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Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

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With the 4 Nations Face-Off break upon us, the trade deadline looms large and is less than a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Edmonton Oilers.

The Oilers were one of the busier teams over the offseason, adding as much veteran scoring depth as possible after falling painfully short of a Stanley Cup in a hard-fought Final against the Panthers. As usual for Edmonton, things were slow out of the gate, but they have heated up since then with a 24-8-2 record since Nov. 23. Unlike last season, they didn’t require a coaching change, and Kris Knoblauch has his club rolling with both a top-10 offense and defense entering the stretch run as they battle it out with the Golden Knights for the divisional crown.

Record

34-17-4, 1st in the Pacific

Deadline Status

Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$948K on deadline day + $5.13MM LTIR pool, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: STL 2nd, STL 3rd, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2026: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th

Trade Chips

While the Oilers still have decent depth scoring, all the big names on the roster aside from Leon Draisaitl have taken a significant step back in their production from the 2023-24 campaign. Among their non-stars, it’s been a resurgent Connor Brown and a quiet late-offseason pickup in Vasily Podkolzin driving the bus. Their major UFA splashes, Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, have both disappointed. The latter won’t be on the move as he holds an NMC and is slated for the first postseason appearance of his 15-year career, but Arvidsson and his $4MM AAV through next season could be on the block if the Oilers need to clear a space for an upgrade in their top nine. He missed over a month with an undisclosed injury and hasn’t been himself when healthy, limited to 7-11–18 in 40 games with his lowest ATOI in nine years.

Edmonton’s roster has been relatively cost-effective outside of those pickups, and it’s hard to envision them moving anyone else. They’ll need to turn to the minors, where 21-year-old center Matthew Savoie stands as their top trade chip. Acquired from the Sabres in last summer’s Ryan McLeod trade, the ninth overall pick of the 2022 draft ranks second on AHL Bakersfield in scoring with 12-22–34 in 42 games in his first entire season at the professional level. The 5’9″ pivot also has a team-high +14 rating and would be most comprise most, if not all, of the trade value in return for a big fish. Whether any player is available who could command that value remains to be seen, though, and they’ll likely restrict themselves to the rental market with Evan Bouchard needing a new deal this summer and extensions required for Connor McDavid, Mattias Ekholm and Stuart Skinner in 2026.

In reality, the Oilers will likely be dealing from their 2026 draft pool to fill their short-term needs. There are some other intriguing prospects in their limited pool that teams might be interested in, though. They won’t be keen on moving 2024 first-rounder Sam O’Reilly, but 19-year-old defender Beau Akey, winger Roby Järventie, and netminder Olivier Rodrigue will hold some value. Akey, in particular, will be an intriguing pickup for rebuilders looking to add to their defense pool if he’s available. The 20-year-old already inked his entry-level contract, was a second-rounder in 2023, and has 4-22–26 in 38 games for the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts this season after missing most of his post-draft campaign with an injury.

Team Needs

1) Top-Four Option On Defense: The ever-steady Ekholm, continued dominant possession play from Bouchard, and a bounce-back year from Darnell Nurse largely have Edmonton’s defense in good shape. Ty Emberson, Brett Kulak and Troy Stecher have all been solid but upgradable depth pieces. Recent veteran pickup John Klingberg has fared okay at even strength so far in his five-game return to the league but has yet to receive any power-play deployment, which is where his principal value resides. There’s a clear need for at least another option for Knoblauch to deploy on the second pairing alongside Nurse, even if they’re not an established top-four player. Without many quality call-up options, more depth is needed, especially with Klingberg’s injury history a pressing concern.

2) Depth Center: The Oilers got a twofer down the middle at last year’s deadline when they picked up Sam Carrick and Adam Henrique from the Ducks. The latter is still in the fold and anchors their fourth line, as Knoblauch has recently opted for a more balanced lineup, deploying McDavid, Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on separate lines down the middle. He’d surely like to return one to the wing, but they need another player with top-nine utility. They’ll consider parting ways with one of their B-tier prospects or a decent pick from their 2026 crop to land a Henrique-esque talent this time.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Bowman: Likely To Look For Left-Shot D-Man, Nugent-Hopkins' Deployment Will Determine Forward Need

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  • In his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link), Pierre LeBrun interviewed Oilers GM Stan Bowman who indicated some of the items on his checklist for the upcoming trade deadline. After adding John Klingberg in free agency, Bowman suggested that if Edmonton looks to add another blueliner, it’s likely to be a left-shot player.  Beyond their three lefties on the NHL roster, they only have one left-shot rearguard in the minors in Cam Dineen so some extra depth there would make sense.  Meanwhile, what they might look to do up front will be dictated by their plans for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.  If they want to deploy him on the wing, Bowman figures he’d look to add a depth center.  But if the veteran stays down the middle, then adding winger depth would become the focus.

