OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA

Oilers offseason keeps them firmly in the ‘win now’ window

Photo credit: © Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

By Michael Menzies

Jul 21, 2026, 16:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 21, 2026, 16:25 EDT

Comments

One prominent hockey writer believes the Edmonton Oilers did enough this offseason to remain Stanley Cup contenders.

Matt Larkin of Daily Faceoff is breaking down all four NHL divisions and looking at where each team sits in terms of contending for a championship. Perhaps like many in Alberta after these wicked storms, he’s looking at windows: win-now, window opening, foggy window, window smashed, or under construction.

The Oilers remain in the “win now” bracket.

“How desperate are the Oilers to win while they still have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their primes? They hired Mike Babcock [sic] as their head coach, that’s how,” writes Larkin in his Oilers breakdown.

“The players signed off on the move, feeling they needed to pivot from the calm, calculated Kris Knoblauch to a firebreather behind the bench. Whether the gambit works or not, we can at least say (for a change) that GM Stan Bowman has had a strong offseason.”

How did Stan Bowman overhaul the Oilers’ roster this offseason?

In a weak Pacific Division, Larkin likes a lot of the Oilers’ moves. Vegas is the only other team in the “win now” category, whereas Anaheim and San Jose are in the “window opening” category, but with caveats after their changes.

Teams like Los Angeles and San Jose were in the “window smashed” bracket, and Calgary and Vancouver are clearly “under construction.”

“He (Bowman) jettisoned blueliner Darnell Nurse’s contract without retaining money; re-signed centre Jason Dickinson and D-man Connor Murphy at prices that looked great once the July 1 contract AAVs started trickling in leaguewide; added a solid young puck-moving blueliner in Ryan Shea; and overhauled the Oilers’ goaltending, adding Frederik Andersen as a No. 1 above Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi as a No. 3 with future starter potential,” said Larkin.

The Babcock effect is the big wild card of the offseason.

It’s been seven years since he’s been on an NHL bench, and 13 years since his last playoff win. But there’s no denying Babcock’s pedigree, and as the handpicked choice to be the Oilers’ coach, it stands to reason he’ll get buy-in from Edmonton’s best players.

However, The Hockey News was not as bullish on the Babcock hiring. He placed 28th in a recent NHL coaches ranking by Adam Proteau.

Although they have a much healthier salary cap situation, some analytic models conflict on how much better the Oilers’ roster really got. For example, some WAR (Wins Above Replacement) models isolated Edmonton as having one of the best July 1s. Meanwhile, a model like Net Rating, used by The Athletic, pitted the Oilers as only the 25th most improved team.

Sure, moving Darnell Nurse’s contract is a plus, but is Ryan Shea a one-hit wonder, or a late bloomer at 29 who can help replace Nurse’s minutes?

The bottom line is McDavid’s two-year, $12.5 million AAV deal has begun, and the goal is to return to the Stanley Cup Final — and win.

“The Oilers are better after their reload, but are they good enough to make a Stanley Cup run?” wonders Larkin. “They’re still not the deepest team at forward, though a full breakout from Matt Savoie after his promising 2025–26 could change things.”

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4.

PRESENTED BY LeaseBusters

LeaseBusters is Canada’s premier lease takeover marketplace, helping drivers get out of their current vehicle leases without costly penalties or negative equity. Instead of paying thousands to break a lease, sellers connect with qualified buyers ready to take it over—saving money and avoiding financial stress. Buyers benefit from shorter-term commitments and often better monthly payments, while dealerships retain a replacement customer and leasing companies keep contracts active. It’s a smarter, more efficient solution for everyone involved. Four parties, four wins—only with LeaseBusters. For more information, check out www.LeaseBusters.com.