After four consecutive first-round matchups with LA that got a bit boring, the Edmonton Oilers (41-30-11 SU, 36-45 ATS) open their 2026 playoff run against a different, more unpredictable opponent: the Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6 SU, 40-42 ATS), back in the postseason for the first time since 2018. The series opens Monday at Rogers Place, where the Oilers claimed home-ice advantage by a single point in the Pacific Division standings.

Edmonton opens as a heavy -240 favorite at FanDuel with its resume backing it up: two straight Finals appearances, the league’s best power play, and the best player on the planet. The last time these two met in the playoffs, the Oilers were the young underdogs. Anaheim won in seven. But now the roles have completely flipped.

anaheim ducks vs. edmonton oilers Series Price

Ducks vs. Oilers Series: Tied 0-0

TeamCurrent OddsOpening OddsAnaheim Ducks+195+195Edmonton Oilers-240-240

Odds as of April 17 at FanDuel

Edmonton’s -240 price tag is steep but not surprising. The Oilers went 2-1 SU against Anaheim in the regular season and outscored them 16-11 across those three meetings, two of which featured 11 total goals. Then there’s the layer of the league’s most lethal power play, Edmonton at 30.6%, against a Ducks penalty kill that ranked 27th (76.4%). Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who is expected to return from injury in the first round, combined for 235 points.

Still, +195 on Anaheim is a number worth a glance. The Ducks pulled off 12 third-period comeback wins this season, the most in the NHL. The Ducks’ size ranks fourth in the NHL in average weight at 205 pounds, and they aren’t shy about using every ounce of it. 

anaheim ducks vs. edmonton oilers Series Prediction

Pick: Oilers In 5 (+380 at FanDuel)

The Ducks are a good story, but good stories don’t always have fairy tale endings. Anaheim’s defensive stats just rank too far near the bottom of the league, allowing 3.51 GPG, 3.15 PP chanes and a 76.3% PK. That’s simply way too vulnerable against a lethal Oilers offense. Lukas Dostal wrapped up April going 1-5 SU with a .836SV% and is making his playoff debut on limited confidence. and The Oilers have been here, like five-straight seasons, and know exactly how to close a series. McDavid doesn’t lose in the first round; unless you’re the 2021 Winnipeg Jets. 

anaheim ducks vs. edmonton oilers head-to-head betting historyducks vs. oilers Regular season seriesDateResultATS ResultTotal ResultMarch 28, 2026Oilers 4-2 (-145 ML)Oilers Cover7.0 (UNDER)February 25, 2026Ducks 6-5 (+110 ML)Ducks Cover7.0 (OVER)January 26, 2026Oilers 7-4 (-275 ML)Oilers Cover6.5 (OVER)

The Oilers torched Anaheim 7-4 in January as a -275 favorite, then closed things out with a tidy 4-2 win in March. In between, the Ducks beat them outright at +110 in a 6-5 in February. However, it’s worth noting that was the team’s first game back from the Olympic break. So, an Olympic-hockey hangover may have been a factor, especially when that game in Anaheim kicked off a three-game California road-trip for Edmonton. The OVER hit in two of three, with the lone UNDER coming in that March game, noticeably a game Draisaitl was absent for. 

Key Players To Watch in anaheim ducks vs. edmonton oilers Playoff Series

From the playoff experience of Sidney Crosby, to the hot goaltending of Dan Vladar, to the playmaking from the blueline with Erik Karlsson, there’s no shortage of players that could impact things in this series.

player to watch: connor mcDavid

There isn’t much left to say about Connor McDavid that hasn’t already been said. He is entering these playoff with something to prove, fresh off Olympic disappointment and back-to-back Finals losses that have left the hockey world wondering if he’ll ever get his moment. 

He factored in on 48.9 percent of Edmonton’s goals this regular season and became just the third player in NHL history to record a point in every single one of his team’s 41 wins. When Draisaitl missed the final 14 games of the regular season, McDavid responded with 24 points in those 14 games. Against Anaheim this season, McDavid racked up seven points in three games, including five assists. The Ducks have no answer for him. Nobody really does.

player to watch: Leon Draisaitl

Draisaitl missed Edmonton’s final month of regular season games with a lower-body injury and his availability for Game 1 remains unclear, though he is expected back in the first round at some point. In the past two playoffs combined, only McDavid produced more points than Draisaitl’s 64 in 47 games. Just on the PP alone, his presence is a huge strength, pocketing 42 power play points; the third-most in the NHL. Without him, Edmonton is still dangerous. With him, they’re even more dangerous. 

player to watch: Cutter Gauthier

The 22-year-old led Anaheim with 69 points and 41 goals this season; becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to crack the 40-goal mark. His shot volume is a nightmare to defend, with his 285 shots on goal ranked sixth in the entire NHL. He has never played a playoff game. But, maybe no overthinking and going in blind is an edge for him. Gauthier just simply plays with a confidence that doesn’t look like inexperience and on a team with nothing to lose, that kind of player is needed. 

anaheim ducks vs. edmonton oilers Series ScheduleGameDateTimeArenaGame 1Monday, April 20th10 p.m. ETRogers PlaceGame 2Wednesday, April 22nd10 p.m. ETRogers PlaceGame 3Friday, April 24th10 p.m. ETHonda CenterGame 4Sunday, April 26th9:30 p.m. ETHonda Center*Game 5Tuesday, April 28thTBDRogers Place*Game 6Thursday, April 30thTBDHonda Center*Game 7Saturday, May 2ndTBDRogers Place

*If necessaryÂ