The Edmonton Oilers know they need help in goal this summer. That much is clear. But if they want a little more scoring juice deeper in the lineup, there are still a few veteran power forwards sitting on the open market who could fit the bill.
The catch, of course, is age. Any team signing players over 35 is taking on some risk. Still, with the right incentives and the right short-term structure, these names might not cost enough to scare the Oilers off.
Anders Lee is one of the more intriguing options. The soon-to-be 36-year-old is leaving the New York Islanders, the only NHL team he has ever known, and appears to be hunting for one last shot at a Stanley Cup. The Oilers could look like a strong landing spot for that kind of chase.
Lee has spent his career as one of the league’s top scoring power forwards, piling up more than 300 goals, more than 500 points and 923 games. Even now, he has generally hovered around a 40-50 point pace, including in recent seasons.
The worry is obvious: at his age, with his style of play and production that has already settled into a lower range, the decline could arrive fast. But he would bring something else too - veteran presence and leadership after serving as Islanders captain for the past eight seasons.
If the money is right on a short deal, he makes sense as a depth bet.
Jamie Benn is in a similar lane. The 36-year-old former captain is also testing free agency, and he figures to be looking hard at a contender. Edmonton would qualify, especially after beating him in the Western Conference Finals.
Benn’s numbers have trended down, and last season he finished with 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in 60 games. That’s a step back from just two years ago, when he put up 21 goals and 60 points in 82 games.
So the question is simple: how much does he have left? If the Oilers can give him a bigger role in the top nine, or even put him next to Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, there’s at least a path to squeezing out more offense.
Like Lee, he comes with risk, but on a one- or two-year deal at a reasonable cap hit, he could still help.
Then there’s James Van Riemsdyk, who has turned into something of a traveler late in his career. The 37-year-old has played for a different team in each of the last four seasons, spending time with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings. Through it all, the production and availability have held up.
He has played more than 70 games in each of the past three seasons and has stayed in the 30-40 point range. With Detroit last season, he recorded 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points in 72 games.
His game has long been built around the dirty areas - tips, rebounds, second chances - and that kind of scoring touch could fit neatly with Edmonton. He also has familiarity with Oilers forward Zach Hyman and .
In Other News...
Sabres Just Made A Goalie Decision Fans Will Debate For Years
The Oilers quietly took a swing at one of their biggest organizational needs by landing Devon Levi, a young goaltender with real long-term upside, in a trade with Buffalo. Edmonton also picked up a seventh-rounder in 2028, while sending the Sabres a 2028 third-round choice, a price that signals the team sees Levi as more than a depth addition.
For Edmonton, the appeal is obvious: Levi is now lined up with Tristan Jarry as part of the clubs goaltending tandem for the 2026-27 season, giving the organization a new look in net and a possible answer down the road. Levis move out of Buffalo closes a chapter that never fully settled into a full-time starter role, and the next one in Edmonton comes with pressure, opportunity and plenty of eyes on how quickly he can turn promise into reliability. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Make Another Quiet Forward Move That Could Matter
The Oilers have added another depth forward to the mix, signing Eduards Tralmaks to a one-year deal as they continue to round out the roster with low-cost bets that could pay off later. It fits the pattern of a team that has already been busy this offseason, following the trade of Darnell Nurse and the signing of Ryan Shea while trying to keep the forward group stocked with options.
Tralmaks comes off a productive season with Grand Rapids, where he put up 26 goals and 42 points in 64 AHL games. For Edmonton, the appeal is obvious: a player who can score at the minor-league level, comes cheaply at $850,000, and gives the organization another name to track as camp approaches, even if the path to meaningful NHL minutes still has to be earned. [Read more 🡒]