The Edmonton Oilers ranked 21st out of 32 NHL teams in The Athletic’s fan confidence survey, only a slight improvement from 25th a year ago.

Considering the Oilers are pegged to be another strong contender this season and should be one of the favorites to come out of the Western Conference, the suggestion here is that the Oilers are competing and succeeding in spite of their current management. 

Despite back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, fans remain skeptical of management’s vision. Costly mistakes — most notably losing Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to offer sheets while prioritizing veterans like Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson — have drawn sharp criticism.

“I just can’t trust the Oilers because they are so Jekyll and Hyde. Two steps forward, then four steps back," wrote one fan. That same fan got even more specific, suggesting, "If they can get a goalie and trade Nurse, this might land Stanley in Edmonton. Otherwise … ugh.”

Not everyone agrees that these are the fixes, with some fans suggesting that Darnell Nurse gets a bad rep, even though his contract isn't great. Others believe that with a new goaltending coach, Stuart Skinner could rebound. Skinner told the media this week, "I think I got back on the ice a little too quickly last summer, talking about the experience part again,” Skinner said. “Going into the season, I want to be as fresh as I can, as strong as I can."

Maybe that's why management is sticking with him. 

The Athletic’s survey is designed to capture the overall sentiment from media and fans about confidence in their team’s management. For Oilers Nation, that confidence remains low—though it has ticked up slightly compared to last season.

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Trading for Mattias Ekholm and signing Zach Hyman are still the best of the best when it comes to recent moves. That was under old management. This past season, the trade for Jake Walman and picking up Kasperi Kapanen on waivers should get consideration for the best moves of the season.

Somewhere in the middle is probably the Trent Frederic trade and subsequent signing this summer. The jury is still out on the player, and there's real doubt that the eight-year extension he was given was a smart idea. Should it turn out to be the right move, and Frederic goes on a roll, the Oilers should jump up in next summer's rankings. 

Beyond that, team-friendly extensions for Ekholm, Vasily Podkolzin, Walman, and Skinner (if the Oilers feel inclined to go there) will be what changes fan opinion.

Until this management team of Stan Bowman and Jeff Jackson gives everyone a reason to feel confident, the feeling that Edmonton might be wasting the prime years of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl won't disappear.

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