One of my pet peeves about the Oilers during the Connor McDavid era is the lollygagging by head coaches in getting the roster set. Please read this.
Dallas Eakins had a helluva time figuring out his defense, and that trend continued through the Jay Woodcroft and Kris Knoblauch years. Here’s what I wrote on September 30, 2025:
The Edmonton Oilers are once again taking the slow route to the final roster. This is unwise. In the last two season openers, the team has been flattened by teams who are focused on beating the Stanley Cup finalists.
Is it worth giving players another game? Maybe. Josh Samanski has looked good, and maybe the team wants to showcase someone for a trade. However, the team is burning daylight. Jake Walman is delayed playing due to injury, and he may not play until opening night. That’s a common theme for the Oilers in the season opener, and the results are often poor.
I think the coaching staff would be wise to get a wiggle on.
Those words are still true, but I have less anxiety about it this year. Mike Babcock is a veteran coach, he’ll want his players to know their roles and he’ll want the brief preseason to matter. What does that mean? I expect the 23-man roster to be finalized well before Game 1, and hope that the coach keeps injured players out until they are ready, really ready. Playing your way into game shape shouldn’t happen during regular season NHL games.
On the Lowdown today, we’re making our predictions for the Oilers 2026-27, we will talk Blue Jays, Elks and NFL preseason. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Predicting the Edmonton Oilers’ 5 biggest surprises out of training camp this fall
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7516064/2026/08/16/edmonton-oilers-training-camp-surprises/
Nuge at 2C / 3C is the way
When Nuge was given quality wingers to work with last season, his line was able to deliver strong results:
Hyman – Nuge – Roslovic over 56 mins, 4-1 GF-GA
Podkolzin – Nuge – Roslovic over 24 mins, 56% CF%
Podkolzin – Nuge – Kapanen over 13 mins, 73% CF%
Nuge was used primarily as a winger on McDavid’s line last season and it wasn’t the best way to use the player. The Oilers have winger depth; giving Nuge a pair of quality wingers will be a way to generate outscoring from down the lineup.
In the 2025 playoffs, Hyman/Nuge/Kane were 4-1 goals and 73% expected goals in 66 minutes.
One could sub Pod for Kane and roll Podz/Nuge/Hyman – I suspect that will be the 2nd line when McDavid and Drai are loaded up – or at least it will be tried as such.
I have Nuge between either Podz/Kap or Howard/Savoie if the glim twins are loaded up. Either way I like it, Id love to see Samanski between Podz/Kap, a very downhill line.
President trophy, division win, Stanley cup, mcdavid wins con smyth and Draisait for the heart and Bouchard for the norris
Andersen wins Vézina. Babcock wins Jack Adams. Howard wins Calder.
Wild idea here.
Has the Athletic ever thought of having you write about the Bruins?
An entire new fan base could experience the Lowetide magic.
I second this
The exhibition season seemed to last through to the Olympic Break last year.
I think mid-August is the most trying time for NHL hockey fans and hockey blogs. News from the teams & players has all but dried up and we are left with stating, debating and justifying predictions, with a sprinkle of shoulda’s and what if’s and remember when’s, and looking forward to any real news. Bring on captain’s skates and then training camp! Just have to hang on a bit longer and life will be back to normal!
Yeah, who needs summer anyhow?
Well, I’m enjoying summer, but I also like fall and hockey. 🙂
Agreed – the beginning of August also comes with the “hockey is getting close” as it starts up the following month but then the realization that it’s still 6 weeks until training camp so not that close. I will never “wish away summer weather” but August drags vis-a-vis waiting for hockey.
Do something Stan we need more sandpaper.
Babcock is a hard-on-the-puck coach, not a hard-on-the-man. Sandpaper players tend to be out of position, and are unable to be hard-on-the-puck.
Relentlessness on the puck is Babcock’s grit. The point of the one in the 1-2-2 is to force the puck carrier to carry it up along the wall into congestion or to pass it into congestion.
Is this why you see Hutson with a legit chance? D.J’s main man Joseph also strikes me as a hard on the puck player more so than sandpaper. I think you’re on to something about Babcock bottom 6 deployment choices. What will become of Howard will he get lost in the Lido Shuffle?
— Just a plug for our hosts one of many other gigs : at the Athletic which is still producing high end sports articles.
— There are now two writers again for the Oilers. Janson Duench has joined the Oilers team and it’s great to now have another one to follow on. Top notch platform.
