Oilers Could Benefit From a First-Round Exit – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are on the brink of elimination after losing 4-3 in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks in Game 4. They look a step behind, and they are having a difficult time keeping up with the Ducks’ speed and relentless forecheck. This has been a frustrating season in Oil Country, and they haven’t found their game consistently.

The Oilers have played 489 games since the 2021-22 season, the most in the NHL during that span. They have been on multiple deep playoff runs, and fatigue could be a factor. They look like they are finally running out of gas. Oilers fans might not want to hear this, but a first-round exit might not be the worst thing for this group. An extended offseason could be beneficial. They could use a break and come back rejuvenated, looking to go on another deep run in the 2026-27 season.

Oilers Can Heal Up

While this is no excuse, the Oilers are clearly dealing with many injuries. Leon Draisaitl missed the final 14 games of the regular season with a lower-body injury before returning for Game 1 of the playoffs. Despite playing through it, he’s probably not at 100 percent.

Jason Dickinson has also been dealing with a nagging lower-body injury. He has missed five of the last seven games, including Games 2 and 3 against the Ducks. He’s also gutting it out and trying to be impactful despite this injury.

The most significant injury is Connor McDavid’s. He’s telling the media that he’s fine, but he’s clearly labouring. He played 19:32 against the Ducks in Game 4, the fewest minutes in a playoff game since he played 18:58 in Game 6 against the Florida Panthers in 2024. This was a crucial game, so the fact that he wasn’t out there as much as usual was concerning.

It might be time to face the fact that it’s not Edmonton’s year. If they somehow defeat Anaheim, they will eventually run into the Colorado Avalanche, the Minnesota Wild, or the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final. Those teams are wagons, and this version of the Oilers would not beat them. So, it would be better to lose now and get a longer break rather than play for a few more weeks only to get eliminated by one of those juggernauts. A longer summer could help them heal up and get ready for next season.

Knoblauch Should Get Fired

If the Oilers lose to the Ducks, general manager Stan Bowman should make the difficult decision and fire head coach Kris Knoblauch. Many fans would welcome a coaching change. Knoblauch has lost the trust of the fan base, and his questionable decision-making has cost them a few games. Losing in Round 1 is unacceptable in the McDavid era, and he deserves the brunt of the blame. He’s set to begin a new three-year contract in the fall, but the way things are trending, he shouldn’t make it until then. Unless Edmonton wins the Stanley Cup, his job should be in jeopardy.

Knoblauch looks emotionless from the bench, and that rubs off on the team. His team looks uninterested too often, and they don’t play with enough intensity needed to succeed at the highest level. That could be a major contributor to their consistency issues.

Look at Rod Brind’Amour with the Carolina Hurricanes. He shows a ton of emotion behind the bench, and he gets the most out of his players. His team is consistent and has had a lot of playoff success over the years. The Oilers need a coach with that level of intensity to help push them over the hump. Hopefully, Knoblauch will be out, and the Oilers can bring in someone like Bruce Cassidy to instill life in this group. A coaching change is needed, and an early elimination can help facilitate that.

Oilers Should Shake Things Up

A coaching change shouldn’t be the only major move. A first-round exit could lead to unexpected yet significant changes to the roster. Bowman might be inclined to make a blockbuster trade to acquire pieces or even trade them away.

This seemed impossible last year, but the Oilers could look to trade Darnell Nurse. A Nurse trade would shake up the leadership core, which could be a necessity. He has a full no-movement clause until the summer of 2027, so trading him would be challenging. But there might be a deal out there, and if there is, Bowman needs to jump on it immediately. It’s time to shake up the Oilers’ foundation because what they have clearly isn’t good enough to win the Stanley Cup.

The Oilers need a hard reset. Therefore, a first-round elimination could be viewed as a positive. Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL content throughout the playoffs.