An account of past mistakes that the Edmonton Oilers should not make again: Nine Items

The Edmonton Oilers are one of the most storied franchises in NHL history, but for a long stretch, they struggled to recapture the glory of their 1980s dynasty, which featured stars like Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri. Despite the individual brilliance of players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers have repeatedly stumbled in their pursuit of another Stanley Cup. While the franchise has made significant strides in recent years, they still have a history of missteps that have impeded their progress. Here are nine past mistakes the Oilers should not repeat again as they look to build a more successful and sustainable future.

1. Failing to Build a Complete Roster Around McDavid

When Connor McDavid was drafted first overall in 2015, the Oilers had an opportunity to immediately build a team around one of the greatest hockey talents of all time. However, for years, Edmonton struggled to surround McDavid with enough support to make a serious run at the Stanley Cup.

A significant mistake was the team’s failure to address the defense and goaltending positions. The Oilers relied heavily on McDavid’s brilliance and Draisaitl’s offensive prowess to carry the team, often overlooking the importance of having a well-rounded roster. While McDavid can do incredible things on the ice, hockey is a team sport, and no single player can win championships alone.

The Oilers’ failure to prioritize key areas like defense and depth scoring in the early years of McDavid’s career delayed the franchise’s return to contention. The team did eventually start addressing these needs, but they need to continue to build a complete roster to complement McDavid’s generational talent.

2. Inconsistent Coaching Decisions

The Oilers have experienced a carousel of head coaches in recent years, with several of them failing to bring the team the desired results. From Dallas Eakins to Todd McLellan, and even Ken Hitchcock in a short stint, the instability behind the bench has contributed to the team’s lack of sustained success.

One of the mistakes the Oilers made was making frequent coaching changes without giving any one coach enough time to instill a system or vision. While coaching is undoubtedly important, constant turnover undermines the consistency that a team needs to develop and thrive. The franchise has been guilty of pulling the plug too early on coaches who might have been able to turn things around with the right resources and time. Dave Tippett, who was hired in 2019, eventually delivered some stability and improvement, but his tenure also ended prematurely.

Now, with Jay Woodcroft in charge, it’s important for the Oilers to avoid jumping ship too soon if things don’t go perfectly in the early stages of a season. Woodcroft has brought more stability, and the franchise needs to support him fully as he looks to implement a long-term vision for the team.

3. Over-Reliance on Goaltending Questions

For years, the Edmonton Oilers have been plagued by uncertainty between the pipes. While goaltending is often seen as one of the most difficult positions to predict, the Oilers’ constant struggle to find a reliable No. 1 goaltender has been a major impediment to their success.

In the past, they’ve tried various options, from Cam Talbot to Ben Scrivens, to Mikko Koskinen, none of whom were able to establish themselves as a true franchise goaltender. The Oilers attempted to patch their goaltending issues with stopgap solutions rather than investing in long-term stability. It was clear that the lack of a consistently reliable goaltender hurt the team’s overall performance, especially during key moments of the season.

In recent years, Stuart Skinner has emerged as a promising young goaltender, and the team has found more stability in net with Jack Campbell as a veteran addition. However, the Oilers must continue to be proactive in developing and acquiring strong goaltending talent. A mistake the Oilers should not make again is ignoring the importance of goaltending stability, as a top-tier goaltender is essential to any championship team.

4. Missed Opportunities in the Trade Market

Throughout the years, the Oilers have let several opportunities slip by when it comes to acquiring key players via trade. In some instances, the team was too cautious or too slow to pull the trigger on deals that could have helped solidify their roster and make them more competitive.

An example of this was the Taylor Hall trade in 2016. While Hall had his share of struggles with the Oilers, he was still an elite player, and the trade to send him to New Jersey for Adam Larsson was seen by many as an underwhelming return. While Larsson was a serviceable defenseman, Hall’s scoring ability could have significantly improved the Oilers’ roster and could have been part of a stronger team in future seasons.

