The Edmonton Oilers are facing significant challenges both on and off the ice, including leaks about coaching changes and poor playoff performance. The team's management, particularly GM Stan Bowman, is under scrutiny as they must address these issues quickly to avoid further decline.
Key points
Edmonton Oilers denied permission to interview Bruce Cassidy
Oilers averaged 4.33 goals against in playoffs, worst in the league
Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram struggled in goal during playoffs
Stan Bowman's management decisions are under scrutiny
Oilers need to address multiple leaks to improve team performance
Mentioned in this story
Bruce CassidyKris KnoblauchStan Bowman
Edmonton OilersVegas Golden KnightsAnaheim Ducks
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The Edmonton Oilers have been making news of late, and not in a good way.
On Tuesday, Victory+ insider Frank Seravalli reported the Vegas Golden Knights denied the Oilers permission to interview fired coach Bruce Cassidy. And on Wednesday, Sportsnet's Mark Spector said he expects the Oilers to fire coach Kris Knoblauch, likely by day's end.
While preventing Cassidy from interviewing with Edmonton arguably did not reflect well on Vegas management, the Oilers look bad for allowing this news to leak out. They've essentially put an end to his time coaching Edmonton without the care and concern to formally fire him and allow him to pursue a new opportunity. Even if it's not unusual to kick tires on other coaches before deciding whether to fire their own, it's not a good look when reports come out about it.
But the Cassidy report wasn't the only leak affecting the Oilers over the past month. They had similar issues on the ice.
In fact, the Oilers were a leaky machine in the playoffs, averaging a league-worst 4.33 goals against in a first-round loss to the Anaheim Ducks. That's a full half-goal more than the next-most porous defense (surprisingly, the Dallas Stars and Utah Mammoth at 3.83 goals per game).
The Oilers also allowed the second-most shots against per game in the playoffs, a drastic difference from during the regular season, when they actually averaged the eighth-fewest shots against.
Knoblauch was unable to provide the structure and strategy Edmonton needed against Anaheim, and we've said since the pre-season that Knoblauch was likely to be fired unless the Oilers got back to the Stanley Cup final for the third straight year. Even then, not winning the Cup could have put Knoblauch on the hot seat.
But Knoblauch did enough good work this year to at least get the respect of being fired rather than doing what Edmonton is doing and leaving him in limbo while they shake the trees for a potential replacement.
"Clean Up in Aisle Six": Oilers Have a PR Disaster To Deal With
Finally, perhaps the biggest leak for the Oilers is still their goaltending.
You can critique Edmonton GM Stan Bowman's other roster moves all you want, but the trade for veteran goalie ended up being a stunningly ill-advised move. Jarry played in one game against the in the first round, and he posted an .895 save percentage and a 3.84 GAA. During the regular season, he had a 3.86 GAA and .858 SP in 19 games with Edmonton.
Jarry's tandem-mate, , was not much better in the playoffs. In four of five games against the Ducks, Ingram's save percentage sat between .893 and .815. His .899 save percentage during the season was OK but not what the Oilers need from a starting goalie. But at least Ingram is about to be a UFA this summer, so there's no financial entanglement the Oilers have with him.
The same can't be said for Jarry, . When it makes more sense to buy out Jarry only six months after acquiring him, that's a giant offense by Bowman. A fireable offense? Definitely, if Bowman can't find a suitable replacement in net this summer.
Has Stan Bowman Done Enough To Keep His Job?
[Has Stan Bowman Done Enough To Keep His Job? The lost in the first round to the Anaheim Ducks, finished with their worst points percentage since 2018-19, all while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both publicly stated that they were worried about the direction this franchise is headed.]()
So, between the leak about Knoblauch and Cassidy, the leak in the Oilers' own zone, and the mess in their net, it's clear why Edmonton's ship is sinking. This is not what superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl signed up for, and this is why Bowman needs to plug the holes in his organization in a hurry.
If Bowman doesn't do that, the Oilers' GM job will be the latest thing to open up. Edmonton's coach next season – be it Cassidy, someone else or still Knoblauch – is going to be in Cup-or-bust mode from Day 1 on the job. But by this time next year, we anticipate the Oilers will look notably different from the way they do today.
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Q&A
Why did the Edmonton Oilers not get permission to interview Bruce Cassidy?
The Vegas Golden Knights denied the Oilers permission to interview Bruce Cassidy after he was fired, reflecting poorly on both teams.
What were the Edmonton Oilers' defensive statistics in the playoffs?
The Oilers averaged a league-worst 4.33 goals against per game and allowed the second-most shots against during the playoffs.
What issues did the Oilers face with their goaltending in the playoffs?
Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram struggled significantly, with Jarry posting a 3.84 GAA and Ingram's save percentage fluctuating between .893 and .815 in the playoffs.
What consequences could GM Stan Bowman face after the Oilers' playoff performance?
If Bowman fails to find a suitable replacement for the struggling goaltending situation, he could face termination from his position.
