Locked On Oilers - Daily Podcast On The Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are entering a high-stakes season that could dictate the entire future of the franchise.

The Edmonton Oilers have stunned the hockey world by bringing Mike Babcock out of coaching exile to take over behind the bench for the upcoming season

In this episode, we examine what the Edmonton Oilers must do to return to true contender status by prioritizing a roster's "ceiling" over its "floor"

The Edmonton Oilers enter the 2025–26 NHL season facing their most familiar and persistent hurdle: the crease

The Edmonton Oilers have officially overhauled their blue line for the 2025–26 NHL season following the departure of Darnell Nurse and new additions like Ryan Shea, Connor Murphy, and Shakir Mukhamadullin

The Edmonton Oilers enter the 2026–27 season with high expectations, anchored by superstar talent at the top of the roster. In this comprehensive forward group preview, we break down the newest additions, structural shifts across the top six, and how depth roles will dictate Edmonton's ceiling

Is Nathan MacKinnon officially closing the gap on Connor McDavid, or does Edmonton's captain still stand alone at the top of the hockey world?

The NHL's financial landscape is experiencing an unprecedented salary cap explosion, reshaping how front offices construct competitive rosters across the league

The long, grueling road to the Stanley Cup begins right now in mid-September as informal workouts transition into NHL training camp. On today’s edition of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis breaks down why the Edmonton Oilers must fall in love with the process and the daily grind if they hope to turn their championship aspirations into reality

The Edmonton Oilers enter year two of forward Trent Frederic’s tenure, but his long-term eight-year extension is already raising major red flags regarding roster construction.

The Edmonton Oilers have invited Alex Formenton to training camp, and host Nick Zararis is breaking down why this move is an unforced error from every angle

Edmonton Oilers head coach Mike Babcock opened training camp by uniting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the top line alongside Vasily Podkolzin, but the underlying numbers tell a troubling story.

The Edmonton Oilers enter the 2026–27 NHL season facing massive roster instability that could derail their championship hopes. Host Nick Zararis analyzes the franchise's significant personnel turnover across the past four seasons, pinpointing how self-inflicted depth attrition dismantled the roster support around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Get ready for the upcoming NHL season with a complete guide to betting on the Edmonton Oilers and the NHL futures market.

The Athletic has officially released its NHL Player Tiers list, and the Edmonton Oilers find themselves in an alarming spot compared to other Stanley Cup contenders

The Edmonton Oilers found an absolute diamond in the rough when they traded for former 10th overall pick Vasily Podkolzin.

The Edmonton Oilers enter an all-or-nothing season expecting 36-year-old defenseman Mattias Ekholm to carry top-pairing responsibilities alongside Evan Bouchard

Is it time for the Edmonton Oilers to rethink Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' role at 5-on-5? On today’s edition of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis dives deep into the underlying metrics behind the forward's recent play and what his declining even-strength numbers mean for the franchise.

The Edmonton Oilers face a growing challenge at even-strength play, and the underlying analytics show that Connor McDavid's 5-on-5 usage is central to the conversation

Are the Edmonton Oilers entering the highest-stakes season in modern NHL history?

Cale Makar has officially made NHL history as the league’s first $20 million per year player, permanently shifting the market for elite NHL defensemen. In this episode of Locked On Oilers, Nick Zararis breaks down what this massive contract means for the Edmonton Oilers and why Evan Bouchard’s $10.5 million deal looks better than ever

The Edmonton Oilers are facing tough questions about whether their Stanley Cup window of contention is closing around superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

The Edmonton Oilers' decision to hire Mike Babcock brings massive expectations alongside major strategic concerns for the franchise's championship window

The Edmonton Oilers face a massive dilemma heading into the new season as they try to balance immediate Stanley Cup expectations with long-term roster construction.

The Edmonton Oilers have enjoyed a decade of generational hockey talent with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, yet Stanley Cup glory remains elusive due to a critical roster construction flaw.

In this episode, host Nick Zararis breaks down the macro-level analytics shaping modern hockey strategy, roster construction, and game states

The dust has mostly settled on Stan Bowman’s second offseason as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, and host Nick Zararis breaks down the process and results behind his roster construction

Welcome to Monday’s edition of Locked On Oilers, where host Nick Zararis dives deep into the Edmonton Oilers' remade, high-variance goalie room featuring Tristan Jarry, Freddie Andersen, and Devin Levi.

