I wrote at length over the summer of how the Oilers biggest issue was their lack of focus in terms of team management and coaching. It looked bad at times last year, but I could not predict they would keep making the same mistakes, if not worse. Here are my takeaways from the season thus far.

McDavid and Draisaitl

They are putting the team on their back and no one can fault them for all the losses pilling up. But they are getting far too much ice time. Like I said numerous times in my past articles, for this team to win, everyone needs to be involved and have a role. Yes McDavid is a good player on the pk, but you need to find other guys to fill that position and have a defined role on the team. Also, keeping them apart is paramount for this team to consistently win.

The league is too good for Edmonton to have one line that can generate offence. I know they are dealing with injuries, but the coach needs to find a way to get some balance and fast.

Team Defence

So far it has been akin to a finger painting. Honestly, they have good defensemen on this squad. Nurse takes a lot of heat, and some of it is deserved but the system in front of him needs to help him also. Chipping it out to a winger in the neutral zone or making long passes is simply not working. They've been doing it for the past years but it's catching up with them. Nurse needs to focus more on making simple plays and rely on his huge frame. He can be really effective out there when he keeps it simple. Just make the easy play with the puck and obliterate the opposition.

Evan Bouchard simply needs to be better. He's great offensively and I really think he can be better defensively, but he loses focus too often and makes a lot of odd blunders which end up in the back of the Oilers net. He needs to refocus his game on playing a 200 foot game and less on generating offence.

Going back to what I said about having a better exit strategy out of their zone will help. I find the D are always scrambling to figure out what the heck they are going to do with the puck once they get it. Things need to be clear, concise and to the advantage of what your roster is capable of doing. There needs to be a far more controlled exit out of the zone, not an attempt for a hail mary pass. The wingers and d need to be on the same page as to what the plan is. The coaching staff really need to step up here. The Panthers killed them when the play was always a chip up to the winger becuase all the D needed to do was pinch and than the Oilers were hemmed in.

Furthermore, there are so many missed assignments by forwards it's appalling. However I do equate this at times to players sitting on the bench for long periods of time before they get a rep, so when they do get out there, they have cold legs and are a step behind. But that of course is not the entire issue. Like I said before, the coaching staff need to redefine completely how this team plays and focus less on always pressing for offense. The Oilers are just not fast enough as a team.

In part 2 of The Problem with the Edmonton Oilers, I will discuss goaltending and the front office. Thanks for reading and give your opinions in the comments.

","highlights","status","featuredImage","/img/random/mcdavid-544x306.jpg","imageCaption","This man needs help","seo",{"_403":1424,"_967":28,"_1425":1426,"_1428":1429,"_1430":1419},"The Problem with the Edmonton Oilers Part 1","keyInfo",[1427],{"_62":317,"_58":891,"_60":893},"contentLength",691,"defaultImage","pageViews","2025/11/29/edmonton-oilers-struggles","lock",{"_1435":20,"_1436":-5,"_1437":-5,"_950":-5},"isLocked","userName","userId","categoryId",[],[],"feedPageHeading","feedPageHeadingLineTwo","feedPageTitle","feedPageDescription","feedPageLogo","hideFeedForum","hideFeaturedImage","feedBorderOverrideColor",[1450,1451],{"_7":948,"_777":996},{"_7":948,"_777":893},"hasEmbed",{"_989":28},"podcastInfo",{"_989":28},"relatedArticles",{"_25":1458,"_901":1459},[],[],"thumbnail","/img/random/mcdavid-thumbnail.jpg","2025-11-29T06:19:26.568Z","featuredImageUrl","cacheKey","hockeybuzz_edmonton-oilers-struggles","cachedOn","2026-06-15T01:30:35.591Z",{"_403":404,"_405":406,"_407":408,"_409":410,"_411":412,"_413":414,"_415":412,"_416":414,"_417":1469,"_425":426,"_427":428,"_429":414,"_430":414,"_431":414,"_432":32},{"_419":420,"_421":422,"_423":28,"_424":28},"searchResponse",{"_1472":1473,"_1475":1476,"_1661":1662},"pager",{"_1192":107,"_1193":1474,"_1194":107,"_1195":101},60,"records",[1477,1562,1601],{"_60":1478,"_1479":1480,"_1261":1481,"_1482":1481,"_1258":1483,"_58":1484,"_7":1485,"_407":1486,"_842":1487,"_1488":1489,"_993":1538},"b7a23093-2d25-4479-903a-a3a498c33df8","indexedOn","2025-12-01T15:19:28.752Z","2025-12-01T15:19:28.675Z","lastModifiedOn","from:4c168b6e-7a89-4444-bf3e-af272e0fe5dd","Comment","4e2c6004-5f6d-43af-bd32-451516e1d2d9 comment from fumanchu1968",[],"

