The Edmonton Oilers made several mistakes during the summer of 2024. Coming off a Stanley Cup Final appearance where they were one win away from being the champions, the Oilers were down because of the loss, but feeling good about the strength of their team and the chance to get back there the following season. The interim GM made several decisions that seemed like winners at the time, but wound up costing the Oilers dearly.
Of the big moves the Oilers made that offseason, where was their biggest mistake?
Not Extending Evan Bouchard Early
Evan Bouchard is an Oiler for the next four seasons, but he could have been signed last summer, on the heels of a solid playoff performance. The Oilers likely chose not to out of fear that the massive run he went on that postseason would inflate his numbers, but they didn't consider the rising salary cap.
They waited and signed Bouchard this season. Of course, by then, he'd had another tremendous playoff run, did it without Mattias Ekholm, and had the leverage of a confirmed rise in the cap over the next three seasons. That extra year of waiting took an eight-year deal or any team-friendly option off the table. He signed for four years at $10.5 million per season, which is full value for the defenseman. That contract is one of a handful of reasons the Oilers couldn't afford to sign many of the depth players who left this summer.
Signing Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson
Sometimes, signing a player or two because you can doesn't make it the best idea. When the Oilers signed Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson as free agents, they did so because both players were eager to join a competitive Edmonton roster. Jeff Jackson jumped at the opportunity to put his stamp on free agency and gave them deals with no-move clauses.
Who’s Worth Bringing Back? Oilers Fans Debate 3 Forward Returns
As part of their quest to save money and get younger, the Edmonton Oilers parted ways with several forwards this offseason. Key among them were Connor Brown, Corey Perry, and Evander Kane. An interesting question <a href="https://x.com/OilersNation/status/1951342167047414217">popped up on social media</a>: if the team could have kept just one, who should it have been?
The problem was, Edmonton incorrectly assumed both would be top-six fits alongside Leon Draisaitl and/or Connor McDavid. The money committed to both put Edmonton in a tough cap situation, and St. Louis was lurking the entire time, waiting to pounce.
Skinner's time in Edmonton was not successful. He never really got out of the couch's doghouse and played infrequently. Arvidsson didn't find the scoring touch the Oilers were hoping he'd bring. Skinner wasn't re-signed and Arvidsson was traded to the Boston Bruins.
Oilers Lose Broberg and Holloway to Offer Sheets
When the Blues saw their opening, they tendered two offer sheets to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. Broberg was eager to sign it, having grown frustrated with a lack of opportunity with the Oilers despite his progression as a defenseman. Holloway was hoping to stay, but he was overlooked for Skinner and Arvidsson, and it became clear he wasn't likely to get the playing time he'd need to become the player he was in 2024-25.
Looking back, the Oilers likely should have signed both players, and they certainly would be better off with Holloway on the roster today. These are the kind of young players that championship teams need in their mix with top talent. Holloway could have been offered a long-term deal at a reasonable rate, and he probably would have signed it.
Oilers Sign Josh Brown
The Oilers signed 30-year-old defenceman Josh Brown to a three-year deal worth $1 million annually. It's not a lot of money, but the decision to bring him in made little sense at the time and makes even less sense now.
The 6-foot-5, right-shot blueliner played 51 games with Arizona the previous season, posting 10 points and 75 penalty minutes. A veteran of 300 NHL games, Brown has previously played for Florida, Ottawa, Boston, and Arizona, recording 34 points and 296 PIMs. Brown was to bring size, toughness, and experience to Edmonton’s blue line. The problem was, he wasn't good enough to play more than 10 games.
Not Upgrading Their Goaltending
Edmonton chose to run with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard in 2024-25. Neither were solely to blame for the Oilers losing out to Florida again, but there is still talk in Edmonton that the goaltending needs upgrading.
It's unclear who was available last summer, but what has been learned this summer is that clear upgrades don't exist. The Oilers are essentially being forced into running it back with the same duo again this year, hoping that they either take a collective step forward or that something becomes available midseason should the goaltending struggle.
Not Hiring a GM First Wound Up Being Costly
Perhaps the biggest mistake was letting Jeff Jackson run the draft and free agency prior to Stan Bowman being hired. He made big roster decisions that he placed on the shoulders of the new manager and despite what you think of Bowman, he was dealt a difficult hand trying to make heads or tails of the moves that had been made prior to his arrival.
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