NHL EDGE stats for Edmonton Oilers

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2024-25 season. Today, we look at the impact of three advanced metrics for the Edmonton Oilers:

1. Forward Connor McDavid led the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs in 20-plus mile per hour speed bursts (154) and max skating speed (23.85 mph).

McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy for most valuable player of the postseason despite the Oilers losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers. In the regular season, McDavid ranked in the 99th percentile in EDGE stats like top skating speed (24.19 mph), speed bursts over 20 mph (457) and offensive zone time percentage at even strength (46.9). McDavid should now have even more help in the forward group after Edmonton signed goal-scoring wings Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson in free agency and acquired prospect Matthew Savoie from the Buffalo Sabres after coming so close to a championship last season.

2. Forward Zach Hyman led the NHL in goals and shots on goal from high-danger areas in both the regular season (44 goals on 180 SOG) and playoffs (12 on 57 SOG).

Hyman continues to be a strong finisher on McDavid’s line as Edmonton, as a team, led the NHL in high-danger goals (163) and high-danger shots on goal (842) during the regular season. McDavid ranked second in the League in high-danger shots on goal (32) during the playoffs.

But Hyman was held to four points (two goals, two assists) in seven Stanley Cup Final games, and McDavid without a point in Games 1, 6 and 7 as Florida’s structure contained Edmonton’s top scorers in certain games during the championship series. Another elite forward, Leon Draisaitl, was held to just three assists in the Cup Final.

3. Defenseman Evan Bouchard led the NHL in goals and shots on goal from long range in both the regular season (10 goals on 136 SOG) and playoffs (36 SOG; was tied for most long-range goals with three).

Bouchard had more than a point per game in both the regular season and playoffs, and five assists in seven Cup Final games but was held without a goal in the championship round. His play on the top pair with Mattias Ekholm was crucial to Edmonton’s turnaround from a slow start and coaching change to its deep postseason run. Only Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin had a better shot attempts differential (plus-614) than Bouchard (plus-584; second) and Ekholm (plus-553; third) last regular season, and Bouchard led that category (plus-169) in the postseason.

More: NHL EDGE stats leaders