This is not an article stating all is lost. The Edmonton Oilers are down three games to one in their Round 1 series versus the Anaheim Ducks. It isn't where they wanted to be, nor where they should be based on the two teams' relative abilities and regular season performance. The series isn't over, but the Oilers will have to string three wins together, a feat they struggled with all season long.
It's doable, but when one examines the Oilers' body of work over the 2025-26 season, questions about their status as a contender have to be asked. Anything can happen in the National Hockey League Playoffs, but the Oilers haven't been dominant over any significant stretch of games.
It only gets harder after Anaheim
Edmonton's combined record against the Metropolitan division's top three teams was 1-7, with the single win coming when the Colorado Avalanche lost Nathan Mackinnon to a game ejection. In amongst those losses were a 9-1 beating by the Avs, and several other lopsided scores. Should the Oilers find their way to the Western Conference Final, they won't be the favorites.
A Pacific Division championship series looks slightly better. Edmonton won the season series against both the Vegas Golden Knights and the Utah Mammoth, although they notably lost late season matchups to both, whose standings points could have captured them a divisional title. The Oilers backed into their postseason position, and while injuries were a part of the issue, they haven't looked quite right against the Ducks either.
Blame game
If the Oilers fade out in five games, Kris Knoblauch has likely coached his last season behind the bench. He certainly hasn't outcoached Joel Quenneville's Ducks, and the team might need a different strategic approach if they want to improve on this season's results. But coaching aside, Oilers management has to wear some amount of blame.
Goaltending and team defense were known concerns early on in the season (and really in the prior summer as well). Oilers general manager Stan Bowman made attempts at improving those areas, but either the defensive pairings aren't doing enough for their goaltenders, or the goalies themselves simply aren't where they need to be.
These issues have been on display in the Round 1 series. Edmonton has blown multiple leads, at times ahead by more than one goal, but unable to prevent Duck comebacks, or to take advantage of the defensive risks Anaheim has had to take in order to even the score. The Oilers' vaunted powerplay hasn't been as good as it can be either, but it's the goals against that will be the story of the series if Edmonton can't fight their way to a seven game victory.
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