The Athletic Hockey Show
Episode: Are the Oilers capable of saving the McDavid era?
Date: November 26, 2025
Hosts: Sean Gentili, Frankie Corrado, Sean McIndoo (Down Goes Brown)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the ongoing struggles of the Edmonton Oilers during the 2025 NHL season, framing the discussion around Connor McDavid’s legacy and whether the team’s management is doing enough to capitalize on his prime. The hosts analyze the Oilers’ disastrous performance against the Dallas Stars (an 8-goal concession), question organizational decisions, discuss cultural/team-building issues, examine coaching changes, and look at the looming threat of McDavid’s possible departure. The conversation shifts in the second half to the Vancouver Canucks’ situation, highlighting their roster construction problems, front-office dilemmas, and fanbase apathy. The show closes with broader NHL chatter, including playoff race predictions and Olympic roster debates.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Edmonton Oilers’ Crisis: More Than Goaltending

[02:17 - 09:42]

• Opening Scene:
  The Oilers are coming off an 8-goal night against Dallas, with goalie Stuart Skinner giving up 4 on 8 shots and getting pulled early.
• Not Just Skinner’s Fault:
  • Corrado: "That was way more than just Stuart Skinner. ...If you go and watch all those goals back... ask yourself, are their knees bent? And chances are the answer is likely no." [03:12]
  • On general defensive disengagement—a lack of hustle and fundamentals.
• Dysfunctional Structure:
  • McIndoo sees a systemic issue: "It was a complete mess for Edmonton, but it's been a mess more than it hasn't been for them this season." [04:36]
• Wasted Talent Comparison:
  • Corrado compares McDavid/Draisaitl surrounded by a broken roster to other sports’ superstars with better support, concluding, “I can’t think of any other examples where that’s the case.” [05:08]

2. Stan Bowman's Crunch Time & Oilers’ Panic Meter

[05:24 - 09:42]

• Panic in Edmonton:
  • Hosts reference insights from Daniel Nugent-Bowman, noting a growing sense of pressure as losses mount, and underline that Thanksgiving is when teams should be finding their form, not losing it.
• The McDavid Clock is Ticking:
  • Corrado: “This team misses the playoffs in year one of Connor McDavid’s ‘show me you can do this’ window, I have no idea what comes next.” [06:44]
• If McDavid’s Deal Wasn’t Done:
  • Semiserious speculation on what would happen if McDavid hadn’t already signed, with Gentili noting, “Think Connor McDavid maybe isn’t imagining if the deal weren’t done right now.” [07:42]
• Statistical Reality:
  • Gentili recites the damning numbers—21st in expected goal percentage, 24th in expected goals against—and notes: “Outside of having McDavid and having Leon Draisaitl… They’re not getting better, they’re getting worse.” [08:30]

3. Is This a Coaching Problem?

[09:42 - 11:46]

• Knobloch’s Hot Seat?
  • Corrado wonders why head coach Chris Knobloch isn’t getting more blame: “Isn’t a lot of what we’re describing... coaching, is it not?” [10:20]
• Coaching Carousel:
  • McIndoo retorts: “They’re going to burn through Knobloch? … That’s a lot of coaches in not that long of a period of time.” [11:12]
  • The Oilers’ turnover at coach is indicative of deeper organizational uncertainty.

4. Identity Crisis and Roster Construction

[12:36 - 17:12]

• What Are They Good At?
  • Oilers rank near the bottom in both offense (21st in goals at 5v5) and defense.
  • McIndoo: "Their identity is they have two really good players, two of the best in the world and that's their identity. Now..." [12:48]
• Vanilla Roster:
  • Many key contributors lost; not replaced with anyone who brings ‘identity.’
• Leaning Too Hard on Core:
  • Corrado: “This is not how you gear up for another long run— playing the wheels off your best guys. But they have no choice.” [14:08]
• McDavid as the Exhausted Franchise:
  • McIndoo, referencing the viral "Popeyes meme" of fatigue: “Is that not how Connor McDavid must be?” [15:53]

5. The Looming McDavid Decision

[17:12 - 18:59]

• Trade Speculation:
  • Corrado ponders: “Are we completely convinced that... They’ve got Connor McDavid for two more swings at this?” [17:12]
  • Raises possibility McDavid could request a trade if Oilers miss the playoffs again.
• McDavid’s Loyalty vs. Organizational Failure:
  • Corrado: “I gave you guys a chance. You completely failed me... But I'm done.” [17:28]
• No Easy Fixes:
  • The hosts agree—trades, coaching changes, or a single move won't fix the rot.

6. Barriers to Quick Turnaround

[19:34 - 22:46]

• No Practice Time, Not Enough Fixes:
  • McIndoo: “It’s not easy to do that type of stuff, especially in season. Like they don’t have practice time.” [19:40]
  • Video review and small adjustments aren’t enough when the underlying structure is broken.

