Locked On Oilers - Daily Podcast On The Edmonton Oilers

Twenty months. Dozens of roster decisions. How many actually made the Edmonton Oilers better? Nick Zararis goes through every major move Stan Bowman has made as Edmonton Oilers General Manager: free agent signings, trades, and contract extensions, grades each one, and explains what it means for the team's future with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the clock.

What's covered: Free agency grades: Josh Samanski and David Tomasek (smart low-risk gambles), Andrew Mangiapane (a clean miss), John Klingberg (fine), Curtis Lazar (fine), Jack Roslovic (acceptable at the price)

Extension grades: Leon Draisaitl at 8 years/$14M (had to be done), Trent Frederick at 8 years/$3.85M (inexcusable), Evan Bouchard at 4 years/$10.5M (fine), Jake Walman at 7 years/$7M (does not look good), Vasily Podkolzin at 3 years/$2.95M (lights out), Mattias Ekholm at 3 years/$4M (concerning for his age) 

Trade grades: The Tristan Jarry acquisition (catastrophic miss), the Jake Walman trade for a first-round pick (miss), the Vasily Podkolzin trade for a fourth-round pick (win), the Connor Ingram waiver claim (win), Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach for a first and Andrew Mangiapane (TBD but likely a miss) 

Why the NHL is changing: How the league is skewing younger, faster, and more skill-based, and why Bowman's approach of targeting proven veterans at depressed prices hasn't worked in Edmonton 

The excess value problem: Why the Oilers' best years came when they had players like Evan Bouchard, Dylan Holloway, and Philip Broberg on cheap deals and how they've lost that edge What $16 million in cap space actually buys: Why it sounds like a lot and isn't, once you factor in goaltending, top-six forwards, and Colton Dach's restricted free agency Every Stan Bowman Trade and Signing Graded: Edmonton Oilers GM Report Card

06:47 Oil's pitch to veteran players

08:56 Critiquing Stan Bowman's decisions

11:42 Using the GameTime app benefits

14:06 Discussing player roles and signings

19:52 Debating Oilers' recent trades

23:24 Discussing GM and coach changes

24:14 Impending McDavid free agency concerns

28:39 Predicting a coaching change

Every Stan Bowman Trade and Signing Graded: Edmonton Oilers GM Report Card

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Should Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch keep his job after a first-round exit to the Anaheim Ducks?

Nick Zararis breaks down the full case: the numbers, the politics, and the candidates waiting in the wings, to give you the most honest answer you'll hear this offseason.

What's covered:

Has Kris Knoblauch actually gotten worse results from the Oilers each season? The 3-year even strength decline, explained in plain numbers

Why firing a coach in the NHL is more of a political decision than a hockey one — and what that means for General Manager Stan Bowman

Bruce Cassidy: Is the Stanley Cup-winning coach really available, and would he actually take the Edmonton job?

John Cooper: Why he might be the best coach in the NHL right now — and why that still might not matter for the Oilers

Connor McDavid's contract situation in 2027 and how the coaching decision this summer could directly affect it

Why Knoblauch's .624 points percentage makes him the best Oilers coach of the 21st century — and why that might not be enough to save his job

The Oilers went to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025. They got bounced in Round 1 in 2026. Something has to change

05:12 Intuitive decision-making in hockey

07:55 Discussing player development in hockey

12:19 Evaluating coach influence on Oilers

15:34 Oilers' declining performance metrics

17:51 Oilers' offensive struggles

21:46 Tough decisions as an NHL GM

25:03 Connor McDavid's contract future

29:39 Discussing Knoblauch's future with Oilers

30:24 Promoting Locked On channels

The Edmonton Oilers Have Gotten Worse Every Single Year | Here's the Proof

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If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonoilers.supercast.com

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Make this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away.
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Nick Zararis delivers his full goaltending evaluation of the 2025-26 Edmonton Oilers, breaking down every starter, every failed gamble, and what Stan Bowman must do this offseason to fix the position that cost them the season.

Topics Covered:

Stuart Skinner — 11-8-4, .891 save percentage, benched two straight playoffs. Is he done in Edmonton? And where does he land as a pending UFA?

Tristan Jarry — 9-6-2, .857 save percentage, outplayed by a waiver-wire pickup. Two years and $5.375M remaining. How do the Oilers move him?

