As yet another disappointing season draws to a close for the Edmonton Oilers, the focus of their long-suffering fan base shifts toward what could be a crucial offseason.
The Oilers are expected to hire a new general manager and head coach this summer. Whoever fills the GM role will have their hands full attempting to rebuild a once-proud franchise mired in mediocrity due to years of mismanagement.
As this season ends, the Oilers are composed of two superstar forwards (Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl), a good two-way center (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins), a couple of young defensemen (Oscar Klefbom and Darnell Nurse) who may or may not blossom into reliable top-pairing rearguards, an expensive power forward whose best seasons are well behind him (Milan Lucic) and, as the Edmonton Journal‘s David Staples recently observed, a bunch of fourth liners.