OilersNation has reported:

The Edmonton Oilers are leaning into a harder-working, defence-first style after last season’s disappointment, with captain Connor McDavid describing the group’s new identity as “Yeah, it’s hard-working. It’s a hard-working group.” The team has started 5-1-1, winning five of its first seven games despite injuries to several top players. The early results have come through a more committed team defence, though maintaining that effort over the season remains a test.

The shift was signalled on opening night at Rogers Place, where high-visibility vests were placed over seats as part of the team’s presentation. The Oilers’ approach has been likened to trading in a sports car for a pickup truck: less focused on high-flying offence and more on hard work. The new style may be less exciting, but teams that play a less flashy game have won the Stanley Cup, and skilled clubs such as the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning also play hard and check well.

Edmonton’s change followed a poor defensive showing last season. The Oilers allowed 265 goals, ranking 25th in the league in goals against, according to figures cited by Sean Panganiban in May. Of the seven teams that conceded more, only one qualified for the playoffs. Edmonton also gave the puck away frequently, allowing opponents numerous high-danger chances.

Head coach Mike Babcock was brought in to improve the team’s structure and reshape its identity. Better defensive play became a priority, and team leaders met with Babcock over the summer, agreeing to the rebrand and committing to defend better. The expectation is that forwards will contribute more consistently in their own end, alongside the team’s established offensive skill.

Several new defensive forwards have joined the roster: Mathieu Joseph, Owen Michaels, Alex Formenton and Filip Hallander. They are joined by Jason Dickinson, Connor Murphy and Colton Dach, three hard-checking players acquired from Chicago at last season’s trade deadline. Edmonton currently has one scoring line and three checking lines, a formation prompted by key injuries. The team is expected to check harder even once it is healthy.

So far, McDavid’s line has produced a large share of the scoring, while the other lines have spent significant time defending. Michaels’ line, featuring Formenton and Joseph, has been a visible example of the intended approach. Forwards are racing back to their own end, and the team is trying to attack and defend together as five players. The gaps between the forwards and defencemen have also been smaller than in previous years.

The forecheck has improved from game to game and is putting more pressure on opposing teams. Babcock wants Edmonton to play a heavier game and spend more time in the opponent’s zone. That is part of his defensive philosophy: pressure reduces the time and space available for opponents to make plays. The team has shown some signs of the approach, with Podkolzin, Kapanen, Formenton, Joseph and Hallander standing out on the forecheck, though some players have applied it more effectively than others.

The 5-1-1 start includes one unusual overtime loss, and the team has won five of seven without several top players. The games have not always been polished, but Edmonton has defended well for much of the schedule. A new system takes time to perfect, and early-season effort is not the same as sustaining the style over a full campaign.

The Oilers’ change in identity follows a season in which their defensive record left little room for error in a playoff race. The current lineup has made work away from the puck a central part of the team’s game, while McDavid’s line continues to provide scoring. Whether the checking, pressure and tighter spacing can hold as the season progresses remains to be seen.