7. It’s Not Just a Slow Start

[21:56 - 24:28]

• Different From Previous Years:
  • Gentili recalls the ‘slow start, late push’ tradition, but this year, “Even in that [bad 18-game stretch], that was a good 5-on-5 team. … Ain’t the case anymore. And that’s what makes this complicated and really problematic for them.” [22:46]
• Overtime/Regulation Wins:
  • Corrado: “They have five regulation wins. That's fewer than Calgary, who we all think are going to finish last.” [22:46]

8. McDavid’s Sacrifice & Organizational Response

[24:28 - 24:55]

• "Ultimate Team Player":
  • McIndoo: “He's been the ultimate team player, like loyalty team player. He's eliminated all excuses with his actions and they haven't really paid him back, not even close.” [24:28]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "That was way more than just Stuart Skinner." – Frankie Corrado, [03:12]
• "It's not supposed to be like that these days." – Corrado, on having superstar(s) wasted [05:04]
• "This team looks broken right now." – Corrado [06:08]
• "Are we completely convinced that they've got Connor McDavid for two more swings at this?" – Corrado [17:12]
• "Everything Connor McDavid has done has been pointed to Edmonton Oilers: I am giving you everything you possibly need in order to be successful. Can we make this happen? And time and time again, the answer has been no." – McIndoo [16:31]
• "Their identity is they have two really good players, two of the best in the world and that's their identity." – McIndoo [12:48]
• "This is not how you gear up for another long run— playing the wheels off your best guys." – Corrado [14:08]
• "What a mess." – Gentili summing up Oilers [24:55]

Segment Timestamps

• [02:03] Main episode starts – Introduction and Oilers game breakdown
• [03:12] Analysis of Oilers’ defensive issue – Beyond Skinner
• [05:24] Bowman’s role, pressure, panic level
• [07:35] McDavid’s hypothetical unsigned contract
• [08:00] Statistical rot: team performance metrics
• [09:42] Goaltending vs. system/coaching discussion
• [11:07] Edmonton's endless coaching changes
• [12:36] Identity loss and roster construction
• [14:08] McDavid/Draisaitl usage, fatigue
• [15:53] McDavid as the tired hero/meme reference
• [17:12] McDavid’s future, trade speculation
• [19:34] Why fixing the Oilers isn't quick or easy
• [21:56] Not just a typical slow start; underlying structure is worse
• [22:46] Regulation wins, comparison to league's worst
• [24:28] McDavid, loyalty, and organizational failure
• [24:55] Wrap-up of Oilers segment

Secondary Topic: Vancouver Canucks Turmoil

[27:24 - 39:26]

• Fan Apathy and Roster Locks:
  • Canucks are struggling; fanbase finally apathetic rather than furious.
  • The team claims all veterans except Quinn Hughes (and maybe Hronek) are in play—but thanks to no-move clauses, most can’t be traded.
  • “The backup goalie has a no-move clause.” – McIndoo [30:35]
• No Easy Answers:
  • They have few tradable assets; the hosts doubt any move will result in game-changing return.
  • “You have to have stuff that people want. Like outside of…the untouchable commodities there, what did the Canucks have that's going to bring back any value?” – Gentili [34:06]
• May Outlook:
  • Hosts see Vancouver accidentally in the bottom five, still saddled with “win now” veterans and little to show for it.

Quick Hits/Other Hockey Topics

[40:08 - End]

Team USA Olympic Roster – Body of Work Over Hot Start

• Bill Guerin’s Quote:
  • “I appreciate the first two months… but… this is not peewee tryouts. This is not, oh, just take who's playing well... We're actually trying to build a team.” – Guerin [41:35]
• Panel’s Reaction:
  • Statistical performance won’t shake up roster much; fits and body of work are prioritized (bad news for high-flyers like Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield).

American Thanksgiving Playoff Cutoff Mythbusting

• Most teams in playoff position at Thanksgiving do make it, but 3-5 outliers annually move up.
  • “It’s a good measuring stick, but… there’s more wiggle room, I think, than we give people credit for here.” – Gentili [48:02]
• Panel predicts which teams outside the cutoff will make the playoffs: Oilers, Panthers, Jets, Canadiens.

Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, sharp, and laced with dry humor. The trio uses stats and anecdote interchangeably, balancing critical analysis with light sarcasm—especially in moments like comparing McDavid to the meme lady from Popeyes or bemoaning the Canucks’ no-move-clause-laden roster.

For Listeners Who Haven't Heard the Episode

• The Oilers aren’t suffering from a single weak link; the organization is fumbling McDavid’s prime, with systemic issues beyond goaltending.
• Panic is (or should be) at an all-time high in Edmonton; pressure is on management, and possible blockbuster change is quietly looming if things don’t turn quickly.
• Vancouver finds itself in a familiar, “accidentally rebuilding” position, unable to move meaningful contracts, while their star Quinn Hughes may become the league’s most coveted asset if made available.
• Olympic roster selection won’t be shaken by a hot start; team structure trumps recent individual performance.
• The hosts debunk the American Thanksgiving Playoff Cutoff as a hard-and-fast rule—recent years show plenty of late surges.

For more hockey talk (and some much-needed therapy if you’re an Edmonton or Vancouver fan), tune in—or just commiserate via meme with Sean et al.