The Edmonton Oilers had a really strong 2022-23 campaign, and while they weren’t able to go as far as they wanted to, it’s hard not to call last season a success. They made it to the second round of the playoffs, where the Vegas Golden Knights would eliminate them en route to winning the Stanley Cup. For the second straight season, the Oilers’ season was ended by the future champion.
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While the stars shined and some players made a name for themselves, there are a few things Oilers fans are wondering heading into next season and a few things that need to remain consistent for the team to be successful again. From Stuart Skinner‘s consistency to losing Klim Kostin and Nick Bjugstad, these are three burning questions for the Oilers heading into the 2023-24 season.
Can Skinner Continue To Play at the Same Level?
Skinner broke out and had a phenomenal season between the pipes for the Oilers and will be relied upon out of the gate to continue his solid play and build off an impressive rookie season that earned him Calder Trophy votes. Through 50 games with the Oilers last season, he posted a 2.75 goals against average (GAA) with a .914 save percentage (SV%) after stealing the starting job from Jack Campbell.
While his play was something the Oilers needed considering the weak start from Campbell, goaltending remains a massive question mark for the team. The Oil will be banking on Campbell having a bounce-back season so that they can have a strong tandem with either of them starting on any given night and trusting them to lead the team to victory.
Skinner will have a ton of pressure on him to repeat what he did last season in the event Campbell still can’t find his confidence with the Oilers. I’m confident, as are many Oilers fans, that Skinner will be able to maintain decent stats, but he’ll need to have another elite season so he can help lead the team back to the playoffs.
Will Connor Brown Be Able to Replace the Loss of Bjugstad & Kostin?
The Oilers went out and signed Connor Brown this offseason, who was the teammate of captain Connor McDavid during their time with the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in their junior careers. Brown, if able to stay healthy, will provide a strong two-way game that will give the team some much-needed breathing room in their lineup and make it much more potent in the offensive zone.
This same offseason, the Oilers have lost Bjugstad to the Arizona Coyotes and Kostin to the Detroit Red Wings. Their strong defensive and physical style of play was something that helped the Oilers make a deep run in the playoffs. The loss of two players that played a big role with the Oilers will be felt in a big way, and the team is hoping Brown can provide enough to replace the two.
The lack of moves the Oilers have made this offseason isn’t a sign that they aren’t going all in, but instead, a sign they believe in the group they have and only need a few minor touch-ups. Brown brings his own unique style to the Oilers, and hopefully, he can have a big enough impact that the loss of Bjugstad and Kostin isn’t as detrimental to the team.
Will Lavoie & Holloway Stay On The Oil All Season?
Dylan Holloway and Raphael Lavoie are both expected to be on the roster for opening night. Lavoie hasn’t had any NHL experience yet but has been putting on a show in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors. Meanwhile, Holloway had a decent first season in the NHL last year but is expected to take a huge leap offensively. Both of them will be huge parts of the team, but they’ll have a ton of pressure on themselves to perform well and remain on the roster for the entire season.
I would expect both of them to start the season in the bottom-six and work their way up from there. There’s a bit less pressure on Lavoie to break out offensively compared to Holloway, but both of them should be able to maintain a strong enough game to remain in the NHL all season.
The Oilers have an extremely strong team for this upcoming season. Hopefully, all of these questions have positive answers and everything works out well for them. They have a Stanley Cup-contending roster, and hopefully, they can bring home their first championship since 1990.
