The Edmonton Oilers are officially in full-blown panic mode. The team is in full disarray as they fell 5-2 to the Nashville predators, lowing their season record to a miserable 2-7-1. Now blame is starting to go around and there could be major consequences for particular individuals in the coming days.
By far the biggest problem the Oilers have so far has been their goalie tandem. Both Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell have been awful, posting league-worst or nearly league-worst stats in basically every category that is important for goalies. Skinner at least is young and is coming off a season in which he was a Calder finalist. Perhaps he could still turn things around, if not this season, at some point in his career. The same cannot be said for Jack Campbell.
Campbell has put his team in an extremely tough situation. He is signed for three more seasons after this one at a 5 million dollar cap hit. Contracts like that are extremely difficult to move when the player himself is performing at such a low level. Even a team like the San Jose Sharks, who have been historically bad, likely can't afford to take on Campbell's contract without a major sweetener or two thrown in and cap going the other way. It seems then that the Oilers are in a truly untenable situation with Campbell but he is not the only one who's job is on the line.
Generally speaking, being a coach in the NHL is not exactly a job that comes with a lot of security. While the same candidates often bounce around the league without too many problems finding work, it is very easy for a general manager to fire his coaches when the team is underperforming. In fact, it is much easier to fire the coach than it is to make other major moves, such as trades, thanks to the hard-cap world the NHL lives in. As such, Woodcroft's seat is likely not just warm or hot, but its on fire and all Woodcroft has to put it out is the hope that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can score more goals than Stuart Skinner gives up. The Oilers next game is against Vancouver tomorrow night. It is safe to say that if the team loses that game, major moves will be made immediately.
