And that will do it with that.
With the Oilers being one of the oldest team in the league. A blueline that just isn't great. Skinner has likely played his last game in Edmonton The Conna and Draisatl being nowhere to be seen when the Oilers needed them to carry them a little bit further.
Its likely that Skinner, Perry, Brown are done, they'd probably like Kapanen back, but does he want to be back? Fredricks a UFA and will probably look elsewhere as well. On the Blueline they'll lose Klingberg.
But they need to rebuild their blueline and get a youth injection. But they don't have any real prospects of note, They have the 32 pick this year and picks in the other rounds but they suck at drafting outside of high draft picks.
Their goaltending is outright atrocious, like I said Skinner can't be back, but I doubt too many teams will take him.
And the big question of will he won't he. Does McDavid Sign. He has to look at that aging lineup, at his ability to pick where he plays, and at least explore that option, its likely that the NHLPA is going to pressure him to hold out for the maximum contract, but do the Oilers want 8 years of him tailing off in key moments? Or do they give him a deadline for next year and then if he refuses to sign, do they bite the bullet and trade him for a ton of picks and prospects to rebuild their farm and use?
If I am an Oilers fan, I know I'm seeing an end tonight to the dynasty that never was and never will be, they won't be back to the Cup final next year. That dog don't hunt, and that team isn't good enough in terms of its core.