— I’m assuming no more trades before start of season so I’m to post results of the off season predict the Oilers contest…
None of us really know what the season is going to look like, but I think we can all agree this will be fascinating to watch unfold. I’m optimistic about this year, and I’m looking forward to Babcock’s fresh approach. Hopefully the focus includes some emphasis on a third line that can win its matchup for enough minutes to decide a game. I’d love to see Nuge and Hyman paired with a winger who can help in that role. The past few seasons have been more focused on ensuring 97 and 29 have the optimal wingers available, but then we blame the bottom 6 for not producing enough when the stars are off the ice.
#spreadthewealth
I’ve been saying all off-season, there is no time for tryouts and Babcock will be looking to get his lines and pairings set and comfortable and using camp and games to implement his new structure and systems – we can likely expect major changes in all zones and games states (save maybe PP1 but it may see less ice). We know it will be pressure based but there are nuances within a pressure based system.
Babcock will be running them through drills at camp over and over and over – that is his MO.
I think having Babcock run camp is massive – its going to be a big change from the last 4-5 years, always having an inexperienced coach with his 1st or 2nd NHL camp.
Thankfully, aside from maybe the last forward spot (if Janmark is going on IR) or an injury, the roster is set (3G, 7D and 10F for sure) and Babcock and Smith likely have alot planned already.
@NHLMedia
Introducing NHL Network’s Top 10 Goalies Right Now!
What do you think of the list?
https://x.com/NHLMedia/status/2089140188010438881?s=20
For years we watched Vladar get better and better in Calgary. Only thing stopping Vladar was a phenomenal Wolf. Stan should have traded Skinner last Summer signed Vladar and had Big Save Dave as our backup. We had front row seats for both of these goalies. Both were better than anything we had since Talbot.
And Sebastian Cossa and Jesper Wallstedt were both first round picks in the 2021 draft….but Xavier Bourgault beckoned.
While Wallstedt is already on the top 10 list,Cossa has yet to make his mark in the NHL.
Cossa, however had a 26-8-4 record in the AHL last season with a .915 save percentage.
It made zero sense not picking Wallstedt. If Holland drafts Wallstedt and Wyatt Johnson Holland would of been voted G.M of the year instead of Guérin
This was his first season having an above .900 SP. Meanwhile, Hofer has had three season straight over .900 and was 7th in the league last year. He’s earned a top ten nod over Vladar.
Also surprised neither Blackwood nor Wedgewood made it.
This is great – I see a goalie that had shit NHL stats before last season (worse that Devon Levi’s NHL stats) but a listed top 10 goalie a year later.
That is the “general consensus” you love so much when it matches your narrative.
Perhaps starting 10 NHL playoff games last season played a role.
How many did Levi play? (remember he’s a year older than Wallstedt.)
Well, you’ve actually been saying the roster is set. That is far different than having the roster set one game before the regular season. I think there are jobs in play, suspect we disagree on that point.
I’ve said that, subject to injury (which is always the case), the 3 goalies are set, the 7 defencement are set and 10 of 13 forwards are set with really only 5 players able to grab those 3 spots (and likely 4 with Janmark going on IR and maybe one of the spots is even Joseph’s locked).
Do you agree that, subject to injry:
1) any goalie other than Jarry, Andersen and Levi will be on the roster for game 1?
2) any d-man other than Bouchard, Ekholm, Walman, Murphy, Shea, Emberson, Shakir M. will be on the roster
3) any of the following forwards won’t be on the roster: McDavid, Drai, Hyman, Nuge, Savoie, Podz, Dickinson, Kapanen, Dach, Frederic?
I think we know, subject to injury, all the above is set, right?
The who is mostly set.
Where they play is another question entirely and that needs to be set before game one as well.
For sure, I agree.
I imagine Babcock has a fairly good idea of where he thinks that will go. I have very little idea what he’s thinking.
All the players are new to Babcock, except for Hyman and Andersen. Everyone is “trying out”.
Babcock’s modus operandi is to instill “fear and trembling” into the bottom six and tweeners.
Alright boys, poor effort, turn in your phones; it’s Babcock time.
But realistically, LT brings up a valid point. Realistically, Oilers slow starts are probably attributable to just not having a real true gameplan, multiple shuffles, etc.
Long preseason or not, clubs know who’s one their roster well in advance. Very difficult to win a roster spot by preseason games alone. But outside of having a set roster for who will be on it, and least dial in how it will work.
Do you agree that, subject to injry:
1) any goalie other than Jarry, Andersen and Levi will be on the roster for game 1?
