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Oilers Need Accountability & Chemistry to Make a Playoff Run

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Old Prof | Last updated Feb 5, 2026 5:22 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers have a talented lineup. But it doesn’t matter if the team isn’t clicking. You can see it on the ice. There are missed plays, sloppy shifts, and inconsistency everywhere. The locker room isn’t exactly calm either. If the Oilers want to make a playoff run, they could learn a thing or two from the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins, who actually know how to make talent count.

Friedman Believes the Oilers Must Give Their Players Room to Shine

One thing that jumps out to Elliotte Friedman is how the Panthers and Bruins empower everyone on the roster. No one feels like a passenger, even on the bottom lines. Friedman recently pointed out that the Oilers struggle to get players comfortable in their spots, especially in the bottom six.

Contrast that with Boston’s “Merlot Line” (from the 2022-23 season) or Florida’s depth guys—they know exactly what’s expected, and they’re given the confidence to make plays. Chemistry grows when every player feels like they matter. The Oilers have the talent, but right now it sometimes looks like half the team doesn’t know exactly where they fit.

For the Oilers, Accountability Is Everything

Hearing Draisaitl call things out is refreshing. But it also shows a problem: Edmonton isn’t consistent with accountability. The Panthers? Their players make each other better without all the finger-pointing. That’s what the Oilers need. When everyone knows they can’t hide, the team plays better, frustration fades, and the game flows.

Here’s something Boston and Florida do really well: defence isn’t just the goalie’s problem. Everyone has to pitch in. They make sure that protecting their own zone and handling the puck responsibly isn’t on any one guy.

For the Oilers, thinking like that could take some of the heat off Jarry—or whoever’s in net—and stop all the finger-pointing that kills confidence. When a team is locked in defensively, it almost always goes further in the playoffs than one that leaves it all to chance.

The Oilers Need to Close the Gap

The playoffs are coming fast, and the Oilers need to find their rhythm. Empowering players, demanding accountability, and sharing the defensive load aren’t flashy moves—they’re practical ones. If they can adopt even some of these habits from teams that have figured it out, the gap between their potential and actual performance might finally start to close.

And with Edmonton’s roster, closing that gap could make all the difference.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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