The Edmonton Oilers could be heading into one of the most transformative offseasons in franchise history, according to NHL insider Frank Seravalli.

Speaking on Sportsnet 590 The Fan, Seravalli suggested that significant organizational changes are not only possible—they’re likely. From behind the bench to the front office and likely several roster changes, Edmonton may be preparing for a sweeping reset after what many view as a step backward season.

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Thursday saw a few analysts and reporters talking about what might happen in Edmonton, with TSN's Darren Dreger noting that head coach Kris Knoblauch is certainly on the hot seat. However, Seravalli's report was the most wide-ranging of all the predictions.

Dustin Nielsen of Edmonton Sports Talk noted after watching the video: “Oilers set to blow it up according to Frank.”

Some changes were expected. No one should believe the Oilers could have taken such a step back, been tossed in the first round of the playoffs, and listened to stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl say they were concerned without consequence. But, as many changes as what Servalli is predicting? It's a lot. 

“Are changes coming in Edmonton? I don’t know that it’s going to come on the back of listening to their superstars—maybe just in the sense that they heard that loud and clear, understanding that this organization took steps backwards,” he said.

One of the most declarative things Seravalli said was that he expects a coaching change. If so, that would be the first potential change, with someone like Bruce Cassidy a likely frontrunner replacement. 

“I think a coaching change is likely,” he explained. “I think it’s more likely than not that Kris Knoblauch and his staff are sent packing."

It didn't stop there. He added, "I think there are likely to be front office changes coming in Edmonton as they reshape and restructure.”

Beyond coaching and front office changes, roster construction will also be under the microscope. A key question surrounds defenseman Darnell Nurse and whether the Oilers will attempt to move his contract—even if it means attaching additional assets to facilitate a deal.

Seravalli suggested that moving on from Nurse could be a necessary step toward improving the team’s overall balance.

“I really wonder, in terms of how they go about rejigging this roster, what happens next,” he said. “Do they find a way to convince a team to sweeten a package to move on from Darnell Nurse? I think that’s needed. I think it’s almost a little bit of addition by subtraction. You can’t have a player taking up that much space on your cap and not producing at a level that is commensurate with your team.”

Of course, any discussion about Edmonton’s offseason wouldn’t be complete without addressing the goaltending situation. It’s an issue that general manager Stan Bowman has already acknowledged will need attention.

What that looks like is unclear, but Seravalli believes that adding a goalie is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.

“That’s on top of going out and getting a goalie,” he said. “Any one of those things would force you to talk about them the next day. I think the totality of it—and what we’re looking at—could be the most consequential offseason, maybe, in Edmonton Oilers history. It’s worth watching.”

Fans will often take what Seravalli says with a grain of salt. He's connected, but he's not always accurate. Still, he wasn't the only analyst to suggest changes might be coming and it's the low hanging fruit given how the season turned out. 

If Seravalli’s read on the situation proves accurate, the Oilers won’t just be tweaking their roster this summer—they'll be making some serious changes in an effort to get back on track and in the window that is McDavid's remaining two years under contract. 

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