At the end of May, the Edmonton Oilers elevated the profile of the organization’s analytics department. Michael Parkatti, hired in 2023, took on a new title as vice president of analytics and technology. As Parkatti was hired before Stan Bowman came aboard as general manager in July 2024, the increased role suggested the Bowman-Parkatti tandem has been productive.

Has it?

One thing we can’t know for certain is how seriously Parkatti’s department is taken by management. During the period Tyler Dellow was part of the Oilers staff (2014-16), there were free-agent signings (Andrej Sekera) that looked like mathy choices, but there didn’t appear to be much other procurement that could be connected to fancy stats.

If an analytics department makes a series of recommendations but they’re not acted upon, mistakes will be made. Oilers fans have experienced a lifetime of missteps since 2015 in this area.

Fast forward to the Bowman era, and we still have no better method of identifying the analytical selections, but we do have a fresh administration to view and evaluate. How many of this summer’s moves could reasonably be connected to analytics? A reminder: we’re looking for transactions that could have been aided by analytics, not defining them as analytics transactions.

Darnell Nurse trade

Darnell Nurse was a productive player for over a decade in Edmonton. In fact, he was on value deals until signing the $9.25 million annual average value contract in the summer of 2021. From the moment he was signed until his trade to the San Jose Sharks on July 1 this year, the contract was a drag on the salary cap. More than any other transaction this offseason, the newfound freedom to wheel under the cap aligns perfectly with analytical thinking. Bowman gave the roster room to fill holes that would not have been addressed without this trade. The analytics department would have concurred.

The goalies

Faced with a problem that has plagued the organization for a decade (since Cam Talbot), Bowman brought in two goalies and plans to run with three next season. Odds are the three-headed monster will be reduced to two often enough due to injury, but there’s an analytics feel to the solution.

Most NHL stoppers have significant performance swings each season. Injuries, fatigue and luck all can be factors. Edmonton’s summer acquisition of Frederik Andersen makes sense from a math viewpoint because he’s capable of going on exceptional runs of success. Andersen proved it as recently as this spring, going 12-1 with a .931 save percentage in the first three rounds of the playoffs. Bowman doesn’t need Andersen to be on top of his game all season, but a repeat of last spring would be ideal.

This gives the other two goalies a chance to build confidence and prove themselves to new coach Mike Babcock, who coached Andersen with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tristan Jarry had a .913 save percentage when playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, but was never right (and injured) when in Edmonton.

It’s fair to suggest analytics played a part in the acquisition of Devon Levi. He’s an investment in today and the future, and comes with a three-year resume of solid play in the AHL. Three years of progression in a quality league is an impressive math argument for success. This is a smart math bet by Edmonton for a waiver-eligible player. The roster decision is also an astute move, one that runs counter to prevailing wisdom. Investing in the most important area of the roster makes sense for a team with such a mediocre past at the position.

Defence

Ryan Shea is an interesting addition to the club. According to Puck IQ, Shea played 29 percent of his time five-on-five versus elites, while Oilers second-pairing blueliner Jake Walman played 31 percent versus elites. Walman’s impressive max foot speed (98th percentile, while Shea is under 50th percentile) probably gives him the edge in playing the big minutes, but Walman has had a difficult time staying healthy. Shea might be the next man up.

Shea’s improvement last season is fascinating. His minutes spiked, and he flourished in the increased role. Analytics would have aided Bowman in identifying a player who was successful in the retrieval of pucks and strong outlets. Shea may be entering his career prime at 29. The numbers Edmonton’s management are evaluating are not publicly available, and some of the success could be luck, but Shea looks like a player math would have highlighted as a spiking talent. The amount and length of the deal leave the team exposed; that might make it an outlier for the math people.

The numbers on Shakir Mukhamadullin are less impressive. He isn’t a fast train, although his stride is smooth. Puck IQ tracked him as a below-average outscorer relative to his fellow Sharks defenders. He does appear to be capable of playing a large number of minutes, something the Oilers may need with an aging roster.

Overall, it’s more difficult to credit math with aiding the decisions on defence than in net.

Draft picks

The Oilers’ 2026 draft didn’t follow the “draft skill” template that gives a team more chances to find a true difference-maker. The club’s second-round selection, Rudolfs Berzkalns, appears to be a quality centre in all areas but offence. It’s possible his ability was obscured during his season with the USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks (13-12-25 in 48 games), but the overall feel of the draft by the Oilers suggests analytics picks weren’t in play. There were skill players on the board when Edmonton made its first selection. That may be an opportunity missed.

Depth signings 

The Oilers made a couple of depth signings that suggest math led the way. Mathieu Joseph is a perfect fit for Edmonton, with speed on the forecheck and the ability to help his team outscore opponents. Puck IQ had his possession numbers over 50 percent (in real time and relative to his teammates) with the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings last season. He should provide the Oilers the kind of utility they once got from Mattias Janmark.

Eduards Tralmaks is a distant-bell prospect with an impressive story. He’s a scoring winger with plus speed and size, and has scored often in the AHL. He thrived last season in the Detroit Red Wings system and could surprise in training camp. If he were 24, fans would be anticipating his NHL arrival. However, Tralmaks is 29, late for any player to arrive in the NHL and have success. Recent Oilers examples include Gaetan Haas, Joakim Nygard and David Tomasek. The Tralmaks resume reflects exactly the kind of player a bunch of math nerds might uncover.

Positional priority

If there’s unfinished business this summer, analytics would point to a right-handed centre who could play on the second or third line. The Oilers have never been a hotbed for righty centres, but this edition of the team can find itself at a disadvantage because of it. I recently wrote about Kirby Dach and Matt Poitras as possible additions. The Oilers analytics department, with a wealth of proprietary intel, could send Bowman in any number of productive directions.

Looking at the roster, a right-handed centre is the only real need left at this time.

Edmonton and analytics 

Bowman and Parkatti appear to have marched in lockstep this summer. Exceptions might include the draft and some of the solutions on defence, but those are minor compared to what are surely significant accomplishments.

Trading Nurse, layering solutions at the team’s most vulnerable position (goaltending) and sitting on what must seem like a mountain of cap room as the team enters August should be counted as progress.

Hockey analytics were born on Oilers blogs and fanboards, but the revolution didn’t take in Edmonton. Bowman and Parkatti may have found a productive marriage of math, the eye test and a measured approach in an effort to win the Stanley Cup in the Connor McDavid era.