The Edmonton Oilers have reloaded and appear to be in store for a massive 2024-25 season after falling a game short of a Stanley Cup championship only months ago. They were able to add some great talent in free agency, while also bringing back plenty of their pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs).
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While things look great for the Oilers, they will be facing plenty of pressure in what is another Stanley Cup or bust-type season. There are also several questions facing this team as they prepare to enter what is the biggest season yet with this core group.
Will Draisaitl Sign an Extension?
The biggest question surrounding the Oilers is the future of Leon Draisaitl. The 28-year-old, who is coming off of his fifth season with more than 100 points, is set to enter the final year of his contract. Safe to say, nervousness amongst the fan base is increasing as each day passes without a deal being signed.
Reports are suggesting that a deal will get worked out between the two sides, though anything can happen in the NHL. It is even bigger than just bringing Draisaitl back, as getting him signed to an extension would greatly increase the chances of Connor McDavid signing an extension next summer. If he were to leave, McDavid could very well wind up doing the same.
Though not nearly as much of a concern, a Draisaitl extension isn’t the only contract situation Oilers fans are monitoring. Both Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway remain unsigned. The two young talents figure to be big supporting pieces of this roster in 2024-25, making it crucial for management to find a way to get them locked up.
Is a Trade Nearing?
As mentioned, both Broberg and Holloway are in need of new contracts. The issue in signing them is that the Oilers currently don’t have the room to do so, as they sit roughly $340,000 above the NHL’s maximum salary cap. That could result in management being forced to move a player before the season begins.
The most obvious candidate is Cody Ceci, who is entering the final year of his contract which carries a $3.25 million cap hit. Moving him may not be an easy task, however, as he has struggled in each of the past two seasons, making him a player opposing general managers (GMs) may be leery to bring in without additional compensation.
Evander Kane is another trade candidate, though his injury troubles are a cause for concern. Should he remain injured for the beginning of the 2024-25 season, he could be a long-term injured reserve candidate, which could allow the Oilers to keep their roster intact for the time being. If healthy, however, a move will need to be made, with another option being Brett Kulak.
How Will Fans Respond to Bowman Hiring?
The Oilers shocked many when they announced that they were hiring Stan Bowman as their new GM. He will replace Ken Holland, whose contract expired at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. It was clear that a new GM was needed with Jeff Jackson not wanting to take on the role, though the decision to go with Bowman didn’t sit well with many.
Bowman was reinstated by the NHL shortly before his hiring. He had been serving an indefinite suspension for his role in the Kyle Beach scandal. To his credit, the 51-year-old seems to have done plenty of work to learn from his mistakes, but many seem to believe a second chance, particularly with a roster as talented as the Oilers, wasn’t deserved.
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There were Oilers fans who said they would no longer go to games to support the team following the hiring of Bowman. Whether that is true or not will be determined once the 2024-25 season gets underway, though regardless of how things actually play out, it’s clear this hiring has disappointed many Oilers fans.
Can New Additions Make a Big Impact?
A big thought amongst Oilers fans following the Game 7 Stanley Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers was that there wasn’t enough offence coming from their forward group. Part of that was due to Draisaitl playing at less than 100 percent, though most felt another top-six scoring forward may have been enough to put them over the edge.
Jackson, who was serving as the interim GM to begin free agency, seemed to agree. He added not one, but two top-six wingers in Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson. These signings had most considering the Oilers as one the biggest winners in free agency, though, it may not be fair to truly assess that until the season gets underway.
While Skinner and Arvidsson are both talented players, it remains to be seen how they will fit in with the Oilers. Skinner is often a player who struggles with consistency, while Arvidsson’s health is a cause for concern. If they can both play to the levels they are capable of, the Oilers will be very tough to beat. If they struggle, however, their free agency period won’t be nearly as impressive as it initially seemed.
Time is Now for the Oilers
Though they’ve come close, particularly this past season, the Oilers have yet to win a Stanley Cup through McDavid’s first nine years in the NHL. It’s a frustrating scenario given that the 27-year-old has not only established himself as the best player in the league, but one of the best of all time. Not winning a Cup with him would be a travesty, and this coming season serves as their best opportunity yet. It needs to happen, as things could become more difficult given the money that McDavid and Draisaitl are expected to earn on their next contracts.
