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"We Are Not Bringing the Same Group Back": Oilers GM Reveals Major Changes are Coming to Edmonton

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 3:46 PM ET

Stan Bowman took over the Oilers job last summer, and after another Stanley Cup Finals failure, he reveals that another major change is on the way as the team look to get back to their third straight Stanley Cup Finals.

The Edmonton Oilers believed the team they took into the Stanley Cup Finals was the one that could win them their first Cup since 1990, but unfortunately, the depth and star power in Florida was simply too much to overcome.

After a second straight failure, the Oilers head into this summer with plenty of questions to answer, and recently, General Manager Stan Bowman confidently stated that there would be major changes to this roster.

'We're going to have some changes. We are not bringing the same group back.'

This comes less than 24 hours after Connor McDavid left the door open to a departure from Edmonton as he looks to chase down the elusive Stanley Cup, and if he doesn't show interest in an extension, perhaps trade conversations are something that the front office may need to have.

More likely than that however is the team looking to upgrade their bottom-six and their goaltending group, and with their links to John Gibson and Jeremy Swayman among others, we could be waiting for a blockbuster deal this summer from the Oilers.

Ultimately, this team only made small changes after their 2024 loss to these Panthers, but after losing in six dominant games to Florida again in 2025, there needs to be a monumental shift in that locker room, and with free agency, the draft and the trade market all ways for this team to get better, expect some surprises coming out of Edmonton in the off-season.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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