Great franchise lol

fumanchu1968","attributes",{"_60":1478,"_1490":1491,"_1496":1497,"_1498":1499,"_1500":1501,"_1502":1503,"_1504":1505,"_1405":1406,"_1506":1507,"_1508":1432,"_1509":1424,"_1510":1511,"_1417":1512,"_1513":107,"_1514":107,"_1515":107,"_1516":107,"_1517":-5,"_977":1518,"_979":1519,"_1520":1503,"_1521":20,"_1522":20,"_1523":20,"_1524":20,"_1525":-5,"_1526":-5,"_1527":20,"_1528":20,"_1529":-5,"_1530":-5,"_1531":-5,"_1532":1533,"_1534":-5,"_1535":-5,"_1536":1537},"from",{"_60":1492,"_1493":1494,"_1253":1495},"4c168b6e-7a89-4444-bf3e-af272e0fe5dd","display","fumanchu1968","UserSettings","recipients",[],"subject","comment","body","

Great franchise lol

","sentOn","2025-12-01T15:19:28.660Z","responses",[],"contentFeaturedImage","/files/random/mcdavid.jpg","contentRoute","contentTitle","parentId","4e2c6004-5f6d-43af-bd32-451516e1d2d9","new","upVotes","downVotes","voteTotal","replies","avatarUrl",[],[],"lastInteractionOn","isVeteran","isStaff","isDev","isRemoved","removedOn","removedById","isProfane","isReported","reportedOn","reportedById","reportedByUsername","attachments",[],"pinnedOn","memberSince","editorValue","{\"root\":{\"children\":[{\"children\":[{\"detail\":0,\"format\":0,\"mode\":\"normal\",\"style\":\"\",\"text\":\"Great franchise lol\",\"type\":\"text\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"root\",\"version\":1}}",[1539,1540,1541,1543,1544,1546,1547,1548,1549,1552,1553,1555,1556,1557,1558,1560,1561],{"_7":1510,"_777":1511},{"_7":1405,"_777":1406},{"_7":1542,"_777":1478},"commentId",{"_7":1490,"_777":1494},{"_7":1545,"_777":1492},"fromId",{"_7":1502,"_777":1503},{"_7":1500,"_777":1501},{"_7":1417,"_777":1512},{"_7":1550,"_777":1551},"responseCount",[],{"_7":1520,"_777":1503},{"_7":1524,"_777":1554},"false",{"_7":1528,"_777":1554},{"_7":1522,"_777":1554},{"_7":1509,"_777":1424},{"_7":1559,"_777":1554},"liveFeed",{"_7":1527,"_777":1554},{"_7":1515,"_777":107},{"_60":1563,"_1479":1564,"_1261":1565,"_1482":1565,"_1258":1566,"_58":1484,"_7":1567,"_407":1568,"_842":1569,"_1488":1570,"_993":1581},"132410be-49cc-4917-af67-e0760cdca513","2025-11-29T06:33:18.037Z","2025-11-29T06:33:17.906Z","from:d9a81550-1cf2-4314-bea7-f3d5b989f6f6","4e2c6004-5f6d-43af-bd32-451516e1d2d9 comment from Ryan Snow",[],"

LOL, you're not wrong.

Keeping it for Part 2 Episode 4 The Revenge of Dwane Roloson

Ryan Snow",{"_60":1563,"_1490":1571,"_1496":1573,"_1498":1499,"_1500":1574,"_1502":1575,"_1504":1576,"_1405":1406,"_1506":1507,"_1508":1432,"_1509":1424,"_1510":1511,"_1417":1512,"_1513":107,"_1514":107,"_1515":107,"_1516":107,"_1517":1036,"_977":1577,"_979":1578,"_1520":1575,"_1521":20,"_1522":14,"_1523":20,"_1524":20,"_1525":-5,"_1526":-5,"_1527":20,"_1528":20,"_1529":-5,"_1530":-5,"_1531":-5,"_1532":1579,"_1534":-5,"_1535":-5,"_1536":1580},{"_60":1572,"_1493":1034,"_1253":1495},"d9a81550-1cf2-4314-bea7-f3d5b989f6f6",[],"

LOL, you're not wrong.

