Interacting with Edmonton Oilers fans during the summer is a fascinating process. The passion for the team and its pursuit of the Stanley Cup eases only slightly during the warm months, and strong opinions hold sway all year long.This summer, a surprising number of fans believe next year’s roster is close to set. Looking at the signed contracts and the no-movement clauses, drawing that conclusion makes sense on the surface. However, there are reasons to believe we will see some churn on the opening-night roster.The biggest reason is coach Mike Babcock. A fresh set of eyes will always result in a depth-chart shuffle, and fans may incorrectly assume different roles for some of last year’s roster players. It’s also true that a veteran coach like Babcock will use playing time as a motivator, something coaches have been doing since the NHL’s first game. The quickest way to grab the attention of the entire roster is to make a shocking move that resets the mood for all involved.Here’s an example. In the fall of 1983, Glen Sather was the Oilers coach and general manager. He made an interesting observation about his young team less than 12 months before the club would win the Stanley Cup. “Sammy Pollock used to say all jobs are open in Montreal, but who was he kidding? Nobody was going to take Larry Robinson’s job or Guy Lafleur’s,” Sather noted in training camp. “In our camp I refuse to tell the players that. But I’d love it if somebody took a job away from a returning player. If that happened, that would make our team stronger.”Who are the surprise players Babcock could find at training camp this fall? Here’s a list.Damien CarfagnaCarfagna enjoyed a strong pro debut with the AHL Bakersfield Condors in 2025-26. He’s 23 and an undersized (6 feet, 185 pounds) left defenceman. He’s an outstanding skater, making him a strong option for puck retrieval. He helped the Condors outscore opponents (53-40 goals, 57 percent) by a significant margin when he was on the ice. When Carfagna was off the ice, Bakersfield owned just 49 percent (128-133 goals) of the overall share.