NHL training camps are in full swing, and the Edmonton Oilers are already one of the more intriguing teams to track. They spent the offseason making big moves, bringing in Mike Babcock as head coach and D.J. Smith as associate coach, while also trading longtime defenceman Darnell Nurse and adding a wave of new faces.
With only four preseason games on the schedule, the margin for error is tiny. That means every shift matters, and a few roster spots are there for the taking. Three players, in particular, have a chance to make a real impression before the games count.
Isaac Howard is one of the most interesting names in the mix. The 22-year-old forward is trying to earn a spot on the roster and hold it for the full season.
Last year, he spent most of 2025-26 with the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL and put together a strong run there, scoring 24 goals and 50 points in 47 games while playing in a top-six role. His NHL look, though, was much quieter.
He played 29 games for Edmonton and managed just two goals and five points, mostly in a bottom-six role while averaging 10:19 per game. As a 2022 first-round pick, this is a major development year for him.
He got the AHL seasoning he needed, and now the question is whether he can turn that into a full-time NHL job. He also has a real opening in front of him, with Matt Savoie set to miss the start of the season.
In a short preseason, Howard will need to squeeze every bit of value out of his ice time if he wants that spot.
Another name worth watching is Eduards Tralmaks, who will be a first look for many Oilers fans. Edmonton signed the Latvian winger to a one-year deal with an $850,000 cap hit after he posted 26 goals and 42 points in 64 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL last season, finishing at plus-29.
Before that, his last AHL run came with the Providence Bruins in 2022-23, and in between he spent two seasons in Czechia. Even at 29, he’s still waiting for his first NHL game.
At 6-foot-3 and 221 pounds, Tralmaks brings size and a power-forward style that fits naturally in a bottom-six role. He plays with energy, leans into contact, and uses his frame to get to the net and create chances.
He may not be a lock to stay in the NHL all season, but he has a real shot to push for a roster spot, and injuries could easily open the door if he starts in the AHL.
Then there’s Devon Levi, who arrives as part of Edmonton’s completely revamped goaltending picture. The Oilers moved on from Stuart Skinner, Calvin Pickard, and Connor Ingram and now have Tristan Jarry, Frederik Andersen, and Levi in the mix.
General manager Stan Bowman acquired Levi and a 2028 seventh-round pick from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2028 third-round pick. Levi is the least experienced of the three, with 39 NHL games and none since Jan.
20, 2025. His NHL numbers were rough, with a 3.29 goals-against average and an .894 save percentage.
But his AHL track record tells a better story: 120 games, a 2.52 GAA, a .914 save percentage, and 10 shutouts. He was also sharp in the playoffs, putting up a 2.57 GAA, a .917 save percentage, and three shutouts in 16 games.
Buffalo’s crowded goalie situation kept him from moving forward, with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis ahead of him. Now he gets a fresh start, and there’s a path for him to become Edmonton’s starter if he can outplay Jarry in camp.
Jarry has struggled since being acquired, while Andersen’s injury history makes him unavailable to start the season. A strong preseason from Levi could change everything.
The Oilers open preseason play on Sept. 19 at home against the Winnipeg Jets, and these three players will be among the ones trying to force their way into the conversation.
In Other News...
Oilers Suddenly Have A Rare Shot At A Young Star Center
A tense standoff in Columbus has opened an unexpected door for the Oilers, who are suddenly being mentioned as a possible landing spot for young center Adam Fantilli. The Blue Jackets have spent camp dealing with the distraction of an unsigned restricted free agent, and the longer the situation drags on, the more the speculation has shifted toward whether Columbus could eventually choose the cleaner path of moving the player instead of riding out the noise.
For Edmonton, the appeal is obvious. Fantilli would fit the profile of a high-end center in a lineup that could always use more skill down the middle, and reports suggest the Oilers would be willing to put together a serious package to get into the conversation. The names tied to that framework make clear this would not be a minor tweak, but a real swing involving roster pieces, prospects and premium draft capital, with the kind of price tag that says just how rare this opportunity might be. [Read more 🡒]
Babcock Is Sending Oilers Fans One Clear Message About McDavid
Mike Babcock spent Edmontons 2026 training camp making it clear that the Oilers next step is not about simply asking Connor McDavid to do more, but about building a structure that lets everyone else do more around him. The head coach kept coming back to role definition, team structure and what happens away from the puck, a reminder that even with the leagues biggest star driving the attack, the details in the supporting cast still matter.
Babcock also hinted at a more balanced way of spreading the load through the lineup, with bottom-six forwards expected to have a real hand in the teams success. For Oilers fans, the bigger picture is obvious: keeping McDavid fresh for nightly impact while preserving his special teams workload, all while asking the rest of the roster to shoulder more responsibility in a more demanding setup. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Camp Just Put Several Opening Night Roles In Play
Training camp has already given the Oilers a few early clues about how Mike Babcock wants to sort out the roster, with projected line combinations and pairings now taking shape for both Edmonton and the Bakersfield Condors. Its the kind of setup that turns September practices into a real audition, especially when coaches are still sorting out who fits where and which roles might eventually stick once the games count.
The picture is complicated by injuries, with Matt Savoie, Frederik Andersen and Mattias Janmark all working through issues, and that leaves a few spots in flux as evaluations continue. The next round of decisions should tell us more about the pecking order, but there are still open questions about how the checking lines will come together and which camp standouts will be rewarded with a longer look. [Read more 🡒]