Bowman Lays Out Oilers’ Blueprint for 2025-26 Season

The Edmonton Oilers officially opened Main Camp on Wednesday, and General Manager Stan Bowman spoke to the media, hinting at the team’s plans for the rest of the summer and the 2025-26 season. Bowman offered insight into contract talks with Connor McDavid and others, what he’s expecting when it comes to roster competition, and how the team plans to integrate both veteran stars and youthful talent into a formula that ups the odds of another trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

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The first several questions were about McDavid. Bowman confirmed that he was having ongoing discussions and that no one inside the organization is worried. They have every reason to believe McDavid when he says he wants to win in Edmonton. They also like to talk hockey and the team, noting, “I find he’s got a real good pulse on the team as well.” He added, “As the leader and the captain, he has thoughts on things, and I want to understand that so we can work together.”

“When he’s ready, he’ll be ready.”

Bowman also said he didn’t have either of the team’s rookies Isaac Howard or Matt Savoie (even David Tomasek) written onto the roster in pen, but he’s expecting big things from all three. “They’re guys that are going to be contributing offensively to our team,” Bowman said.

Bowman talked about contracts for other players beyond McDavid, confirming that he’s had several positive conversations with pending UFAs. He also talked about how the lines and roster might be deployed this season. Among his specific responses, he noted that Jake Walman and Darnell Nurse are likely to anchor one pairing, with Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard forming the other.

Related: Oilers Confirm They Aren’t Considering Carter Hart

When it came to the goaltending, Bowman confirmed the Oilers are not looking into “situations” like Carter Hart. He also said he’s excited about a fresh start for Stuart Skinner, with Skinner benefiting from a renewed relationship with goalie coach Peter Aubry.

Injury news is positive. Veteran Zach Hyman will miss the first few days of camp as he continues wrist rehab, though Bowman remains confident he won’t miss much of the season, if any at all.

Bowman talked about some of the turnover from the summer, noting, “Change is good… Bringing in new voices from outside gives us fresh perspective.”

Next: “No Guarantees”: Hyman with Update Ahead of Oilers Training Camp”