The Edmonton Oilers lost both games on their Florida road trip. After the Oilers’ loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, captain Connor McDavid offered a brutally honest assessment of the Pacific Division, calling it a “pillow fight.”
The 2025–26 NHL season has seen teams in the Eastern Conference earn significantly more points than those in the Western Conference—particularly in the Pacific Division.
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Eastern Conference dominance
The Anaheim Ducks currently lead the Pacific Division with 82 points. That would place them fifth in the Metropolitan Division and sixth in the Atlantic Division, highlighting the disparity between conferences.
How weak the Pacific Division has been this year became clear during Edmonton’s recent road trip to Florida, where they faced the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Oilers lost both games—4–0 to the Panthers and 5–2 to the Lightning.
Despite the back-to-back losses, Edmonton still holds a playoff spot, largely because their division rivals also dropped points.
Connor McDavid’s honest words
That situation prompted McDavid to call out the Pacific Division after the loss to Tampa Bay—a game in which he scored the Oilers’ only goal.
“Obviously we’re fortunate to play in this division. A lot of teams are fortunate to play in this division. It’s a bit of a pillow fight right now. Thankful to have not lost any ground, but we’ve got to find a way to win some on the road,” McDavid told reporters.
The Oilers have 11 games remaining in the regular season, all against Western Conference opponents. Next up, they will face the Utah Mammoth.
You can watch McDavid’s interview below.
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