"The Edmonton Oilers have been decent to start the 2025-26 season, but there are still some things they can clean up as they hope to push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990. They have had some issues with consistency between the pipes, have lacked the offensive depth throughout their forward lineup, and have had some early struggles defensively, but they still have the strength to be able to make a deep playoff run once things start to turn around for them."
"The Los Angeles Kings, who seem to always face the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs, made some questionable decisions in the offseason that saw fans begin to worry about their chances of making the playoffs at all. However, they have had a decent start and seem to be rolling after a slow start. There is one storyline that continues to follow them around, though, and it's the contract situation with superstar forward Adrian Kempe."
"Kempe, who is 29 years old, is in the final season of a four-year contract that has a $5,500,000 cap hit. There have been some rumblings that he could be looking for an extension worth around $12 million annually, and while that is something the Kings should have no issue doing, the two sides don't seem to be close to announcing a new deal."
The Oilers have started the 2025-26 season decently but show inconsistency in goaltending, limited offensive depth among forwards, and early defensive lapses. The team retains enough talent to threaten a deep playoff run once performance stabilizes. The Oilers commonly start slowly in the regular season, and this campaign has deviated from that pattern though they remain less dominant than expected. The Kings made questionable offseason moves that raised playoff doubts but have recovered after a slow start. Adrian Kempe, 29, is in the final year of a four-year deal with a $5,500,000 cap hit and faces reported interest in a roughly $12 million extension, but talks do not appear close; pundits have speculated about Oilers interest at the 2026 deadline or free agency, though no credible reports indicate pursuit.
Read at The Hockey Writers
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