Oilers finish perfect pre-season as defence and Levi shut down Flames

The Edmonton Oilers wrapped up a spotless pre-season on Saturday night, defeating the Calgary Flames 4-1 in Edmonton in a matchup that closely resembled a regular-season lineup on both sides. Over four exhibition games, the Oilers surrendered only five goals in total, and just three at even strength, signalling a defensive game that appears ready for opening night.

That on-ice performance comes after an off-season filled with scrutiny over the hiring of head coach Mike Babcock and the signing of Alex Formenton. As the regular season approaches, however, Edmonton’s play has started to shift the focus back to hockey, with a home-and-home set against the Vancouver Canucks on tap Tuesday and Thursday.

Levi shines again as power play stays lethal

Goaltender Devon Levi made the most of another pre-season start, turning aside 23 of 24 shots. The only puck to beat him came on a backdoor one-timer from Matt Coronato on a Calgary power play. Levi said he feels "more ready for sure" this year, pointing to added maturity and extra time to work on his game on and off the ice since his earlier stint trying to break through with the Buffalo Sabres.

Behind a structured defensive effort, Levi faced limited chaos in front of his net and described the game as relatively easy to read, a sign he is already comfortable with Babcock’s systems. Tristan Jarry is still expected to get the start on opening night, but Levi’s camp performance likely secures him a prominent role early, potentially as soon as the follow-up visit to Vancouver or in the first meeting with the Seattle Kraken.

Offensively, Edmonton’s stars did what was expected over their brief pre-season cameos. Connor McDavid collected four points in two games, while defenceman Evan Bouchard piled up five assists in his pair of outings as the power play quarterback. The man advantage was perfect on Saturday, with Zach Hyman cashing in from his familiar net-front spot on the club’s lone opportunity.

Undrafted centre Owen Michaels forces tough decisions

One of the most intriguing stories of camp has been centre Owen Michaels. Signed in April as an undrafted free agent out of Western Michigan, he was not widely projected to be in the conversation this close to opening night. Babcock leaned on him heavily in the faceoff circle against the Flames, and Michaels responded by winning the majority of his draws.

Babcock noted that Michaels wasn’t on the radar early, but positive clips kept appearing in meetings, from his tracking back into the defensive zone to his positioning and faceoff results. With projected third-line centre Jason Dickinson sidelined due to injury and Michaels standing as the only right-shot centre currently in the mix, the 24-year-old has a realistic shot at breaking camp with the big club.

Youth movement offers depth behind veteran core

For a team that has been in a contending window for years and repeatedly moved first-round picks at the trade deadline, the Oilers’ cupboard looks healthier than expected. General manager Stan Bowman has assembled a cluster of young players in their early 20s who are either already in the lineup or knocking on the door.

Injured winger Matt Savoie is viewed as a future top-six option once he returns, while Ike Howard is slated to open the season in the top nine, potentially alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman. Colton Dach is tracking toward the fourth-line centre job coming out of camp, and both forward Josh Samanski and defenceman Shakir Mukhamadullin are close to NHL duty. Further down, forward Connor Clattenburg, assigned to AHL Bakersfield, profiles as a future depth piece. Combined with Levi’s emergence in goal, that wave of youth provides important support for a veteran core chasing a Stanley Cup.