Insider: Edmonton Oilers' Deadline Plans Aren't What You Think They Are

Oilers GM Stan Bowman & coach Kris Knoblauch

With all the talk about the Edmonton Oilers' defensive struggles, and the team potentially looking for a top-4, 'Mattias Ekholm (circa 2023) type' addition to their blueline at the deadline, at least one insider feels that's just not going to happen.

Frank Seravalli insisted in a recent appearance on the Kevin Karius Show (h/t David Staples, Edmonton Journal), that the defense is not the front office's focus right now.

Honestly, I don’t see it. And I believe, just in the conversations that I’ve had, that the Oilers haven’t really spent a ton of time looking at defence, that their thought process has been, ‘We will improve organically when the time is right. These guys know how to flip the switch.’

One of the problems with that (among many?), Seravalli adds, is that "the danger in that is you just traded one of your best playoff performers, Brett Kulak, who raises his level consistently.”

The acquisition of Ekholm at the 2023 trade deadline drastically changed the outlook of the Oilers. That's not about to repeat itself in 2026. And about that 'improving from within' thing? Seravalli just isn't buying it.

'There's no cavalry coming' for Oilers defense, says insider

“The thing is, none of the Oilers’ defensemen are miracle workers. Your partner can’t absolve the sins of Darnell Nurse’s game — and no one and, not Tristan Jarry at times, can bail this team out from their defensive lapses when Evan Bouchard has a critical turnover or gets walked. There is no magic potion for that, and I don’t see that coming. There’s no cavalry coming, given that they haven’t even found a way to get someone to take on Andrew Mangiapane’s contract yet.”

Staples is also puzzled by the Oilers' plans to steer away from adding a defenseman.

"Is it not obvious that unless (Paul) Coffey is brought back (as a defensive coach) in the next week, then trading for a new d-man should be the team’s top priority for whatever assets and cap space Bowman can muster up to make a deal?"

After surrendering 34 goals in their last seven games before the Olympic Break (4.86 goals against per game), Leon Draisaitl went off on his "It starts with the coaches" rant. Will the Oilers front office take heed, and try to bring back coach Coffey for the blueline? Or perhaps change their deadline plans and focus on defense?