Doug MacLean drops hard truth on Oilers’ defence and goaltending

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15 March 2026 at 00:04

The Edmonton Oilers remain in the playoff race, but questions around defense and goaltending continue to grow. Edmonton holds a 32-26-9 record with 73 points and sits third in the Pacific, despite making it to two straight Stanley Cup finals in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

The team scores at an elite rate but still struggles to protect its own net.

Former NHL executive Doug MacLean recently shared blunt criticism about the Oilers’ defensive problems. He spoke on Sportsnet with Nick Kypreos and Gord Stellick after Edmonton’s heavy loss to the Dallas Stars.

MORE: Oilers’ Tristan Jarry decision under fire after Stars blowout

Dallas defeated Edmonton 7-2 in a dominant performance. The defeat highlighted the Oilers’ ongoing defensive issues.

MacLean said the same concerns have followed Edmonton for years. He noted that players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl often discuss the need for stronger team defense. However, he believes the team still has not solved the problem.

“You can’t score your way to a championship, unfortunately,” MacLean said. “Scoring is great, but you don’t score your way to a championship. You’ve got to be able to defend, and when [Kris] Knoblauch comes in there, I thought they would straighten it out when he came in, and it hasn’t happened.”

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) keeps the puck away from Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Edmonton continues to produce goals at a high rate. The club averages 3.51 goals per game, one of the best marks in the NHL. McDavid leads the offense with 111 points, including 37 goals and 74 assists. Draisaitl follows closely behind with 96 points.

However, the Oilers allow 3.40 goals per game. Their penalty kill also ranks among the league’s weakest units this season. MacLean believes the goaltending situation adds to the problem and questioned the impact of Edmonton’s move to acquire Tristan Jarry.

“Goaltending there is still a problem,” MacLean said. “It’s still a major problem. Stan [Bowman] makes a big move on Skinner for Jarry. We said on this show at the time that it was a non-impactful trade. Because it was basically two guys that are the same, that you don’t see as Stanley Cup winners.

“… Team defense starts with great goaltending, that’s where it starts. And they don’t have that, and they don’t have a dedication to playing team defense. A”

So, according to MacLean, without that foundation, Edmonton will struggle to contend for a championship.

The Oilers showed similar problems in their next game as well. The St. Louis Blues erased a two-goal deficit and won 3-2 in overtime. Robert Thomas scored the game-winning goal with nine seconds left.

Edmonton still holds a playoff position. But unless the defense improves fast, the team’s Stanley Cup hopes could remain uncertain.