The Edmonton Oilers aren’t ruling out a professional tryout as they keep sorting through their offseason roster picture.
GM Stan Bowman, speaking this week on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, said the team could go that route if the right player is still looking for a job. Edmonton has been dealing with injuries and working through its salary cap situation, and Bowman acknowledged that a PTO is at least on the table.
“There are still some decent players out there who are trying to find landing spots. I’m not sure if we’re going to go down that road,” said the GM.
He didn’t name names, but several unsigned players remain in the mix, including Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrik Laine, Evander Kane, Michael Bunting, John Klingberg and others.
Bowman also made it clear the Oilers aren’t desperate, even if they aren’t exactly overflowing with bodies.
” We’re not overflowing with players, but we also don’t have a shortage of players. We’re in that mode where yeah, we probably could try to bring a guy in on a tryout - not the worst idea.”
In Montreal, the conversation is shifting from possibility to patience, and Kirill Marchenko keeps coming up. The Canadiens remain tied to the Columbus Blue Jackets forward, and there’s a growing belief around the league that Montreal may be better positioned than anyone to land him if that door opens.
On The Sick Podcast, Tony Marinaro said he thinks the Canadiens are lining themselves up for a player who could eventually want out of Columbus. He grouped Montreal with Tampa Bay, Florida and Buffalo as contenders who will be looking to improve, and he and Jimmy Murphy both believe Marchenko - and later Zach Werenski - will try to “get themselves out of there [Columbus].”
Montreal also has a couple of contract situations worth watching before training camp.
Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports that Zachary Bolduc is expected to settle in soon, with a three-year deal worth around $4 million annually a possibility. Bolduc, who showed encouraging growth during Montreal’s playoff run, is not believed to be worried about his contract and is expected to get a bigger role next season.
Arber Xhekaj is a tougher read. The Canadiens see him as an important player, but last season’s inconsistent usage and limited ice time could make him less eager to lock in long term right now. He’s also dealing with competition on a crowded blue line, which could eventually open the door to a trade or simply give him more opportunity.
The hope is that Xhekaj wants to stay in Montreal, but the timing still matters. Engels wrote, “I can’t help but wonder just how long Xhekaj is willing to wait. Because waiting too long could cost him valuable preparation time for the season and that cost could outweigh the benefit of holding out, especially since the type of deal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is trying to swing rarely materializes in the pre-season.”
In Other News...
Oilers Linked To A Top Six Winger Worth Watching Closely
Kirill Marchenko has quickly become one of the more interesting names on the winger market, and the Oilers are among the teams keeping close tabs on the Columbus forward. Montreal has been mentioned too, but from Edmontons side the appeal is easy to see. He is a top-six type who can help a contender at a premium position, and any player with that profile is going to draw attention when the trade chatter starts to pick up.
The catch is that Marchenko does not sound like a simple rental situation, which is why this one bears watching rather than assuming. Columbus has plenty of reason to proceed carefully with a young winger like that, especially if other front-office business around the league keeps changing the market. Between Connor Hellebuycks confirmed trade request and the speculation swirling around Winnipeg, the wider NHL landscape is shifting fast, and Edmonton will have to decide how aggressively it wants to stay in the mix if Marchenko ever becomes available. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Face A Core Question As Their Cup Window Tightens
As Edmonton looks for a way to keep its championship window open, the contrast with Montreal is hard to miss. Juraj Slafkovsky recently described the Canadiens mindset as one centered more on winning than on maximizing paydays, and Montreal has backed that up by locking in a growing core with long-term contracts for Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Slafkovsky himself.
For the Oilers, the question is whether they can create that same kind of stability while dealing with a more individualized approach to negotiations. With the window tightening, the challenge is not just finding talent, but keeping enough of it together long enough to turn contender status into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Have An Overlooked Prospect Built For A Real Role
Josh Samanski has quietly put together a case that looks different from the usual prospect hype cycle in Edmonton. His AHL work and brief NHL look suggest a player whose value shows up in the details, with a positive influence on his line and enough defensive reliability to stand out in an organization still sorting through names like Ike Howard and Roby Jarventie.
The intrigue is not whether Samanski is going to score at a flashy rate. It is whether his game translates into something more practical for the Oilers, the kind of forward who can handle trusted minutes, help on the penalty kill and hold his own at five-on-five when the margins tighten. For a team always searching for cost-effective depth that can be trusted in real NHL roles, that is a development worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]