Keeping it for Part 2 Episode 4 The Revenge of Dwane Roloson

","2025-11-29T06:33:17.892Z",[],[],[],[],"{\"root\":{\"children\":[{\"children\":[{\"detail\":0,\"format\":0,\"mode\":\"normal\",\"style\":\"\",\"text\":\"LOL, you're not wrong. \",\"type\":\"text\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"version\":1},{\"children\":[{\"detail\":0,\"format\":0,\"mode\":\"normal\",\"style\":\"\",\"text\":\"Keeping it for Part 2 Episode 4 The Revenge of Dwane Roloson\",\"type\":\"text\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"root\",\"version\":1}}",[1582,1583,1584,1585,1586,1587,1588,1590,1591,1593,1594,1595,1596,1597,1598,1599,1600],{"_7":1510,"_777":1511},{"_7":1405,"_777":1406},{"_7":1542,"_777":1563},{"_7":1490,"_777":1034},{"_7":1545,"_777":1572},{"_7":1502,"_777":1575},{"_7":1500,"_777":1589},"

LOL you're not wrong.

Keeping it for Part 2 Episode 4 The Revenge of Dwane Roloson

",{"_7":1417,"_777":1512},{"_7":1550,"_777":1592},[],{"_7":1520,"_777":1575},{"_7":1524,"_777":1554},{"_7":1528,"_777":1554},{"_7":1522,"_777":921},{"_7":1509,"_777":1424},{"_7":1559,"_777":1554},{"_7":1527,"_777":1554},{"_7":1515,"_777":107},{"_60":1511,"_1479":1602,"_1261":1603,"_1482":1604,"_1258":1605,"_58":1484,"_7":1606,"_407":1607,"_842":1608,"_1488":1609,"_993":1639},"2025-12-01T15:19:08.072Z","2025-11-29T06:26:44.393Z","2025-11-29T06:33:18.094Z","from:ac22e75e-5629-4ef0-8ccb-44dd86067824","0 comment from Unholy_Goalie",[],"

Prologue, part 1, 2 and 3 and the epilogue are all the same; the goalies suck.

Some teams can win with bad goaltending. The Oilers aren't one of them. Get an above average goalie before McDavid is done or live to regret it.

If McDavid eventually feels he has to leave to win a Cup after giving the franchise everything he had both in terms of performance and left money on the table, it will be a sad day for a great franchise.

Unholy_Goalie",{"_60":1511,"_1490":1610,"_1496":1613,"_1498":1499,"_1500":1614,"_1502":1615,"_1504":1616,"_1405":1406,"_1506":1507,"_1508":1432,"_1509":1424,"_1510":974,"_1417":1512,"_1513":113,"_1514":113,"_1515":107,"_1516":197,"_1517":1617,"_977":1618,"_979":1634,"_1520":1604,"_1521":20,"_1522":20,"_1523":20,"_1524":20,"_1525":-5,"_1526":-5,"_1527":20,"_1528":20,"_1529":-5,"_1530":-5,"_1531":-5,"_1532":1637,"_1534":-5,"_1535":-5,"_1536":1638},{"_60":1611,"_1493":1612,"_1253":1495},"ac22e75e-5629-4ef0-8ccb-44dd86067824","Unholy_Goalie",[],"

Prologue, part 1, 2 and 3 and the epilogue are all the same; the goalies suck.

Some teams can win with bad goaltending. The Oilers aren't one of them. Get an above average goalie before McDavid is done or live to regret it.

