They have a couple of real problems here.
First of all, Lucic's contract. With his current level of production and with it being buy out proof, they're going to have to ride and die with that contract. I can't see any team taking that on without a major incentive.
Puji is an RFA at the end of the year. Moving him to the minors will probably piss him and his agent off. Staying with the Oilers and eating press box and not getting first line minutes will piss him off. When they play him, they're not exactly improving his value. I would expect that his agent will very quietly tell the Oilers that he's not interested in staying with the Oilers and if they don't deal him, he will look at European possibilities for next year. They're not getting a good asset for him, GM's aren't that dumb to give up that much for what is rapidly becoming a reclamation project.
looking at their stats, they have 2 goals from the blueline, one from Nurse and one from Bouchard. Their blueline has contributed a total of RNH, McDavid and Drasaitl have scored a total of 19 of their 32 goals, their next highest scorer is Chiason with 4 goals,
Their uber young future in Yamamoto and Puji have combined for 2 goals and 3 points.
The winger solutions for McDavid in Yamamoto and Reider haven't really worked out, Reider has 5 assists in 11 games, Yamamoto a goal and a assist in 11 games.
Lucic has 1 goal and 3 assists in 11 games, but got 2 points in game 3. He's also a minus 6, That tells me that he's too slow to backcheck, and no matter what Oiler fans say about being faster, he's merely a slow fast guy. He doesn't look fast or quick.
Cam Talbot has a .904 scpct in 9 games, which should be concerning, watching the game last nigh he makes some big saves, but he's not terrific and he's going to wear down again. Clearly they have no confidence in Kokinen the 2.5 million dollar wunder boy from Europe.
So clearly the strategy is going to be to outscore their opponents, but they don't have enough balanced scoring to do that. Beyond their top 3 they're getting no scoring support. This is a team that right now to me is an illusion, they're winning inspite of themselves.
Oh and their pp is 14th which is ok, but their penalty killing is 28th at 69% which is worse then last years 76% that tells me that the Oiler nation argument about the special teams being a fluke last year is incorrect and it should be the expected.
The Oilers are 22nd in shots for and 24th in shots against.
This is a team with a rotten foundation just waiting to fall in on itself, and when it does it could be devastating
and awe inspiring at the same time.