The Edmonton Oilers have already made one move, bringing in Filip Hallander from the Pittsburgh Penguins, but that does not look like the end of their search for a right-shooting center.
That’s the big takeaway here: one deal hasn’t closed the door on another. League insiders have been saying as much, and Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer has pointed in the same direction.
The name to watch is Boston Bruins forward Matthew Poitras.
Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast that Edmonton had taken a hard look at Poitras before landing Hallander, which tells you the Oilers were working multiple angles to solve the same problem. The issue, at least from Edmonton’s side, came down to cost.
Boston was reportedly asking for a draft pick, and the Oilers may not have wanted to pay that price. Their preferred route was to move a defenseman, an area where they had extra bodies, and that likely helps explain Spencer Stastney’s departure.
In the end, the Penguins wanted blue-line depth, GM Kyle Dubas got involved, and the Oilers pivoted to Hallander.
Still, Poitras hasn’t disappeared from the conversation. Frank Seravalli reported: ”Count the Edmonton Oilers among those who have kept tabs on Boston Bruins forward Matthew Poitras in their quest to find a right-shooting center to anchor their fourth line. Poitras’ biggest supporter internally is coach Mike Babcock - and that worked out well for Alex Formenton in September.”
That internal support matters, even if it doesn’t seal anything. Poitras remains in Boston, and the Bruins’ asking price is still part of the equation. If that number drops, or if Edmonton decides it wants that center depth badly enough, the two sides could circle back.
For now, though, nothing sounds close. The Oilers are also waiting on several injured players to return, which makes the timing murkier. But if the injury situation gets worse, or if a deal for Poitras starts to make real sense, this is one to keep on the board.
In Other News...
Bruins Fans Have A Real Matthew Poitras Trade Question Again
The Oilers have had Matthew Poitras on their radar, and that alone is enough to keep the conversation alive in Edmonton. Bostons young forward has the kind of skill set that tends to draw attention from teams looking for affordable upside, and for the Oilers, it fits into the broader search for help without having to swing for a bigger, costlier name on the market.
Still, interest is only part of the equation. Edmontons pursuit has not turned into a completed deal, and the gap between checking in on a player and actually landing him can be the difference between a useful depth addition and a story that stays in the rumor pile. For now, Poitras remains one of the more intriguing names tied to the Oilers, with the real question being whether the sides ever get close enough to make it happen. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Babcock Is Already Changing A Familiar Oilers Problem
The early returns under Mike Babcock have given the Oilers a better opening than they have had in a while. Edmonton is off to its best four-game start in five seasons, and even with key forwards missing, the club has settled into the kind of rhythm that had been elusive in recent years when the season usually began with more frustration than momentum.
Babcock has already made a noticeable adjustment to a familiar problem by leaning harder on his top talent in the same spots, rather than spreading it around and hoping the depth holds everything together. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl driving one line, Edmonton has looked more stable through the first week, but the bigger question is how long that approach can hold while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman and Matt Savoie remain out. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Early Surge Is Raising A Bigger Question Than Fans Expected
Edmontons early surge has come with a few encouraging signs beyond the usual top-end offense, and Devon Levi has been one of them. His recent work in goal has given the Oilers a chance to weather some shaky stretches from the depth pairs, while Evan Bouchards scoring pace is keeping Edmonton in the kind of statistical company that tends to get attention this time of year. Add in the way recent games have been sliced up by line usage and individual contributions, and there is a lot to like in the opening sample.
The bigger question is whether the group has enough behind the headlines to sustain it. Edmonton has started to lean on new pieces such as Filip Hllander, whose size, speed and penalty-killing value give the roster another layer, and whose five-on-five offensive track record suggests there could be more there as he settles in. The early results have been positive, but the way the Oilers are distributing minutes and production is going to matter just as much once opponents start forcing them to answer deeper down the lineup. [Read more 🡒]