, 2026, describing it as a rocket from the blue line and his sixth goal of the season. The goal gave the Oilers a one-goal lead. Bouchard’s early scoring pace has helped put him among the league leaders as Edmonton’s first five games have unfolded.

Podkolzin has scored five goals in the same five-game span, the hottest start of his NHL career. He had been viewed as a good complementary player during his first couple of seasons in Edmonton, but his play at the beginning of this season has looked like that of a legitimate top-line winger. He is a Moscow, Russia native and has been compared in style to Alex Ovechkin for the ease with which he has scored.

His contributions extend beyond offence. Podkolzin is tied with Trent Frederic for Edmonton’s team lead in hits, with 19. He has taken care of his own zone, played responsibly on defence and avoided cheating for offensive chances. NHL Edge data lists him as spending the most time in the offensive zone and the least time in the defensive zone among league players.

Podkolzin’s wall work is another area of improvement. He worked on it repeatedly over the summer with Ned Lukacevic, and the work has been reflected in how he handles the puck along the boards. One described sequence has him receiving the puck in the defensive zone and quickly, effortlessly passing it to his centreman.

On a line with McDavid and Draisaitl, Podkolzin has helped form a trio that has kept opponents hemmed into their own zone for long stretches. The line has an 8-0 goal share at five-on-five through the first five games, a perfect mark that has accompanied the players’ hot start. McDavid and Podkolzin have received praise, while Draisaitl has also contributed to the line’s results.

Draisaitl has nine points, including three goals and six assists, ranking ninth in the NHL. He has also taken the most faceoffs on the Oilers and won 57.35 per cent of them. Beyond those contributions, he leads the league in several underlying five-on-five statistics among players with at least 40 minutes played in that situation.

The former Rocket Richard Trophy winner has a 75.40 Corsi for percentage, an 80.81 expected goals for percentage and an 87.72 scoring chances for percentage. Those figures point to his role in helping Edmonton control play in the team’s first five games. The early lead in these metrics has been described as unusual based on years of tracking such statistics.

Kapanen, the Finnish forward, has recorded the NHL’s fastest skating speed of the season so far, according to NHL Edge. He reached 24.05 miles per hour in the first period of the game against San Jose, surpassing McDavid’s previous top speed of 24.01 miles per hour. McDavid had reached that mark against the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 3.

Kapanen’s 24.05 mph mark is also the fastest speed he has recorded since the NHL began publicly tracking skating speed in the 2021-22 season. It exceeds his previous personal high of 23.92 mph, set last season. The data supports the impression of speed he has shown on the ice early in this campaign.

With 79 games remaining, Edmonton’s 4-0-1 opening and the five players’ league-leading or shared-leading statistics provide encouraging early indicators. The team will need to maintain its pace over the rest of the season. The early numbers cover only five games, but they span scoring, possession and chance metrics, zone deployment, plus/minus and skating speed.

The coverage also included a Yellow Cab promotion for Daily Faceoff readers in Edmonton: they can save 20 per cent on their next ride by using code NATION in the Greater Edmonton Yellow Cab app. The promotion mentioned rides to Oilers games, airport trips, nights out and everyday travel, and described Yellow Cab as a local name known and trusted in Edmonton.