The Edmonton Oilers are at least kicking the tires on two very different answers to the same problem: finding a right-shot centre.
On 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Elliotte Friedman tied Edmonton to the Kirby Dach rumours and said the club has also “poked around” on Shane Wright. Friedman added that his sense was head coach Mike Babcock may have brought the need for a right-shot centre to management, though he framed that as his interpretation of the situation rather than a confirmed exchange.
That matters, because it keeps this in the realm of interest rather than action. Friedman’s comments do not point to a deal being close with either Montreal or Seattle. What they do show is that the Oilers have at least two names on the board, and those names come with very different timelines and levels of risk.
Dach is the more familiar fit. He would bring size, a right-handed shot and the ability to move around the lineup, and Edmonton already has his brother, Colton, in the organization. When Dach is at his best, he can protect the puck, open space for teammates and give a team useful minutes in a second- or third-line role.
The catch is availability. Dach appeared in 37 games for Montreal in 2025-26 and finished with 15 points. He also signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract in July, so Edmonton would have to decide whether the upside is worth both the trade price and the uncertainty that comes with his health.
If the Oilers went that route, it would likely be because they see Dach as a flexible middle-six piece rather than a sure-fire fix down the middle. Edmonton has younger players competing for those minutes, which means any move would need to feel like a real step up.
Wright is the more ambitious swing. Seattle took him fourth overall in 2022, and he followed that by posting 44 points, including 19 goals, in 79 games during his first full NHL season in 2024-25. He checks the right-shot box Edmonton seems to be chasing, and he also carries the kind of growth potential that could make him more than a short-term patch.
That same upside would make him harder to pry away. Seattle has invested years into developing him, and the Oilers would have to balance the cost of acquisition against the need to improve right now. A serious push for Wright would be as much about what he might become as what he already is.
For Edmonton, the message is pretty clear: the search is on, and the focus is the middle of the ice. Dach would be the lower-risk, shorter-term gamble, with a built-in connection.
Wright would be the bigger bet on the future. Neither is anywhere near a confirmed move, but both are firmly in the conversation.
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For the Oilers, the Dach chatter is the one to watch because it fits a team that is still looking for another move-up-the-middle possibility, even as the market remains fluid. And while Detroit is drawing plenty of attention in its own Dylan Larkin trade talks, with multiple teams involved and some offers already turned away, Edmontons pursuit of help at center could end up being shaped as much by how those talks evolve as by anything the Oilers can do on their own. [Read more 🡒]
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Oilers Final Cuts Leave Fans Watching One Opening Night Choice
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There was movement at the edges of the roster, with Josh Samanski heading to Bakersfield in the AHL while Owen Michaels remains with the club for opening night. Mike Babcock also confirmed the goaltending plan for the opener, adding another layer to a roster picture that now looks set, even if a few of the choices at the margins will keep drawing attention until puck drop. [Read more 🡒]