Through their first two stops on this four-game road trip, the Carolina Hurricanes have split their decisions. They couldn't generate anything productive on Monday night in Seattle, but they followed it up with an offensive turnaround in a far-too-close 6-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. Nikolaj Ehlers recorded a hat trick, and four other Hurricanes had multiple points.
While the Hurricanes' offense was on a roll for long stretches of Wednesday's game, their defense left a lot to be desired. Since returning from the break, they've had a knack for allowing multiple goals in quick succession. In three of their last four games, the Canes have allowed two goals in less than a minute. That could get them into some serious trouble against tonight's opponent.
On the Other Side: Edmonton Oilers
Last meeting: When the Oilers visited Raleigh in November, they got off to a quick start, scoring twice in the opening 6:30. The Canes battled back, tying the game early in the second. Both captains scored a goal in the third period, sending the game to overtime. Edmonton won the draw in OT, and Leon Draisaitl scored 19 seconds later for a 4-3 win. He and Connor McDavid had three points each.
It's the same song and dance that we see almost every time a meeting with the Oilers comes around. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl account for a significant amount of the team's production. McDavid leads the league in assists (70) and points (105) and is tied for second in goals (35). Draisaitl is tied for seventh in goals (33) and fourth in points (90). They will be on the ice a lot.
However, they're still a work in progress defensively. Evan Bouchard leads all defensemen in points (71), but the rest of the team, on both ends of the ice, is struggling. Their goaltending is also an issue. They swapped Stuart Skinner for Tristan Jarry in December, but it hasn't panned out. Connor Ingram has stepped in and done as well as he could.
Still, they're fortunate to play in a division that is still as up for grabs as the Pacific is. The Oilers have already been active on the trade front, making separate deals with Chicago to acquire Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy. They could look to do a little more before 3 pm rolls around as they search for that elusive Stanley Cup win.
Oilers to Watch
Evan Bouchard: In just a few months, Bouchard has planted himself squarely in the Norris Trophy conversation. Sitting six points clear of every defenseman in scoring, he's on a five-game point streak (11 points) and has 34 points since the start of 2026. If the season ended today, Bouchard would definitely be a finalist for the league's top defenseman.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: There's a significant drop between the Oilers' top three in scoring and the rest of the team. Nugent-Hopkins sits in fourth with 48 points. Almost exactly half of his production has come on the power play (25 points). Things have been a little slower coming out of the break, but he always seems to make a mark against the Canes.
Hurricanes to Watch
Taylor Hall: When the team returned to action last week, I was pessimistic about Hall's chances of trying for his 300th goal by the time these two met. It would take a big game against his former club, but Hall has the milestone within shouting distance, needing just two goals. It would be an awesome full-circle moment for him if he could find a way to get it done tonight.
Sean Walker: Very quietly, Walker enters the night on a three-game point streak, breaking a 45-game goalless drought on Wednesday night and adding an assist against the Canucks. His production had taken a decent dip over the last bit, but Walker is finding the scoresheet with a little more regularity. He scores in bunches, so maybe we'll see the puck in the back of the net a little more.