The Edmonton Oilers are coming off an extremely disappointing season. After making it to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, the team fell apart in the 2026 playoffs. The Oilers lost in six games to the Anaheim Ducks, which forced them to look over the entire roster.
After making a significant move (the Darnell Nurse trade), the Oilers look to get back on track. With that being said, the team is shaping up to look a bit different for the 2026–27 season. Yes, they still have their star players, but one question remains: are they still serious Cup contenders?
The McDrai era continues
In general, the Oilers must remain Cup contenders as long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl run this team. Both of them have been with the franchise for over ten years and have failed to bring home the ultimate prize. Going into next season, all hands must be on deck. That is because next year will be their last chance at a cup in Edmonton. If the Oilers fail to win the Stanley Cup in 2027, there is no chance that McDavid remains an Oiler. Yes, he has two years left on his contract, but the Oilers cannot risk losing the best player in the league for nothing.
McDavid and Draisaitl consistently have great seasons with the Oilers. Year after year, they alone could carry this team to the playoffs. Unfortunately, they fall short every season. Their best chances to win came in the 2024 and 2025 Finals, where they ran into an unstoppable Florida Panthers squad. The franchise remained hopeful for last season, but after the epic collapse in the first round, some panic has started to set in.
There is one last chance to bring home the Cup in Oil Country. As McDavid and Draisaitl will both be over 30 years old by the 2027 playoffs, they are running out of chances. Even the second core of Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Mattias Ekholm is aging. There is no time to lose. Is this finally going to be the year they can bring it home? All that matters is getting it done in the playoffs.
The goaltending situation
A main issue that remains for the Oilers is goaltending. Now, they have made some changes, but I am not one hundred percent sold on the tandem until results come through. As of right now, the main duo going into next season will be Tristan Jarry and Frederik Andersen. Jarry was obviously with the team last year after they acquired him in the Stuart Skinner trade. He was fairly mediocre during his first stint with the Oilers and was second to Connor Ingram during the playoff run.
Two moves were made by Stan Bowman in an attempt to revamp the goalie situation. He signed recent Stanley Cup Champion Frederik Andersen to a one-year deal. Yes, he was phenomenal last season and was the main guy in net for the majority of Carolina’s playoff run, but he is getting up there in age as well. Shortly after the start of the season, Andersen will turn 37 years old. He likely does not have a lot of gas left in the tank.
Another move made by Bowman was to trade for Devon Levi from the Buffalo Sabres. Levi has failed to secure a full-time NHL role at this point in his career. His stats in the NHL certainly do not sit in his favour, but maybe a change of scenery was exactly what he needed. One would think that having three potential NHL goalies would provide them with some security. Can these three be the trio that locks down the Oilers’ net?
The strength in the Pacific Division
On the bright side, the Oilers are in the weakest division of the NHL. In the 2025–26 season, the Pacific Division was miles behind every other division. It was the only division to not have a 100-point team. Meanwhile, the Atlantic Division had four, and the Central Division had three. As long as the Oilers are in the Pacific Division, they will easily remain contenders.
Last season, the Oilers finished second in the division. That was with 93 points and a 500 record. This is pretty baffling to look at, considering they could have finished as low as fifth or sixth in stronger divisions. The winner of the Pacific was the Vegas Golden Knights, who did not do much better, sitting at 95 points. With the Pacific Division crown, the Knights used that leverage to go on a run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Looking ahead to next season, the main competition will be the Knights and the Ducks. Both fought alongside the Oilers this year, with the Oilers losing out first in the playoffs. These same teams will battle for the top three spots in the Pacific Division next season. However, Anaheim will look different without John Carlson on the point, who was a significant factor in their success. Outside of these three teams, there is no competition. San Jose is on the rise, Los Angeles and Seattle are very mediocre, while Vancouver and Calgary will be near the bottom of the league.
The Oilers are still very much Cup contenders. They have to pull through when it matters the most.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
