The Coaches Room is a regular feature throughout the 2025-26 season by former NHL coaches and assistants who turn their critical gaze to the game and explain it through the lens of a teacher.
In this edition, Craig Johnson, a former assistant with the Anaheim Ducks and Ontario of the American Hockey League, and development coach with the Los Angeles Kings, writes about some reasons he is seeing for the Edmonton Oilers’ early season struggles.
The Edmonton Oilers (6-6-4) are off to another slow start. They did this in the previous two seasons too, but obviously it did not hurt them as they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and again last season.
It’s easy to look at it and just say starting slow is the Oilers’ M.O., but they’ll be fine, they’ll get it turned around.
I think they will get it turned around, but what I’ve seen from them are noticeable issues related to fundamentals of the game both on offense and defense.
For example, I watched Edmonton’s game against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 23. They ended up winning the game 6-5 and they scored four goals from the net front at 5-on-5. But watching other games that they have played, there hasn’t been enough traffic and secondary chances around the net. That is why they are struggling to generate at 5-on-5.
You see them not getting to the front of the net and then you realize they lost forwards Corey Perry and Evander Kane, two players that emphasize that area. Those are big losses considering the lack of net-front presence on offense.
Then you also realize the Oilers still don’t have Zach Hyman. He should return soon, but he’s also a player who basically lives at the front of the net on offense.
