Oilers' lack of net-front presence among reasons for slow start

The Coaches Room is a regular feature throughout the 2025-26 season by former NHL coaches and assistants who turn their critical gaze to the game and explain it through the lens of a teacher.

In this edition, Craig Johnson, a former assistant with the Anaheim Ducks and Ontario of the American Hockey League, and development coach with the Los Angeles Kings, writes about some reasons he is seeing for the Edmonton Oilers' early season struggles.

The Edmonton Oilers (7-6-4) are off to another slow start. They did this in the previous two seasons too, but obviously it did not hurt them as they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and again last season.

It's easy to look at it and just say starting slow is the Oilers' M.O., but they'll be fine, they'll get it turned around.

I think they will get it turned around, but what I've seen from them are noticeable issues related to fundamentals of the game both on offense and defense.

For example, I watched Edmonton's game against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 23. They ended up winning the game 6-5 and they scored four goals from the net front at 5-on-5. But watching other games that they have played, there hasn't been enough traffic and secondary chances around the net. That is why they are struggling to generate at 5-on-5.

You see them not getting to the front of the net and then you realize they lost forwards Corey Perry and Evander Kane, two players that emphasize that area. Those are big losses considering the lack of net-front presence on offense.

Then you also realize the Oilers still don't have Zach Hyman. He should return soon, but he's also a player who basically lives at the front of the net on offense.

Perry, Kane, Hyman. That's three bodies that go to the net. So now they seem to be playing more of a perimeter game.

They're not scoring enough at 5-on-5. I get it, their power play is incredible, but they have to score more at 5-on-5.

Defensively, they need more emotion.

The emotion has to come from being quick to contact, having good checking fundamentals and not losing defensive side position.

Edmonton has been average defensively this season and they are giving up too many chances from the slot.

Slot coverage is a shared responsibility and all five players have to be better.

Overall, I have not seen good enough team defense being played by the Oilers.

To have good team defense you need everybody to be connected, forwards and defensemen, and I have noticed that the Oilers haven't been connected enough. They lose position in front. They get beat to the front of the net quite a bit.

Those are areas they can 100 percent get better at, just trying to emphasize getting to the front of the net more on offense and emphasizing how they defend. There has to be more consistent desperation in their defending.

The other thing to note is their sticks. When I watch the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights, I see constant stick-on-puck defending. Then you watch Edmonton and you don't see the sticks as much. They're just mediocre with their sticks.

So focusing on fundamentals is key for them, just getting the sticks down, defending a little bit harder, getting back in position, not losing position in the defensive zone. They play a zone, and with the zone you still have to end plays. But a lot of that goes with their stick positions and just being good in front of the net.

I look at their defense group and it certainly looks like they're set up to defend. They have good defenders. But that's part of the connection they have to have with the forwards too.

There might have to be tweaks that are made; maybe it's doubling the puck a little quicker, maybe it's sealing on the boards more with the wingers.

I believe they will figure it out. They're too talented not to figure it out. Their next chance to do so comes at the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSP, TVAS2, SN).

The Oilers are in a position where they need to start winning now. If any team understands that, it's them. They've been here before.