","2025-11-29T06:26:44.360Z",[],"/avatars/Unholy_Goalie.jpg?random=6878110000",[1619,1628],{"_1620":1621,"_1622":1623,"_1266":1624,"_1253":1499,"_1625":1626,"_1437":1572},"_id","d9a81550-1cf2-4314-bea7-f3d5b989f6f6_4e2c6004-5f6d-43af-bd32-451516e1d2d9","contextIds",[1511],"2025-11-29T06:33:40.115Z","reactionTypes",[1627],"UPVOTE",{"_1620":1629,"_1622":1630,"_1266":1631,"_1253":1499,"_1625":1632,"_1437":1492},"4c168b6e-7a89-4444-bf3e-af272e0fe5dd_4e2c6004-5f6d-43af-bd32-451516e1d2d9",[1511],"2025-12-01T15:19:07.786Z",[1633],"DOWNVOTE",[1635,1636],{"_58":1627,"_1246":113},{"_58":1633,"_1246":113},[],"{\"root\":{\"children\":[{\"children\":[{\"detail\":0,\"format\":0,\"mode\":\"normal\",\"style\":\"\",\"text\":\"Prologue, part 1, 2 and 3 and the epilogue are all the same; the goalies suck.\",\"type\":\"text\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"version\":1},{\"children\":[{\"detail\":0,\"format\":0,\"mode\":\"normal\",\"style\":\"\",\"text\":\"Some teams can win with bad goaltending. The Oilers aren't one of them. Get an above average goalie before McDavid is done or live to regret it.\",\"type\":\"text\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"version\":1},{\"children\":[{\"detail\":0,\"format\":0,\"mode\":\"normal\",\"style\":\"\",\"text\":\"If McDavid eventually feels he has to leave to win a Cup after giving the franchise everything he had both in terms of performance and left money on the table, it will be a sad day for a great franchise.\",\"type\":\"text\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"version\":1}],\"direction\":\"ltr\",\"format\":\"\",\"indent\":0,\"type\":\"root\",\"version\":1}}",[1640,1641,1642,1643,1644,1645,1646,1648,1649,1651,1652,1653,1654,1655,1656,1657,1658,1659],{"_7":1510,"_777":974},{"_7":1405,"_777":1406},{"_7":1542,"_777":1511},{"_7":1490,"_777":1612},{"_7":1545,"_777":1611},{"_7":1502,"_777":1615},{"_7":1500,"_777":1647},"

Prologue part 1 2 and 3 and the epilogue are all the same; the goalies suck.

Some teams can win with bad goaltending. The Oilers aren't one of them. Get an above average goalie before McDavid is done or live to regret it.

If McDavid eventually feels he has to leave to win a Cup after giving the franchise everything he had both in terms of performance and left money on the table it will be a sad day for a great franchise.

",{"_7":1417,"_777":1512},{"_7":1550,"_777":1650},[],{"_7":1520,"_777":1604},{"_7":1524,"_777":1554},{"_7":1528,"_777":1554},{"_7":1522,"_777":1554},{"_7":1509,"_777":1424},{"_7":1559,"_777":1554},{"_7":1527,"_777":1554},{"_7":1515,"_777":107},{"_7":1520,"_777":1660},"2025-12-01T15:19:28.802Z","dimensions",[],"sortsUsed",[1665,1669],{"_904":1666,"_1667":1668},"specs.pinnedOn","direction","desc",{"_904":1670,"_1667":1668},"specs.sentOn","baseUrl","/team/edmonton-oilers/feed/article/edmonton-oilers-struggles","returnUrl","/team/edmonton-oilers/feed","actionData","errors"]

edmonton oilers

Comments

The Problem with the Edmonton Oilers Part 1

By Ryan Snow

Nov 29, 2025

Sort

Leaderboard

FREE SATURDAY RUMOR CHART. Doughty Added..

By Eklund

Jun 13, 2026

FRIDAY'S FREE RUMOR CHART Updated.: Players Added.

By Eklund

Jun 12, 2026

How Dylan Larkin Reshaped The NHL Trade Center Market

By Eklund

Jun 11, 2026

Free Rumor Chart Update. Coming into Focus?

By Eklund

Jun 10, 2026

Tuesday Frre Rumor Chart UPDATE

By Eklund

Jun 9, 2026

Welcome to the Free Rumor Chart....Dylan Larkin

By Eklund

Jun 7, 2026

Dylan Larkin Trade Request Turns Detroit’s Quiet Crisis Into a Loud One

By Eklund

Jun 6, 2026

Understanding the Three NHL's that Exist in 2026

By Eklund

Jun 5, 2026

FREE SATURDAY RUMOR CHART. Doughty Added..

By Eklund

Jun 13, 2026

FRIDAY'S FREE RUMOR CHART Updated.: Players Added.

By Eklund

Jun 12, 2026

How Dylan Larkin Reshaped The NHL Trade Center Market

By Eklund

Jun 11, 2026

Free Rumor Chart Update. Coming into Focus?

By Eklund

Jun 10, 2026

Tuesday Frre Rumor Chart UPDATE

By Eklund

Jun 9, 2026

Welcome to the Free Rumor Chart....Dylan Larkin

By Eklund

Jun 7, 2026

Dylan Larkin Trade Request Turns Detroit’s Quiet Crisis Into a Loud One

By Eklund

Jun 6, 2026

Understanding the Three NHL's that Exist in 2026

By Eklund

Jun 5, 2026