If you’re an Edmonton Oilers fan, these are trying times. The club lost a first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks, a far cry from reaching the Stanley Cup Final as it had the previous two years. Coach Kris Knoblauch was fired, and the top coaching target, Bruce Cassidy, was unavailable for an interview due to unprecedented behaviour by the Oilers’ division rival, the Vegas Golden Knights. Cassidy remains shut out from applying for NHL employment.This week, Mike Babcock was identified as management’s coach of choice, and that brought a brand new hornet’s nest for fans. As of this writing, two weeks before draft day, the organization has no head coach and therefore no clear direction on trades, free agency or what the fall roster should look like.There are promising storylines in the collective Oilers summer word bubble. Here’s what an ideal offseason, delayed as it may be, would look like.The new coachThe pursuit of the next head coach went a little galaxy-brain after the news that Cassidy wasn’t available. The logical second choice, Peter Laviolette, is now with the Los Angeles Kings, and the Babcock option is being held up by a league investigation. As a soap opera, the Oilers’ spring is action-packed. As a series of moves designed to solve the coaching issue, it’s a frustrating experience for all involved.Assuming the Oilers don’t land Babcock, the best options may be former Edmonton head coaches. But if the franchise has a no-return policy, icing out Jay Woodcroft, Todd Nelson and Craig MacTavish, the options are retreads and the unproven.Although it would be an unusual choice, MacTavish’s track record is a perfect match for these Oilers. The five-on-five play, uncovering useful role players, the ability to line match and relay changes to the players in a short period are all things MacTavish was able to do in Edmonton. I wrote about his coaching exploits in 2019, suggesting Ken Holland hire someone just like him. Now, seven years later, I’m suggesting Stan Bowman hire him. MacT’s ability to communicate and his intelligent verbal should not be confused for a soft approach. He was a hard ass when needed, and he could be again. Just don’t let him near the power play, or Toby Petersen or Mike York with a broken hand might show up on a five-on-three advantage.Woodcroft’s resume is equally strong. He coached the Oilers’ most impressive offensive season (325 goals in 2022-23) since 1988-89, the glory days in Edmonton. The organization wants a proven winner, but Stanley Cup championships aren’t the only way to measure success. Woodcroft was a coach for the Ducks this season and helped author the first-round victory over the Oilers.