Oilers’ Offensive Woes Highlight What They Lost When Corey Perry Walked
There’s been no shortage of fingers pointed at the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending this season-and at times, rightfully so. But Tuesday night’s 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild wasn’t on the netminders.
This one falls squarely on the skaters up front. The Oilers were shut out, and the offense simply didn’t show up.
That loss drops Edmonton to a 11-11-5 record, and while they sit just a point outside the Western Conference wild-card picture, the bigger picture is harder to ignore. Through nearly 30 games, the Oilers are sitting 25th in the NHL standings. That’s not where a team with this kind of top-end talent expects-or should expect-to be.
Now, if you’ve followed this team over the past few seasons, you know they’re capable of flipping the switch. A hot streak can come out of nowhere and catapult them back into the playoff mix.
But this year’s group feels different. And that difference is showing up on the ice.
A Changing Roster, A Changing Identity
The offseason saw the Oilers part ways with several key contributors, including Evander Kane and Connor Brown. While neither was lighting up the scoresheet last season, both brought value that went beyond the box score-whether it was Kane’s physical presence or Brown’s work rate and versatility.
But the departure that’s stinging the most right now? Corey Perry.
Letting Perry Go Looks Worse by the Day
After back-to-back Stanley Cup Final runs in 2024 and 2025, it seemed like a no-brainer that Perry would return for another shot at the Cup. Instead, the 40-year-old winger signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Los Angeles Kings-a number the Oilers decided they couldn’t justify under their cap crunch.
In hindsight, that decision is starting to look like a costly misstep.
Perry may not have turned heads in his first season with Edmonton back in 2023-24, but he found another gear in 2024-25. He scored 19 goals in the regular season-fifth-most on the team behind only Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. That’s the kind of secondary scoring every contending team needs, and the Oilers had it.
Then came the playoffs, where Perry once again proved he’s built for the big stage. He tallied 10 goals and 14 points in 22 postseason games.
Only Draisaitl scored more goals during that run, and Perry’s point total was fifth on the team. He wasn’t just along for the ride-he was driving the bus on some nights.
And it wasn’t just the goals. Perry brought an edge that this current Oilers lineup is sorely missing.
Grit, tenacity, and the kind of in-your-face presence that can change the tone of a game. There have been too many nights this season where Edmonton looked flat, disengaged, or just plain uninspired.
Perry isn’t a cure-all, but he’s the kind of player who could’ve sparked something when things got stale.
Leadership Void in the Locker Room
Beyond the on-ice impact, Perry’s leadership left a mark. This is a team that’s long leaned on veteran voices to support its superstar core.
Before Perry, it was Duncan Keith and Mike Smith playing that role. While Mattias Ekholm and Adam Henrique bring experience, Perry’s influence-especially during the postseason-was unique.
He knew how to get under opponents’ skin, how to rally a room, and how to lead by example when the stakes were highest.
That kind of presence doesn’t show up on a stat sheet, but it matters. And right now, it feels like the Oilers are missing it.
The Youth Movement Hasn’t Delivered
Instead of re-signing Perry, the Oilers bet on youth. They hoped players like Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard could step in and help offset the offseason departures. So far, that bet hasn’t paid off.
It’s not that the organization was wrong to move on from Kane or Brown, but letting Perry walk-especially for a reasonable one-year deal-is looking like a bigger gamble with each passing game. At the time, it made sense financially. In practice, it’s left a void that no one’s filled.
Meanwhile, Perry’s doing just fine in Los Angeles. Through 20 games with the Kings, he’s already chipped in seven goals and 13 points.
That’s the kind of production the Oilers could desperately use right now. They’re averaging exactly three goals per game-18th in the league-and struggling to find consistent offense outside of their top stars.
A Missed Opportunity
In a league where depth scoring and veteran leadership can make or break a season, the Oilers’ decision to move on from Corey Perry is looming large. He wasn’t just a complementary piece-he was a catalyst, a competitor, and a guy who showed up when it mattered most.
Right now, Edmonton’s still within striking distance of a playoff spot. But if they don’t find a spark soon, they might look back on this season as the one where they let more than just a veteran winger walk-they let an opportunity slip away.