The Oilers have made some strong trades in recent years, like acquiring Zach Hyman and Klim Kostin, but they must be more decisive in the future. There should never be hesitation when it comes to improving the team, especially when a trade could bring in a key piece for the future.

5. Overlooking Player Development and Drafting

The Oilers have had a number of high draft picks over the years, but their player development has often been criticized. Many top draft picks, such as Nail Yakupov and Jesse Puljujarvi, have struggled to meet expectations after being selected high in the draft. While these players have certainly shown flashes of potential, they haven’t always developed into the core contributors the Oilers needed.

The lack of player development was a key issue in the years following McDavid’s arrival. Instead of consistently building around the top players in the system, the Oilers often failed to develop their draft picks into impact players, which contributed to their struggles.

In recent years, however, the Oilers have focused more on improving their development pipeline, and players like Kailer Yamamoto, Evan Bouchard, and Ryan McLeod are showing promise. To avoid repeating past mistakes, the Oilers must continue to place an emphasis on developing their younger players into NHL-ready talent and ensuring that they have the resources and coaching to thrive.

6. Failing to Address the Blue Line Early

For much of the McDavid era, the Oilers’ defense was a glaring weakness. Despite their offensive firepower, the blue line remained an Achilles’ heel. The Oilers made the mistake of delaying their efforts to acquire elite defensive talent, instead relying on patchwork solutions that didn’t yield consistent results.

In past years, the Oilers had to rely on aging defensemen or players who lacked the ability to consistently shut down opponents. Players like Andrej Sekera and Oscar Klefbom were capable, but the team failed to build the blue line around them with additional key pieces to make a serious playoff run.

It wasn’t until they acquired Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci, along with the emergence of Evan Bouchard, that the Oilers began to show improvement on the blue line. The lesson here is that the Oilers must never again delay addressing their defense and should always look to add skilled, two-way players who can help complement McDavid’s offense.

7. Struggling with Team Chemistry and Leadership

Another mistake the Oilers have made in the past was failing to build strong team chemistry and leadership. It’s often said that a championship team needs more than just talent; it needs a group of players who are committed to working together as a cohesive unit. Unfortunately, the Oilers struggled with this at times.

The team went through a series of locker-room issues in previous years, with veteran players and younger prospects struggling to mesh. This lack of cohesion became more evident during tough stretches of the season, where the Oilers would fall apart in key moments. Having McDavid and Draisaitl on the team helps provide leadership, but for the Oilers to succeed long-term, they must foster strong leadership throughout their lineup.

Bringing in veteran players like Zach Hyman, Evander Kane, and Derek Ryan has helped address some of these concerns, but the Oilers must continue to ensure the locker room is built on strong relationships and leadership from all areas of the roster.

8. Lack of Depth Scoring

As previously mentioned, the Oilers’ reliance on McDavid and Draisaitl’s scoring abilities has often led to a lack of balance on the roster. The team’s inability to generate consistent scoring from the bottom six forwards has been a persistent issue. In past seasons, the Oilers often leaned too heavily on their top two lines, leaving them vulnerable when McDavid or Draisaitl wasn’t producing at their usual level.

The addition of players like Zach Hyman, Klim Kostin, and Ryan McLeod has helped address this, but the Oilers must continue to focus on building depth scoring. If they hope to make a legitimate Cup run, they can’t afford to be a one-line team. Depth scoring from all four lines is essential to sustained success.

9. Ignoring the Importance of Special Teams

The Oilers have traditionally had a strong power play, particularly with McDavid and Draisaitl leading the charge. However, their penalty kill has often been one of the worst in the league. Ignoring special teams in past years has proven costly, especially in tight games or playoff matchups. Teams that perform well on both the power play and penalty kill often find themselves in better positions to win, and the Oilers’ inconsistency in this area has been a limiting factor.

To avoid making the same mistake again, the Oilers need to continue to place a strong emphasis on special teams, especially the penalty kill. Adding players who can contribute in these areas and ensuring that the coaching staff focuses on special teams play will be crucial for the team’s success.