Edmonton Oilers are now the oldest team in the NHL

The Edmonton Oilers are considered by many to be the Stanley Cup favourite heading into 2024-25, but their window to win it all may not be long-lasting.

The Oilers suffered a tough blow this morning, as they didn’t match the St. Louis Blues offer sheets given to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. As a result, they have lost two of their brightest young pieces that most envisioned would have big roles in the organization for years to come. It also makes their roster even older.

General manager Stan Bowman was able to add in a bit of youth this past weekend, acquiring 23-year-old Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks and 24-year-0ld Ty Emberson from the San Jose Sharks.

Even with their new additions, however, the Oilers are by no means a young team. In fact, according to Elite Prospects, they are the oldest of all 32 organizations in the NHL.

Elite Prospects

While there may be another move or two made by Bowman ahead of the season, the Oilers are currently the only team in the NHL with an average age above 30 at 30.27. The closest is the Pittsburgh Penguins, who average out to 29.92.

Aside from Podkolzin, who seems likely to begin the season with the Oilers, the youngest forward on the Oilers’ projected roster for next season is 27-year-old Connor McDavid. That could be subject to change, of course, as Matthew Savoie and James Hamblin could earn a spot on the opening night roster with strong performances in training camp.

What makes this an especially scary thought for Oilers fans is that the futures of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid remain unclear. Should they sign extensions, this all becomes much less of a problem. If they were both to leave, there could be some tough years ahead for the organization.

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