2. Goaltending Remains Sus
Goaltending has rarely been a strength for the Oilers. In the 1980s, Grant Fuhr was the backbone of Edmonton’s dynasty. Bill Ranford captured lightning in a bottle in the early ’90s, and then Dwayne Roloson helped rejuvenate the blue paint at the tail end of the aughts. But since then, there have been few capable netminders standing between the pipes and giving this team the goaltending it deserves.
This isn’t a shot at Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard, but as we’ve seen, they aren’t capable Stanley Cup-winning netminders. This offseason, the Oilers parted ways with long-time goalie coach Dustin Schwartz. Still, it remains to be seen whether that move will precipitate the goaltending improvement the Oilers so desperately need. Until Edmonton can prove that it has addressed its most glaring weakness, McDavid will be unwilling to return to the northernmost NHL team.