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Published on:

7th Sep 2025

2025 NHL Summer Cooler - Edmonton Oilers

This Summer Cooler features one of the most fascinating—and fragile—franchises in the NHL: the Edmonton Oilers.

Despite being two-time defending Western Conference champions, the Oilers have no Cup to show for it, and now they face the biggest storyline in the NHL heading into 2025–26:

🔥 Connor McDavid enters the final year of his contract.

With Leon Draisaitl locked in through 2033 at $14M per, the expectation is that McDavid will command $16M+ AAV—but only if Edmonton proves they’re still capable of winning it all.

🧊 IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Why we’re leading off with Edmonton

[00:30] McDavid’s contract situation: two-part negotiation

[01:00] Team drops: Kane, Arvidsson, Perry, Brown, Klingberg, Skinner

[01:30] Resigns: Bouchard (4 yrs, $10.5M), Frederick, Kapanen

[02:15] Adds: Isaac Howard, Lazar, Mangiapane, Stillman

[03:00] No real upgrade—top-heavy, older, and slower

[04:00] Oilers now second-oldest team in the NHL (behind Pittsburgh)

[05:00] Will McDavid commit to 8 more years—or go shorter similar to Bouchard?

[06:00] Could we see a Marner-style trade and sign elsewhere?

[07:00] Blue line and goaltending analysis

[08:00] Playoff reality check: They weren’t close to Florida

[09:00] Youth watch: Howard, Savoy, Podkolzin

[10:00] The great unknown in the Great White North

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

McDavid Watch is on. He’s in the final year of his deal, and unless the Oilers improve, there’s no guarantee he stays.

Leon Draisaitl’s contract ($14M AAV) set a new bar—and McDavid will almost certainly want more if he re-signs.

Offseason moves? Underwhelming. No major upgrades. Top-six still elite—but the bottom-six and blue line remain major liabilities.

Goaltending returns with question marks. Skinner and Pickard didn’t get it done last spring, and nothing’s changed.

Too old, too thin. At 31 avg. age, only the Penguins are older. The window is closing fast.

🎯 FINAL WORD:

This should be the year the Oilers go all in.

❄️ They’re older, slower, and less deep than the team that just lost in 6 games to Florida.

Unless prospects like Isaac Howard break out or management swings a blockbuster, Connor McDavid may decide Edmonton isn’t worth eight more years of waiting.

And if that happens?

It’s rebuild season in Oil Country.

🔗 RESOURCE LINKS:

📺 YouTube: NHL Wraparound Channel

🐦 X (Twitter): @NHLWraparound

🎤 Neil Smith: @NYCNeil

📘 Vic Morren: Vic on LinkedIn

📸 Instagram: @NHLWraparound

🎵 TikTok: @NHLWraparound

👍 Facebook: NHL Wraparound Facebook

🏒 HASHTAGS:

#EdmontonOilers #ConnorMcDavid #LeonDraisaitl #StanBowman #EvanderKane #ViktorArvidsson #CoreyPerry #ConnorBrown #JohnKlingberg #JeffSkinner #TrentFrederic #KasperiKapanen #EvanBouchard #AndrewMangiapane #CurtisLazar #IsaacHoward #RileyStillman #ZachHyman #VasilyPodkolzin #RyanNugent-Hopkins #MatthewSavoie #MattiasJanmark #AdamHenrique #MattiasEkholm #DarnellNurse #BrettKulak #JakeWalman #TyEmberson #StuartSkinner #CalvinPickard

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About the Podcast

NHL Wraparound Podcast
Neil Smith & Vic Morren
Breadth and depth.
Contemporary and historical.
Straight-forward and experienced.
The NHL Wraparound podcast features Neil Smith, President-General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers and longtime ESPN/NHL veteran Vic Morren sharing no-nonsense opinions on news and issues around the National Hockey League.

Bringing decades of experience from their respective fields, Smith and Morren create a unique partnership that examines the NHL from multiple perspectives. Additionally, as hockey historians, the pair can delve into any topic in today’s game and enlighten the audience with connections to events from previous years. To truly appreciate where hockey stands today, one needs to understand its past.

With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of the Rangers last championship season, a special five-part series is planned to commemorate that magical run. Expect fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and special guests with particular focus on the GM who pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table amidst the most pressurized environments – and came out on top.

Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned fan, each episode of NHL Wraparound will leave you entertained and informed.


Bio’s
Neil S. Smith, highly regarded NHL executive, served as the President and General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers. During his eleven years with the team, they achieved significant success, including three division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies, one Eastern Conference Championship, and a historic Stanley Cup victory—the franchise’s first in 54 years.

Known for his expertise in professional sports franchise economics, Smith played a pivotal role in management decisions under four different Rangers owners.. His tenure saw iconic trades and acquisitions, including Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, as well as successful drafts and free-agent signings.

Starting as a pro scout, Smith's career highlights include the impactful 1989 draft for the Detroit Red Wings and bold trades that shaped NHL history. He briefly served as GM for the New York Islanders in 2006, later working as a consultant for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

A Toronto native, Smith's hockey journey began in junior leagues before a distinguished college career at Western Michigan University. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including induction into the University's Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Vic Morren: Born in New York City close to the Old Madison Square Garden, Vic Morren has had hockey in his blood his entire life as a fan, player and television production manager.

A graduate of William Paterson University, Morren skated for three seasons with the Pioneers hockey club and became the first statistical analyst to apply his craft to telecasts working New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games from 1984-87. He co-authored two NHL-based statistics books within that span before moving to ESPN in 1987 and working the final season of the original deal the network had with the NHL.
After departing in 1990, Morren worked as a studio producer for SportsChannel America’s NHL coverage and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before returning to ESPN that fall where he worked all 12 seasons on the second ESPN/NHL deal and the first season of the most recent contract in 2021-22. Morren has also earned a Sports Emmy for his work on Sunday Night Football coverage in 2003.

His relationship with Neil Smith dates back 33 years through their mutual friendship with the late ESPN/ABC commentator John Saunders. Morren looks forward to NHL Wraparound and collaborating with Smith with the goal to provide an experience of contemporary viewpoints, historical spin and an overall enriching podcast experience.