The Edmonton Oilers have been active on the waiver wire this season as they try to bolster their roster. First, they claimed Kasperi Kapanen from the St. Louis Blues and he has been a great addition, playing extremely well in the team’s top-six. Recently, they claimed defender Alec Regula from the Boston Bruins as he nears a return from injury and despite his lack of experience at the NHL level, the demotion of Travis Dermott leads everyone to believe he will be the new seventh defender and will get some playing time when he gets activated from injured reserve. With the team bolstering their blue line, a recent report indicates the Oilers aren’t done targeting defensive help just yet.
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In his recent written version of 32 Thoughts, insider Elliotte Friedman states that the Oilers are still looking to add defensive help after claiming Regula, even suggesting Will Borgen as a potential target. After bringing in Regula, who is 24 years old and has just 22 games of NHL experience with one goal, it’s promising to hear the team isn’t finished yet. Borgen isn’t a terrible option to target eiither, as the 27-year-old right-shot defender is known for his shutdown defensive style, and has 245 games of NHL experience under his belt with nine goals and 46 assists for 55 points. However, there might be a few other options the team could look at heading toward the 2025 Trade Deadline.
Oilers Need Right-Shot Defender, Left-Shot Wouldn’t Be Awful
When it comes to the Oilers’ current defensive depth, it’s easy to see the team would benefit more from bringing in a right-shot defender. While it’s not mandatory by any means, bringing in a left-shot defender may force Darnell Nurse to play the right side and could push Ty Emberson, who has been the team’s best defensive defender this season, down the depth chart. While Borgen isn’t a bad option, there are some other options the Oilers could look at closer to the trade deadline.
The first name that comes to mind as a potential target is Columbus Blue Jackets’ defender Dante Fabbro, who the team claimed off of waivers from the Nashville Predators earlier this season. Fabbro, who is 26 years old, has three goals and four assists for seven points through 21 games this season, and has 330 games of NHL experience with 79 points. He was drafted in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at 17th overall and is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $2.5 million cap hit. The Blue Jackets may choose to be sellers at the 2025 Trade Deadline, and Fabbro will be heavily sought after. He is the ideal right-shot defender who plays well at both ends, and is an affordable acquisition.
Another name that comes to mind is Rasmus Ristolainen from the Philadelphia Flyers. Ristolainen, who is 30 years old, has one goal and seven assists for eight points through 30 games this season. Through 743 career games, he has scored 53 goals and added 240 assists for 293 points. He was drafted in the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres at 8th overall, and he has some term left on his current contract. He is in the third season of his current contract that holds a $5.1 million cap hit, and he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of the 2026-27 season. The only issue with him is his defensive inconsistency, but his size and offensive side may outweigh the negatives.
Some other names that come to mind are Calgary Flames’ Rasmus Andersson, Anaheim Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov, and Chicago Blackhawks’ Seth Jones. Andersson would be a strong acquisition, but it seems unlikely that a rival team would trade him directly to another rival for a reasonable price. Jones has some familiarity with general manager Stan Bowman, but it would be close to impossible to make the money work considering his massive contract. Mintyukov is an attractive asset, but the Ducks would likely ask for a trade package similar to what the Blue Jackets got in return for David Jiricek, which was another defender and four draft picks, including a first-round pick.
It seems inevitable that the Oilers will bring another defender in via trade, it’s simply a matter of when they pull the trigger on a deal. With Evander Kane slated to come back in the next month or so, bringing in money gets a bit more difficult. Either way, the team realizes they need to bolster their depth if they want to make a push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990. Hopefully, they don’t have to overpay to bring someone in, and can maintain their outlook on the future with an acquisition that helps them push for a championship.
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