At least that’s how it appears right now, as they’re on a 16-game winning streak heading into their game against the Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET, Hulu/ESPN+). If they win, they’ll tie the all-time NHL record of 17, set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins — and they’ll have a chance to break the record against the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 9.
It’s a massive turnaround for the Oilers, who lost 10 of their first 12 games and were only 13-15-1 before the streak started. They’re third in the Pacific Division and seem to have unlocked their full potential in what’s proving to be a magical season.
With the Oilers looking to make history, we were reminded of other greatest single-season winning streaks across sports.
NHL: 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins (17 games)
The Penguins missed Mario Lemieux for part of the season because of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but his return inspired them to greatness. Lemieux had 51 points during the Penguins’ streak — 20 more than Adam Oates, the next-highest player. Pittsburgh scored 10 goals in a game twice in that span, with Lemieux contributing five goals in their 10-4 win against the New York Rangers. The streak ended with a 6-6 OT tie against the New Jersey Devils in the regular-season finale. Pittsburgh went on to be upset by the New York Islanders in a seven-game second-round playoff series.
Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Gail Goodrich — the ’71-’72 Lakers were loaded with legends, and it showed. Los Angeles averaged 123.3 points per game during their streak, the most in the NBA at the time. They won 8 games by 20+ points, 2 by 40+ points, and 23 in total by double digits. Strangely, the loss that broke the streak — a 120-104 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks — actually sparked a 2-4 skid. But it was just a blip on the radar — the Lakers went 69-13, a mark that would stand until the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls went 72-10, and won an NBA title in five games.
What happens when you pair Tom Brady and Randy Moss on the same team? Greatness, bordering on absurdity. Moss caught 23 touchdown passes from Brady, breaking Jerry Rice’s record of 22. Brady became the first quarterback ever to throw for 50 touchdowns in a season. The Patriots as a whole scored 589 points, a record that would stand until the 2013 Broncos surpassed it with 606. Unfortunately for Patriots fans, this season is more known for how it ended, with a stunning loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
The Spider caught a lot of flies in his incredible UFC career. He hit the ground running, winning his first 16 matches in stylish and epic fashion. Silva had 10 straight title defenses during this period, the second-longest streak in UFC history behind Demetrious Johnson. He beat Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen twice each, along with wins over Forrest Griffin and Vitor Belfort. Silva eventually lost in spectacular fashion against Chris Weidman, ending his streak.
Lisa Leslie went off during the Sparks’ dominant run, averaging 21.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.8 APG. The Sparks, as a whole, averaged 80 PPG during the streak, almost nine points higher than the next-best team (Sacramento Monarchs at 71.6). Their point differential of 11.8 was over 5 points per game better than any other team in that span. Their streak ended in heartbreaking fashion, with Adrienne Goodson hitting a go-ahead shot with .1 seconds remaining to give the Utah Starzz an 80-78 win.
We have to go all the way back to the 19th century for this one. The Bulldogs outscored their opponents an astounding 485-13 during the streak, shutting out 13 of their 16 opponents. George Adee, their starting quarterback, is also a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. If you’re looking for more modern streaks, the 2018 Clemson Tigers, 2019 LSU Tigers, 2022 Georgia Bulldogs and 2023 Michigan Wolverines all went 15-0.
While there have been other undefeated seasons in women’s college basketball, no other team accomplished the feat in a 40-game season like Baylor and UConn did. A special note for the Huskies — their 2013-14 undefeated campaign was part of a larger undefeated run of 111 games that lasted from Nov. 23, 2014, to March 27, 2017.
This team was loaded with future NBA talent. Nine players on the Wildcats’ roster later played in the NBA, including Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, Willie Cauley-Stein and Trey Lyles. They tied the single-season Division I record for wins in a season with the 2012 Kentucky squad and 2008 Memphis Tigers (later vacated). All of those teams were coached by John Calipari, by the by. Their only loss came against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Final Four.
Five of Nelson’s 11 wins came by at least 5 shots. One of his wins was the 1945 PGA Championship — the lone major played that season because of World War II. The longest streak since Nelson’s feat? Tiger Woods, with seven straight wins in 2006-7.
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jake Fraley was activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday.
He had injured his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch June 23 against the New York Yankees.
An MRI revealed a partially torn labrum that will eventually require surgery. Fraley received a cortisone shot and will try to play through it for the rest of the season.