The Edmonton Oilers find themselves solely to blame for their current predicament, having been eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in six games during the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are accepting responsibility for the season’s shortcomings, the ultimate accountability lies with General Manager Stan Bowman and President and CEO Jeff Jackson.
The Oilers’ trajectory began to falter during the 2023-24 season when the team opted not to extend the contract of their then-GM, Ken Holland, who is now with the Los Angeles Kings. Holland was in a precarious position heading into the season, with all NHL teams aware of the critical dates: the Stanley Cup Final concluding on June 24, 2024, followed by the NHL Draft on June 28-29 and free agency commencing on July 1.
Regardless of the organization’s stance on Holland, having a GM in place by July 1st was imperative. If the organization intended to move on from Holland before his contract expired on June 30, 2024, one would expect them to have initiated a search for a successor beforehand. Allowing Jeff Jackson to handle free agency was a misstep.
Furthermore, if the plan all along was to await the NHL’s reinstatement of Stan Bowman following his involvement in the Chicago Blackhawks scandal, then this constitutes an even greater error, and its consequences are now evident. The decisions made by Jackson and Bowman have pushed the Edmonton Oilers further away from championship contention than they were previously.
Let’s examine the 2024 transactions, notably the offer sheets extended by the St. Louis Blues to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. Both players were drafted and developed by the Edmonton Oilers. Management mishandled their development leading up to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite this, both players proved effective for the Oilers during their run to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, with Broberg, in particular, contributing significantly on the backend with solid defensive play.
The immediate priority for the incoming General Manager Stan Bowman should have been to assess these players. Instead, he chose to relinquish their rights, allowing two developing assets to depart. Had Jackson prioritized re-signing Broberg and Holloway before pursuing Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, it would have demonstrated sound management. This is the hallmark of effective general managers and management teams.
Instead, Arvidsson and Skinner were acquired, while Broberg and Holloway were let go. They were joined by the departures of Cody Ceci, Vincent Desharnais, Warren Foegele, Derek Ryan, and Ryan McLeod, who was traded for Matt Savoie. The depth that the Oilers possessed in 2024 was significantly diminished. Notably, the moves to shed Desharnais and Ceci cleared the necessary salary cap space to sign at least Broberg, if not both players.
The Oilers experienced fluctuations throughout the 2024-25 season, with many key players returning, including Corey Perry, Evander Kane, John Klingberg, and others. With Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard in net, the Oilers demonstrated their capability to perform at a high level, once again reaching the Stanley Cup Final.
Despite their six-game series loss, the games were not particularly close, as the Oilers were once again outmatched by the Florida Panthers. The depth that had previously defined the Oilers was absent, preventing them from matching the Panthers. This necessitated further changes during Bowman’s first full offseason as GM. The previous offseason had already seen him navigate Leon Draisaitl’s contract extension, and during the 2025 offseason, he faced the challenge of Connor McDavid’s extension.
McDavid presented Bowman and the organization with a tight deadline, signing a two-year extension that would commence on July 1, just before the season began. However, the damage to the roster had already been done. Viktor Arvidsson was traded to Boston for cap relief. Connor Brown signed with New Jersey. Evander Kane was dealt to Vancouver for cap relief. Corey Perry joined the Los Angeles Kings.
The depth of the Edmonton Oilers was visibly eroding. Evan Bouchard secured a substantial contract extension. To compound matters, despite claims of seeking goaltending upgrades, Bowman traded Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry and his entire cap hit.
Kulak was subsequently traded by the Penguins to the Colorado Avalanche, who then advanced to the Western Conference Final with his overtime-winning goal. In addition to these moves, Bowman also forfeited a 2027 first-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick in trades for Connor Murphy, Colton Dach, and Jason Dickinson with the Chicago Blackhawks, while also moving Andrew Mangiapane’s contract.
As Bowman stated at the year-end press conference, he hopes to re-sign Murphy and Dickinson. There is no longer any justification for the decisions that have sent the Edmonton Oilers backward and further from a Stanley Cup Championship. And who bore the brunt of these decisions? The head coach, Kris Knoblauch.
Knoblauch was dismissed before his three-year contract extension could even begin because Bowman circumvented the coach by arranging for his replacement, a situation that became public. Consequently, Bowman had no choice but to make the change. To his credit, Stan Bowman has taken responsibility for the debacle in Edmonton, but he and Jeff Jackson are now under intense scrutiny.
This team must achieve success next season or demonstrate a clear path to winning for Connor McDavid to remain in Edmonton. The trades and personnel decisions made are inexcusable for any general manager. While Bowman’s name is associated with the Chicago Blackhawks’ three Stanley Cup victories, it was Dale Tallon who built the core of those championship teams, whereas Bowman’s actions led to their decline. The same pattern is now unfolding in Edmonton.
This represents the most critical offseason in the franchise’s history, mirroring the situation in Toronto. However, it holds particular significance for the Oilers. When incompetent decision-makers are in charge, poor choices inevitably follow, which explains why the Edmonton Oilers regressed this season rather than advancing.
