Oilers fans let their voices be heard in newest fan survey

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Joshua Deeds
June 6, 2023 (10:28 PM)

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Daniel Nugent-Bowman's survey received responses from 708 people, providing insight into the opinions of fans regarding the team's current performance, future prospects, and management. The survey asked fans to rate Ken Holland, trades, the importance of depth players, and more.

Initially, 40% of respondents gave the Oilers an 8 out of 10 for their 2023 regular season, followed by 37.4% who rated them as a 7 out of 10, or a C grade. When it came to Holland's performance, 38% of fans gave him a B grade, while 26% gave him a C, which seems fair given the team's performance in the second round. Jay Woodcroft received a B from 40% of fans for his regular season performance, while 20% gave him a C. In terms of the playoffs, 29% rated Woodcroft and his staff with a C, which seems reasonable since the team didn't progress beyond that stage, but only 11% gave him a failing grade, which I disagree with.

Most fans attributed the Oilers' loss to the Golden Knights in the second round to poor goaltending, and they believe that the team should prioritize acquiring a top-six defense this summer. When it comes to veteran players, most fans believe that Kailer Yamamoto is the odd man out, followed by Cody Ceci.

24% of fans believe that the Oilers are still in the winning window and gave them a B grade. The majority of fans want to see Dylan Holloway play next season. As for adding a UFA, most fans agreed that Damon Severson would be a valuable addition to the blue line, even if it means negative cap consequences due to moving on from Ceci. The fans also think that Derek Ryan should be prioritized over Nick Bjugstad, and they are not in favor of making an offer for Jonathan Toews. Surprisingly, 70% of fans think that Erik Karlsson would be a bad move for the team, and the majority believe that Evan Bouchard should be locked down long-term due to his impressive potential.