The Edmonton Oilers may have a real opportunity to add some scoring help when the July 1st 2026 NHL free agent market opens, and Jonathan Drouin is the name that stands out.
That market is being described as one of the weakest free agent classes in a long time, with the possibility that it becomes remembered for a wave of bad contracts. Even so, Edmonton still has a path to improve its roster, especially in areas like secondary scoring and goaltending. Drouin fits the scoring side of that conversation.
The St. Louis Blues announced Tuesday, on the eve of free agency, that they intended to buy out Drouin’s contract. He appeared in just nine games for the Blues after arriving at the trade deadline in a deal that sent Brayden Schenn the other way.
Drouin is 31 and had one year left on his two-year deal, which carried a $4 million annual average value. Over 671 career NHL games, he has put up 111 goals and 287 assists for 398 points.
His best offensive season came just two years ago, when he totaled 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points in 79 games. This past season, split between the New York Islanders and Blues, he played 64 games and recorded four goals and 20 assists for 24 points.
Once viewed as one of the NHL’s premier prospects, Drouin was taken third overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2013 NHL Draft. His career has had plenty of swings, with stretches where the production wasn’t there and injuries that have cut into both his output and availability.
Still, there is a reason teams will look twice. Drouin has produced at a 0.50 points per game pace or better in nine of the past ten seasons, with this past year being the lone exception. In Edmonton, a top-nine role next to players such as Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Evan Bouchard could put him in position to rediscover that scoring touch.
There is obvious risk here, but there is also a clear reason to pay attention. The Blues likely tested the market and found no takers, which suggests Drouin may come relatively cheap. If the number is right, he could be a worthwhile value addition for the Oilers.
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The complicating factor is Pittsburghs side of the equation. The Penguins are open to listening, but Kyle Dubas has not been in a hurry to move Rakell before, and the price has stayed high in previous talks. Any serious Edmonton pursuit would have to clear that hurdle while also navigating Rakells eight-team no-trade list, which can narrow the path quickly if the interest gets real. [Read more 🡒]