Mike Babcock has made one thing clear since taking over behind the Edmonton Oilers bench: he wants more from the bottom of the lineup.
That message has been a theme from the moment he arrived, and it fits a roster that, at times, leaned too hard on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl under Kris Knoblauch. Edmonton has needed more from its depth for a while, and Babcock’s early comments suggest that giving those players a bigger role is a central part of his plan.
“We need to improve the depth on the team. And what I mean by that, we have to make more people important.
You can't win in the NHL with 6 guys [...] If you're an edge piece, you don't feel like part of the group.
That's no good. And so… pic.twitter.com/aCJKkpWTxo”
If Babcock follows through, a few depth players could be the biggest winners.
Trent Frederic is one of them. Since being acquired by the Oilers at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, he has not found much traction. Edmonton used him mostly as a fourth-line piece, and the production matched that role: four goals, three assists and seven points in 74 games, with 11:02 of ice time per night.
That was a sharp drop from his best season, which came in 2023-24 with the Boston Bruins. That year, Frederic put up 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points in 82 games while averaging 13:45 of ice time.
The difference in usage was significant, and it’s fair to say he was asked to do more in Boston than he was in Edmonton. If Babcock gives him more minutes and a better fit, Frederic could become a far more useful piece.
At the very least, he deserves that chance.
Kasperi Kapanen is another player who could benefit from the change. He already has history with Babcock from their time together with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where the two were around each other for more than 100 games. That connection matters, especially because Kapanen had the best year of his career under Babcock in 2018-19, when he scored 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points in 78 games.
Babcock knows what Kapanen can look like when he’s playing at that level. This season, that could mean more time in the top nine and maybe even a look next to Edmonton’s stars. For now, though, he has mostly been used on a defensive shutdown line during the preseason.
Then there’s Josh Samanski, who may be the most intriguing name of the group. He made his NHL debut last season and has already packed a lot into a short stretch of his career: top U-23 scorer in the German top men’s league DEL, a top-six AHL center, an Olympic athlete and then an Oilers regular by season’s end.
He now appears set to start the season as a top-nine center, especially if Jason Dickinson misses time. If Samanski sticks out of camp and gets that kind of role, his two-way game and secondary scoring could make him stand out quickly. He also looks like a good example of Edmonton’s effort to add to its prospect pool through free-agent talent.
Under a coach who has openly stressed the value of depth, the 24-year-old pivot could be in position to take a real step forward in his first full season.
In Other News...
Red Wings Face Growing Pressure In Dylan Larkin Trade Talks
Carson Soucys professional tryout with the Columbus Blue Jackets is starting to look less like a camp storyline and more like a practical solution, with injuries thinning out the defense and coach Rick Bowness already praising what he has seen. Around the league, the rumor mill is busy in a few different directions, from Kirill Marchenkos name coming up in connection with the Toronto Maple Leafs to Edmonton showing interest in Kirby Dach, a reminder that front offices are still sorting through options while camps get underway.
For the Oilers, the Dach chatter is the one to watch because it fits a team that is still looking for another move-up-the-middle possibility, even as the market remains fluid. And while Detroit is drawing plenty of attention in its own Dylan Larkin trade talks, with multiple teams involved and some offers already turned away, Edmontons pursuit of help at center could end up being shaped as much by how those talks evolve as by anything the Oilers can do on their own. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Opening Night Roster Battle Just Sent A Clear Message
The Oilers opening-night roster picture is already taking shape, and the clearest early winner from camp has been Owen Michaels. Edmonton kept Michaels with the NHL group for the season opener after he outperformed expectations in camp and showed the kind of dependable two-way game that coaches trust when the games start to count. It is another sign that this roster is still being sorted with performance and injuries both shaping the conversation.
Josh Samanski, meanwhile, is headed to Bakersfield as the Oilers continue trimming the group and setting roles for the start of the season. Dave Babcock pointed to the areas Samanski still has to clean up before he can work his way back, with the organization looking for more consistency in the defensive end and at key detail spots that matter in close games. The move leaves Edmonton with a clearer sense of who has earned the first chance, even as the bottom of the roster remains very much a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Final Cuts Leave Fans Watching One Opening Night Choice
The Oilers have trimmed their group down to 23 players for the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks, and the final roster decisions came with a few clues about how the coaching staff sees the first night unfolding. Edmonton also laid out its expected forward and defensive pairings, giving fans a clearer picture of the lineup shape as the regular season gets underway.
There was movement at the edges of the roster, with Josh Samanski heading to Bakersfield in the AHL while Owen Michaels remains with the club for opening night. Mike Babcock also confirmed the goaltending plan for the opener, adding another layer to a roster picture that now looks set, even if a few of the choices at the margins will keep drawing attention until puck drop. [Read more 🡒]