Darnell Nurse's exit has split opinion as Mike Babcock takes over an Edmonton Oilers roster reshaped by Stan Bowman.
Dom Luszczyszyn ranked Edmonton's offseason 25th among 32 NHL teams, giving the club a -8 net rating for its roster changes.
That view clashes sharply with fan reaction. In a Cult of Hockey poll, 55% gave Bowman an A, while another 33% graded his work a B.
The divide starts with Nurse. Edmonton moved the veteran defenceman without retaining salary, a result many supporters viewed as a major win for the front office.
“Edmonton ranks 25th out of 32 NHL teams in Dom Luszczyszyn's offseason rankings, despite overwhelming support from Oilers fans. In a Cult of Hockey poll, 55% of respondents gave Stan Bowman an ‘A' for his work this summer.”
- David Staples, Edmonton Journal
Ryan Shea is expected to help replace those minutes, but Luszczyszyn doesn't see him as an upgrade. His model treats the change as a step backward on the blue line.
Edmonton also added Frederik Andersen while losing Connor Ingram. Luszczyszyn viewed Andersen as a positive move, provided the veteran goaltender can stay healthy.
Shea is no upgrade over Darnell Nurse. But the major problem with Nurse, of course, isn't his regular season play. It's how his game consistently fell apart five playoff seasons in a row.”
- David Staples, Edmonton Journal
Major concern emerges in Edmonton surrounding Stan Bowman's latest moves
The forward group also changed. Jack Roslovic departed after an inconsistent season, leaving Edmonton to rely on internal options unless Bowman adds another middle-six winger.
Luszczyszyn's ranking didn't include Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson as new additions because both were already on the roster at the end of last season.
That distinction matters to Oilers fans. Bowman later secured both players on contracts viewed locally as strong value, adding stability beyond the immediate summer comparison.
The largest question sits behind the bench. Luszczyszyn believes Babcock could have a major impact based on the underlying improvement his previous team showed during his first season there.
Skepticism remains around Babcock's methods, and the pressure will arrive quickly. Edmonton isn't building for a distant window; it expects another deep playoff run immediately.
“Fans loved Bowman's work because he signed Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson to value contracts and moved Nurse without retaining salary. Essentially, Oilers fans were almost unanimous in wanting Nurse moved and applauded how Bowman executed the deal.”
- David Staples, Edmonton Journal
Bowman's work will ultimately be judged by playoff performance, not a July ranking. Shea must handle faster pressure, Andersen must give Edmonton dependable goaltending, and the bottom six must replace Roslovic's offence.
The disagreement isn't really about whether Edmonton changed. It's about whether Bowman exchanged expensive, familiar pieces for cheaper players who fit the next version of the Oilers better.
Fans see a cleaner cap structure and fewer playoff concerns. Luszczyszyn sees a roster that lost more value than it added.
Both sides now wait for the same answer. Edmonton's regular season will test the new pieces, but the final verdict will come when the games tighten in spring.
Source : Oilers fans are high on Stan Bowman's work but top NHL expert disagrees
Did Stan Bowman make the Oilers better this offseason?
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