The Edmonton Oilers may look like a team with its lineup mostly sorted out, but that picture can change fast. That’s the point being made here: even with a shortened preseason and a condensed training camp, the roster is not finished, and there are still real battles to sort through.
The lesson comes straight from recent memory. Back on September 22, 2022, there was a “certain Oilers” list that included only 14 sure roster spots. On opening night that season, the lineup featured everyone except Kailer Yamamoto, who was a healthy scratch, and Mattias Janmark, who was waived on October 7 and sent to Bakersfield.
So when people online say the 23-man roster is basically already set, that argument doesn’t really hold up. Mike Babcock still has decisions to make, and the idea that there’s no room left for evaluation doesn’t match the reality of camp. The roster is not settled, and it’s not close.
Right now, the list of players who feel secure is up to 20, but there are still several unresolved spots.
In goal, Frederik Andersen, Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi look like the trio that’s in place unless injury changes things.
On defense, Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard, Jake Walman, Connor Murphy, Ryan Shea and Ty Emberson are all included. But the seventh defense spot is still up for grabs among Shakir Mukhamadullin, Spencer Stastney and Alec Regula.
A trade could also enter the picture. Mukhamadullin was in the minors as recently as 2024-25 and played fewer NHL games last season than Stastney, so this still feels like a group with movement left in it.
Emberson could be dealt as well, and the defense may not be fully settled yet. It also looks like the most likely place for someone to land on IR coming out of camp.
Up the middle, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Jason Dickinson are the names that stand out. Even there, though, things are not locked in. Josh Samanski is not being treated as a certainty, despite being liked, and there is a belief that another addition at center is still coming.
The wing group is crowded with Zach Hyman, Matt Savoie, Vasily Podkolzin, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kasperi Kapanen, Trent Frederic, Mathieu Joseph and Colton Dach all listed as locks. Ike Howard should make the team, but even that is not guaranteed.
With three goalies on the roster, the Oilers may have to carry five centers for utility, which would leave room for only eight wingers. That’s where the squeeze comes in, and it puts Howard and Mattias Janmark squarely in the mix as the roster continues to take shape.
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The Oilers are already working within a tight cap picture and roster constraints, so bringing in another veteran scorer would not be a small cosmetic tweak. It would look more like a judgment call on the clubs internal pipeline, a sign the front office may not be fully convinced those prospects are ready to carry more of the load. Whether Edmonton chooses to trust its young talent or make room for a more established winger, the decision is likely to say plenty about how the team views its own future. [Read more 🡒]
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Connor McDavid's Next Oilers Deal Could Define Edmonton's Cup Window
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There is also a familiar wrinkle in McDavids situation: he has signed below his market value before, and the Oilers would certainly welcome a repeat if they can keep convincing him they are built to contend. For Edmonton, this is about more than a number on a cap sheet. It is about whether the franchise can present a case strong enough to keep its captain aligned with the same urgency that has defined the teams push to stay in the championship mix. [Read more 🡒]