Edmonton Oilers preseason takeaways: 3 glaring issues that need to be addressed before start of 2024-25 regular season

The Edmonton Oilers head into the 2024-25 season with high expectations. After forcing the Florida Panthers to Game 7 of last season’s Stanley Cup Finals, the Oilers will be looking to get over the hump and win their first cup since 1990.

The star-studded team has the firepower to compete with the best clubs in the NHL. However, there are three glaring areas that the Oilers will need to address before the opening game on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets.

3 glaring issues the Edmonton Oilers need to address ahead of the 2024-25 season

#1. The third defense pairing

The loss of Philip Broberg this offseason to an offer sheet threw the Edmonton Oilers’ defensive arrangement into a state of frenzy. While the top pairing of Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm is rock solid, the middle pairing seems somewhat uncertain.

As it stands, Darnell Nurse will have Ty Emberson as his partner. Emberson joined the Oilers following a trade that sent Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks. This pairing looks serviceable, but may change as the season plays out.

As for the bottom pairing, Brett Kulak will join Troy Stecher. Kulak and Stecher are serviceable blue liners. However, the Oilers will most likely make a final call on this pairing as Joshua Brown could make a push for more playing time, especially if one of Kulak or Stecher struggles.

#2. The goaltending situation

Stuart Skinner looks set as the undisputed starter. However, there could be some competition between Olivier Rodrigue and Calvin Pickard. Pickard filled in well last season for Edmonton.

However, Rodrigue looks poised to get a shot at the NHL. That shot could come at some point this season. As such, the Oilers need to decide if Pickard will be the full-time backup to Skinner this season or if Rodrigue deserves a shot as the backup.

It may only be a matter of time before Rodrigue gets some NHL playing, particularly if either Skinner or Pickard gets hurt.

#3. Evan Bouchard’s contract extension

It’s highly unlikely the Oilers finalize a contract extension for Bouchard before the start of the season. However, the Oilers must decide whether to negotiate in-season with Bouchard or wait till the summer to get a deal done.

Given the club’s experience this past offseason with Broberg, the Edmonton Oilers need to address Bouchard’s contract extension sooner rather than later. The risk of losing Bouchard to an offer sheet is high.

So, the Oilers may need to consider negotiation in-season to avoid another costly and painful situation like the one experienced this past summer.