Connor Ingram — The unlikely best Oiler goalie in 2025-26 with a .899 save percentage and 10.3 goals saved above expected. Is he the answer?

Calvin Pickard — Likely at the end of the road as an NHL-caliber option

The Jarry trade autopsy — Why trading a goalie with term for a goalie with term was a massive miscalculation by Stan Bowman

Free agency targets — Sergei Bobrovsky, Frederik Andersen, Cam Talbot, and the case for each

Trade candidates — Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt from the Minnesota Wild, Devin Levi from the Buffalo Sabres, Jacob Fowler from the Montreal Canadiens

The goalie market explained — Franchise tier (Igor Shesterkin, Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevsky, Juuse Saros, Ilya Sorokin) vs. what the Oilers can actually afford

$16.48M in cap space — What the Oilers can realistically do and why moving Jarry is the key to unlocking the offseason

06:36 Path to becoming an NHL goalie

09:53 Introducing sponsor: Quo for business communication

13:38 Discussing team goaltending volatility

16:04 Skinner's performance and challenges

19:58 Evaluating Oilers' Stanley Cup chances

22:22 Evaluating Oilers' playoff performance

25:19 Discussing goalie expectations and comparisons

29:57 Oilers' goalie concerns for future

32:01 Podcast and YouTube recommendations

The Oilers' bottom-six goal share without Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl collapsed to under 40% this year. No goalie in that situation was going to cover for it — but .857 save percentage made a bad situation catastrophic.

Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonoilers.supercast.com

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Gametime

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel

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5-Hour ENERGY

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Rugiet

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Quo
Make this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away.
Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go tohttp://Quo.com/lockedonnhl.

 

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

 

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The Edmonton Oilers' defense was exposed in the playoffs, and the massive contracts of Darnell Nurse and Jake Walman are creating a salary cap nightmare

 

On today’s Locked On Oilers, Nick Zararis evaluates the state of the Edmonton Oilers' blue line following their first-round exit against the Ducks. From the evolving speed of the NHL to the severe limitations of the current defensive core, this offseason evaluation leaves no stone unturned. We break down the struggles of the Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm pairing while dealing with Connor McDavid's foot injury. Finally, we dive into the Darnell Nurse conundrum and why his $9.25M cap hit is an anchor, plus the alarming underlying numbers behind Jake Walman's seven-year deal.

05:45 Discussing Ekholm-Bouchard defensive pairing

06:59 Oilers defensive struggles in playoffs

13:09 Highest paid NHL defensemen

14:45 Darnell Nurse's career year factors

19:56 Promoting Indeed Sponsored Jobs

22:19 Evaluating Jake Walman's role

24:20 Evaluating Jake Wallman's performance

28:17 Concerns about team's defense

The Darnell Nurse Conundrum: Can The Oilers Fix Their Defense?

Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonoilers.supercast.com

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KALSHI

For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code LOCKEDON to get ten dollars when you trade ten. Kalshi. Trade on anything.

Gametime

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel

Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.

5-Hour ENERGY

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Rugiet

Get 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhl Rugiet. Performance medicine for men.

Quo
Make this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away.
Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go tohttp://Quo.com/lockedonnhl.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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The Edmonton Oilers failed to live up to expectations in 2026. Chief amongst their problems in a first round exit was a top heavy forward group. While Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were their usual sublime selves, cracks are beginning to show on the edges. 

Topics covered include: 

•Diversity in skillsets: Did the Oilers have too much of the same thing up front?

 •The waning depth: For three straight years, the split between the top six and bottom six goal share has declined 

•Gambles that don't pay off: The Oilers came into the year with more uncertainty than years past and got burned

 05:13 Oilers' challenges in tight games 

08:50 Impact players in the NHL 

11:32 Discussing Oilers' 5 on 5 play

 17:14 Offense strategies and styles 

27:34 Analyzing Oilers' scoring stats 

29:58 Intro and podcast recommendations

Why the Edmonton Oilers Forward Group Failed in 2026 — And What Needs to Change

Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Indeed

Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply.

KALSHI

For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code LOCKEDON to get ten dollars when you trade ten. Kalshi. Trade on anything.

Gametime

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel

Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.

5-Hour ENERGY

The Cotton Candy flavor is HERE on https://5hourEnergy.com or Amazon, crack open Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shot today!

Rugiet

Get 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhl Rugiet. Performance medicine for men.

Quo
Make this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away.
Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go tohttp://Quo.com/lockedonnhl.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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