The Edmonton Oilers don’t need a total overhaul to take a step next season. What they need is for more of the roster to start pushing the load.
GM Stan Bowman has already done some work this offseason, most notably by reshaping the goaltending and opening up plenty of cap flexibility. But the real test still comes on the ice. The core hasn’t changed much, which means the Oilers are going to need internal growth from the rest of the lineup if they want to get over the hump.
Nobody is worried about the big names. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard are expected to keep doing what they do.
The bigger question is which secondary pieces can give Edmonton a real boost. A few players look ready to do exactly that.
Isaac Howard is one of the most intriguing names on the list. Edmonton brought him in last summer hoping he’d be NHL-ready quickly, and the 2025 Hobey Baker winner spent most of last season in the AHL with Bakersfield.
He made that stop count, putting up 24 goals and 50 points in 47 games in his first pro season. Howard has the skill set to become a top-six scorer, but training camp will decide how soon that translates to the NHL.
Vasily Podkolzin already had a breakout season, and now the question is whether there’s even more coming. The 25-year-old Russian set career highs with 19 goals and 37 points, then added three goals and six points in six playoff games.
A former top-10 pick, he finally started to show the kind of talent that made him such a high selection. If he stays in Edmonton’s top six, another jump is very much in play.
Matt Savoie also gave the Oilers something to build on. The former ninth-overall pick needed some time to settle in, but he finished with a solid rookie campaign: 18 goals and 37 points.
He even found a spot next to McDavid on the top line late in the year. That’s a strong foundation for a first season, and if he sticks there, the expectation is simple - the numbers should climb.
Kasperi Kapanen might be a little older for the breakout label, but he still flashed enough last season to make the list. Injuries slowed him early, yet once he got healthy, he became a real factor.
His playoff run stood out most, with four goals and six points in six games, and he looked comfortable alongside Draisaitl in a top-six role. Next season, he’ll likely slide into the bottom six, and it’ll be interesting to see whether he can carry that momentum forward.
Devon Levi is another player with a clear opportunity in front of him. Edmonton has an opening for its goalie of the future, and Levi gets the first crack at it.
After falling out of favor in Buffalo, he’s spent the last two seasons working in the AHL. The numbers there have been good enough to suggest he’s ready for a longer NHL look.
He’ll be part of Edmonton’s three-goalie rotation next season, alongside Frederik Andersen and Tristan Jarry, so standing out will matter.
Then there’s Quinn Hutson, who could turn some heads if he makes the roster out of camp. He was arguably the best player on Bakersfield last season, finishing first on the team with 30 goals and second with 63 points.
For his first professional season, that’s a strong showing. Hutson was also a standout NCAA player, and he looks like he has the tools to become at least a productive middle-six NHL forward.
For Edmonton, the path forward may depend less on splashy additions and more on whether a few of these players can take the next step at the right time.
In Other News...
Why Kapanens Oilers Fit Suddenly Feels A Lot More Real
Kasperi Kapanens return to Edmonton on a one-year, $2.6 million deal gives the Oilers another familiar piece for the bottom six, and it comes with a little more context than a routine depth signing. His history with Mike Babcock in Toronto matters here, because that was the stretch when Kapanen flashed the most complete version of his game and earned a bigger role than just a speed-and-skill winger.
The fit also feels more real because it is not just about what Kapanen has already done, but where the organizational overlap is headed. He is expected to reconnect with Babcock in the 2026-27 season, alongside other former Maple Leafs already in the mix, which gives this move a longer view than a simple one-year bet. For Edmonton, it is another sign that the roster is being built with some very specific familiarity in mind. [Read more 🡒]
Connor McDavid Suddenly Faces A Real Concern Under Edmontons New Coach
Connor McDavid is heading into a season where the biggest question may not be how dominant he can be, but how much room a new coach will give him to keep piling up points. Mike Babcocks reputation for a tighter, more defensive approach has prompted some early speculation about whether Edmontons offense could be asked to trade a little flash for structure, even if McDavid still looks capable of producing at an elite level.
The concern is less about whether he remains the engine of the Oilers and more about whether the ceiling shifts at all under that style of play. Some around the league are already wondering if a more controlled system could shave a bit off McDavids peak totals, leaving Edmonton to balance its best players brilliance against the demands of a different kind of hockey. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Still Have One Roster Question Fans Can't Ignore
A cluster of recognizable names is still sitting on the NHL market, and that keeps the conversation alive for a team like Edmonton, which is always looking for another way to sharpen its attack. Anthony Mantha, Patrick Kane, Patrik Laine, Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting and Eeli Tolvanen all remain unsigned, giving the Oilers a menu of different skill sets to consider as they weigh how best to add scoring without disrupting the core.
Tarasenko stands out because he brings the kind of complementary offense and playoff seasoning that can fit beside elite talent without demanding a major commitment. Edmonton appears to be shopping for a quick fix rather than a long-term bet, which makes this a narrow search, and one that still leaves a familiar question hanging over the roster as the market keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]