The Edmonton Oilers have spent the summer doing something they probably needed more than anything else: getting away from hockey.
Leon Draisaitl has been on an African Safari. Connor McDavid was out enjoying himself on the water.
Zach Hyman has been keeping busy by hosting his annual Charity Golf Tournament. After the grind they’ve been through, that kind of reset matters for this group.
That’s especially true after their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Anaheim Ducks this spring. The farther the Oilers can move from that series and clear their heads before the 2026-27 NHL season, the better. In fact, the time away from the rink might wind up being the biggest boost they get - even more important than hiring a new head coach and making smart personnel changes earlier in July.
The workload tells the story. When Edmonton skated in Game 4 against Anaheim, it was their 489th game over the last four years, the most of any NHL team in that span.
That kind of mileage adds up fast. And when you factor in the emotional and physical wear from reaching two Stanley Cup Finals, plus the pressure and travel McDavid and Draisaitl took on during the 2026 Winter Olympics and 4 Nations Face-Off in Feb. 2025, it’s not hard to understand why the two stars didn’t look like themselves against Anaheim.
This offseason should help change that.
Rest has long been one of the simplest ways to get back to peak performance, and the Oilers are in line to benefit from it. Getting the recovery their bodies need this summer will be a major part of whether they can put together a successful season.
Wayne Gretzky used to talk often about the value of stepping away from hockey in the summer and playing other sports like baseball or lacrosse. For Gretzky, that change of pace worked as a reset and helped him build skills that became part of his greatness. It’s a lesson that fits the Oilers, and really any player, at any age.
Not long ago, optimism around this team was hard to find. After they lost Game 6 to the Ducks in April, the offseason started in rough shape. The situation got even messier when news leaked about their interest in former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy, creating a coaching controversy before the dust had even settled.
Then came the changes. They fired Kris Knoblauch and hired Mike Babcock.
They were also squeezed right up against the salary cap until they traded Darnell Nurse in early July, with the San Jose Sharks taking on his full salary. Piece by piece, the mood in Edmonton has shifted from frustration to belief.
General manager Stan Bowman has made his moves, and the core has had time to breathe. That combination, along with the long summer of rest, should leave the Oilers in a much better place when the season opens in late September.
They could still be right back among the NHL elite. They could also be one of the teams that catches people off guard. But after the number of games they’ve logged, this stretch away from the rink may be the biggest reason they’re ready to make noise in 2026-27 - bigger than the coaching change, bigger than Bowman’s trades and signings, and bigger than the new three-goalie rotation.
Skeptics outside Edmonton may not buy it. Oilers fans will. And they have every reason to think this could be the season McDavid finally gets his name on the Stanley Cup.
In Other News...
This Is Exactly The Defenseman Ducks Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Ducks have spent plenty of time looking for the kind of steady, top-four defenseman who can change the feel of a blue line, and Vladislav Gavrikov checks a lot of those boxes on paper. A recent report on the Rangers Recon podcast put his situation on the radar, noting that his status in New York could become a storyline if the Rangers season goes sideways, which is enough to make any team in the market for defensive help at least pay attention.
For Anaheim, the appeal is obvious, but the path is not. Gavrikovs no-movement clause would give him control over where he goes, and the teams mentioned as possible fits if things ever reached that point include Boston, Pittsburgh and Seattle. There is no sign a deal is close, but for a Ducks club still trying to build out its defense with the right kind of veteran presence, it is the sort of name worth tracking. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken May Be Facing A Telling Test Of Their Offseason Ambition
John Klingbergs market is starting to take shape after a solid season with the San Jose Sharks, and the veteran defenseman is now being linked to a few teams that could use his experience and puck-moving ability. Among the possible fits are the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins and Seattle Kraken, with each club weighing how much risk and flexibility it can build into a deal for an unrestricted free agent still trying to show he can be a useful piece.
For Anaheim, the appeal is pretty straightforward: a short-term prove-it contract could make sense if Klingberg wants a chance to rebuild value, and the Ducks would at least keep the option open to move him later if they fall out of contention. The catch is that Anaheim is already working with a tight cap picture after the Leo Carlsson deal and still has to keep an eye on future extensions for Cutter Gauthier, so any pursuit of Klingberg would have to fit a carefully managed budget. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Just Sent A Message About Their Prospect Pipeline
Roger McQueen is getting an early spotlight after recently signing with Anaheim, as the rookie forward is set to take part in the NHLPAs annual Rookie Showcase. It is the kind of summer assignment that does not decide anything on its own, but it does underline how the Ducks are trying to keep their young talent visible and moving through the pipeline as the organization continues to stock up around its next wave of players.
The rest of the week only added to that impression. Anaheim also brought in Sean Farrell on a one-year, two-way deal after reshaping its forward group, and it locked up Nikita Klepov on an entry-level contract as well. For a club that has spent plenty of time talking about development, the sequence of moves suggests the Ducks are not just waiting on prospects to arrive, they are actively building the runway for them. [Read more 🡒]