The Edmonton Oilers are headed into training camp with a roster that already feels like it could change fast.
That’s the central theme here: this team has enough talent to look one way on paper and another way by Christmas. There are veterans trying to re-establish themselves, young players pushing for real jobs, and a new coach in Babcock who, according to the outlook here, won’t spend long tolerating flaws. If the first six weeks go the way this prediction says they might, the Oilers could be making noise well before the calendar flips.
The biggest shakeup may come from the roster itself. The last two seasons saw management and coaching pull in different directions.
Stan Bowman added wingers Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, Trent Frederic and Andrew Mangiapane to address needs, but none gave the team the impact it wanted. Bowman also brought in high-scoring college prospect Ike Howard, yet Kris Knoblauch never found the right way to fit either the veterans or the rookie into the lineup.
Their usage didn’t match their strengths, and the results were rough.
Babcock is expected to handle that differently. The idea is that he won’t be shy about calling out weaknesses, and with Bowman having built depth across the roster - especially in goal and on left defence - the coach may need a few weeks to sort through it all.
But the pressure to find outside help should arrive early, possibly before Christmas. The Tristan Jarry trade happened on Dec. 12 last year, and the expectation here is that Babcock pushes for a right-handed centre before that date this season.
That sort of churn could hit veterans and recalls alike. Mattias Janmark is the key name to watch in that regard.
If he stays healthy and can resume his checking and penalty-killing work, Babcock should value him. If not, the injured list or the AHL Bakersfield Condors could be in play.
There’s also a scenario in which Ryan Nugent-Hopkins slides into the No. 3 centre role and makes it work. It’s an idea that has come up before, but the current depth chart makes it easier to imagine.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are probably best kept on separate lines, while Jason Dickinson looks like the natural fit for a shutdown role in the defensive zone. That leaves Nugent-Hopkins, 15 years into his NHL career, with a chance to drive a softer-minutes scoring line.
Put him with Howard in his first full season and a right winger who can do a bit of everything, and that could become a real boost for the offence.
Howard himself is one of the most interesting wild cards on the roster. He’s already a flashpoint for fans, with some wanting him moved for a veteran who brings more size and two-way play, and others worried Babcock will bury him before he gets a fair look.
The more likely outcome here is a rocky start, some bumps along the way and eventually a regular left-wing job. For that to happen, Howard has to be responsible away from the puck.
Positioning matters. So does hard pressure on the puck carrier.
If he can force turnovers on the forecheck - something he was doing in Bakersfield late in the 2025-26 season - he should earn the coach’s trust.
Babcock has done this kind of thing before. He helped Zach Hyman and Connor Brown get rolling a decade ago when both were still trying to establish themselves.
Howard isn’t the same player, but the logic is similar: skill is skill, and a coach who values it will notice a player who can score alongside McDavid or Draisaitl. The payoff may not be immediate, but the season-long arc points toward Howard delivering.
Devon Levi is another name that could rise quickly. His story has been somewhat buried by the rest of the summer’s noise, but his AHL season a year ago was exceptional.
His plus-16 goals saved above average stood out as one of the best marks in the minors and is treated here as a true reflection of what he can do. Frederik Andersen and Tristan Jarry can each hold the net for stretches, but both have dealt with injury and inconsistency lately.
That opens a window for Levi, and he may be ready to take it. The prediction is that he’ll be Edmonton’s top goalie this time next year.
Trent Frederic is the final player expected to make a real statement. Oilers fans haven’t seen him at his best yet, though there was a glimpse of it late last season.
After a rough stretch over the previous 12 months, he found his game in February 2026. His line finished with more than 55 percent of expected goals at five-on-five, he produced 1.51 points per 60, and he clicked with Colton Dach in a hard-nosed, puck-hunting style.
That’s the kind of game Babcock likes: pace, pressure and shifts lived 200 feet from Edmonton’s net. Frederic gave the Bruins that before, and the expectation is that he’ll show it again here, even if the scoring doesn’t quite reach that level.
The biggest overall swing may come from McDavid’s five-on-five goal share. Last season, he was at 52 percent, after five stronger years in a row.
A Babcock system should help Edmonton suppress shots and high-danger chances, but none of it matters much if the goaltending doesn’t come along with it. That’s why the season’s ceiling is tied so closely to what happens in net.
The outlook here is clear: Edmonton should win the Pacific Division, and the Stanley Cup is in play. If Babcock and Bowman work well together, Nugent-Hopkins and Frederic are deployed in the right spots, and Howard and Levi deliver as expected, those become the surprises that matter most.
And if McDavid’s five-on-five goal share climbs to 55 percent, the signs are good. If it reaches 60 percent, expect Stanley.
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