'We need some different players': Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman hints Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard may be out after Stanley Cup loss
Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman hints Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard may be out after Stanley Cup loss (Image via Getty)
After losing the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row, something unexpected was said in Edmonton. Fans were waiting for answers, and they finally got one from a key voice. But what Oilers General Manager Stan Bowman revealed after the season ended has left fans wondering what's coming next and who won't be coming back.
Stan Bowman says the Oilers won't bring back the same team after Stanley Cup heartbreak
On Tuesday, June 18, 2025, at the team's season-end press conference in Edmonton, General Manager Stan Bowman openly said the team would not return with the same group of players next season. Bowman was joined by head coach Kris Knoblauch as they addressed reporters after the team's second straight Stanley Cup loss.
RAW | Kris Knoblauch, Stan Bowman 06.20.25
'We're not going to bring the same group back,' Bowman said. 'How many is tough to say right now… so that work will play out over the next 10 days.'
This means that the Oilers are now planning some serious offseason moves. The team is dealing with several players set to become free agents, including Corey Perry, Jeff Skinner, Connor Brown, and Kasperi Kapanen — all of whom are forwards. The Oilers also have one defenseman and one major restricted free agent, Evan Bouchard, whose contract needs to be sorted out.
Bowman also assured fans that while some changes will happen, the team will not be completely rebuilt.
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'We're not going to have nine or ten new players,' he said. 'But I do think we are going to have some changes.'
Stan Bowman and Kris Knoblauch suggest
Stuart Skinner
,
Calvin Pickard
could be replaced
When asked which areas of the team need the most help, Bowman pointed to the forwards and goaltending positions.
'I think up front, we need some different players,'
Bowman explained.
'We're going to look at everything.'
He then talked about the goaltending group, saying:
'So, we'll have to look at, probably more likely, the forwards and the goalies.'
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This is the strongest sign yet that starting goalie Stuart Skinner and backup Calvin Pickard, both heading into the final year of their contracts, could be replaced. Bowman didn't confirm their exit, but his words made it clear that changes in goal are highly likely.
According to Daily Faceoff, the Oilers may also need help at right wing, fourth-line center, and fourth-line left wing. With many players leaving and salary cap issues, Edmonton has tough choices ahead. Fans can expect updates within the next 10 days as the team decides who stays and who goes.
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