The Edmonton Oilers have turned things around after a disappointing start to the 2025-26 season. With a single point in Tuesday’s overtime loss to the Nashville Predators, they were able to pull back into a tie with the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. Still, they don’t feel like an elite team like we’ve seen in each of the past two seasons.
Related: Kasperi Kapanen Has Rejuvenated the Oilers’ Forward Group
Rather than getting contributions throughout the entire lineup, the Oilers are being carried Connor McDavid, who is playing out of his mind right now. The recently turned 29-year-old is riding a 20-game point streak, the longest of his career. Others, such as Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are also pulling their weight up front. That said, there are a number of other passengers who are dragging this team down.
Two names that immediately come to mind are Andrew Mangiapane and Trent Frederic. For Mangiapane, who is in just his first season with the Oilers, there is already a ton of chatter that he will be traded ahead of the trade deadline. His two-year extension this offseason simply didn’t work out.
Frederic’s situation is entirely different. He was acquired by the Oilers at last year’s trade deadline, and was signed to an eight-year extension shortly after the 2024-25 campaign concluded. With just two goals and three points through 45 games, the Oilers have nothing to do but hope and pray he can turn things around. Based on past evidence, however, that may not happen.
These Aren’t the First Two New Oilers Forwards to Struggle
As good as the Oilers have been in recent years, there have been several players that have come in and not panned out as hoped. Look back at the offseason following the 2023-24 campaign, where Oilers fans were delighted to learn that they had signed both Viktor Arvidson and Jeff Skinner. It was expected that both deals would work out great for a team who was already offensively loaded and appeared to add even more firepower. As we know now, that was far from the case.
Arvidsson wound up managing just 15 goals and 27 points through 67 games, along with an additional two goals and seven points in 15 playoff outings. Skinner was even worse. In 72 regular season games, he put up just 16 goals and 29 points. The disappointing totals resulted in him being healthy scratched in all but five playoff games.
Arvidsson and Skinner weren’t the only Oilers forwards who saw their play go downhill after joining the organization, either. We’ve already mentioned Mangiapane and Frederic, but the line doesn’t end there, either. Take Adam Henrique, for example. Granted, there is an argument to be made that his decline is age related, but he has been nowhere near the player he was with both the Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils.
What many Oilers fans are left wondering is, what leads to these struggles? Why are certain players who have track records of success struggling when they come to Edmonton? As it turns out, the answer may be much simpler than many think.
Lack of Opportunity in Edmonton
One thing an offensively gifted player joining the Oilers should realize from the get go is that they aren’t going to get much, if any reps on the power play. With other teams, a number of these players mentioned above have gotten time on the man advantage, allowing them to beef up their point totals.
That isn’t an option in Edmonton, where they tend to ride their top unit for the vast majority of all power play opportunities. The Oilers can’t be faulted for that, as the combination of McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Hyman, and Bouchard have been a lethal group for several seasons.
What also hurts is that, regardless of who is behind the bench in Edmonton, the Oilers tend to give McDavid and Draisaitl very heavy minutes. Players who play alongside them reap the rewards, though those who find themselves in a bottom-six role often struggle to get minutes.
Mangiapane, for example, is averaging just 13:15 of ice time on the season. That is actually slightly higher than he had in his lone season with the Washington Capitals, but pales in comparison to the minutes he played throughout the vast majority of his tenure with the Calgary Flames.
Frederic, meanwhile, is averaging an even lower 10:50 per game. The Oilers absolutely need him to be better, but it’s difficult to produce as expected when your minutes are as low as Frederic’s have been. Finding those minutes won’t be easy to do, however, as individuals like McDavid and Draisaitl seem to be at their best when they are played heavily. Given what they’ve been able to accomplish throughout their careers, there is little, if any reason, to consider cutting their minutes.
Related: Kris Knoblauch’s Questionable Decisions in Oilers’ Loss to the Predators
Barring a change in philosophy, it’s likely that any player who joins the Oilers and is saddled to a bottom-six role may not be able to provide the offence both the organization and fan base is hoping to see. At this point, it’s safe to say it’s not a coincidence. Joining the Oilers is great for forwards wanting to win a Stanley Cup, but may not be the best for those hoping to put up big offensive totals.
