Oilers GM says team needs to build on progress after again missing playoffs

After a disappointing end to the Edmonton Oilers' season, general manager Ken Holland said he hopes the loss to Chicago will fuel future success.

The Oilers improved to 12th place in the overall NHL standings compared to 25th last year, but lost their qualifying round series to the veteran-led Chicago Blackhawks in four games.

Holland said the team improved in several areas, such as special teams, scoring and goals against, before the season was suspended in March due to COVID-19.

Given those improvements, Holland said, the team had higher expectations heading into the qualifying round.

"Obviously, (we're) massively disappointed that we weren't able to win the series with Chicago and advance further," he said. "I know that we've got some things that we need to accomplish over the course of the summer to take another step."

Players met with Holland and team officials for exit interviews on Saturday before leaving the playoff bubble.

Holland said the defence improved this season but needs to get even better, and the team needs more production from depth forwards to help out superstars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.

The team will try to build while keeping the core intact, he said. The Oilers face some tough decisions on whether to re-sign restricted free agents like Andreas Athanasiou and Matt Benning, while unrestricted free agents Mike Smith and Mike Green are expected to hit the market after the playoffs end.

For now, Holland said he doesn't expect to see many moves across the league.

"It's a normal May or late April after you've lost in the first round of the playoffs," he said. "It's a time to evaluate and decide what direction we're going to go."

As general manager of the Detroit Red Wings for more than 20 years, Holland helped the team win four Stanley Cups. It was the many disappointments along the way, he said, that inspired those teams to later find success.

He had hoped that would have happened after the Oilers' made the second round of the playoffs in 2017. Instead, the team missed the playoffs the next two seasons. For this year's progress to matter, he said, the Oilers will have to make another run at the playoffs next year.

"The good teams find a way to play their way into the playoffs every year," he said. "And then with multiple opportunities, somewhere along the line you start to piece it all together."