The Edmonton Oilers are heading into training camp with a roster that looks strong where it matters most and flexible enough to attack when the market opens up. That’s the real advantage here: after the Darnell Nurse trade to the San Jose Sharks earlier this summer, Edmonton created room to maneuver, kept back $4.725 million, according to PuckPedia, and positioned itself to pounce if the right player becomes available.
That flexibility matters because the top of this roster is already loaded. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl remain the kind of offensive engines that can tilt a game no matter who skates beside them. Evan Bouchard gives the blue line a legitimate puck-moving threat, and his work at five-on-five and on the power play helps drive the whole operation.
But after those names, the age curve starts to show. Edmonton has leaned on feature wingers in recent years, and that group has been hit by injuries, inconsistency or pricing itself out of reach.
Evander Kane, Warren Foegele, Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson and Andrew Mangiapane have all been part of that churn. Now Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are moving into their mid-30s, which makes the need for another top-end winger even more urgent.
Matt Savoie and Vasily Podkolzin give the Oilers some depth, and Ike Howard could be in the mix for his first full NHL season in 2026-27, but Edmonton still needs one more piece. Now.
That’s where Stan Bowman and new coach Mike Babcock come in. The Oilers have cap room, trade chips and a clear desire to improve during the season, which makes them a team worth watching whenever an impact player hits the market. They can shop at the high end, and they should.
Dylan Larkin is one name in that conversation. He’s 30, still brings a wide range of skills for the Detroit Red Wings and would fit cleanly next to Edmonton’s elite center group.
But he also fits the wrong timeline. For a team trying to get younger around its core, he doesn’t solve the bigger issue.
The more intriguing names are younger, and the Oilers need to aim there.
Cutter Gauthier is one of them. The Anaheim Ducks still haven’t reached a deal with him, and time is getting tight with training camp approaching.
A recent fan survey at The Athletic surfaced trade ideas from Ducks supporters, with Frank Vatrano, Chris Kreider and Alex Killorn among the suggestions. For Edmonton, though, the important point is simple: Gauthier is the kind of player who could give the Oilers guaranteed production for the next five seasons or more.
He scored 41 goals last season, and the upside is obvious. The problem is cost.
The package would be steep, and the estimated contract would be a monster, likely requiring Edmonton to move a significant roster player to make it work.
Kirill Marchenko is the cleaner target.
The Columbus Blue Jackets winger has already stacked up four seasons of 20-plus goals, and at 26, his best years are still ahead. He has one season left on his contract at $3.85 million, then one more year of restricted status before full free agency.
His top gear is real too - NHL Edge has him at the 93rd percentile in max speed - and the fit with McDavid or Draisaitl is obvious. Put him on one of those lines, and his career high of 31 goals could be in danger by the All-Star break.
Marchenko also checks the box Edmonton needs most: he’s the kind of player who could raise his own value in this market and, if things go right, set up a longer-term fit for both sides. The Oilers might even be able to assemble a deal the Blue Jackets would accept.
If Marchenko wants to stay beyond next season, Edmonton may eventually have to clear a big contract next summer, with Hyman and goalie Tristan Jarry both holding modified no-trade deals. That’s the sort of move Bowman should already be thinking about.
The bottom line is straightforward. Edmonton has money, assets and a real need, which is a dangerous combination for the rest of the league.
The right addition should be in the 22-26 range and capable of joining Bouchard as an impact player in that age group. There will be chances to strike early in the season, near the deadline and again next summer.
Bowman is in a strong spot. He just has to make the right call. Right now, that call is Marchenko.
In Other News...
Oilers Fans Face A Familiar Connor McDavid Tradeoff This Season
Connor McDavid has made a career out of turning the Oilers into a nightly must-watch team, and this season the conversation around him is familiar: how much individual production comes with the territory when the bigger goal is winning in the spring. A recent fan survey suggests Edmonton supporters are bracing for a slight dip in his point totals, but not in the broader value he brings if the team is better positioned for playoff success.
The more interesting part is the temperature around what comes next if the Oilers keep coming up short. Fans may be willing to trade a little offense for a deeper run, but there is still an uneasy sense that the long view of McDavids future in Edmonton will depend on whether those results ever arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Face Intriguing Next Step With Two Young Forwards
The Capitals are already looking ahead to a tricky but important piece of business after a promising stretch from two young forwards. Ryan Leonard and Justin Sourdif have given Washington enough reason to think about long-term commitments, and the next step for the front office will be figuring out how to reward recent performance without losing flexibility as the roster continues to take shape.
Around the league, the broader landscape is shifting in ways that could matter down the road for teams trying to build and keep star power. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has suggested Houston could be the next expansion market, with play potentially beginning in the 2029-30 season, while Connor McDavids future continues to be a topic of conversation as his Oilers contract plays out. For the Capitals, the immediate focus remains on Leonard and Sourdif, but the market for young talent is only getting tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Use A Familiar Face To Solve A Camp Dilemma
With training camp coming fast and the preseason shortened, the Oilers could use a low-risk way to add bodies and get a read on depth under new coaches Mike Babcock and D.J. Smith. Kurt Leavins of The Edmonton Journal floated the idea of bringing in a familiar face on a professional tryout contract, a practical move for a team that may lean toward players the staff already knows rather than spending precious time evaluating complete unknowns.
Curtis Lazar fits that description well. He has already worn an Oilers sweater and remains unsigned, making him an easy name to circle if Edmonton wants experience in a bottom-six role and some comfort in the camp competition. The appeal is obvious, even if the final decision still hinges on whether the organization wants to keep looking inward or give a known depth option another shot. [Read more 🡒]