Nobody welcomes adversity quite like the Edmonton Oilers

Excuse me? On the same night, Nikita Zadorov crushed Scott Laughton in the Toronto-Boston matchup and then forced Bobby McMann to answer the bell — while Frederic floated through a 9-1 loss. Fans were hopeful he’d bounce back after an injury-plagued playoff, but through 16 games, he hasn’t shown much fight — literally or figuratively.

Of course, Frederic’s lack of anything wasn’t the only reason Edmonton lost. But he was one of the three non-captains made available to the media after the team’s worst defeat in 16 years.

There were only two people who needed to speak last night: Connor McDavid and Kris Knoblauch. Frankly, who cares what anyone else has to say? How was McDavid not made available after a 9-1 loss? The Oilers have dropped ten games this season, and McDavid has only spoken to reporters once following a loss against New Jersey. Evan Bouchard owned up after his gaffes versus the Rangers. Stuart Skinner did the same on night one. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has faced the cameras four times after losses. But the captain? Silent when it mattered most.

Now, about the goaltending. It wouldn’t have mattered if they got the save everyone keeps talking about — because the team in front of the crease was lifeless. Still, the group looked deflated after Cale Makar’s second goal beat Skinner clean. A successful offside challenge briefly delayed more damage, but not for long. Calvin Pickard entered and surrendered another five, leaving the ugly scoreline on his record instead.

Pickard’s been shaky in all but one start (in Vancouver), while Skinner has been fine — not great, but fine. That 9-1 loss was only the second time he’s allowed more than three goals this season. Missed assignments and poor late-game structure have cost him more than his stat line suggests. Still, how long until GM Stan Bowman pulls a Chris McFarlane and shakes things up in net — the same way Colorado did last season with McKenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood? It feels closer by the day.

Right now, the Oilers simply aren’t playing like a team. The stars are overextended, the youth barely sees the ice, and the middle six have gone missing. It’s time for Knoblauch to take control again — the same way he did when he first took over behind the bench. Every coach here seems to fall into the same trap: overplaying the top end and underusing the depth.

That depth helped define the 2024 Stanley Cup run. Knoblauch’s structured penalty kill — with Vincent Desharnais, Derek Ryan, and Mattias Janmark — became a strength of that team. Now, McDavid, Draisaitl, and Bouchard each average too much time on the PK, and the Oilers look like a group with no identity beyond “97 and 29 will save us.”

The coaching staff is capable — but they’ve lost their way. Re-establish roles. Recommit to structure. Play like the team you’re capable of being.

Tomorrow will tell us everything. How do they line up? Do they fold when adversity hits? Will someone — anyone — show some life?

A win against Columbus on Monday isn’t just important. It’s a must. And it has to be their best game of the season.