The Edmonton Oilers haven’t had it this season.
After two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearances, Connor McDavid and company didn’t have the same excitement as in previous playoff runs as their 2025-26 season came to a heartbreaking halt. Now, general manager Stan Bowman faces difficult challenges in upgrading the Oilers roster with limited cap space and expendable assets before next season.
Whether you like it or not, changes must happen. McDavid made no secret of his displeasure, and Bowman and management should heed his warning if the franchise hopes to remain a Stanley Cup contender.
1. Take a moment to breathe
Logic needs to rule the day in oil country. Oilers management couldn’t react quickly to its latest heartbreak. Instead, the argument for meaningful change must be at the forefront.
They don’t need to throw out the baby with the bathwater because the core of the team is solid. Leon Draisaitl, Zack Hyman, Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are vital to the success of this club. However, the problem is not the main one in Edmonton.
Management must look at salaries, player usage, statistics, analytics and coaches’ feedback to make the right decisions.
2. Who will be the next Corey Perry or Evander Kane?
Confidence is a great medicine, but so is arrogance. The Oilers’ confidence is a quiet confidence. It’s the fire that burns in McDavid’s eyes that heralds a new display of speed and skill that hasn’t been seen yet.
Swagger, on the other hand, is the approach pioneered by legends like Corey Perry and Evander Kane. Who brought the swagger for the Oilers this year?
For all intents and purposes, it was missing. How do they get it back? Who can they add to the roster that brings that element? Does this mean promoting Ike Howard to full-time NHL duty? Or do they need to trade for this kind of player?
3. Bring back Connor Ingram
Even with his playoff disappointment, Connor Ingram was a pleasant addition.
Acquired via trade early in the year, he finished with respectable numbers. In 32 games, he had a 16–10–3 record with a 2.60 goals-against average (GAA), .899 save percentage (SV%), and two shutouts.
Additionally, of the goaltending trio the Oilers finished the season with, he was the only one with an expected positive goals-against average. In other words, Ingram was the only goaltender to make more saves than the average NHL goaltender.
The Oilers need more of this, not less.
4. One way or another, Tristan Jerry has to go
Whether it’s via trade or buy-out, Tristan Jarry may not start next season with the Oilers. They don’t need another inconsistent goalkeeper, whose attitude may or may not always be right. The Oilers need someone who is consistent, without big peaks or cavernous valleys. Just consistent league-average goaltending.
According to Hockey Reference, the league average GAA and SV% in 2025–26 were 2.88 and .896, respectively. That’s who Ingram was this year. Now, they just need to find another one.
5. Add a top-six forward
For Oilers fans and pundits, many of these items feel like déjà vu. Sadly, this is no exception.
The Oilers have been searching for the perfect top-six forward for years. Unfortunately, they’ve settled for less than game-changing talent. This needs to end.
At the end of the season, Matt Savoie showed great promise in a senior role. Ike Howard is also waiting in the wings with a profile of a top-six forward.
Will these youngsters secure a place in the top six? Or, will the organization look for an external addition? A rationale should be given for any choice. Regardless of direction, they must make their choice and then act immediately.
6. Darnell Nurse Wake Up Call
Many Oilers fans are calling for Darnell Nurse to be traded. The truth of the matter is that any business related to it is very difficult to complete right now. After the 2026–27 regular season, their no-trade clause changes to a 10-team no-trade list.
There is no such thing as a perfect player. However, the Oilers need Nurse to be a better player than he has shown recently.
Before the nurse leaves for the offseason, she should be given an ultimatum. He either lives up to the coach’s expectations, or eats popcorn in the press box.
This is a win-win situation for the oilers. Either Nurse’s performance comes back or she spends so much time in the press box that she demands a trade. And if Nurse is in the press box, it means another defender has come in his place.
Either way, that conversation must happen.
7. Take a long and hard look at Chris Knoblauch
Is Chris Knoblauch the right coach for the Oilers? He was Jeff Jackson’s choice to lead the Oilers to a championship. But, is it still the right choice?
Management and coaching need to be on the same page. Also, a coach can only do the best with what he has. There must be coordination in roster creation and deployment; If they aren’t, someone has to go.
Let’s be honest, Knoblauch is a great coach. They have won 135 of 233 regular season games. In the playoffs, he has led the Oilers to 31 wins in 53 games.
The question with Knoblauch isn’t whether he’s a good coach or not. The question is can they win a Stanley Cup with him. If the answer is yes then keep it. If the answer is no, cut bait and hire someone else.
The Oilers can’t afford to have another season like this. To make sure that doesn’t happen, they need to answer these questions. Until then, hockey fans in Canada can enjoy the Montreal Canadiens’ run.
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