The Edmonton Oilers were handed a massive defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row. While last year's Stanley Cup final was hard-fought to a climactic end, the Oilers were steamrolled in 6 bone-crushing games by their adversaries. The Panthers had better depth, a better goalie, arguably a better coach, and their stars outproduced Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
During last year's free agency, when the Oilers signed Jeff Skinner and Victor Arvidsson, Edmonton was being heralded as the true competitor for the Cup this year only to be taken apart by a better equipped Florida team. But after this year's free agency, how do they compare?
The question in net
To clarify, Stuart Skinner is not a bad goaltender by any means. In fact, he is a cost-effective and perfectly adequate net minder who does his job. However, he is not perfect, and neither is Edmonton, who has had consistent issues with their blueline and over-relies on Skinner to bail out their poor structure. Nevertheless, Skinner's performance has been decent for the Oilers, as he currently owns a career total of 98 wins, a 2.14 goals-against average, a 0.906 save percentage, and 7 shutouts.
Skinner receives a decent amount of blame for the Oilers' shortcomings and defeats. The Oilers can be categorized as a top-heavy team in which they rely on superstars, such as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, to drive their offense. While it can be argued that the Oilers have a decent supporting cast in Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, it should be noted that the Oilers have more pressing issues regarding their defensive depth that leaves a goaltender in Stuart Skinner "out to dry," so to speak.
The Oilers will need to shift their priorities to provide Skinner with a defensive structure to cushion him from bombardment from opposing teams, proper personnel to police the defensive zone, and possibly a suitable partner to relieve him of the pressure of being a starter.
Evan Bouchard is the clear number 1 defenseman on the Oilers; his lucrative $42 million extension speaks for itself. However, the best defensive defenseman at Edmonton's disposal is Darnell Nurse, a player who has also received the brunt of Oilers fans' frustrations. It wouldn't be fair to say that Nurse is a weak defenseman by any means, but his contract isn't exactly close to his true value. Nurse is currently on year 4 of an 8-year deal with a $9.25 million AAV. With Connor McDavid's UFA status on the horizon, Nurse's play-style and value have been questioned as to whether he is truly performing to his contractual potential.
With the addition of Jake Walman at this year's trade deadline, the Oilers currently have a left-handed side composed of Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, and Walman. With Bouchard freshly extended, Brent Kulak and Ty Emberson will be close behind on the right-hand side. If there were any predictions about what the Edmonton Oilers might do before the end of the offseason or at this year's trade deadline, there is a solid chance that the Oilers will make a trade for a bottom-pairing right-handed defenseman.
There are, of course, whispers of the Oilers searching for another netminder to play alongside Skinner. But with John Gibson, a veteran goalie that was rumored to be sent to Edmonton, being traded to the Detroit Red Wings by the Anaheim Ducks, the Oilers currently have a shallow pool to pick from.
Forward depth
The Oilers have been tinkering with their roster after their devastating defeat by a far superior Florida Panthers' lineup. What gives the Panthers such an advantage is their ability to roll out four efficient and versatile lines. Their players can score, defend, deliver demoralizing hits, and create plays. While the Panthers can deploy wave after wave of NHL talent, the Oilers will need to find a way to relieve the burden of offensive production off Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
An NHL team's depth begins after the first line, ranging from the second-line center to the hard-checking fourth-line grinder. The Oilers made a few key transactions to shed some cap space to make key extensions, replacing players like Evander Kane with Issac Howard and Andrew Mangiapane. Issac Howard, after being acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning, is the 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner and is projected to start on a line with Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid. Andrew Mangiapane, who had his career best in 2021-2022, where he scored 35 goals and 20 assists for 55 points on the rival Calgary Flames, is looking to reemerge as a middle-six contributor on Edmonton's third line.
After being traded by the Buffalo Sabres in a perplexing trade that saw Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio being exchanged, Matthew Savoie, a former 2022 9th overall pick, was regarded as one of the most promising prospects in the NHL. After spending a year with the Bakersfield Condors, posting 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points, Savoie will likely be a playmaking right winger on the Oilers' second line. Savoie's trajectory, from a prospect to a potential top-six contributor in a three-year span, is impressive to say the least and could potentially inject some youth into Edmonton's offense as they attempt to keep their contention window open.
The last player to be examined is the recently extended Trent Frederic. The former Boston Bruin was acquired at this year's deadline in a three-way trade that also included the New Jersey Devils. Frederic is a two-way forward that provides a physical element to a lineup while contributing on both ends of the ice. His best statistical year was in 2023-2024, where he posted 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points with the Boston Bruins. His new contract, however, has raised some eyebrows due to the extended term that accompanied the unusually high AAV of $3.85 million.
Have the Oilers done enough to remain competitive?
The harsh reality for the Oilers is that many of their rivals have only gotten better this offseason while the Oilers prepare to deploy what can be seen as an experimental lineup. The Oilers went from being one of the only clear contenders to the Florida Panthers' juggernaut, to being relegated to a state of uncertainty.
To clarify, the Oilers are nowhere near a bad team; in fact, their middle-six additions are very intriguing and exciting, especially Issac Howard. However, a cause for concern is the improvement and emergence of other teams in the West. While the Oilers were forced to move out various pieces in order to manage their cap space, teams like the Vegas Golden Knights have vastly improved their rosters to challenge the Oilers' hegemony over the Western Conference.
Having two of the best players in the NHL, in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, ensures that the Oilers have a fighting chance to compete for Lord Stanley. However, the uncertainty of their lineup and their inability to address the crucial gaps in their roster not only decrease the Oilers' chances at competing, but also puts them at a disadvantage with other teams within their own conference.