The Edmonton Oilers head into the 2024-25 season with only one goal: winning the Stanley Cup. This is within reach for the franchise, not only because they made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season, but also because they did not lose any core pieces this offseason. While the core remains intact, a lot is riding on this season, and the organization’s lack of defensive depth and talent will likely be costly.
Few Defensive Prospects
On the current Oilers roster, there are just two defensemen under 29 years old: Evan Bouchard and Ty Emberson. Bouchard is a borderline top-10 defenseman in the NHL, and Emberson is on his way to becoming a solid second-pairing, defensive defenseman. However, outside of the two 24-year-olds, the Oilers’ defense is aging, and there is minimal talent in the prospect pool in line to fill in.
The Oilers’ top defensive prospect is Beau Akey, a right-shot defenseman who was selected in the second round of the 2023 Draft. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury 14 games into last season while playing for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and had four goals and nine points in those games.
Akey has begun skating again, but his path to the NHL is unclear. Not only is he right-handed, just like Bouchard and Emberson, but he is just 19 years old. There is reason to believe he will develop into a top-four defenseman. Still, he will need to recover quickly and elevate his offensive game to make a substantial impact in the NHL anytime soon.
The Oilers acquired Paul Fischer from the Blues following the Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg offer sheets, and he, too, could have an impact on the team in the future. Fischer is a 19-year-old defenseman, selected by the Blues with the 138th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He had 16 points (two goals and 14 assists) in 34 games with Notre Dame last season. He is a great skater and projects to reach the NHL sooner than the typical fifth-round prospect.
Fischer’s path to the NHL will be a bit easier given the Oilers’ lack of youth and talent on the left side of the defense, but that does not mean it will be easy. He stands just 6-foot-1, so he must learn to use his frame once at the professional level. He will also be fighting for a roster spot on the Oilers, a Stanley Cup contender, so some of his positioning and turnover issues that are tolerable in college cannot persist once in the NHL. Just like Akey, Fischer projects to become an NHL defenseman, but he is unlikely to be the difference maker on the team’s blue line.
Outside of Akey and Fischer, the Oilers have no defensive prospects projected to become NHLers. Since the selection of Broberg in the first round of the 2019 Draft, the Oilers have selected a defenseman in the top 180 twice: Akey, 56th overall in 2023, and Luca Munzenberger, 90th overall in 2021. Munzenberger struggled on the University of Vermont’s blueline last season, and at 21 years old, there is little reason to believe he will make the NHL.
Aging NHL Defense Core
The Oilers lacking defensive prospects is one thing, but having an aging defense core is another. Outside of Bouchard and Emberson, the team has Mattias Ekholm (34), Darnell Nurse (29), Brett Kulak (30), Josh Brown (30), and Troy Stecher (30). Considering Ekholm is the best, and oldest, of the bunch, there is major concern regarding the blueline’s future. And while Nurse could rebound, returning to his prior form is unlikely.
Age would not be an issue for the Oilers if they viewed this season as their only opportunity. With Connor McDavid under contract for two more seasons, likely more, and Leon Draisaitl now under contract for the next nine seasons, the team’s window has expanded. This is not to say they should not go all-in this season, but there needs to be some focus on the future. What happens if Ekholm regresses? Or when he likely retires in a few seasons? Sure, a trade could be made to bring in a young defenseman, but wouldn’t those assets be better used to add a more proven, substantial veteran piece at a trade deadline?
The Oilers had a chaotic offseason, so entering the season with some question marks is understandable. The team weathered the chaos pretty well, allowing them to enter the season as Stanley Cup favorites. They need to address the aging defense core sooner rather than later if they want to maintain success during the McDavid era. As it stands, it’s unlikely that the six defensemen starting in Game 1 of the regular season will be the same six on the ice during the playoffs.
