The Edmonton Oilers are a workforce that, regardless of having a boatload of expertise, have loads of areas they’d like to enhance earlier than the playoffs get underway. Addressing all these areas gained’t be doable as a result of wage cap, however they’re anticipated to make a minimum of one transfer forward of the commerce deadline with the intention to put them over the sting.
Whereas some wish to see an improve on the blue line or in between the pipes, there are a lot of who level to the disappointing seasons of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson as a sign that normal supervisor (GM) Stan Bowman ought to as an alternative be on the lookout for a scoring winger. With that mentioned, listed here are some that could be of curiosity to the Oilers.
Mikko Rantanen
Regardless of being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in a blockbuster deal lower than a month in the past, there’s discuss from among the NHL’s prime insiders that Mikko Rantanen may very well be on the transfer as soon as once more forward of the commerce deadline. The reasoning is that the Canes aren’t positive they will re-sign him, which makes the commerce to accumulate him within the first place relatively puzzling.
If Rantanen is obtainable, the Oilers needs to be throughout it. The 28-year-old had half of his wage coated by the Chicago Blackhawks, that means that any workforce he goes to could be taking up only a $4.625 million cap hit. That’s an absolute discount for a participant that has recorded north of 100 factors in every of the previous two seasons.
Do the Oilers have what it takes to accumulate Rantanen? That is still to be seen. On the very least, it’s price checking in, and parting methods with prospect Matt Savoie and a 2026 first-round choose could also be sufficient to get the ball rolling.
Brad Marchand
The Boston Bruins are outdoors the playoff image, and if that continues to be up till the deadline, there’s some severe hypothesis that Brad Marchand may very well be moved. One of many groups who’re reportedly interested by including him is the Oilers, and boy wouldn’t it solidify their Stanley Cup probabilities.
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Marchand is within the last 12 months of his contract, which has resulted in hypothesis relating to his future. The 36-year-old, whereas not as elite of a participant as he as soon as was, nonetheless has loads of recreation left. By way of 57 video games this season, he’s notched 20 objectives and 44 factors. Very similar to Rantanen, he wouldn’t come low-cost, although making Savoie obtainable could also be sufficient to pry Marchand from the Bruins.
Ryan Donato
Right here’s the place we get into the extra lifelike candidates. Whereas Rantanen could be an elite pickup, the Oilers might not have the property it takes to accumulate him. A participant like Ryan Donato, nevertheless, they could very nicely have the ability to seize from the Blackhawks.
Donato, who’s a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), is having his greatest season so far, scoring 19 objectives and 37 factors in 53 video games. He can play a number of positions up entrance and carries a cap hit of simply $2 million, making him an especially cheap match for the Oilers from a greenback perspective. So far as a return is worried, he probably wouldn’t price greater than a second rounder, which the Oilers have in every of the subsequent three drafts.
Kyle Palmieri
Some followers have issues concerning the age of the Oilers, which can have them hesitant about going out and buying and selling for 34-year-old Kyle Palmieri. The pending UFA will entice curiosity from a number of groups, nevertheless, if the New York Islanders proceed to stay outdoors the playoff image come the deadline.
Whereas Palmieri doesn’t convey a ton of pace, he’s nonetheless very productive offensively. He hit the 30-goal mark for the second time in his profession in 2023-24, and has put up a strong 16 objectives and 37 factors in 55 video games this season. He would function a strong match on the Oilers’ second line alongside Leon Draisaitl. Very similar to Donato, he wouldn’t price something greater than a second-round choose at this level in his profession.
Brock Nelson
Although Brock Nelson has performed centre for the overwhelming majority of his profession, the Oilers might have curiosity in bringing him in as a left winger to play with Draisaitl. The 33-year-old has been some of the mentioned pending UFAs all season lengthy, and for good motive. He’s scored north of 30 objectives in every of the previous three seasons.
Nelson’s numbers are down in 2024-25 by his requirements, although he nonetheless has a good 17 objectives and 35 factors by way of 55 video games. He’s a participant each workforce within the league would like to have, although there’s been chatter as of late that the Islanders are hoping to signal him to an extension, which has resulted in him falling decrease on this record. Nelson could be costlier than Donato and Palmieri, probably requiring a first-rounder at minimal. Maybe a primary together with a mid-round choose is sufficient to get the job accomplished.
Yanni Gourde
Like Nelson, Yanni Gourde has spent the vast majority of his season enjoying down the center, however one would think about he’d be more than pleased to maneuver to the wing with the intention to try to win his third Stanley Cup. The Oilers would give him an important alternative to take action, and he would add yet one more feisty presence to their lineup.
Gourde is at the moment on the injured reserve on account of hernia surgical procedure, and will not be again earlier than the commerce deadline. That might scare groups off, although his championship pedigree ought to garner him some curiosity. There are higher choices obtainable, however including him would nonetheless make the Oilers a stronger workforce. What does make Gourde good is that he would come low-cost, with a fifth or sixth-round choice probably getting the job accomplished.
Brandon Tanev
One other Seattle Kraken ahead who may very well be on the transfer is Brandon Tanev. He will not be considered a lot when it comes to being a scoring winger, however relatively a bottom-six choice who supplies a ton of power due to his physicality and unimaginable pace.
Tanev has proven some offensive contact prior to now, nevertheless, having scored 16 objectives and 33 factors in the course of the 2022-23 season with the Kraken. On the very least, he could be an improve over the Oilers’ bottom-six ahead group, and would make them an much more troublesome workforce to go up towards within the playoffs. Largely on account of his pace, Tanev is a scorching commodity, which can imply the Oilers must half methods with a second-round choose to accumulate him.
Gustav Nyquist
After an unimaginable 23-goal, 75-point outing in 2023-24, Gustav Nyquist’s numbers have slowed down for the Nashville Predators this season. The 35-year-old, like many on the Preds roster, has dissatisfied with simply 9 objectives and 20 factors by way of 53 video games.
Regardless of the down season, Nyquist has confirmed to be a strong offensive contributor all through his 837-game profession. He too is a pending UFA, and carries a cap hit of simply $3.185 million. He would probably come low-cost, which bodes nicely for an Oilers workforce that doesn’t have a ton of prospects within the cabinet. Very similar to Gourde, a mid-round choose ought to get the job accomplished.
Joel Armia
Joel Armia is much like Brandon Tanev in that he will not be considered a scoring winger, however he has confirmed that he can contribute. The 31-year-old scored a career-high 17 objectives in simply 66 video games with the Montreal Canadiens in 2023-24, and is having himself one other strong season with 10 objectives and 24 factors by way of 56 outings.
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Armia has a deadly shot, and can also be very accountable defensively. Yet one more pending UFA, he too is reasonably priced with a cap hit of simply $3.4 million. He gained’t by any means be on the prime of the Oilers’ record, however isn’t a nasty choice in the event that they aren’t capable of land among the names talked about above. Contemplating he was obtainable without cost on waivers early in 2023-24, the Habs would probably be tremendous with a fifth or sixth-round choose in return.
Loads of Gamers Obtainable
If the Oilers do determine to search for a winger relatively than enhancing their backend or goaltending, this record is proof that there are a lot of gamers obtainable. Bowman and his workers have some difficult choices to make, but it surely wouldn’t be a shock to see a minimum of one of many gamers talked about above sporting Oilers colors in lower than a month’s time.
