The Edmonton Oilers learned again this post-season they can't outscore their problems. How easy would it be to patch those defensive holes this off-season?

As we move deeper into the NHL’s off-season, we’re looking at every team’s current picture and their position as the 2023-24 campaign draws near. We’ve been analyzing teams in alphabetical order, and today, we’re breaking down the Edmonton Oilers.

2022-23 Grade: A

Biggest Positive Heading Into the Off-Season

For the second straight season, the Oilers finished second in the Pacific Division. But they took a step backward in the Stanley Cup playoffs, falling in the second round to the eventual Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights after making it to the Western Conference final in the 2022 post-season.

Once again, Edmonton struggled on defense, giving up 20 goals in their four losses to the Golden Knights. However, they benefited from having two of the planet’s best forces on offense in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Indeed, the Oilers’ powerful offense promises to be its main strength in 2023-24. With supporting scorers Zach Hyman, Evander Kane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on board for this coming season, Edmonton is once again going to overwhelm opponents in the offensive zone.

In addition, the trade deadline acquisition of rugged blueliner Mattias Ekholm has notably improved the Oilers’ defense corps. And youngster Stuart Skinner won the starting goaltender job. As per PuckPedia, Skinner is signed for the next three seasons at a very reasonable $2.6-million salary cap hit, leaving Edmonton GM Ken Holland using the little cap space he has – approximately $5.8 million – to focus on deepening his team’s defense corps.

Some of that money will have to go to RFA forwards Ryan McLeod and Klim Kostin, so Holland will have to be creative in order to acquire a difference-maker either via trade or free agency. If rumors are true that veteran forward Connor Brown will be signing with the Oilers, that’s a huge positive for their depth and all-around game. But let’s face it – the Oilers are going to go as far as McDavid and Draisaitl take them. The good news is the dynamic duo is capable of doing great things.

Biggest Need Heading Into the Off-Season

With Ekholm and Darnell Nurse forming the upper tier of Edmonton’s defense corps, and veteran blueliner Cody Ceci also contributing 20 minutes of ice time per game, the Oilers’ top three defensemen are locked in. 

They also need veteran goaltender Jack Campbell to rebound from an extremely disappointing first season as an Oiler. Campbell posted terrible individual numbers – including a .888 save percentage and 3.41 goals-against average – but his contractual situation makes him untradeable, so Edmonton is, for the time being, stuck with him.

That said, the challenge for the Oilers is clear. They surrendered 256 goals against last season, the highest total in that category for any Western Conference playoff team and the second-worst total of any playoff team at all. 

It’s no secret that Holland wants to see more production out of his team’s defense, but the trick is going to be making it all fit under the cap. No opponent will do them any favors on the cap front, putting the onus on Holland to figure out how to make Edmonton more of a defensively dominant group. If he can solve that puzzle, great things await for the Oilers.

Bottom Line For Edmonton This Off-Season

It’s safe to say Draisaitl and McDavid are going to be powerhouses with the puck yet again in 2023-24. The Oilers almost assuredly can also count on Kane, Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins to provide supplemental scoring. The big question mark is their play in their own zone. Skinner showed against Vegas that he couldn’t steal them a playoff series, so it must be a team effort to ratchet up Edmonton’s performance on the back end.

Holland earned his place in hockey history with his performance as Detroit’s GM in their most recent glory years, and now his task is to hone in on the Oilers’ clear needs and find a better balance between offense and defense. Nothing less than a trip back to the Western Conference final will keep Edmonton fans happy, but that’s definitely not out of the question for this lineup.