The Edmonton Oilers made a splash at the trade deadline, acquiring both Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from the Anaheim Ducks, and brought in defenceman Troy Stecher from the Arizona Coyotes in hopes of adding depth for a long postseason run.
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While management will soon be focused on upgrading their team for next season, their main focus right now is winning a Stanley Cup. Through 64 games in 2023-24, the Oilers have a 40-21-3 record with 83 points and are second in the Pacific Division. They are poised to be one of the strongest teams in the postseason and should be a tough team to beat in a seven-game series.
A few factors will affect general manager Ken Holland’s decision-making in free agency, including the rise of the salary cap, how many pending free agents he must try to re-sign, and the bonus carryover from Connor Brown‘s contract structure. As of now, the Oilers have $13.2 million in cap space to re-sign their players and bring in assets, while Warren Foegele, Henrique, Mattias Janmark, Brown, Corey Perry, Carrick, Stecher, Vincent Desharnais, and Calvin Pickard all need new deals.
High-End NHL Free Agents
Steven Stamkos, C/LW, Tampa Bay Lightning | Jake Guentzel, LW/RW, Carolina Hurricanes | Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, Florida Panthers | Noah Hanifin, D, Vegas Golden Knights | Elias Lindholm, C, Vancouver Canucks | Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs | Joe Pavelski, RW, Dallas Stars | Anthony Mantha, LW/RW, Vegas Golden Knights
These are all impact players who could move the needle enough to help the Oilers make a push for the Stanley Cup next season. Stamkos would be a dream addition, but I expect him to re-sign with the Lightning. The Oilers should have been interested in Guentzel at the trade deadline, but it’s fair to assume the price was too high. Everyone else on this list is a pending unrestricted free agent and will likely be looking for a new home. If the Oilers can re-sign the players they want to keep and still have money left over, they should aim to acquire at least one of these superstars.
While bringing in a high-end player would be a good idea, it’s more likely the Oilers will want to fill out their depth and sign players who won’t be as costly.
Intriguing Pending UFAs
Jake Debrusk, RW, Boston Bruins | Tyson Barrie, D, Nashville Predators | Cam Talbot, G, Los Angeles Kings | Chris Tanev, D, Dallas Stars | Tyler Toffoli, LW/RW, Winnipeg Jets | Jason Zucker, LW/RW, Nashville Predators | Teuvo Teravainen, LW/RW, Carolina Hurricanes | Alex Wennberg, C, New York Rangers | Brett Pesce, D, Carolina Hurricanes | Jack Roslovic, C, New York Rangers
All of these players would be welcome additions to the Oilers roster. Holland could decide to bring back goaltender Jack Campbell in hopes of rejuvenating his career, but if not, there will be plenty of options on the open market. Also, if the team is unable to re-sign Henrique, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them pursue a new centreman for their bottom six.
Fans often complain about the Oilers’ lack of defensive depth, so targeting a player like Chris Tanev or Brett Pesce could make the unit stronger overall next season. If they choose not to re-sign Pickard and want to look for a new goaltender, adding Cam Talbot would be interesting. He already had one stint with the Oilers, which went quite well, and he could serve as a strong backup to Stuart Skinner.
Oilers Have Plenty of Choices
The Oilers have plenty of options this offseason, but they will all depend on how the campaign ends. They will have to make a decision about their goaltending and their forward depth, with the number of players on expiring deals. Hopefully, they make the right decisions to have a shot at the Stanley Cup in the 2024-25 season, but the focus now is on a successful finish to the 2023-24 season.