The Winnipeg Jets fell 6–2 to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, and head coach Scott Arniel did not shy away from assigning responsibility.
The Oilers overwhelmed Winnipeg early with four first-period goals from Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl, Matt Savoie and Evan Bouchard.
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Speaking after the defeat, Arniel pointed to the challenging league-wide schedule created by the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina. NHL players will return to Olympic ice for the first time since 2014, and the compressed schedule has created heavy workloads for every team.
“The whole League’s going through this right now because of the Olympics,” Arniel said. “Everybody’s having their tough grind of the schedule.
Arniel said the Jets needed a sharp start, but the opposite happened.
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“For me, we had talked about the first 10 minutes, how we had to be smart about how we did things,” Arniel said. “They get three goals in the first 7 1/2 minutes to start. Both mentally and physically, we weren’t ready to go. At the end of the day, I’ll take responsibility for that.”
Winnipeg switched to Thomas Milic in the second period after replacing Eric Comrie, but Edmonton continued its pressure. Curtis Lazar scored quickly, extending the deficit to 5–0. Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Koepke added goals for Winnipeg, but the Jets never threatened a comeback.
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Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) and Winnipeg Jets goalie Eric Comrie (1) collide during the first period at Rogers Place.Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Winnipeg dropped to 14-13-1 during a season marked by inconsistency. Strong offensive stretches from Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor have not offset defensive lapses and uneven goaltending.
Injuries have deepened the challenge, with Haydn Fleury out with a concussion and Connor Hellebuyck sidelined through early January.
Arniel believes that the team must reset and prepare better. Saturday’s loss showed how costly a slow start can be.
Related: Oilers’ Kasperi Kapanen Erupts in Frustration After Injury Setback
Related: Connor McDavid Speaks Out After Hat Trick in Oilers’ Win
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.