Nick Zararis breaks down the major $11 million defensive puzzle facing the Edmonton Oilers heading into the upcoming season: who earns the left-side spot on the second pair alongside Connor Murphy?

With reports that Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Kirill Marchenko has requested a trade, Nick Zararis breaks down why the Edmonton Oilers should explore a deal.

Will Mike Babcock's coaching style work with the Edmonton Oilers' current goalie room? In this Tuesday edition of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis dives deep into Mike Babcock’s historical usage of goaltenders.

On today’s episode of Locked On Oilers, host Nick dives deep into the environmental factors and historical context surrounding Mike Babcock’s return as an NHL head coach—this time behind the bench for the Edmonton Oilers!

Do sports and ancient mythology have more in common than we think?

In this episode of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis dives deep into the philosophy of building the optimal Edmonton Oilers forward group

The Detroit Red Wings fired GM Steve Yzerman, and the Edmonton Oilers need to pay close attention.

Welcome to this Thursday edition of Locked On Oilers with host Nick Zararis! In this episode, we dive deep into the state of the NHL's Pacific Division to analyze how the Edmonton Oilers are maintaining their contender status

Welcome to this Wednesday edition of Locked on Oilers. Host Nick Zararis dives deep into the harsh lessons the Edmonton Oilers have learned from recent free agency misses.

The Edmonton Oilers enter the 2026-27 season with a stronger opening night roster than last year, but are they playing it too safe?

To win the Stanley Cup, a team needs almost everything to go exactly right

On today’s edition of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis dives deep into the weeds to reverse engineer the Oilers' conceptual system. Using the "Downstream Theory," Nick breaks down how what happens in the offensive zone directly dictates the heavy workload on the defense and goaltending

Is Shakir Mukhamadullin the hidden gem the Edmonton Oilers needed?

The NHL's Player Empowerment Era & The Edmonton Oilers' Master Plan

The Edmonton Oilers are caught in a perpetual goalie carousel, and it’s threatening their status as true Stanley Cup contenders

With the NHL free agency period just days away, the Edmonton Oilers have clear holes to fill in their forward group, defensive core, and goaltending tandem

The Edmonton Oilers are entering their longest offseason in three years, and it is rife with massive structural changes

The Edmonton Oilers have officially extended defenseman Connor Murphy! While earlier moves this week left fans divided, host Nick Zararis breaks down why this extension might just be the stabilizing anchor the Oilers' blueline desperately needs as they navigate massive roster turbulence.

The Edmonton Oilers have officially hired Mike Babcock as their new head coach—and this decision is an absolute disaster.

The Edmonton Oilers are entering a critical offseason landscape defined by rising salary caps and star players leveraging their way to new teams. With free agency looking lackluster, host Nick Zararis breaks down 9 potential trade targets across three tiers

Is history repeating itself in Edmonton? In this episode of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis breaks down his instant reaction to the Edmonton Oilers signing 30-year-old forward Jason Dickinson to a massive five-year contract extension worth $4 million per year.

The Edmonton Oilers are making major waves in the NHL headlines, from a potential Mike Babcock hiring to massive Darnell Nurse trade rumors.

The Carolina Hurricanes are the 2026 Stanley Cup Champions, cementing themselves as one of the most unconventional cup-winning rosters of the modern NHL salary cap erae

The Edmonton Oilers and Darnell Nurse are officially ready for a change of scenery

In today’s episode, we are breaking down why the Edmonton Oilers have officially become the most dramatic, compelling, and narrative-driven team in the NHL entering the 2026 offseason

Is Mike Babcock actually the answer for the Edmonton Oilers, or is the organization about to make a massive mistake?

On today’s episode of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis pulls no punches as he breaks down the "mind-bogglingly stupid" rumors linking the Edmonton Oilers to controversial head coach Mike Babcock.

Is the era of the workhorse, franchise "Bell Cow" NHL goaltender officially over?

Did the Edmonton Oilers value sentimentality and continuity over actually winning a Stanley Cup?

