Oilers Host Posts Cryptic Lineup Outlook for 2025-26 Season

Popular social media former Oilers radio host Paul Almeida posted on X this week a look at how the Edmonton Oilers’ roster is shaping up for the 2025-26 season. A team tight on the salary cap, he wondered what the roster might look like if the Oilers were successful in trading Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson. With those two forwards gone, what is the team left with?

Here is what Almeida posted:

Current Oilers Lineup if Bouchard and Frederic Sign

** UFAs: Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Kasperi Kapanen, John Klingberg

• Trent Frederic – Connor McDavid – Zach Hyman
• Vasily Podkolzin – Leon Draisaitl – Matt Savoie
• Adam Henrique – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – David Tomasek
• Max Jones – Noah Philp – Mattias Janmark
  
• Mattias Ekholm – Evan Bouchard
• Darnell Nurse – Brett Kulak
• Jake Walman – Ty Emberson
  
  Troy Stetcher – Atro Leppanen
  
• Stuart Skinner
• Calvin Pickard

What to Make Of This 2025-25 Oilers Lineup

First things first, this is not a finished product. The forward group isn’t what their lineup will look like by the time the playoffs roll around next season. If Arvidsson and Kane go, that would leave Edmonton with $21 million in cap space. If we assume Bouchard signs for around $10 million and Frederic $3.75 million, that’s still over $7.25 million left to sign their own guys or others.

Related: Maple Leafs Are Shutting the Door on McDavid

From there, the Oilers won’t start Frederic on the first line. Ideally, he’s on the third line to start, with someone proven in the top-six.

Edmonton is attempting to sign both Perry and Kapanen. Even if they sign just one, it incurs an additional cost of around $1.5 million. Kapanen won’t be expensive, and Perry will likely sign a bonus-heavy, one-year deal.

That leaves around $6 million to work with. It’s not a lot if the Oilers are trying to upgrade their goaltending, but it’s not nothing, either.

What Do the Oilers Need to Do?

The defense looks solid. It’s not perfect, but it’s a playoff-caliber group that can be augmented at the trade deadline. The top pairing is fine, assuming Ekholm is healthy. The second pair is solid too, potentially moving Jake Walman up. Stecher as a seven means the Oilers are in decent shape there.

It’s the forward group that should have fans concerned. Specifically, this team badly needs a top-six winger. There are high hopes for Matt Savoie, but he is not yet ready for that role. This setup has him pegged to be on the second line. Who knows, by the deadline, he may work himself into that conversation.

Frederic, we mentioned previously, is someone who is out of position. He, too, could look much different in a few months after a healthy start.

If the Oilers can acquire someone like JJ Peterka, Jonathan Marchessault, Bryan Rust, Jared McCann, Morgan Geekie, or Nick Robertson — all of whom are on trade bait boards and around or under the $5-$6 million the Oilers have to work with — this lineup looks very different. Not all will be available, or willing to come to Edmonton (the returns will need to be factored in), but you get the point.

• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Zach Hyman
• Vasily Podkolzin – Leon Draisaitl – Jared McCann
• Trent Frederic- Adam Henrique – Matt Savoie
• Corey Perry – Noah Philp – Mattias Janmark
  
• Mattias Ekholm – Evan Bouchard
• Darnell Nurse – Brett Kulak
• Jake Walman – Ty Emberson
  
  Troy Stetcher – Atro Leppanen – David Tomasek – Max Jones – Kasperi Kapanen
  
• Stuart Skinner
• Calvin Pickard

The Trade Deadline Will Matter for the Oilers

I slotted in McCann, but take your pick as to who you think makes more sense. You can also move centers to wings and vice versa. Frederic says he wants to play the middle, Nugent-Hopkins can play center or wing, and Henrique can move up and down between the third and fourth lines.

It’s also worth noting that the Oilers proved one thing this past season: getting into the playoffs is all that matters. Edmonton didn’t have home ice until the Final. They weren’t at the top of the division and rested their guys at the end of the season. Meaning, the Oilers just need to stay in the mix until the trade deadline.

At that point, Edmonton can add and round out the roster. Maybe the Oilers don’t address their goaltending right away. Perhaps they will consider making that move in-season as teams with goaltending options become available.