Edmonton Oilers: 2 Biggest Surprises Of The Season So Far

The majority of NHL teams have already played 20 games this season, so we are starting to get a better understanding of what to expect from them moving forward. There have been certain players who have been big surprises thus far and it feels fair to shine a light on them. In this series, we will be looking at two from each team who certainly can be classified as that.

In this piece, we will be focusing on the Edmonton Oilers. They have been one of the best teams in the entire league thus far, as they have a 15-5-0 record. Without much surprise, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are continuing to dominate the league, but they also have a few surprises who have been major reasons for their success, too.

Mikko Koskinen: Mikko Koskinen has been doing a very good job holding the fort down with veteran goaltender Mike Smith injured. At this time, he sports an 11-2-0 record, 2.89 GAA and .912 SV%. Heading into the season, he was one of Edmonton's most criticized players. Last campaign, he had a 13-13-0 record and .899 SV%, so it certainly is fair to say he struggled. Yet, now he is having a bounce back season at the perfect time and silencing his critics in the process.

Jesse Puljujarvi: Jesse Puljujarvi is continuing to get better and seems to be another step closer to reaching his initial potential. In 20 games thus far, he has seven goals and 16 total points. He has had a bit of a cold stretch of games, but even with that, he's still on pace for a breakout year and did get back on the scoresheet Saturday night against the Golden Knights. He also is only nine points away from tying his career-high of 25 points he recorded last season. That's certainly a step in the right direction.

Honorable Mention: Stuart Skinner has been excellent since his call-up. Although he has a losing 2-3-0 record, his play has been stellar. He currently sports a .928 SV% and 2.44 GAA. He is making a case to stay with the NHL team from here and should be a mainstay by next season.

Check out our last piece on the Calgary Flames. In our next installment, we'll discuss the Los Angeles Kings.