The Darnell Nurse era in Edmonton is officially coming to an end.

The Edmonton Oilers possess the ultimate luxury of building around two future Hall of Famers in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But as both superstars prepare to enter their 30s and embark on their second decade in the NHL, a critical question looms: How long can Edmonton sustain a championship window around them?

Are the Edmonton Oilers still genuine Stanley Cup contenders, or are they a fading group falling back into the NHL’s middle class?

With a mediocre free agent class on the horizon, host Nick Zararis breaks down why Edmonton must look to the trade market to fix their roster

The NHL salary cap just jumped to $104 MILLION — and every single team in the league is swimming in money. So why is the 2026 NHL free agent class one of the weakest in recent memory?

The Edmonton Oilers have all the star power, but do they have the blueprint for a Stanley Cup championship?

What can a powerhouse team like the Edmonton Oilers learn from a rebuilding-turned-contender squad like the Montreal Canadiens? More than you think.

The Carolina Hurricanes went up 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night

Colorado Avalanche showcase the blueprint for sustained NHL success can the Edmonton Oilers adapt before their window closes?

The Vegas Golden Knights have been one of the NHL's best teams since entering the league, and the Edmonton Oilers could learn a thing or two from their ruthless operations

What is the absolute best-case scenario for the Edmonton Oilers this offseason?

The Edmonton Oilers are officially hunting for a new head coach after firing Kris Knoblauch.

The Edmonton Oilers have reportedly received permission to interview former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube. But is he actually the right man to get Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl over the finish line?

The Vegas Golden Knights are reportedly playing hardball about letting Bruce Cassidy interview for new jobs

The Edmonton Oilers faced a massive roster crunch and took on way too much risk this past year

The Edmonton Oilers have a behind-the-scenes power struggle playing out, and things are starting to get ugly

The Edmonton Oilers offseason is fully coming into picture with $16 million in cap space and several roster holes to fill

Connor McDavid has been the world's best hockey player for almost the entirety of his entire NHL career. At age 29, the forward is approaching the end of his physical prime and the Edmonton Oilers need a plan to maximize his value to stay competitive.

The Edmonton Oilers did not just lose players this season. They lost coherence.

Twenty months. Dozens of roster decisions. How many actually made the Edmonton Oilers better?

Should Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch keep his job after a first-round exit to the Anaheim Ducks?

The Edmonton Oilers' defense was exposed in the playoffs, and the massive contracts of Darnell Nurse and Jake Walman are creating a salary cap nightmare

The Edmonton Oilers failed to live up to expectations in 2026.

The Season is Over. The Edmonton Oilers have been eliminated from the NHL Playoffs in Game 6 by the Anaheim Ducks.

The Edmonton Oilers season is on the line and need a strong game 6 to prolong the series

The Edmonton Oilers refuse to go home! In a "Stayin' Alive Wednesday" edition of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis breaks down a gutsy 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks to force Game 6

The Edmonton Oilers have their backs against the wall heading into Game 5 against the Anaheim Ducks.

Down 3-1 in the series after a soul-crushing overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks, the Oilers have a lot of soul-searching to do.

The Edmonton Oilers head into a crucial Game 3 in Southern California with the series tied 1-1.

The Edmonton Oilers drop a frustrating Game 2 to the Anaheim Ducks 6-4, but the real story is the Connor McDavid injury scare.

The Edmonton Oilers have a 1-0 lead, but the cost of victory is rising

The Edmonton Oilers take a 1-0 series lead over the Anaheim Ducks, but they did it in the most unexpected way possible.

The Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks meet in the playoffs for the first time since 2017! Is Edmonton ready for the youth movement in SoCal, or will the Power Play carry them through?

The Edmonton Oilers have a projected Game 1 lineup! We break down the forward lines, Leon Draisaitl’s injury status, and why this defensive group is the key to beating the Anaheim Ducks.

The Edmonton Oilers have officially punched their ticket to a first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks!

The Edmonton Oilers have one game left, but their first-round opponent is still a mystery

The Edmonton Oilers are trending toward a first-round matchup with the Anaheim Ducks, but are they ready for the grind?