Predicting Edmonton Oilers Quarter-Century Team feat. Connor McDavid

It’s been a quarter century since the Edmonton Oilers hit the ice this millennium. The team went through some tough times following successful seasons in the early portion of the past 25 years. However, those sour seasons led to the core that has now brought the Oilers back to new heights.

The First and Second Teams are filled with a mix of current and former stars sure to evoke memories of unforgettable games and seasons.

So, here’s predicting the Edmonton Oilers Quarter-Century Team, focusing on the team's most iconic players in that span.

Predicting Edmonton Oilers Quarter-Century Team

First Team

• Forwards: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Smyth
• Defense: Darnell Nurse, Steve Staios
• Goalie: Tommy Salo

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are no-brainers on this list. Both players have risen to the top of the Edmonton Oilers’ all-time scoring lists. McDavid has been the team’s best player since Wayne Gretzky. His 1,036 points in 679 games are a testament to McDavid’s unbelievable talents.

Meanwhile, Leon Draisaitl has nearly hit the 1,000-point mark. He’s on pace to break that mark early next season. Draisaitl has also won a Hart Trophy while in Edmonton. Ryan Smyth was a longtime star for the Oilers, racking up nearly 500 points in over 700 games after 2000.

On defense, Darnell Nurse has played the most games (674), while recording the most points (282). Steve Staios was another longtime blueliner, playing in 573 games while totaling 146 points.

Salo has played the most games in goal for the Oilers since 2000 (313), also getting the most wins (139). Unfortunately, Salo didn’t have much playoff success to show for his tenure in Edmonton.

Second Team

• Forwards: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Alex Hemsky, Shawn Horcoff
• Defense: Evan Bouchard, Jason Smith
• Goalie: Cam Talbot

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has played nearly 1,000 games with the Edmonton Oilers. He was the team’s first overall pick in the 2011 draft. He’s put up over 700 points during his time in Edmonton. Alex Hemsky was a fixture for the Oilers in the early 2000s, playing in over 650 games and racking up 477 points.

Meanwhile, Shawn Horcoff was another tenured team leader. He played in nearly 800 games, serving as team captain from 2010 to 2013.

The Second Team blue line features current star Evan Bouchard, who’s had 199 points in 302 games despite being just 25. Jason Smith appeared in over 500 games since 2000. He played 1,008 NHL games, the bulk of them being with the Edmonton Oilers since the late 90s.

Cam Talbot gets the nod for the Oilers Second Team. He played in 227 games for the club, notching 104 wins. Talbot joined the Oilers in 2015, leaving during the 2018-19 season as he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. He’s played for seven different teams since leaving the Edmonton Oilers.