July 1 is right around the corner, and that means one thing in the NHL: free agency. Teams with spots to fill and money to spend will begin shopping around both inside and outside their house to improve their team for next season. The Edmonton Oilers are a team with a bit of money to spend, but some things need to be decided. Aside from re-signing their stars in Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid, there is a lineup of in-house free agents that are about to hit the market that they have to make some decisions on.
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The Oilers just recently took care of Trent Frederic, inking him to an eight-year, $30.8 million deal. This adds some long-term depth to the team at a fair price. Beyond this deal, however, the decisions have just begun for general manager Stan Bowman. Which pending free agents should he keep and which ones should he let go? Let’s dive in.
Corey Perry
The 40-year-old wonder surprised everyone this past season, and in the playoffs as well. Corey Perry had 19 goals and 30 points, his highest totals in both categories since the 2021-22 season. He could be found more often than not on the top line with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He also found himself getting more and more time on the top power-play unit as the season went on. He was a reliable option up front that was able to score here and there. Not bad for 40 years old.
As for whether or not “The Worm” should return to the team next season, it’s a tricky situation. He is allegedly looking for somewhere between $2-2.5 million. While he did outperform his expectations this past season, it is a steep price tag for a guy his age who is more likely to produce less in the coming years. The Oilers also can’t afford to give any extra money to a depth forward like Perry, as they need to leave as much room as possible to sign the rest of their roster and also leave some money for potential in-season moves. So, unless his asking price comes down, the answer should be no for Edmonton on Perry.
Jeff Skinner
It was a whirlwind season for Jeff Skinner on his new team. He signed with the Oilers hoping for a chance to make his first-ever postseason, which he did. However, his opportunities throughout the season were more limited than originally thought, and his production also took a hit. He recorded 29 points in 72 regular season games and just two points in five playoff games. When given the right opportunity, Skinner can be effective and a good depth option on the wing for a competitive squad.
There hasn’t been much buzz about Skinner re-signing with the Oilers, or going anywhere else for that matter. If there has already been a conversation behind closed doors, no one knows about it yet. If Skinner is asking for any kind of raise or anything even similar to his $3 million deal from last season, it should be a quick no for Edmonton. The only way they do any kind of deal is if his cap hit takes a significant decrease. The team is in “win now” mode and can’t afford to overpay. Skinner should be on his way out.
Connor Brown
The heart and soul of the bottom-six had a much improved second season with the Oilers and continued his playoff success. Connor Brown has continued to step up for the Oilers through each regular season and postseason he has been on the team. He had a solid 2024-25 regular season and, despite getting injured late in the playoffs, still managed to record nine points in 20 contests. He has also seen some playing time on the team’s top line with McDavid, something not every forward gets to do.
Signing Brown is a tricky one. While it is definitely something management should try their hardest to do, they may not be able to. Both he and the team had interest in a deal; however, Brown will be testing the open market come July 1. There will likely be a good amount of interest in the 31-year-old forward with a lot left in the tank. If Edmonton wants to get a deal done with him, it should be as soon as possible. They should be willing to go a bit higher than his last deal and also give a few years of term. Players with heart and clutch play like Brown aren’t everywhere.
Kasperi Kapanen
One of the few very nice surprises for Edmonton came from a waiver claim from the St. Louis Blues. Kasperi Kapanen was claimed off waivers roughly a month into the regular season and became a regular on the Oilers roster. Despite rather slow production in regular season play, he was a lightning rod come playoff time. Six points in 12 playoff games and a crucial piece of the team’s bottom-six in the clutch. The speedy forward put it all on the line in the late going.
Kapanen’s last contract had a cap hit of just $1 million; a very generous and doable deal for a usually cap-strapped Oilers team. If he was looking for any more money, it couldn’t be much more than that. His postseason play certainly added some value to his name, but he still has a lot to prove. This should be an easy signing for Bowman and company to make.
John Klingberg
Speaking of nice surprises, John Klingberg came out of nowhere and played a fine game for the Oilers when they needed it most. Although it didn’t look like a great signing out of the gate, he recovered from his injuries and became a crucial piece of the team’s Cup run. He recorded eight points in 30 total games with Edmonton and was a nice complement to whoever he was paired with. The perfect combination of offence and defence is exactly what defence coach Paul Coffey should be looking for.
Holding onto Klingberg could be complicated, but it should be attempted. His cap hit ran the Oilers a little over $1.7 million this past season, and he will likely be looking for a raise. Right-shot defencemen with his skill are hard to come by, so Edmonton should try and make a deal happen. Of course, with another certain right-shot defender looking for a deal as well (which I’ll talk about), management’s willingness to spend on an injury-prone 32-year-old may not be very strong. Keeping together a strong blue line is crucial; however, we’ll see what this week brings and what offers fly.
Evan Bouchard
Evan Bouchard used this season to yet again prove he is one of the top offensive defencemen in the league. In his second-straight season receiving votes for the Norris Trophy, he recorded his second-best season of 67 points and is the quarterback of the Oilers’ dynamic power play. He also continued his strong postseason play, averaging over a point per game. Bouchard is making it hard on management as he becomes a restricted free agent on Tuesday.
This is an easy, yet hard decision. It’s easy in the sense that it’s a no doubter to re-sign Bouchard. It’s hard in the sense that the dollar amount will be high, tying the team to yet another big contract. The big-shot blueliner is worth it, and the players agree. The cap hit will likely be double-digits, but you have to be willing to pay your top performers. Fans should hope for an agreement very soon, especially to avoid another offer sheet debacle.
This will be a big week for the Oilers. They have some decisions to make internally, while also possibly making some big moves externally. They have already been active on the market, dealing Evander Kane to the Vancouver Canucks to clear cap space. The championship window is open; it’s time to make a splash.
