4 Big Questions for the Edmonton Oilers in 2020-21

3. Is the goaltending going to be good enough in 2020-21?

There is no doubt that Edmonton Oilers General Manager Ken Holland missed a huge opportunity to improve the weakest area on this roster during the offseason.

In what was a market dominated by elite goaltenders like never before, many felt certain that Holland would go out and acquire a franchise netminder in Free Agency.

However, for some baffling  and unknown reason, the Oilers stood pat while big-name goalie after big-name goalie went off the board.

And, to escalate things further, two of Edmonton’s North Division Rivals in the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks both upgraded their goaltending respectively by signing Jacob Markstrom and Stanley Cup champion Braden Holtby.

It made no sense as to why the Oilers didn’t go out and acquire a legit starting goaltender, instead opting to re-sign veteran Mike Smith to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Smith was solid for Edmonton in 2019-20, going 19-12-6 with a .902 Save Percentage and a 2.95 Goals Against Average to go along with one shutout, but he isn’t the long-term answer between the pipes for this franchise.

Then there is the other half of this less-than-average goaltending tandem, Mikko Koskinen, who put up a .917 SV% and a 2.75 GAA in 33 starts during the regular season, before struggling in the postseason with a .889 Save Percentage and a 3.16 Goals Against Average.

In a season where goalies will be relied on more than ever in a condensed 56-game schedule, it remains to be seen if Smith and Koskinen are good enough to carry the Oilers to the promised land.

They may not even be good enough to get the job done in a stacked North Division, so it may be up to Ken Holland to go and acquire a legit starting goaltender in a big trade in order to ensure that Connor McDavid has enough help to drag this team into the postseason again.

Marc-Andre Fleury, anyone?

2. Is Tyson Barrie the stud this Oilers defense needs in 2020-21?

The Edmonton Oilers will enter the 2020-21 NHL season without Oscar Klefbom, who is out for the entire year with a chronic shoulder injury.

It is a big loss for Head Coach Dave Tippett considering that Klefbom led the Oilers in ice time per game (25:25) in 2019-20, and he also ranked first among all team defensemen in scoring with 34 points (5 G, 29 A) in 62 games.

Elite at quarterbacking the power play too, Edmonton will need someone to step up and fill the void left by Klefbom offensively.

While Ethan Bear will likely see an increase in his minutes and play in all situations, as I wrote about here, Tyson Barrie is the offensive juggernaut that the Edmonton Oilers will really need to step up to the plate in 2020-21.

After a failed cup of coffee with the Toronto Maple Leafs last year, where he put up 39 points (5 G, 34 A) in 70 regular-season games but found himself earmarked as the latest Leafs defenseman to become the scapegoat for the team’s postseason failures, Barrie signed a one-year, $3,750,000 prove-it deal with the Oilers during the offseason.

It was a smart pickup by Edmonton, especially in the light of the Klefbom news, and Barrie will be motivated to restore his reputation while helping his new team back to the postseason.

An offensive defenseman who can log big minutes, Barrie can easily put up 50 or more points in a single season and he will be given every opportunity to do so in Edmonton.

An elite quarterback on the power play too, the 29-year-old should only help to maintain a PP unit that ranked first in the National Hockey League last year (29.5).

And, if Tyson Barrie can reach the peak of his powers again and become the offensive juggernaut he was with the Colorado Avalanche, then it will be good news for his future prospects and good news for the Edmonton Oilers’ hopes of being a Playoff team again.

1. Are there enough weapons around Connor McDavid?

Much like with Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres, the Edmonton Oilers have been guilty of not surrounding their face of the franchise in Connor McDavid with enough quality weapons to truly succeed.

That has been a large factor behind why this franchise has only reached the postseason twice in McDavid’s five years in the league, despite the superstar routinely putting his team on his back and scoring at least 90 points every year apart from his injury-shortened rookie season.

Granted, the arrival of renowned team-builder and architect of the Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup dynasty, Ken Holland, a year or so ago offered new hope to McDavid, as did the appointment of highly-respected Head Coach Dave Tippett.

And there has been some improvement to the roster this offseason with offensive defenseman Tyson Barrie signed in Free Agency, as was depth center Kyle Turris.

Is it enough though?

Having Leon Draisaitl, who cemented his reputation as arguably the second best player in the NHL behind McDavid with a 110 point season (43 G, 67 A) in 2019-20 certainly helps, but what about the rest of the roster?

Kailer Yamamoto is an intriguing prospect and he could be set for a breakout year on the same line as Draisaitl, while the Oilers will hope that winger Jesse Puljujarvi is motivated to resurrect his NHL career after playing two seasons in Finland following a falling out with the previous regime.

Outside of that, much of the burden will fall on center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and veteran winger James Neal, but you get the sense that this team needs another legit top-six scoring threat in order to transform the Edmonton Oilers into a genuine cup contender.

And it may have to be something GM Ken Holland considers at the Trade Deadline, or else risk upsetting his most prized asset with another failed season.