[4] The team started the season poorly, going 3–9–1 before firing head coach Jay Woodcroft and replacing him with Kris Knoblauch.
[10] Throughout the duration of the regular season, the Oilers only managed to tally an abysmal 3–9–1 record in their opening games, resulting in them being in joint last place in the league standings alongside the San Jose Sharks.
Nevertheless, their lackluster beginning was soon eclipsed by the Oilers' remarkable achievement of a 16-game winning streak, setting a new Canadian and franchise record, which started on December 21, 2023, and ended on February 6, 2024.
[11] The Oilers eventually finished the regular season with 104 points via a 49–27–6 record, which gave them second place in the Pacific Division.
This dramatic turn of events could have potentially marked the first reverse sweep in recent memory, a feat not witnessed in the NHL since the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals.
However, despite the team's valiant efforts, the Oilers were unable to sustain their momentum and ultimately succumbed to the Panthers in the crucial final game seven of the series.
McDavid became the first player since Jean-Sebastien Giguere in 2003 and the sixth overall in NHL history to be bestowed with the Conn Smythe as a member of the losing team.