The Edmonton Oilers are back skating in the Alberta capital and the vibes are riding a high with training camp just around the corner.
With the sting of a Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup Final still fresh in the minds of returning players and the addition of a few high-powered off-season additions, motivation to finish the job should be at an all-time high with this club.
That journey, however, will start with a gruelling 82-game regular season and will need every player to be pulling on the same rope, which is a turn of phrase that has been used quite a bit by the Oilers going back into last season’s playoff run.
A few players on the roster are looking to improve their play from the previous season. With the team looking as good as ever, each one will be in a great spot to do just that.
Here are four Oilers who are primed to have bounceback seasons in 2024-25:
1. Connor Brown
There is no question that Connor Brown is a better player than his counting stats painted him out to be last season.
After being signed to a one-year deal by the Oilers last season, Brown was expected to snag a top-six spot on the team and be a regular producer alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Instead, the former Erie Otter struggled to put up points, managing just four goals and 12 points in 71 games.
Things did get better for him in the playoffs, specifically in the final, and he did admit that he did not feel 100% coming off a season-ending injury while with the Washington Capitals the season prior.
He is back for another year and while it appears he will be primarily in a bottom-six role, he’s a good bet to have a much better sophomore season with the Oilers now that he is running at full strength.
2. Darnell Nurse
It’s no secret that the Oilers need a bit more out of Darnell Nurse this season.
While he was far from terrible last season, the 29-year-old Nurse found himself on the wrong end of a lot of plays in both the regular season and into the playoffs. This led to some tense moments with the media and fans calling him out for not playing up to his lofty salary.
This season will mark a new beginning for Nurse as he will have a new defensive partner for the first time in three seasons following the departures of both Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais.
Perhaps a new partner will help the 2013 first-round rekindle the game that scored him that massive contract in the first place.
3. Viktor Arvidsson
The safest bet on this list to have a great rebound season is Viktor Arvidsson ā if he stays healthy.
Last season was a forgettable one for the 31-year-old Swede as he appeared in just 18 games. Granted, he did manage to pot 15 points in that span. He is one year removed from a 59-point season with the LA Kings and has scored 20+ goals five separate times in his career.
It sounds like his injury is now behind him and with prime minutes next to Draisaitl expected for this upcoming season, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he was able to hit the 20-goal plateau for a sixth time.
4. Stuart Skinner
With how well Stuart Skinner performed in the final two rounds of the playoffs, it’s easy to remember just how poorly things started for the young goaltender last season.
There was a significant portion of the Oilers’ season where it looked like Skinner was not the answer in net. He got off to a very poor start and it seemed like goaltending was going to be what prevented this team from making a meaningful run at a championship.
Yet, as the calendar flipped over to 2024, so did Skinner’s game. He rebounded midseason and wound up with a pretty stellar 36-16-5 record and, despite some playoff hiccups, was also solid in the postseason as well.
Now that he has a run to the Stanley Cup Final under his belt, his confidence should be as high as it’s ever been in his young career.