Darnell Nurse’s time with the Edmonton Oilers has officially come to an end. He was dealt to the San Jose Sharks, getting a much-needed change of scenery.
With this move taking place, it frees up a spot in the Oilers’ leadership group. There is no doubt that Nurse served as a solid leader with the Oilers, but his play sometimes did not back it up. There are multiple candidates to choose from for the vacant assistant captain role.
Let’s break down what the potential options are.
The current leadership core
Even with the loss of Darnell Nurse, the Oilers still have a captain and two assistants. Connor McDavid will be entering his eleventh season as the Oilers’ captain. He is easily the one to lead the Oilers, as he has the most passion and hunger to achieve in the game of hockey. After a tough loss in the playoffs, there is no doubt that McDavid will be ready to go right from the first drop of the puck.
One of the assistant captains is Leon Draisaitl. The German forward has always been McDavid’s wingman and is just as important to the team. Draisaitl will be entering his eighth season as an assistant captain. He is another strong leader among the current Oilers group and got rewarded with an awesome opportunity at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Here, he was the captain for Team Germany, making his country very proud.
The last remaining assistant captain is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He is the longest-serving current member of the Oilers and will enter his thirteenth season as an assistant captain. Nugent-Hopkins has been a very significant leader in the Oilers’ dressing room and the community for a long time. He was drafted way back in 2011 being with the Oilers since the 2011–12 season. Nugent-Hopkins has easily become one of the most loyal players in franchise history.
Potential options
Mattias Ekholm
The next man up for me would be defenceman Mattias Ekholm. I think this move would make perfect sense, as he is one of the most experienced and respected players on the Oilers.
Ekholm does have some previous experience as an assistant captain. He was an assistant captain in Nashville for five straight seasons until he was traded to the Oilers. The defenceman has also been a captain for his country on three separate occasions. Twice for Sweden at the IIHF World Championships (most notably the previous tournament) and at the 4 Nations Face-off. Overall, I think Ekholm is the way to go because he is so valuable to this team, especially with the loss of Nurse.
Evan Bouchard
Another defenceman who could get an A with the team is Evan Bouchard. Honestly, I do not think Bouchard is much of a consideration as long as Ekholm is on the team, but he is still a key part of the current core in Edmonton. Bouchard has been with the Oilers for seven seasons and is the team’s best-scoring defenceman. He does have some previous leadership experience, having been the captain for the London Knights for two seasons and being an assistant at the 2019 World Junior Championship for Team Canada.
Zach Hyman
The best forward option, in my opinion, would be giving the A to Zach Hyman. He is easily the hardest-working player on the team and is a key contributor to the Oilers’ success. Hyman will be entering his sixth season as an Oiler with one of the best contracts in the league. The impact he has is worth more than $5.5M a season. Giving him a leadership role would be a great way to appreciate all he has accomplished as an Oiler.
Hyman does have a fair amount of leadership experience with multiple different teams. He was the captain of the Hamilton Red Wings for two seasons in the OJHL, an assistant for one season at the University of Michigan, and he was an assistant for his last season in Toronto.
If the Oilers were to provide a forward with an A, I think Hyman is the most deserving.
Vasily Podkolzin
A dark horse option for a leadership position would be forward Vasily Podkolzin. I believe that Podkolzin is the most underrated player on the Oilers. He really broke out last season and was easily the best Oiler in the playoffs. The forward will likely have his best season yet in 2026–27, and how better to light a fire under him than providing him with an A.
Podkolzin has some leadership experience, all with Russia at the Junior level. He was a captain and an assistant at the World Juniors and captained his team at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup to a bronze medal. Overall, I believe that Podkolzin is ready and would be a very solid leader for the Oilers.
Is another assistant captain necessary?
A key question is whether or not the Oilers really need another leader in their dressing room. I do not think it is absolutely a priority, but rewarding a player for their commitment or play would be a nice way to start the season. There are clearly a handful of options; it just comes down to choosing the most deserving player.
Who do you think deserves a chance at being part of the leadership core in Edmonton?
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