The Edmonton Oilers are gearing up for the upcoming NHL season with a core group of players entering their mid-30s, raising concerns about age-related performance challenges.
Veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm, 36, along with forwards Zach Hyman, 34, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 33, remain key contributors but face physical demands as they age.
Ekholm played a top-pairing role last season and aims to maintain that level, joining a select group of NHL defensemen aged 36 or older who logged significant ice time, including Brent Burns and Kris Letang.
Hyman demonstrated strong two-way play before an injury in March limited his effectiveness, yet he remains a vital top-line winger alongside Connor McDavid.
“He’s a fiercely committed athlete,” said a source, highlighting Hyman's potential to continue excelling despite his age.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins faces more scrutiny for his limited offensive creation on the top line and is expected to move to the third line, focusing on penalty killing and power play support.
“He is still a skilled penalty killer and he greases the wheel of the Edmonton power play by moving the puck fast and true,” the source reported, noting younger players may challenge his position.
Storm Recovery Underway
Meanwhile, Edmonton is recovering from a powerful thunderstorm that struck Saturday night, causing widespread flooding, downed trees, and power outages.
The storm forced thousands to evacuate a Post Malone concert at Commonwealth Stadium due to heavy rain and hail.
Environment Canada issued a red tornado warning for parts of Yellowhead County and severe thunderstorm warnings for central Alberta, including Edmonton.
Heather Pimiskern, an Environment Canada meteorologist, said, “Around that 9 o'clock time period, we issued our first warning for the city of Edmonton.”
The storm brought nearly 30 millimeters of rain in an hour, with winds peaking at 84 km/h.
Flooding affected major roads, with some reopening Sunday while others, like parts of Whitemud Drive, remained closed.
Brina Braun, who was at the concert, described the sudden storm and its impact: “I have never been so soaked in my entire life, it was crazy.
The hail really hurt.”
She added, “At first, it was just fun... Then, it came a point where everyone's starting to get freaked out.
There were people around us crying, people lost their friends.”
The city continues cleanup efforts, and power outages affecting 19 areas were expected to be restored by early afternoon Sunday, according to Epcor officials.
