The Edmonton Oilers are entering the 2024 All-Star break as the hottest team in the National Hockey League. That can't be up for debate. The Oilers have won 16 games in a row and are one more win away from tying the Pittsburgh Penguins for the most consecutive wins in a season. The 1992-92 Penguins have that record with 17 victories in a row. The Oilers must wait for their turn to get that 17th victory, as their next game isn't until February. As the NHL season takes a pause, it's time to look at what the Oilers have done so far, and hand out a few letter grades for their play.

OFFENSE: A-

Connor McDavid in middle of image with fire around him looking happy, EDM Oilers logo in image, hockey rink in background

The Oilers have had a wild season so far. The team started out of the gate limping, with only two wins in the club's first 12 games. During that 12 game stretch, the Oilers managed only one goal or less in three of those games. The team looked dead in the water, and the offense was on life support. But something changed. The club started coming to life on Saturday November 11, when the Oilers defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Oilers left wing Zach Hyman scored three goals in the first period of the game, notching a hat trick early. From that moment on, the team just found its life on offense. Scoring came much easier for the Oilers, and the team has lost only six games since that day in mid-November.

One of the reasons the team has really come to life is because center Connor McDavid is skating well on the ice and running the show for the club. The center has 20 goals and 47 assists on the campaign, to make a total of 67 points going into the All-Star break. McDavid is tied for fourth in the NHL right now among players in total points, and he's fourth in the league in assists.

While McDavid is leading the way, he's got plenty of help around him to get the puck in the net. Left winger Hyman has 30 goals, and is leading the team in that category. He's tied for sixth in the league in goals. The team is also getting solid production from center Leon Draisaitl, who is second on the team with 23 goals. The two centers McDavid and Draisaitl are playing unselfish hockey right now, as both of them got two assists apiece to help the team beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Saturday.

Edmonton is also doing a great job at making teams pay on the power play. The Oilers are currently in the top five in the NHL in power play percentage, with a 27 percent percentage. That number is helping out in a big way-the Oilers are fourth in the NHL in goals per game, scoring 3.51 a contest.

The Oilers currently sit with a 29-15-1 record in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. That's good for third in the division. While the offense certainly didn't have it going early, it has clearly found its groove and deserves high marks considering this team was 2-9-1 through its first 12 games.

DEFENSE: A-

Edmonton Oilers logo on fire in the middle. Warren Foegele and Stuart Skinner on either side

While the offense has found its fire, the Oilers' defense is proving to be not too shabby either. As mentioned, the team struggled through its first 12 games, losing 10 overall. In those 12 games, the Oilers' defense was like a sieve. It gave up 50 goals in that first 12 game stretch. That's more than a four goal per game average, and that's just unacceptable.

Again, the team's November 11 game against the Kraken was a turning point. The Oilers started to see a transition, giving up only 29 goals in the next ten games. The team's defense tightened up to the point that at the All-Star break, the Oilers have one of the toughest scoring defenses in the NHL. The team is only giving up 2.76 goals a contest, which is good for eighth in the NHL as of the time of writing. That number would be even better if not for that rough patch at the season's start.

Oilers' goalie Stuart Skinner has racked up wins while the team has been on this streak. He picked up his 12th straight win against the Predators on Saturday, making 28 saves. It's not just him, though, that's getting the job done on defense. Calvin Pickard is also playing great defense in net, getting his first shut-out in five years this season for Edmonton. The Oilers are spreading the wealth around on defense as well as offense.

COACHING: B

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch with his players celebrating.

One of the reasons why the team has seen such a change in play is because the Oilers changed their coach following a disastrous start. The Oilers parted ways with Jay Woodcroft following the team's first 13 games. With Woodcroft, the team had a 3-9-1 record.

Now, the Oilers are led by Kris Knoblauch. Knoblauch is making the case that he should be NHL coach of the year, with how well his team is playing. The team under his guidance has lost only six games, and skated its way to this impressive 16 game winning-streak. The chemistry on this team seems tremendous heading into the All-Star break. Coaching definitely plays a big part in that. Time will tell if the team can extend its streak and break the Penguins' NHL record. Even if they don't end up getting there, what Knoblauch has done is truly remarkable. The B grade is given because it's only fair to include all of the team's games in the coaching report card. Knoblauch raised a failing grade from his predecessor all the way up to a B.

It's certainly an exciting time to be an Edmonton Oilers fan.