Oilers management has seen an improvement in the trust of fans over the last season, but a big problem still remains, as the trust level is below league average. How sure are you about your front office? That is the query The Athletic posed in its yearly survey, <a href='https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6562358/2025/08/20/nhl-front-office-confidence-rankings-2025/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>gathering over 13,000 responses to list all 32 NHL teams in six areas</a>: roster assembly, cap control, drafting and prospect development, trading, free agency, and vision. This year, the Edmonton Oilers ended up 21st overall with a C grade. The consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final have created only frustration among the fan base thus far. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/OilersNation/status/1958515215253000605'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> The team report card is as follows: C+ in roster building, C- in cap management, D+ in draft and development, C+ in trading, B- in free agency, and C+ in vision. <h3>The Oilers improved by 4 Spots When Compared to Last Year's Rankings</h3> Though not commendable, it does show some progress. Last season, Edmonton was 25th with a C- grade, and 72% of their fans said they had less confidence in management. This year, only 25% feel that way, with 48% now saying they're more optimistic. Among the general public, however, nearly half still talk about declining confidence in Oilers management. The news centers around the big issues: Connor McDavid's <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/edmonton-oilers/nhl-insider-john-shannon-reveals-shocking-update-on-connor-mcdavid-contract-extension' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>impending free agency,</a> Darnell Nurse's massive contract, and an unsettled situation in the goaltending department. All eyes will be on management this year to demonstrate they can step up and build a champion before the window closes. At the head of the list, the Florida Panthers grabbed the top spot for the second consecutive year after back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and another good offseason, followed by the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes. In terms of the highest-ranked Canadian team, that belongs to the Montreal Canadiens, who sit 5th with an A- grade. The Ottawa Senators are next up, finishing 11th with a B grade. Winnipeg is right behind them, as the Jets sit 12th with a B grade as well. The Calgary Flames manage to stay out of the bottom 10 of the league, sitting 18th with a C+ grade. Unfortunately for the Vancouver Canucks, they are the lowest-ranked Canadian team, and do fall in the bottom-10 of the NHL, with a 26th place finish and a C- grade. The worst-ranked team in the league is no surprise, as the Buffalo Sabres, who, after years and years of misery, have completely lost the confidence of their fanbase. They finish with a D- grade. For the Oilers, small positives on fan confidence are encouraging, with expectations at an all-time high, but patience will be brief.