After another heartbreaking defeat in the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers, the Edmonton Oilers turn their attention to 2025-26 in hopes of finally breaking Canada’s 32-year Stanley Cup drought. Despite being on the cusp of victory, the Oilers experienced significant roster turnover this offseason, so Edmonton will look different come opening night. They lost Connor Brown, Evander Kane, Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, and Corey Perry, while adding Andrew Mangiapane, Curtis Lazar, David Tomášek, and Isaac (Ike) Howard. They also revamped their coaching staff, losing goalie coach Dustin Schwartz, assistant coach Glen Gulutzan, and defence coach Paul Coffey, who will stay with the organization as a special adviser. The organization added assistant coach Paul McFarland, goalie coach Peter Aubry, and skills coach Conor Allen.
Despite these changes, the Oilers are poised to remain a top team in the Western Conference and once again compete for the Stanley Cup. But there are still uncertainties surrounding this team. With that said, here are five burning questions about the Oilers as we head into 2025-26.
Will the Oilers Address the Goaltending?
This has been a topic for far too long, but the Oilers’ goaltending remains a major concern and area of weakness. Despite making back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, it has been mediocre and extremely inconsistent, especially in the playoffs. Stuart Skinner was fantastic against the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars, posting five games with over a .960 save percentage (SV%) with three shutouts in those two rounds. However, he was abysmal in Round 1 against the Los Angeles Kings and in the Stanley Cup Final against the Panthers. He was pulled in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Kings, losing the net to Calvin Pickard for the next six games before returning due to Pickard’s injury. Overall, Skinner finished the playoffs with a disappointing .889 SV% and was pulled three times.
Pickard outperformed Skinner throughout the season, but he’s better suited to the American Hockey League (AHL). Therefore, if a goalie trade happens, the 33-year-old journeyman will likely be the odd man out, unless general manager Stan Bowman makes a blockbuster deal involving Skinner. One thing is certain: the Oilers need a change between the pipes, and if this tandem gets off to a bad start, a deal might come sooner rather than later.
What Should We Expect From Matt Savoie & Isaac Howard?
What can fans expect from Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard? Savoie suited up for four games with the Oilers last season, recording one assist. The 21-year-old was noticeable in his limited time last season and was solid along the boards, winning battles for his teammates. He developed chemistry with Leon Draisaitl, which is exciting heading into this season. A potential Draisaitl, Mangiapane, and Savoie line is enticing.
Related: Oilers Fans Need to Drastically Temper Expectations for Savoie and Howard
Meanwhile, Edmonton acquired Howard from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for prospect Sam O’Reilly, and immediately inked him to a three-year entry-level contract (ELC). Howard played the last two seasons with Michigan State University in the NCAA, recording 26 goals and 52 points in 37 games during his final season. Now, he’s making the jump to the NHL and has high expectations.
These two youngsters are coming in with a lot of hype, but fans should temper their expectations. They should both see top-six minutes, but it’s unrealistic to assume they will each record 60 points in their rookie seasons. If they can score roughly 15 goals and around 40 points, that’s a solid campaign. They are exciting prospects, but let’s not put unnecessary pressure on them.
Can the Oilers Stay Healthy?
The Oilers remained relatively healthy in past seasons, but that changed in 2024-25. In the regular season, Connor McDavid missed 12 games due to injury, Draisaitl missed 11 games, Arvidsson missed 15 games, Zach Hyman missed nine games, and Mattias Ekholm missed 17 games, including 15 more in the playoffs. Those were significant injuries to important players.
The injury bug continued in the playoffs, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins didn’t miss time but played through a broken hand in the Stanley Cup Final. Then, Hyman required surgery after suffering a significant wrist injury during Game 4 of the Western Conference Final. That injury could impact the upcoming season because it’s uncertain if Hyman will be ready by opening day. The Oilers must stay healthy if they hope to have sustained success this season, but will they?
Will the Oilers Get Off to a Good Start?
The Oilers are notoriously slow-starters, not only in games, but also starting the season. They have gotten off to brutal starts in back-to-back campaigns, which must be avoided in the 2025-26 season. In 2023-24, they had an abysmal 3-9-1 record to start, leading to the eventual firing of head coach Jay Woodcroft. Then they started 2-4-1 last season, including losing their first three home games. By Nov. 7, they were 6-7-1 and were drastically underperforming.
Getting off to a good start is crucial, but they have a tough schedule to start the season. They open with two home games, but then play 17 of their next 24 games on the road. They must be road warriors if they hope to get off to a good start, which is easier said than done. The Oilers haven’t won their division since 1987, and if they want to break that drought, they need a better start.
Can the Oilers Get Over the Hump?
What do the Oilers have to do to get over the hump and win the Stanley Cup? They ran into a wagon in the Panthers the last two Finals, and have lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions in four consecutive playoff runs, including to the 2022 Colorado Avalanche and the 2023 Vegas Golden Knights. Since 2020, the Oilers have played the fourth-most playoff games, with 83, and have won nine playoff series during that span. They’ve had recent playoff success, but nothing to show for it. Will that finally change in 2026, or will they come up short once again?
We will get answers to these five questions soon enough, but for now, keep following The Hockey Writers for all your offseason content.
