Edmonton’s offseason has already been swallowed up by the coaching change and the goaltending logjam, but the forward group still looks like the area that could use one more swing. The Oilers are believed to be hunting for another addition up front, and the focus is on a legitimate top-six piece if the right player can be pried loose.
A few names keep coming up in the noise around the team, and the list starts with one of the most obvious fits: Alex DeBrincat.
DeBrincat, now with the Detroit Red Wings, is still producing like a true top-line scorer. He’s 28 and just finished a season with 41 goals and 85 points in 82 games played.
He’s also in the final year of his deal, which puts Detroit in a tricky spot. Steve Yzerman could move him and get assets back, or gamble on a new contract.
Edmonton would gladly take on that last year, but the $7.875 million cap hit is a problem unless the Oilers can send money back the other way.
Jake DeBrusk is another name that refuses to go away. The Vancouver Canucks winger has been tied to Edmonton for years, and the connection is easy to see.
He was born in Edmonton, and his father still works with the team in a broadcast role. DeBrusk posted 23 goals and 42 points last season, and at 29, his $5.5 million cap hit is much easier to imagine fitting into the Oilers’ picture.
If Vancouver pushes further into a rebuild, a reunion starts to make real sense. He’d also give Edmonton a useful second-unit power-play option as a net-front presence with soft hands.
Owen Tippett may be the cleanest fit on pure style alone. The Philadelphia Flyers forward is 27, coming off a 28-goal, 23-assist season, and his speed and shot would slide naturally into Edmonton’s top six.
His $6.2 million cap hit is a little rich for the Oilers, but if Philadelphia has to move money after landing Leo Carlsson via an offer sheet, there could be a path through salary retention or a smaller contract coming back. Tippett is entering the prime of his career, and other teams would be in the mix if the Flyers make him available.
The Pittsburgh Penguins show up twice on the list, and for good reason. Rickard Rakell is already on Edmonton’s radar, and he remains a productive winger at 33.
He scored 24 goals and 24 assists in 2025-26 and carries a $5 million cap hit with two years left. The catch is the asking price.
The Penguins have reportedly made him available, but they want a strong return.
Bryan Rust is the other Penguin worth watching. Oilers insider Jason Gregor has mentioned him as a name that may be flying under the radar.
Rust is 34, a steady 20-goal scorer, and he has two years remaining at a $5.125 million cap hit. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe has reported that Penguins GM Kyle Dubas doesn’t want to move him, but that hasn’t stopped contenders from asking about him for years.
Then there’s the one option that doesn’t require a trade at all: Vladimir Tarasenko. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently floated the unrestricted free agent as a possible fit in Edmonton.
The Oilers were reportedly interested in Claude Giroux, but after his decision to return to Ottawa, he’s no longer in the picture. Tarasenko has started to emerge as a value add for a team that wants help now.
In Other News...
Red Wings GM Search Just Took A Concerning Turn For Fans
The Red Wings front-office search has already taken on a familiar feel, with Shawn Horcoff emerging as the internal name to watch and other familiar hockey figures hovering around the conversation. Brendan Shanahan and Nicklas Lidstrom are also in the mix, which gives Detroit a mix of continuity and star power as it sorts through what comes next after a major organizational change.
Tom Fitzgerald has been mentioned as a possible outside option, but his candidacy comes with plenty of baggage from his time in New Jersey. The Devils never fully solved some of their biggest roster problems under his watch, from the blue line to finding the right help for Jack Hughes and stabilizing the crease, which is why Detroit fans have reason to wonder whether this is the direction the search should go. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Suddenly Have A New Franchise Face To Consider
Detroits search for a new identity suddenly has a very different shape to it, and Alex DeBrincat is right in the middle of it. After a season in which he delivered a career-best scoring pace and gave the Red Wings the kind of offensive punch they have been trying to build around, he has become the most obvious candidate to help stabilize the franchise picture if the current leadership dynamic changes.
DeBrincat is not the loudest presence in the room, but his production and reliability make him the kind of player a team can rally around. If Detroit is forced to reset its hierarchy, the next step feels clear enough: keep DeBrincat in the fold for the long term and let his game help define what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Suddenly Have An Intriguing Young Forward Story To Watch
The Red Wings have a small but notable summer subplot unfolding at Little Caesars Arena, where prospects JP Hurlbert, Victor Plante and Brent Solomon have been training with Team USA ahead of the World Junior Summer Showcase. All three are recent Detroit draft picks, and their presence in the same building where the organization hopes to build its next wave of talent gives the week a little extra relevance for a team always looking for young scoring help.
Team USAs roster has the three forwards scheduled to face Finland, and Detroit will be watching closely for more than just results. With the Red Wings needing their pipeline to keep moving and offensive options never in short supply on the wish list, any glimpse of chemistry or progress from Hurlbert, Plante or Solomon is worth filing away, even if the bigger payoff is still to come later. [Read more 🡒]