Stan Bowman’s Oilers Offseason Ranked: The Best, Worst & Riskiest Moves

The dust has mostly settled on Stan Bowman’s second offseason as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, and host Nick Zararis breaks down the process and results behind his roster construction. In this episode of Locked On Oilers, we evaluate how general managers navigate risk, cap management, and goal setting while balancing short-term self-preservation with long-term organizational health.  We break down the best moves of Bowman’s tenure—including shedding Darnell Nurse’s massive contract without salary retention, snagging Vasily Podkolzin from Vancouver, and picking up Connor Ingram as a season-saving stopgap. Then, we dive into the moves that have aged poorly, examining the high-risk trades and long-term contracts like the Stuart Skinner for Tristan Jarry deal, Trent Frederic’s extension, and the future outlook on Jake Walman’s massive contract. 05:21 Evaluating GM Decisions 07:57 Navigating GM challenges 13:22 Podkolzin's Trade and Rise 15:40 Evaluating recent player contracts 19:49 Concerns about Stan Bowman's leadership 22:16 Contract issues with goalie acquisitions 25:41 Trent Frederics' role and potential 28:53 Closing remarks and show recommendations Stan Bowman’s Oilers Offseasons Ranked: The Best, Worst & Riskiest Moves Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. IndeedNow, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcastright now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.