The Edmonton Oilers will visit the New York Islanders in the NHL on Thursday night. Edmonton is looking for its second straight win over a New York team after beating the Rangers in their last game. But the Islanders are desperate for their first win of the season and will try to put a stop to Edmonton’s momentum. Here, I break down this matchup on the ice and give you my Oilers vs Islanders prediction.
Our Oilers vs Islanders Pick
- Pick: Over 5.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Edmonton Oilers vs New York Islanders
- Date & Time: Thursday, October 16, 2025, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
Recent Form
The Oilers come in at 2-0-1 to start the season and most recently posted a 2–0 win over the Rangers. Stuart Skinner delivered 30 saves in that shutout win. Edmonton’s offense hasn’t fully hit its stride yet, but they have still secured at least a point in every game and that is a scary thing for the rest of the league. The Islanders have opened 0-3-0, struggling both to score and to defend. They have allowed three power-play goals in three games and need to fix that if they want to avoid a fourth straight defeat here.
Goaltending
Stuart Skinner appears locked in early for Edmonton and has delivered quality work so far, including that 30-save shutout vs the Rangers. Ilya Sorokin has been the starter for the Islanders. He has a lackluster .854 save percentage and a GAA of 4.18. Given Edmonton’s ability to test goalies from all angles, the Islanders’ net will face sustained pressure.
Key Skaters
Edmonton leans heavily on the McDavid–Draisaitl duo to create scoring chances. McDavid’s speed and playmaking remain elite and Draisaitl recently passed the 400-goal mark in his career. The supporting cast needs to pull its weight, but they have done a fine job of that so far.
Rookie Matthew Schaefer has shown flashes for the Islanders. He scored his first NHL goal in a recent game and will try to build on that against the Oilers. But the Islanders need to find more consistent threats in the offensive zone before this season gets away from them.
Recent Team Streaks
- The Oilers have won two straight games going into this matchup.
- New York is searching for its first win, having lost all three of its games to start the season.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Connor McDavid | Points | Over 1.5 |
| Leon Draisaitl | Shots on goal | Over 3.5 |
| Matthew Schaefer (Isles) | Shots | Over 1.5 |
| Simon Holmstrom (Isles) | Shots | Over 1.5 |
Betting Trends
- Edmonton is 2-1 on the puckline so far this season.
- The Islanders are 0-3 on the puckline.
- All three Islanders games have gone over their totals this season.
- The Oilers have had two of their first three games stay under their totals.
Oilers vs Islanders Model Projection
Score Projection: Edmonton 4 – New York 2
Win Probability: Edmonton 65%, New York 35%
Final Thoughts
The Oilers should continue their winning ways early in the season in this game. They have the firepower to do damage against an Islanders team that has lacked the consistent offensive threats to keep up. I’ll take the over, with the expectation that the Oilers will do the majority of the scoring in this matchup.
