Edmonton is walking into 2026-27 with very little margin for error, and that’s what makes the Oilers such a dangerous team to game out. A new coach with baggage, a goalie setup built on hope, and a superstar whose patience matters more than almost anyone else’s - those are all separate storylines. Put them together, and you get the kind of season that can go off the rails in a hurry.
The first pressure point is behind the bench. Mike Babcock arrives with a history that includes a rocky exit from the Toronto Maple Leafs and a stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets that ended before it really got going.
The concern has always been how he handles players, and Edmonton appears willing to live with that because the group seems to want a coach who will challenge them. That works until it doesn’t.
If old habits show up in the room and the team decides the relationship is not what it signed up for, the fallout would be immediate. This is a locker room full of outspoken stars, and they would not be slow to react.
At that point, ownership would be stuck with an uncomfortable question: stick with the plan they helped create, or make a change nobody wanted this early? If it comes to that, D.J.
Smith is the obvious fallback.
Then there’s the goaltending, which may be the biggest gamble of all. Edmonton is leaning on Frederik Andersen, Devon Levi, and Tristan Jarry in a three-goalie setup that is being built on hope rather than certainty.
The Oilers are counting on at least one of them to separate from the pack. If none of them does, this stops being a competition and becomes a problem.
There is no easy in-house rescue beyond Connor Ungar or Matt Tomkins, and the trade market is not expected to save them in season. If the trio all struggle at once, the season could be in trouble before it ever really settles in.
And then there’s Connor McDavid. He pushed for the Babcock hire, so there’s only so much he can say if things go sideways.
But if the coach doesn’t work and the goaltending is shaky, frustration can build fast. If McDavid starts to feel like he’s done all he can for the organization, that changes everything.
The nightmare version, according to friends in the game, is a Christmas trade request. If Edmonton looks anything like last spring’s first-round exit, that kind of tension would not take long to surface.
The Darnell Nurse situation adds another layer. Edmonton already moved him to the San Jose Sharks for Shakir Mukhamadullin and the rights to Zachary Sharp, then filled the hole with Ryan Shea on a five-year, $4M AAV deal.
If the new group plays well, the move won’t matter much. But if Nurse bounces back in San Jose while Shea and Mukhamadullin fail to cover his minutes, the decision will look like a mistake.
That would be especially awkward with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl watching it all unfold and, presumably, judging management accordingly.
Any one of these issues can be survived. Stack all four together, and Edmonton’s window doesn’t just get smaller. It falls apart.
In Other News...
Former Oilers Prospect Just Surfaced In Stunning Star Trade Chatter
A former Oilers prospect has suddenly been pulled into a much bigger conversation, with Sam OReillys name surfacing in reported trade talks between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets involving defenseman Zach Werenski. OReilly, who was dealt from Edmonton to Tampa Bay last August, has been viewed as a promising young piece after a strong junior run, and he is expected to begin his professional career with the Syracuse Crunch next season.
For Edmonton fans, it is another reminder of how quickly a prospect can go from future hope to a possible chip in a major NHL deal. The chatter around Werenski did not last long, though, as both Columbus and the defenseman later issued statements reaffirming their commitment to each other, leaving OReilly still on Tampa Bays side of the ledger and his next step unchanged for now. [Read more 🡒]
This Connor McDavid Rumor Will Make Oilers Fans Uncomfortable
A loose rumor making the rounds this week has Connor McDavid linked to a possible future change of scenery, with former NHL player Todd Fedoruk floating the idea that the Oilers captain could eventually be drawn toward a different market. For Edmonton fans, the unsettling part is less the source than the premise itself: any conversation about McDavid naturally turns into a referendum on how long the leagues biggest star might stay attached to the team that has built around him.
For now, though, the actual evidence points in the other direction. McDavid remains committed to Edmonton, and there is no clear sign he is looking for an exit as the Oilers try to push their way toward a Cup run. The speculation seems rooted more in the idea that he wants to win than in any confirmed discussions, which is why the rumor feels more like offseason noise than a real warning sign, even if it is the kind of noise that gets attention fast. [Read more 🡒]
One Oilers Camp Longshot Could Suddenly Matter More Than Fans Realize
With training camp approaching and roster decisions looming for both Edmonton and Bakersfield under new coach Mike Babcock, the Oilers are again sorting through the kind of depth questions that can shape a season in subtle ways. Jordan Oesterles recent retirement is part of that broader picture, but the more intriguing angle is the search for a player who can make noise in camp and give the organization a little more flexibility if the lineup gets tested.
One name worth watching is Eduards Tralmaks, whose AHL production and profile make him more than just another longshot invite. He is not expected to see much NHL ice, and even a brief run at the top level would be a surprise, but his ability to stand out in camp could put him on the radar if injuries create an opening later on. For a team trying to keep its options open, that kind of impression can matter more than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]