Edmonton Oilers

Oilers ‘Set to Blow It Up’, According to Insider

Will the Edmonton Oilers blow it up this offseason, making changes with their coach, goaltending and by moving Darnell Nurse?

by
NHL Trade Talk
May 8, 2026

Frank Seravalli believes the Edmonton Oilers are about to make some significant changes. Speaking with Sportsnet 590 The Fan, the NHL insider is under the assumption that a coaching change is likely, and that might be just the start of what’s coming.

Dustin Nielsen of Edmonton Sports Talk saw the video footage of Seravalli talking about Edmonton’s offseason plans and wrote, “Oilers set to blow it up according to Frank.”

“Are changes coming in Edmonton? I don’t know that it’s going to come on the back of listening to their superstars—maybe just in the sense that they heard that loud and clear, understanding that this organization took steps backwards.”

He then gets specific in terms of what might be coming.

“Yes, I think a coaching change is likely. I think it’s more likely than not that Kris Knoblauch and his staff are sent packing. I think there are likely to be front office changes coming in Edmonton as they reshape and restructure.”

He also believes the Oilers will try to, or at least should try to, move on from defenseman Darnell Nurse. That’s even if it costs an asset to do so.

“I really wonder, in terms of how they go about rejigging this roster, what happens next. Do they find a way to convince a team to sweeten a package to move on from Darnell Nurse? I think that’s needed. I think it’s almost a little bit of addition by subtraction. You can’t have a player taking up that much space on your cap and not producing at a level that is commensurate with your team.”

Of course, there’s also the goaltending situation, something the Oilers and GM Stan Bowman have already addressed:

“So I think that’s on top of going out and getting a goalie. Yeah, I think any one of those things would force you to talk about them the next day. I think the totality of it—and what we’re looking at—could be the most consequential offseason, maybe, in Edmonton Oilers history on tap. It’s worth watching.”

Next: Oilers Could Be Eyeing Bruce Cassidy, Future of Kris Knoblauch Sketchy