Oilers’ Draisaitl With Sassy Take on Mammoth’s Hot Start Ahead of Tuesday’s Clash

As the Edmonton Oilers get set to take on a red-hot Utah Mammoth team on Tuesday night, Oilers star Leon Draisaitl appeared to downplay the Mammoth’s early-season surge. He gave them credit for their start, but noted that there is still plenty of time in the season for things to change.

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“Obviously, a lot of skill, a team that’s feeling it right now, but this isn’t the time where it matters to feel it right? You gotta show it down the stretch, so obviously they got off to a good start, which helps, so it’s gonna be a great test for us,” Draisaitl said.

This might not be Draisaitl throwing shade at Utah. Instead, it could be the superstar suggesting that Edmonton’s medicore start at 4-4-2 is not a reason to be concerned. The Oilers don’t love the way they’re playing, but they know from past experience that a hot start (or a cold one, in their case) doesn’t mean much in terms of being a contender for the Stanley Cup.

The Mammoth’s seven-game winning streak is being pushed by young stars who haven’t had the experience to try and maintain that level of success over 82 games. They might very well do it, but there’s a chance things turn south as quickly as the team exploded out of the gate. The Oilers have an opportunity to put a dent in Utah’s current armour.

Utah has been one of the NHL’s hottest teams to start 2025-26, with stars like Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther driving their success. Yet Draisaitl’s comments suggest that the Oilers aren’t intimidated by the streak, focusing instead on the bigger picture. One fan suggested Draisaitl was getting a bit “sassy”, which fans can only hope is a good sign. Often, if a player puts comments out there in the hockey universe that come across as a bit arrogant, there’s a good chance their intention is to back it up.

For Edmonton, the game offers a chance to test themselves against a confident opponent while getting their own game back on track. The Oilers will also be debuting their new alternate jerseys at Rogers Place.

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