Oilers’ Struggles Continue as Season Slips Away: Depth, Defense, and Goaltending All in Question
The Edmonton Oilers have officially hit the quarter-mark of the season, and the results are far from what fans-or the front office-had hoped for. Sitting at 11-10-5 through 26 games, the Oilers find themselves in a familiar, frustrating position: playing catch-up in the standings while trying to patch holes that run deeper than just goaltending.
In the latest round of power rankings, the Oilers landed at 22nd overall-a modest one-spot climb from last week, but hardly the kind of momentum you want to see from a team with championship aspirations. And if we’re being honest, the climb feels more like treading water than progress.
Let’s break it down.
Same Slow Start, New Month
Edmonton’s notorious October slumps have now bled into November, and the urgency is starting to spike. The team only played twice this past week, but one of those games was an 8-3 drubbing at the hands of the Dallas Stars-a game that didn’t just expose the usual defensive lapses, but also raised new concerns about the team’s overall structure.
Yes, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are still doing what they do-dragging this team into the fight every night. But even their brilliance can’t mask the issues that are starting to stack up.
It’s Not Just the Goaltending
For years, the Oilers’ Achilles heel has been in net. And while that’s still part of the conversation, the problems go beyond the blue paint.
The team’s scoring depth is paper-thin, with little support beyond the core group. Jack Roslovic, a late offseason pickup expected to help stabilize the bottom six, is now sidelined for several weeks after blocking a shot against Dallas.
His absence highlights a deeper issue: the Oilers went into the season with a bottom six built more on hope than on proven production. Prospects like Issac Howard and Matt Savoie were part of the plan, but banking on youth and inexperience without a safety net has left the team exposed.
On the back end, Mattias Ekholm and Darnell Nurse-two of the team’s most relied-upon defensemen-have struggled to find consistency. When your top pair is out of sync and your depth is unproven, it’s a recipe for nights like the one in Dallas.
Pacific Division Pressure
The Oilers aren’t just battling their own shortcomings-they’re also watching their division rivals pull ahead. The Vegas Golden Knights (5th), Los Angeles Kings (6th), Anaheim Ducks (7th), and Seattle Kraken (19th) all rank higher in the latest power rankings. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that came into the season expecting to contend.
Even more concerning? The teams below them-San Jose (29th), Vancouver (30th), and Calgary (31st)-aren’t exactly breathing down their necks. This isn’t a case of being stuck in a logjam; it’s Edmonton failing to keep up in a division that’s quickly separating contenders from pretenders.
Kings and Blues Swap Former Second-Rounders
In other Pacific Division news, the Los Angeles Kings made a minor move, shipping forward Akil Thomas to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Nikita Alexandrov. It’s a change-of-scenery deal for two players who’ve struggled to crack full-time NHL roles.
Thomas, 25, was a second-round pick in 2018 but has spent most of his pro career in the AHL, tallying 50 goals and 106 points in 176 games. He’s had a strong start this season with nine goals and 13 points in 19 games but couldn’t find a consistent role in L.A.
Alexandrov, also 25, was drafted in the second round by the Blues in 2019 and has followed a similar path-flashes of potential in the minors, but limited NHL impact. He’s logged just 51 NHL games since 2020-21, with three goals and nine points to show for it.
This is a classic “let’s see what you can do somewhere else” move. Neither player has broken through yet, but both still carry some upside if given the right opportunity.
Brossoit Begins Rehab Stint in AHL
Laurent Brossoit is officially on the comeback trail. The veteran goalie has been activated off the injured, non-roster list and assigned to the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, for a conditioning stint.
Brossoit hasn’t seen game action since the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when he was with the Winnipeg Jets. He underwent meniscus surgery in August, followed by a second arthroscopic procedure on his right knee that wiped out the early part of his 2024-25 season.
Now 32, Brossoit has appeared in 140 NHL games over a decade-long career, posting a solid .911 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average. He’s spent time with the Oilers, Jets, and Golden Knights, and his name has surfaced in trade rumors recently-understandable, given the Blackhawks already have Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom holding down the NHL crease.
Whether Brossoit is being showcased for a trade or simply working his way back into form, his return adds another layer to the goaltending market as teams look for help between the pipes.
Bottom Line for Edmonton
The Oilers still have the talent to turn things around-McDavid and Draisaitl alone can carry this team on any given night-but they’re rapidly running out of runway. The issues are layered: thin depth, defensive miscues, and a goaltending situation that hasn’t stabilized.
If they want to avoid another early offseason, they’ll need more than just their stars to shine. They’ll need answers. And fast.