The Edmonton Oilers made an early exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round of the Western Conference last season. After arriving at the 2025-26 season as favorites on the back of two straight Cup Final appearances, they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in six games.

While it added to the Oilers’ misery of not winning the big one for decades, their Stanley Cup playoff consistency for the recent five-year period can’t be overstated.

Eric Friesen, the editor-in-chief of the Heavy Hockey Network, shared a major stat from the NHL in the last five seasons in a post on his official X account. It was in regard to the Oilers playing the most games (491) in the regular season and the playoffs combined.

Out of these 491 games in the NHL since 2021-22, Edmonton has registered 282 wins, including 237 in the regular season and 45 in the playoffs.

With that, they find themselves in fourth place in the list of most wins in the last five seasons, per statmuse.com. Only the Carolina Hurricanes, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Florida Panthers are ahead of them.

1. Hurricanes - 304 wins (258 in regular season and 46 in playoffs)
2. Avalanche -  297 wins (261 in regular season and 36 in playoffs)
3. Panthers - 288 wins (239 in regular season and 49 in playoffs)

At the same time, the Canes and the Avs have clinched the Stanley Cup once, while the Cats have done it twice in the recent five-year period.

Also, the Oilers are ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights in terms of the number of wins during the last five seasons. With 266 wins, including 228 in the regular season and 38 in the playoffs, the Golden Knights are in sixth place on the list, two places behind them.

It is even though the Las Vegas, Nevada-based franchise took home the Stanley Cup in the 2022-23 season.

All in all, the playoff consistency of the Oilers is very likely to lead them to the big one, just like the recent winners, the Hurricanes, and their arch-nemesis, the Panthers.

Oilers to appoint Mike Babcock as head coach to convert playoff consistency into Stanley Cup success

While the consistency of the Edmonton Oilers is second to none in the recent five-year period, the front office fired head coach Kris Knoblauch. The 47-year-old had taken them to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025 before eventually losing to the Florida Panthers both times.

The sacking of Knoblauch came as a surprise to many, and it’s the same regarding the Oilers looking to replace him with Mike Babcock this summer.

Babcock got the clearance to join them recently after the NHL completed an investigation into his alleged conduct in 2023 at the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In his extensive coaching career, he has been a proven trophy winner as head coach, not just in the NHL but also at the international level.

During 2004, Babcock led Team Canada to the IIHF World Championship title with a 5-3 win over Sweden in the final. He clinched the Stanley Cup title with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008 before the back-to-back Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in 2010 and 2014.

With that, he became the first and still the only Triple Gold Club coach in the history of ice hockey.

Is Mike Babcock going to help the Edmonton Oilers end the wait of not winning the Stanley Cup since 1990? Share with us your prediction in the comments.

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Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Ankita Yadav