The Edmonton Oilers will play for the 2025 Stanley Cup championship, but they’ll need their depth. Edmonton’s ambitions require their depth to answer the test. The Edmonton Oilers conquered the West like the Vandals in Rome, but the work is not done. Edmonton has their eyes set on the monster chalice. If they want to lift the famed mug, they need to overcome the vaunted Florida Panthers. To overcome the defending Stanley Cup Champions, Edmonton needs its depth scoring.
Analyzing the Edmonton Oilers Depth Composition
In Game 5 against the Dallas Stars, the Oilers were without Connor Brown and Zach Hyman. Unfortunately, Hyman is done for the year. In their place, Jeff Skinner re-entered the Oilers lineup. He got his first playoff goal in Game 5 as the Oilers eliminated the Stars. They’ll need players like Skinner to play well if they’re going to be Stanley Cup Champions. Their depth has yet to be tested in this way, so it’ll be a good example.
Connor Brown will play in Game 1 of the #StanleyCup Final, Kris Knoblauch announced. pic.twitter.com/Mf1bHYXS7q
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 2, 2025
The Forward Skinner and his Relevance
Skinner is enjoying the first NHL playoffs of his career. He’s played just two games, but has produced in both. He picked up an assist in Game 1 against Los Angeles for his first point. He added his first career playoff goal to that when Edmonton eliminated Dallas. It has left the Oilers depth with more production from the Toronto native than expected. They’ll now be looking to see that continue in the most crucial series.
Skinner’s success has been deserved. He played in 1078 NHL games before his first postseason. A long-time veteran got to cross his name off the most games without a playoff appearance list. Skinner’s success for the Oilers is a key to getting through the Panthers. If he can add goals down the lineup, the Oilers won’t rely so much on their two stars. That means there will be extra threats the Panthers have to respect. He’ll be a critical part of the Oilers depth.
It’s not all offence, though. One of the blemishes on Skinner is his defensive game or lack thereof. His inability to cover his guy can be damaging. When the Oilers are playing a team like the Panthers, that cannot be the case. They will need Skinner to play well in his zone, too. If he cannot do that, the Oilers don’t have much hope in this Stanley Cup Finals rematch.
Edmonton Oilers Defensive Depth
Mattias Ekholm returned from injury in Game 5, and the Oilers enjoyed success with the Swede back on the roster. They were able to calm the desperate Dallas forwards. With Ekholm still working his way back, he’ll need support. In his absence, the Oilers blueline has been unreal. They’ve shut down some great teams. Florida will be a unique challenge due to their shot-quantity approach. They’ll be more testing of the blueline, especially in their corners.
Players like John Klingberg have enjoyed a renaissance on the blueline. His long lay-off with a hip problem has allowed him to return in a different role to the one he became a star in. Now, the Oil will be looking to players like him to quiet this Cats attack. If the Oilers aren’t careful, they can be blown out of this series. They will need their defence to be ready from the puck drop in the series.
As for the rest of the blueline, it’s been impressive. They’ve put up points, defended well, and broken through pressure. They’ll need to do the same against Florida. There will be more of a physical aspect against the Panthers than we’ve seen so far. If the Oilers don’t answer the physical challenge, they could be fighting an uphill battle all series long. They need to be ready for this aggressive Panthers roster.
Main Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
