The Edmonton Oilers have made one thing very clear: scoring is not the issue. Their nine-goal outing against Vancouver drove that point home again. So the real debate is whether they should cash in future pieces to upgrade the back end.
One proposed deal would send Simon Edvinsson’s RFA rights to Edmonton in exchange for Jake Walman, Isaac Howard, Beau Akey, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick.
In this scenario, the Oilers would also sign Edvinsson to a five-year deal worth $9.75-$10 million annually. That contract figure is an assumption, not a reported agreement or asking price.
From Edmonton’s side, the appeal is obvious. The bet is that Edvinsson can grow into a true blue-line anchor during the club’s championship window.
His size and mobility give him the kind of toolkit that can help disrupt entries, close space and get the puck moving quickly to Edmonton’s forwards. A pairing with Evan Bouchard would be an interesting possibility, though that fit would still need to be proven.
This is really a roster-balance play. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl driving the offence, Edmonton can justify spending premium assets on stopping chances instead of chasing another scorer.
The cap picture, though, is not small. Replacing Walman’s $7-million hit with the proposed Edvinsson contract would raise that spot by $2.75-$3 million per year.
Edmonton would still have to make the rest of the roster work. And if the Oilers are going to commit for five years and nearly $10 million annually, they have to believe Edvinsson can deliver top-pair value.
Detroit’s angle is different. The Red Wings would land an NHL player right away, plus two prospects and two first-round picks.
Howard could bring scoring upside, while Akey adds another defense prospect to develop. The picks would either restock the pipeline or become trade chips down the line.
There’s also the contract and trade backdrop to consider. Elliotte Friedman reported that Edvinsson would prefer a trade, though Detroit still plans to sign him.
Friedman also said the Wings have “gauged his market.” That doesn’t mean they have to move him, but it does explain why this kind of proposal would at least get attention.
Walman’s seven-year commitment could be part of Detroit’s calculus, especially if the organization wants to build around younger players. Keeping Edvinsson remains very much on the table.
A helpful comparison comes from Montreal’s deal for Noah Dobson, which brought him in for Emil Heineman and the 16th and 17th picks in the 2025 draft, along with an eight-year contract at $9.5 million per year.
That gives a rough framework for the kind of price major defensemen can command: two firsts and a young player package. Still, the comparison isn’t exact.
Montreal’s picks had known slots, while Edmonton’s future firsts could fall later. Howard and Akey also come with development uncertainty, and Dobson’s offensive track record makes the salary side of the comparison a little cleaner.
So would Edmonton do it? I would think about it, but only if the contract was already sorted out and the team had a strong read on Edvinsson’s defensive impact.
It would be a pricey swing on his upside. And there’s one more catch: Walman has a full no-move clause, so he would have to agree.
Without that, this exact package doesn’t work.
The Oilers can already score. The question is whether Edvinsson would improve their ability to defend enough to justify two first-round picks, two prospects and the extra salary.
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