The Edmonton Oilers have a ton of talent on their roster. In fact, they have the two best players in the world, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, on their roster. However, the team just hasn't been able to translate this to success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

They've come close, that's for sure. Edmonton made the Western Conference Final in 2022, and this past season saw them nearly return. They unfortunately ran into the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas defeated Edmonton, sending them home without their names on the Cup once again.

The Oilers begin their 2023-24 preseason schedule on September 24 at home against the Winnipeg Jets. On October 12, the Oilers kick off their regular season with the first leg of a home-and-home series against the Vancouver Canucks.

The Oilers have lofty expectations this season as they do before every year. Here is a complete overview of the Edmonton Oilers ahead of what they hope is a highly successful 2023-24 NHL season.

Will 2024 be different?

The Oilers have come close before but at some point, coming close won't do. Edmonton has to show something this spring, and if they don't, it could prove disastrous. Ken Holland is under immense pressure right now.

Edmonton currently has McDavid and Draisaitl on the roster. However, Draisaitl is an unrestricted free agent in 2025. Barring some drastic drop in production, the German superstar will be a hotly sought-after commodity that summer. If that's not bad enough, McDavid hits the open market himself in 2026.

The Oilers must prove to their two superstars that they can win it all in Edmonton. That starts with their play on the ice. Edmonton has been able to score their way to promising finishes in the standings only to falter in the postseason. If that happens again, it could be the beginning of the end of their Stanley Cup window.

Can Zach Hyman do it again?

One player who has made great strides for the Oilers is Zach Hyman. Hyman joined the Oilers from the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the 2021-22 season. He received quite the payday to make the jump, as well. However, expectations were rather low for him. After all, his career-high total for points was 41 at that time.

And yet, Hyman has enjoyed quite the two-year run with the Oilers. He set a new career high for points during his first year with the team, scoring 54 points. This past season saw him smash that total, scoring 36 goals and 83 points. It's an incredible return on investment for Holland thus far.

One has to wonder if the veteran winger can continue to get better. If Hyman improves even more this season, Edmonton's already high-octane offense will become even more fearsome. And if he can continue this form in the playoffs, the Oilers could find themselves on another deep run in 2024.

What about Darnell Nurse?

On the other hand, Darnell Nurse is someone the Oilers will need more out of. Nurse received a big payday in the summer of 2021, and the team believed the then 26-year-old was destined to become an elite option on the backend. Unfortunately, that just hasn't worked out.

Nurse is 28 years old, so there is still some time and hope that he can improve. However, he makes $9.25 million and will make that amount each year through the 2029-30 season. Additionally, he has a no-movement clause, making it hard for the Oilers to move this contract off the books.

The 28-year-old does provide some value, don't get me wrong. He is a leader on and off the ice, and serves as one of the team's assistant captains. And he is not afraid to stand up for his teammates when things get heated. That said, Nurse is simply an above-average puck mover as of now. That needs to change if the Oilers want to finally take that next step in the playoffs.

Potential odd men out

The Oilers have a few players fans should keep in mind when it comes to the roster bubble. Forward Raphael Lavoie is a rather promising prospect in the team's pipeline. And he certainly has the potential to contribute in a big way down the line. For now, however, he may be facing just too high of an uphill battle to make the roster in 2023.

On the blueline, Markus Niemelainen might be snake-bitten once again. The 25-year-old has played a handful of games in the NHL over the last two seasons. That said, a full-time role is likely to escape his grasp once again this season. He could still play games at the top level, but he likely spends most of his time in the AHL.

Final roster projection

Forwards: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisatil, Zach Hyman, Connor Brown, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, Mattias Janmark, Ryan McLeod, Warren Foegele, Dylan Holloway, Lane Pederson, Derek Ryan

Defenseman: Darnell Nurse, Cody Ceci, Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard, Vincent Desharnais, Brett Kulak

Goalies: Stuart Skinner, Jack Campbell