4 Most Disappointing Oilers From the 2026 Playoffs

The Edmonton Oilers’ disappointing season came to an end on Thursday (April 30) as they were eliminated in six games by the Anaheim Ducks in Round 1. The Oilers were severely outplayed for most of the series, and they couldn’t find sustained momentum.

While a few players had a great series, many players failed to live up to expectations. If Edmonton hoped to go further in the postseason, it needed more contributions throughout the lineup. With that said, here are four players who disappointed during the Oilers’ short playoff run.

Matt Savoie

Matt Savoie had a breakout regular season, but he wasn’t effective in his first playoff experience. He wasn’t necessarily bad, but he also didn’t positively impact the games. The 22-year-old rookie finished the playoffs with just one assist and a minus-1 rating, averaging 14:17 per game.

He spent 42:19 alongside Connor McDavid at 5-on-5, and that duo struggled together. They were outscored 3-0 and only had 47.22 percent of the scoring chances. He was eventually removed from McDavid’s line and only had 33.33 percent of his high-danger chances away from the Oilers’ captain. He struggled to generate much offence with or without McDavid.

Savoie registered a measly 10 shots in six games, and when he was on the ice at even strength, the Oilers got outshot 35-34. Anaheim also had a 37-30 advantage in scoring chances, including 12-10 in high-danger chances.

The biggest disappointment came on the penalty kill. Savoie played 7:28 shorthanded and was on the ice for three goals against. He was also on the ice for eight scoring chances against, including five high-danger chances. The penalty kill was the main reason Edmonton lost this series, and Savoie played a role in that. Hopefully, he learns from this experience and comes back better next season.

Jack Roslovic

After going all offseason unsigned, the Oilers inked Jack Roslovic to a one-year, $1.5 million contract during their home opener. This was an opportunity for him to raise his value in hopes of getting a bigger contract this summer. He did that in the regular season, scoring 21 goals in 69 games. However, he disappeared in the playoffs.

The biggest downside to Roslovic was his inability to step up in the postseason. He was healthy scratched numerous times last playoffs as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, and he underperformed again this postseason.

Roslovic was supposed to provide important depth scoring. However, he didn’t score a goal and generated just one assist, averaging 13:08 of ice time. The Columbus, Ohio, native is a pure goal scorer. Unfortunately, if he’s not producing, he doesn’t impact the game in meaningful ways. He was invisible for large stretches and didn’t make a difference in the lineup.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

The Oilers needed more from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He finished the series with two goals and five points. However, he only registered five shots. He didn’t shoot enough and wasn’t dangerous offensively.

He moved up and down the lineup and took on a more defensive role. However, when he was on the ice at 5-on-5, the Oilers were outshot 39-23. The Oilers only had 45.91 percent of the expected goals for and were out-chanced 27-26.

While he wasn’t terrible, he wasn’t overly noticeable either. The Oilers needed their best players to step up when it counted, but Nugent-Hopkins was just there. He didn’t hurt the team, but he also wasn’t effective.

Trent Frederic

Trent Frederic had a putrid regular season, recording four goals and seven points in 74 games. Those struggles continued in the playoffs. He was held pointless in four games, with a minus-3 rating.

The Oilers acquired him at the 2025 Trade Deadline from the Boston Bruins and inked him to an eight-year contract extension with a $3.85 million cap hit. That contract is aging poorly, and he has not fit in with this team. His confidence is at an all-time low.

He’s the type of player who should thrive in the playoffs, but that wasn’t the case. The 28-year-old was demoted to the fourth line and averaged 9:12 of ice time while averaging three hits per game. His offensive game has been nonexistent, but he failed to help the team in other ways. He wasn’t nearly physical enough, and he wasn’t strong on the forecheck.

Frederic had a crucial turnover in overtime of Game 4, directly leading to the game-winning goal. He had an opportunity to clear the puck, but he didn’t get it out. As a result, he was healthy scratched for the remainder of the series. The Oilers had $3.85 million sitting in the press box, which isn’t ideal. Hopefully, he finds his game moving forward, or else we are in for a long seven years. He has not met expectations and has hindered the team more than helped.

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Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick