The Edmonton Oilers continue to go through the motions of trying to hire Mike Babcock as the next head coach as they look to get back to the Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton had back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025. The Oilers peaked in 2024, falling to the Florida Panthers in Game 7, 2-1. In 2025, the series wasn’t as close, even with the Panthers winning in six games, because Edmonton’s roster wasn’t as deep as it was in 2024.
Entering the 2025-26 season, the Oilers were not as good as they were in 2025 and definitely not as good as they were in 2024. Even Leon Draisaitl mentioned at the year-end media availability how the team is missing guys like Ryan McLeod, Warren Foegele, Corey Perry, Vincent Desharnais, Cody Ceci, and other depth pieces.
Not to mention the Edmonton Oilers’ ability to play team defence. When the team did well under former head coach Kris Knoblauch, the Oilers were successful. However, the 2025-26 Oilers thought they could just waltz into the playoffs and find their game. The problem is they didn’t show any signs of life during the regular season and could only muster a winning streak of three games or more just twice.
When injuries and fatigue hit the Edmonton Oilers, you could tell they were a step slower. As NHLRumors.com has documented, management has failed Connor McDavid and company. And with Ken Hitchcock, Dave Tippet, Jay Woodcroft, Todd McLellan, and Knoblauch, the issues were the same: team defence.
Potential Trade Targets for the Edmonton Oilers
So, regardless of who the coach is, Mike Babcock, Scotty Bowman (that would be something), Bruce Cassidy (who was the Oilers first choice, as the Vegas Golden Knights are denying him from interviewing with teams), the roster needs work as McDavid’s new two-year extension kicks in.
As Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period said on TSN Radio in Montreal, there is not just one or two holes to fill; there are multiple holes to fill in a three to four-week period.
“This is the other thing that’s kind of part of all of this. Yes, they have to make a coaching change, and yeah, it seems like right now it’s either, it’s presumably Babcock, but guys, they have so many changes they need to make to that roster.
Oh yeah, this isn’t just a ‘Hey, okay, we need a coach, and we need to fill one or two holes.’ This is, we need to coach, we gotta find Darnell Nurse a new home, we have to rejig the blue line, we need a 3C, we have to fix our fourth lines, and we want to winger with foot speed to keep up with McDavid and (Zach) Hyman on that top line. Okay, well, get to work, that’s a lot.”
What if the Edmonton Oilers Offer Sheeted Pavel Dorofeyev?
Again, Darnell Nurse’s name has been out there since last year. They are looking to move his $9.25 million AAV off the books to improve the roster. Again, when NHLRumors.com looks at the Toronto Maple Leafs, the issues are similar, given the players who were on the team and the needs both teams have to fill.
Just imagine if the right decisions were made in Edmonton. Maybe there wouldn’t be so many holes to fill.
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