As we near the halfway point of the 2024-25 season, the Edmonton Oilers are playing better than they did early in the season. But there is much room for improvement, especially between the ears. Despite an 8-2-0 record in their last 10 games and playing their best hockey of the season, the Oilers showed mental flaws in their 6-5 loss to the Florida Panthers on Dec. 16.
The bad news is the Oilers lost a statement game they desperately wanted to win. The good news is they have 51 games to refine and work on building a championship mindset before the playoffs.

The Oilers were too emotionally charged early in the game against the Panthers. They were holding their sticks too tight and young players such as Evan Bouchard and Stuart Skinner made glaring mental mistakes that put the team in a hole. But these mistakes can be fixed; many Oilers need to find that championship mentality so emotions don’t cost them points.
Calling George Mumford – Oilers Mental Performance Coach
George Mumford has been guiding champions since 1989. Known as The Performance Whisperer, Mumford has worked with Phil Jackson–helping the NBA Hall of Fame coach win eight NBA Championships. He helped Michael Jordan transform his leadership and taught Kobe Bryant to “just be.” Now, he’s in his second year helping the Oilers.
After letting their emotions get the best of them against the Panthers, Mumford’s guidance could help the Oilers refocus and get back to where they were just a few days ago when they dismantled the Minnesota Wild 7-1 on Dec. 12 and humbled the Vegas Golden Knights 6-3 on Dec. 14. The team will get back to their winning ways sooner rather than later. But they have a bit of unpacking to do after making so many mental errors in this recent loss.
Oilers May Have Learned Some Valuable Lessons In Loss to the Panthers
Everyone had the Dec. 16 rematch against the Panthers circled on their calendars after the Oilers’ Game 7 loss in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on June 24. They, no doubt, wanted to avenge that loss and make a statement; however, they let the pressure of the moment get to them. It was clear throughout the game, especially with Bouchard, who never seemed confident with the puck. The same could be said of Skinner, who never seemed to settle into a zone–although his counterpart at the other end of the ice, Sergei Bobrovsky, also looked shaky except for a couple of good saves at the end of the game.
Related: 4 Takeaways From Oilers’ Loss to Panthers in Stanley Cup Rematch
It’s not fair to point out Skinner and Bouchard’s mistakes because, for the most part, the whole team seemed off – it looked like the moment was too big for them. Hopefully, the team will learn from this, shake it off and resume their winning ways, which has put them in contention in the NHL’s Pacific Division.
A Winning Mindset for the Playoffs
If the Oilers can take one thing from this loss, it’s that they need to be in better control of their emotions during the postseason. The difference between being a great NHL player and a functional one comes down to mentality. Any Stanley Cup Champion has the focus and mindset to never let their emotions run away from them.
From the 1974-1975 Philadelphia Flyers led by the unflappable Bernie Parent in goal to the stealth-like effectiveness of the New York Islanders in the 1980s and the laser-focused Pittsburgh Penguins led by Sidney Crosby, they all had that certain mindset to win. The Oilers have shown glimpses of having the right mental capacity to win, but they must learn from their mistakes and continue to build the right mindset until nothing phases them. This might be the key to unlocking the championship that has eluded them during the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl era.
