The Edmonton Oilers have never found consistency this NHL season. They have secured wins against strong teams like the Colorado Avalanche recently, but have also suffered a shutout loss against the Florida Panthers and heavy defeats to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars. This does not paint a good picture of the team’s ability to compete against top opponents.
The same was pointed out by former NHL star Chris Pronger recently, who praised Connor McDavid but raised serious concerns about the Oilers during an appearance on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. Pronger pointed to the growing pressure on the team after consecutive deep playoff runs in 2024 and 2025 and questioned their identity.
Pronger discussed the noise around McDavid and noted that roster moves, inconsistent performances, and unstable goaltending have left the Oilers searching for balance.
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“I think there’s so much pressure on this team,” Pronger said. “They’ve gone to back-to-back finals. He’s kind of put them on the clock with respect to his contract. They’ve made a number of moves that haven’t necessarily panned out with respect to the goaltender.”
Despite having the best player in the league, Pronger stressed that individual brilliance does not guarantee team success.
“They’re very much a team that’s kind of in flux, so to speak, in finding their game and finding their identity,” Pronger said. “… and he’s the best player in the league. But that doesn’t mean that you’re the best team in the league. And how you play together and how you work together a lot of times matter more than the singularity in how polarizing one player can be over another.”
McDavid continues to lead the Oilers with another elite season. The captain has recorded 118 points, including 40 goals and 78 assists, while crossing the 400-goal mark and 1200 points recently. His performances keep Edmonton competitive, especially on the league-leading power play.
Pronger on Oilers’ defensive commitment
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (2) at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Pronger focused heavily on defensive commitment. He said the Oilers must decide how badly they want to improve defensively, adding that success is not just about scoring goals.
“Ultimately, it’s not about scoring goals. It’s about playing defense.” Pronger said.
Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has a plus-minus rating of -18, and Jake Walman has a -12 rating. This has been part of their struggles this season.
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Pronger also stressed that leadership starts with McDavid, who must set the tone with responsible two-way play.
“It always starts at the top,” Pronger said. “Your best player has to be committed to playing defense the proper way. And from there, you can move people around the board, and challenge players and hold one another accountable and push on one another to play better, whether it’s the goalie, whether it’s defense, whether it’s forwards, whether it’s collectively as a group and come together in the locker room and challenge one another to be better.”
The Hall of Famer also questioned the team’s unity. From an outside view, he described Edmonton as “disjointed,” with players not always pulling in the same direction. He added that both coaching and management share responsibility for the current situation.
“They seem like they’re very disjointed in going in their own ways,” Pronger said. “Some of that can be coaching. Some of that can be the players. Some of that’s top down for management.”
Pronger warned the Oilers about relying on offense
The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a win at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Edmonton has a 35-28-9 record, and that’s primarily because of inconsistency, as they have failed to build a good win streak of over three games. Their offense averages 3.47 goals per game, and defensive struggles remain a concern.
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“They look very disjointed defensively,” Pronger said. “They look at times disinterested. To me, it looks like they think they can score their way out of their problems all the time. And as we know, in the playoffs, it’s not always the case.
“And secondly, they have to get into the playoffs. They’re a bubble team right now. They’re in, but they’re a bubble team. And, as Connor McDavid said, the pillow fight in the Pacific certainly was a great line, because it’s very true when you look at how many points they have versus the East right now.”
As the playoff race tightens, the Oilers must address these gaps quickly.
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