Every summer, Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette] fans dream big. Understandably so. When Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are sitting in the middle of their prime years, it's only natural to wonder whether the answer lies in another blockbuster. Morgan Riely's name gets tossed around. We've all heard Jason Robertson's grumblings. Every unhappy star around the league eventually finds themselves wearing orange and blue on social media. Reality tends to be less glamorous. Winning teams aren't always built by buying high. Quite often, they're built by identifying good players before everyone else remembers how good they are. Florida didn't acquire Sam Reinhart after his 57-goal season. Vegas didn't trade for Jack Eichel after he became a Conn Smythe candidate. Insider Believes Babcock Likely To Be Cleared To Coach By NHL [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/3f3e5c8f-1076-42d3-b2d7-04230fc70246.jpeg] Insider Believes Babcock Likely To Be Cleared To Coach By NHL As investigators look into Mike Babcock's past, one NHL insider suggests the veteran bench boss may soon return to the bench, potentially clearing a path to join the Edmonton Oilers. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/insider-believes-babcock-likely-to-be-cleared-to-coach-by-nhl] Colorado landed Devon Toews before the rest of the league realized just how valuable he was. The best swings aren't always the biggest ones. Sometimes they're the smartest. Which raises an interesting question for Stan Bowman. Instead of chasing stars whose value has never been higher, what if Edmonton spent this summer looking for players who come with talent, upside and a few question marks attached? Every Moment Ranked In An Already Embarrassing Summer For the Oilers [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ba62567b-06aa-4361-8ecf-107d92db9562.jpeg] Every Moment Ranked In An Already Embarrassing Summer For the Oilers From botched coaching searches to leaked negotiations and trade drama, Edmonton’s chaotic offseason is spiraling. We rank the front-office blunders defining a franchise's most humiliating summer yet. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/every-moment-ranked-in-an-already-embarrassing-summer-for-the-oilers] Players whose current teams might be wondering if they're worth the trouble. Players whose best hockey may still be ahead of them. Take Owen Tippett. Philadelphia's rebuild hasn't exactly gone according to plan, and while Tippett remains one of the fastest and most dangerous shooters in the league, consistency has never quite followed. There are stretches where he looks like a future 40-goal scorer, followed by stretches where he disappears for weeks. That sounds frustrating. Darnell Nurse Requests Trade, Submits A List of 3-5 Teams To Oilers [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/608c1793-19cd-49a5-8ad1-71f260418123.jpeg] Darnell Nurse Requests Trade, Submits A List of 3-5 Teams To Oilers After years as a blue-line fixture, the veteran defenseman is ready to move on. Following a fractured relationship with management, Darnell Nurse aims to control his exit via a targeted shortlist. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/darnell-nurse-requests-trade-submits-a-list-of-3-5-teams-to-oilers] It also sounds like the kind of player Connor McDavid has made a career out of elevating. Then there's Mason McTavish. Admittedly, this one requires a little imagination. Anaheim would have to do something strange. The Ducks would need to convince themselves that their young centre isn't a long-term fit, something that seems unlikely today. But life is full of surprises. UFA Watch: Blue Jackets Veteran To Be Target For The Oilers? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/8b109641-278b-407a-bd2b-86149f319bdd.jpeg] UFA Watch: Blue Jackets Veteran To Be Target For The Oilers? Boone Jenner’s veteran leadership and faceoff prowess could provide the depth Edmonton craves, but his injury history and contract demands present a calculated risk for the Oilers. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/ufa-watch-blue-jackets-veteran-to-be-target-for-the-oilers] Nobody thought Matthew Tkachuk would leave Calgary. Nobody expected Jack Eichel to become available. And if Anaheim ever gets weird, Stan Bowman should be listening, because power forwards who score, hit and play with an edge aren't exactly growing on trees. Dawson Mercer might be the most realistic name on the list. New Jersey has money committed everywhere and several difficult decisions looming. Mercer's numbers haven't exploded, but his versatility and work ethic would fit beautifully on a contender. Oilers Leadership Group Met With More Than Just Mike Babcock [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/981061e4-025b-45cc-b143-b1acb8ce8a6a.jpeg] Oilers Leadership Group Met With More Than Just Mike Babcock Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl personally vetted multiple coaching candidates, reportedly favoring Mike Babcock’s hard-nosed approach over another coach that was on Edmonton's short list. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/oilers-leadership-group-met-with-more-than-just-mike-babcock] Everybody wants the finished product. Very few teams want to pay the price that comes with one. The Oilers know that reality better than most. They don't possess endless cap space. Their prospect pool has been thinned out. A shocking first-round exit to Anaheim has increased the pressure, but it hasn't magically created the assets required to win every bidding war. Which means creativity matters. Patience matters. Timing matters. This Could Get Ugly: NHL Moving Forward With Mike Babcock Investigation [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/8352176b-c2c7-41d1-9acc-3926830e8eaf.jpeg] This Could Get Ugly: NHL Moving Forward With Mike Babcock Investigation New allegations from Mike Babcock’s past threaten to derail his return. The NHLPA is demanding a full investigation into hidden claims before the NHL allows Edmonton to proceed with his hiring. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/this-could-get-ugly-nhl-moving-forward-with-mike-babcock-investigation] And perhaps the smartest thing Stan Bowman can do this summer is resist the temptation to chase names that everyone else wants. After all, some of the biggest trades in hockey history looked underwhelming at the time. Jack Eichel came with injury concerns. Sam Reinhart had never scored 40 goals. Sam Bennett was viewed as a disappointment. Can Mike Babcock Finally Get Out Of His Own Way? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b4bb8df9-8fbe-462b-b073-6d4c571db34c.jpeg] Can Mike Babcock Finally Get Out Of His Own Way? For most of the last two decades, Mike Babcock's résumé has spoken louder than almost anyone else's. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/can-mike-babcock-finally-get-out-of-his-own-way] Nobody knew Gustav Forsling would become Gustav Forsling. Zach Hyman might very well be the steal of the century. The common thread? Each player arrived with questions attached. And that's where Edmonton should be looking. The Oilers don't necessarily need another superstar. They just need to find the league's next one before everyone else does. 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