Injured but battered: Edmonton The Oilers’ roster depth approaches a breaking point as they stumble into the playoffs.
The Edmonton Oilers didn’t envision entering the playoffs like this—not with Connor McDavid playing MVP-caliber hockey, not after a midseason surge that reignited Stanley Cup dreams, and certainly not while being this bruised, battered, and dangerously thin. But reality has hit hard, and it’s wearing a pair of skates.
What was once a high-flying group eyeing Western Conference supremacy now limps into the postseason, physically and emotionally strained. Injuries have ravaged the lineup, depth players have been asked to play outsized roles, and what seemed like a championship-caliber roster is beginning to show its seams. For Edmonton, survival now outweighs swagger.
A Season of Highs and Hiccups
This season has been a rollercoaster ride for the Oilers. After a rocky 3-9-1 start that led to the dismissal of head coach Jay Woodcroft, Kris Knoblauch’s arrival sparked immediate improvement. The team rocketed up the standings with a historic 16-game winning streak, second-longest in NHL history. The Oilers found their identity again: a team that could score at will, dominate possession, and lean on McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to dictate tempo.
But the NHL regular season is a war of attrition, and Edmonton is losing bodies faster than it can replace them. As the playoffs arrive, the injury list reads like a top-nine forward wish list, and organizational depth is being tested more than at any other point this season.
Mounting Injuries, Mounting Concerns
The Oilers’ current injury woes are nothing short of devastating.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been dealing with lingering soreness after blocking a shot, and although he’s expected to play in the postseason, he’s clearly not at 100%. Evander Kane has missed chunks of games with an ongoing abdominal issue. Depth winger Mattias Janmark suffered a high-ankle sprain that could sideline him for the opening round, while checking-line stalwart Derek Ryan left a recent game with concussion symptoms.
And then there’s the blue line. Veteran Darnell Nurse is nursing a lower-body injury, limiting his minutes and effectiveness. Brett Kulak, one of the Oilers’ most trusted shutdown defenders, is day-to-day. The top pairing of Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm is logging heavy minutes, raising questions about how sustainable that workload is deep into the spring.
All of these issues compound when one considers how reliant Edmonton is on their stars. McDavid and Draisaitl already carry much of the offensive burden. With so many complementary pieces sidelined, the ask becomes unreasonable.
A Patchwork Roster
General Manager Ken Holland has done his best to plug the holes. Emergency call-ups from the Bakersfield Condors have flooded the locker room. Players like Raphael Lavoie and James Hamblin have been thrust into key roles with little NHL experience. Even defenseman Philip Broberg, who struggled to stick earlier this season, has returned out of necessity.
The result? Inconsistency. Edmonton’s last 10 games before the postseason saw them play some of their sloppiest hockey since November. Odd-man rushes against, careless puck management, and an overreliance on the power play have become the norm.
“We’ve got guys playing out of position, guys asked to do more than they’re used to,” Knoblauch admitted after a recent loss. “That’s not an excuse. That’s just where we are.”
And where they are, frankly, is one wrong hit away from catastrophe.
McDavid and Draisaitl: Carrying the Weight
It would be easy to view the Oilers’ current state and start assigning blame—but McDavid and Draisaitl won’t let the room fracture.
McDavid, despite missing a few games due to injury late in the season, continues to be the team’s heartbeat. He’s once again north of 100 points and has improved his two-way play. Draisaitl remains one of the most complete forwards in the league, equally dangerous on the power play as he is during even strength.
But even they have shown signs of fatigue. In a recent game against Vegas, McDavid appeared a half-step slower than usual, and Draisaitl spent more time tracking back on defense than orchestrating offense. With the lack of depth, every shift they take is magnified—because if they’re not producing, who will?
Goaltending: Stuart Skinner or Bust?
As the Oilers spiral toward the postseason, another storyline has emerged: goaltending.
Stuart Skinner, the local product turned No. 1, has enjoyed stretches of brilliance this year. But like the rest of the team, his form has been erratic of late. Over his last five starts, Skinner has posted a sub-.900 save percentage, and puck-tracking has looked labored.
Backup Calvin Pickard has filled in admirably when called upon, but no one mistakes him for a playoff workhorse. If Skinner falters early in the playoffs, Edmonton’s margin for error becomes razor-thin.
Goaltending isn’t just about making saves—it’s about timing, composure, and calming the group in front of you. Right now, Skinner looks more pressured than poised.
A Thin Blue Line
Edmonton’s defensive core is top-heavy, and the injuries have exposed that fact in brutal fashion.
Mattias Ekholm has been everything the Oilers hoped for when they acquired him last season—a stabilizing presence with postseason experience. He and Bouchard form a strong top pairing, but even they’ve started to show cracks due to overuse.
Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais have had uneven years, and without Nurse at full health, Edmonton’s ability to suppress high-danger chances has plummeted.
It doesn’t help that the forwards aren’t backchecking with the same commitment as they did during the team’s January-February surge. Defense is a five-man job, and right now, it feels like three or four guys are doing all the work.
The Psychological Toll
Perhaps the most overlooked part of this slump is the emotional fatigue. The Oilers poured so much energy into righting the ship after their disastrous start that they may be hitting a wall now.
Every press conference carries a slightly more somber tone. Every loss feels more frustrating than the last. When you’re playing hurt and losing games, it gets harder to keep the spirits high.
Veterans like Corey Perry, Zach Hyman, and Ekholm have tried to keep the locker room focused. But this is a team that knows the window is now. That urgency creates pressure—and pressure, unchecked, leads to panic.
“We still believe we can go all the way,” Hyman said. “But we’ve got to get healthy. And we’ve got to rediscover our game fast.”
The Path Ahead
Despite the gloom, the Oilers are still headed to the postseason with home-ice advantage in Round 1. Their opponent will likely be a familiar one—possibly the Los Angeles Kings or the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Kings have given Edmonton fits in recent years, playing a defensive style that frustrates the Oilers’ transition game. Vegas, meanwhile, is the defending champ and boasts a deeper lineup, even if they too are dealing with their share of injuries.
For Edmonton, the key will be getting healthy bodies back in time for Game 1. Nugent-Hopkins and Kane must be at least 85–90% to balance out the top six. Nurse needs to be mobile. And Skinner needs to find his rhythm again.
If that happens, this team still has the star power to do damage. If not, they may be staring down another early exit—and another offseason filled with hard questions.
What If It All Falls Apart?
The danger of flaming out early is more than just disappointing—it could have long-term implications.
Leon Draisaitl has just one more year left on his deal. If the Oilers crash out again, the pressure to extend him will become even more intense. There are no guarantees in hockey, and Edmonton risks squandering what should be a golden era of talent.
There’s also the coaching and front office stability to consider. Kris Knoblauch has done well in his first season, but the playoffs are the ultimate audition. And GM Ken Holland is nearing the end of his tenure—how much longer he remains at the helm may depend on how deep this team goes.
Injuries aren’t an excuse, but they can be a curse. And right now, the Oilers feel cursed.
The Storm Before the Storm
The Edmonton Oilers are wounded, weary, and wobbling toward the most important stretch of their season. But as every battle-scarred hockey team knows, the playoffs are a reset button. Health can return. Depth players can rise. Stars can shine.
The question is: will the Oilers have enough left in the tank when the puck drops?
Because if they don’t, they won’t just be injured—they’ll be eliminated.