2) any d-man other than Bouchard, Ekholm, Walman, Murphy, Shea, Emberson, Shakir M. will be on the roster
3) any of the following forwards won’t be on the roster: McDavid, Drai, Hyman, Nuge, Savoie, Podz, Dickinson, Kapanen, Dach, Frederic?
I think we know, subject to injury, all the above is set, right?
Well then, why bother with camp, lets get going.
Camp will be very important. I believe Babcock and Smith will be implementing major structural and system changes to the play in all zones and all game states (save for PP1). From accounts, Babcock is a coach that will practice things past perfection.
There will be lots of work for the opening lineup to do during camp to get ready.
What have you done with Issac Howard?
I have put Howard in the group if 5 vying for the last 3 forward spots, as I have all summer long.
Oh yeah…thecDylan Holloway development plan.
Worked great.
I am confident he will be on the team and hopefully put on a non-Dickinson line but I can’t lock him in like the other 10 as they are true locks, no chance they aren’t on the the team on opening night (subject to injury). There is a world where Howard is re-assigned, I doubt it though.
Colton Dach should be nowhere near a n NHL 3rd line.
If Howard can’t beat him out he should owe traded.
I never said anything about Dach on the third line (although I think he can earn his way on merit, he’s got the potential). I hope to see a Frederic/Samanski/Dach fourth line.
You know finalizing roster is not simply a matter of “player X” can score more than “player Y” so player X makes the team but, of course, you don’t discuss with honesty but with narrative.
Oilers like to marinate skilled forwards until they lose confidence usually mid twenties. Once that has been achieved a call-up of 10 games playing 6 minutes a night on the 4th line should have them washed out of the league by years end.
How does that jive with the Oilers treatment of Savoie?
Management signed exactly zero top 6 skilled forwards this off-season and let Roslovic go. I don’t think the re-signing of Kapanen contradicts that.
Management has left room for Howard and other skilled forwards to win a top 6 spot on this team – they did not sign Tarasenko or Bunting to or Tolvalen or similar to block.
If I recall correctly, in the month of July, you wrote regularly Samanski had earned a roster spot and was locked in. Sometime in approx early August, you came off that position and conceded his roster spot was not locked in and was yet to be determined. Is my recollection correct?
I have been very clear, with consistency, over the last two months that there is a group of five up for 3 forward spots: Janmark/Jones/Joseph/Howard/Samanski.
I 100% think he has earned a spot but I’m not making the decisions.
Frederic will be on the roster because of his contract, but that may just mean that he is sitting in the pressbox. All Freddy has done since arriving is doing a lot of talking…
He is from MIssouri. I expect him to “show me”.
Kapanen and Dach are more likely than not, but they are far from sure things.
Again, Frederic is locked on the roster – as I’ve said all along, he’s one of the 10 that are locked.
Kapanen and Dach are 100% locked not the roster unless they are on IR.
They are not waiving Colton Dach, we know this.
Quinn Hutson and Eduards Tralmaks and Owen Michaels and Aku Raty and Viljarmi Marjala are not taking Kapanens spot on the opening roster.
These are things we know.
Kapanen is not new to Babcock.
Every NHL coach in the entire existence of the league has had bottom roster players crying about how they were treated and that if only used right they would of been the key to everything.
99% of NHL coaches wishes they’ve had Babcock’s hockey success as a bench boss.
Perhaps Babcock’s modus operandi should be used by more coaches if they wish to be successful.
Couple of players crying on social media should say more about them then the coach, professional sports is a cut throat business.
The “player” coaches the Oilers have been rolling out all end up being called out by the players before their eventual firing that everyone sees coming months ahead.
Oh how the worm has turned.
A handful of fans in Carolina remember Mike Commondore maybe Hrudrey and a couple other brain dead flames faithful. Mike Commondore has made a whole career after hockey throwing diarrhea at Mike’s photo on the wall. He sounds like a bitter jilted ex who for the last 10 years keeps going on and on and on about what Mike said what Mike did. Poor Mike he should talk to Sheldon Souray know there’s a player that got shagged for real.
I think there’s a chance a wild card makes the team. If Howard isn’t a fit for top 6 duty in Babcock eyes there’s a good chance someone more appropriate wins the bottom 6 job. Also I see if healthy with enough reps Andersen starting game one at home to kick off the season in style.
I think the Oilers will want enough skill on the wings for three lines. No chance Howard is the seventh best skill winger on this team. Suspect he opens the season with McDavid, Draisaitl, or Nuge as his canter.