Logan Stanley’s summer hasn’t gone the way he likely imagined.
The 6-foot-7 defenceman passed on early opportunities in free agency, apparently hoping to land a deal closer to $4 million AAV. Instead, he’s still unsigned as of August 10, and the market around him has thinned out fast. At this point, he’s sitting there as the top defenceman left, though that label only carries so much weight now.
That lost ground matters. A player who might have been looking at a four-year commitment earlier in the summer is now staring at something much shorter - maybe one or two years - and a much smaller price tag, likely around $2 million or less if the wait stretches into the season.
Stanley is coming off what the source describes as his best all-around season, even after a trade from Winnipeg to Buffalo that he didn’t want. He went to Buffalo with Luke Schenn in exchange for forward Isak Rosén, defenseman Jacob Bryson, a 2027 second-round draft pick, and a conditional 2026 fourth-round draft pick.
But Buffalo scratched him multiple times during its playoff run and isn’t interested in bringing him back. Winnipeg also closed the door on a reunion after signing Mario Ferraro.
There are still teams in the mix. Stanley has been linked to Philadelphia, Anaheim, San Jose and Pittsburgh, with the Penguins currently viewed as the favorite and the Ducks right there behind them.
Both clubs need help on the blue line, and Stanley’s heavy, physical style fits the kind of hole they’re trying to fill. He’s not shy about going into the dirty areas, and that part of his game still has value.
Edmonton, though, is at least worth mentioning.
The Oilers have about $4.725 million in projected cap space and 46 players already under contract, which makes any addition tricky. Still, that number isn’t empty, and it could work for a short-term deal in Stanley’s current range.
Edmonton has some size on the back end, but a cheap physical defender who can handle bottom-pair minutes is the sort of depth the club has been chasing. It would take some cap juggling, and Stan Bowman hasn’t shown much interest in one-year rental defencemen this summer.
Even so, if Stanley’s market keeps sliding and the asking price dips into the low twos, Edmonton wouldn’t be a crazy team to at least call.
The cautionary tale is Jack Roslovic. He and his agent wanted more than teams were willing to pay, and Bowman later said the Oilers had offered Roslovic $2 million AAV in the summer before he turned that down and went elsewhere. Roslovic eventually signed in Edmonton for one year at $1 million AAV.
Stanley could be headed down a similar road if he waits much longer.
For now, he’s still on the board, but the clock is working against him. Training camps are almost here, and every day that passes only makes his leverage smaller.
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