Nearly a month into NHL free agency, the Edmonton Oilers still have room to work with. Their estimated $4.725 million in cap space leaves them with enough flexibility to make a move, and one area still begging for help is the forward group.
The loss of Jack Roslovic has left Edmonton without a fresh addition who can bring real offensive punch. That matters on a roster built around stars, because the job isn’t just to lean on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl - it’s to give them support that can help shoulder some of the scoring load.
Two names stand out as possible fits for that kind of role: Eeli Tolvanen and Michael Bunting.
Tolvanen, a 27-year-old Finnish winger, is still sitting on the market despite establishing himself as a useful middle-six forward. His path has been a winding one. After struggling to secure a steady role with the Nashville Predators, the team that originally drafted him, he was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Kraken in 2022.
That move changed his trajectory. Since joining Seattle, Tolvanen has posted career highs in goals with 23, assists with 25, and points with 41. He has also been a reliable 35-plus point producer, using his physical style and second-line minutes to make an impact.
For Edmonton, the appeal is obvious. Tolvanen is the kind of winger who could slot beside McDavid or Draisaitl and potentially benefit from the kind of finish and pace those centers create.
Bunting offers a similar kind of fit. At 31, he has already shown he can thrive in a supporting role, especially during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Playing with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, he put up the two best seasons of his career, finishing with 63 points and 49 points.
His production has cooled since then. Bunting had 55 points in 2023-24, but he has not reached the 40-point mark in either of the past two seasons. He has also bounced around the league, spending the last three seasons with four teams: the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, and Dallas Stars.
Still, he brings a profile that could make sense in Edmonton. Bunting is a scoring winger who can irritate opponents, and he has enough offense and checking ability to move throughout the lineup. Like Tolvanen, he could be used alongside McDavid or Draisaitl as a complementary piece rather than a driver.
In Other News...
Oilers May Be Forced To Trust Unexpected Prospects This Season
The Oilers have not exactly made a habit of getting meaningful rookie help from their recent young players, with Ryan McLeod and Matt Savoie standing out as the rare exceptions. Thats part of what makes this coming season interesting in Edmonton, where the path to NHL ice could open for prospects who were not necessarily penciled in as immediate contributors when camp opened.
Positional need and injuries can change a depth chart fast, and that is where some of the organizations less established young players enter the picture. One right-shot defenseman is in the mix because the Oilers are not exactly overflowing with options on that side, while a right-handed center with size and skill could also get a look if the lineup needs a different kind of forward. Neither has proven much at the NHL level yet, but the circumstances around them may end up forcing Edmonton to trust upside sooner than planned. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Suddenly Have A Real Shot At The Winger Fans Want
The trade market around the NHL has started to feel a lot less theoretical, with big names moving and more asking for changes of scenery. For the Oilers, that matters because they have both the cap space and the kind of future assets that can get a serious conversation started if they decide to chase help on the wing. Edmonton has draft capital to work with over the next few years, along with young pieces such as Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard, which gives the front office more flexibility than it has had in past summers.
What makes this especially interesting is the fit. The Oilers have been searching for a winger who can strengthen the top six without forcing them into a cap crunch, and the current market is finally offering a path that looks realistic. With a restricted free agent situation and team control in the mix, Edmonton can at least explore whether the price is manageable, even if the eventual asking cost still has to line up with what the Oilers are willing to move. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Suddenly Face A Tarasenko Decision Fans Will Debate
Vladimir Tarasenko is still sitting in free agency, and that alone has turned him into one of the more interesting names left on the board for teams still looking to add scoring. After a respectable recent season, his market appears to have cooled enough that a player once carrying a much larger cap hit is now being discussed in a far more modest range, which naturally puts clubs like Edmonton into the conversation.
For the Oilers, the appeal is obvious enough: a veteran winger who could slide into a useful spot in the lineup and give the offense another layer without demanding the kind of commitment that would reshape the roster. The question is whether Edmonton wants to make room for a player with some perceived baggage and whether the fit is worth the debate that would follow, especially if the contract comes in at the kind of bargain level that makes the decision even harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]