Afternoon Notes: Dickinson, Pitlick, Acklin, Philp

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The NHL is gearing up for a two-week break for the 4-Nations Face-Off, giving teams plenty to do before many of their players head off for vacation, international play, or minor-league stints. The spree of afternoon news begins in Chicago, where center Jason Dickinson has avoided the worst-case scenario after suffering a scary-looking injury in the team’s Wednesday loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Dickinson took an awkward crash into the boards that trapped his leg under him in the second period. He left the game immediately and was later seen leaving the arena in a walking boot. After testing, Dickinson has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain and should only miss a couple of games, head coach Anders Sorensen told ESPN.

That’s relieving news after Dicksinon seemed poised to miss the long-term. He hasn’t racked up the points this season, with just seven goals and 16 points in 53 games – but Dickinson has returned to his role as one of Chicago’s top defensive centers. He leads all Blackhawks forwards with 137 minutes of ice time on the penalty-kill, and ranks fourth on the offense in xGA/60 (expected goals-against per-60) per Evolving Hockey. Dickinson’s stout defense has earned him top minutes, centering a top-six line between Teuvo Teravainen and Ilya Mikheyev – the two players above him in xGA/60. His role would have been tough for the Blackhawks to replace for an extended period, but with this news the team can rest assured that he’ll be available when they return from break.

Headed to the West Coast, the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda have signed veteran forward Rem Pitlick to a minor-league contract for the rest of the season. Pitlick hasn’t played this season, but spent last year split between the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Rockford IceHogs. He accumulated 57 points in 59 games between the two squads, and got called up for nine appearances with the Chicago Blackhawks – though his stat line read no points, two penalty minutes, and a minus-seven. Those appearances brought Pitlick up to 132 career NHL games over the course of his seven-year pro career. He has totaled 21 goals, 54 points, and 54 penalty minutes. A deal with the Barracuda will mark a chance for him to rediscover his red-hot minor league scoring, and try to show his worth to a San Jose Sharks club that currently ranks dead-last in the NHL.

Across the Conferences, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ President of Business Operations, Kevin Acklin, has stepped down from the squad per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Acklin had been in the role since 2022, and previously served as a Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the team. In his presedential role, Acklin oversaw the day-to-day business operations, strategic planning, corporate partnerships, and marketing and communication of the Penguins brand. He also supported the development of a live music venue in Pittsburgh’s Lower Hill District, and supported maintenance of the former site of Civic Arena – the Penguins’ home rink from 1967 to 2010.

After stops at each region of the States, we head North for our final update – where the Edmonton Oilers have assigned forward Noah Philp to the AHL for the duration of the 4-Nations break. Philp has been one of Edmonton’s top call-up options this season. He received his NHL debut on October 31st and has since played in 12 games with the Oilers lineup, including their most recent nine outings. Philp has just two assists so far, and is still searching for his first NHL goal. He’s been much more productive in the minors, where his 17 points in 28 games places him fourth in points-per-game (0.60) among players with 20-or-more appearances. Philp will now get a chance to build on those totals while the Oilers are away.

Afternoon Notes: Hughes, Pederson, Puljujarvi

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A busy day across the NHL has started with bad news in Vancouver. Vancouver Canucks superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes won’t travel with the team for their Thursday matchup against the San Jose Sharks, per Sportsnet’s Brendan Batchelor. This will be Hughes’ third straight absence due to a lower-body injury. This is just a one-game road trip for Vancouver. Hughes was red hot prior to injury, with 14 points over his last 10 games and over 25 minutes of average ice time. Hughes’ absence was preceded by Vancouver’s acquisition of veteran defenseman Marcus Pettersson and rookie Victor Mancini. The Canucks still triumphed without their Norris Trophy favorite on Tuesday, beating the Colorado Avalanche 3-0. Pettersson and Tyler Myers each carried extra minutes in Hughes’ absence.

Despite coming off a win and setting up to face a last-place Sharks team, the Canucks are still going to sorely miss Hughes. He has been a force this season, currently sitting with 59 points in 47 games – a mark that leads both the Canucks and all NHL defensemen. He’s once again a favorite for the Norris Trophy, which he won last year, and an emerging candidate for the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. Hughes has notably played through injury this year, including a hand injury at the turn of the year. He’s still tracking for a 100-point season despite that, and will be aiming to get quickly back to that pace once his lower-body injury subsides. Hughes is currently listed as out day-to-day.

Staying in Western Canada, the Edmonton Oilers will be without depth forward Lane Pederson for the remainder of the season after he underwent a successful shoulder surgery. Pederson managed an impressive 12 points in 18 AHL games before falling to injury. He’s been a hot scorer in the minors for a few years, netting 24 points in 18 games in 2022-23 and 52 points in 66 games last year. He was rewarded with 27 NHL games in 2022-23 – split between the Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets – but recorded a moot six points and 26 penalty minutes. Pederson will now focus on working his way back to full health in advance of next season’s training camps, where he’ll work to climb up an NHL call-up chart.

Jumping to the East coast, the Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned forward Jesse Puljujarvi to the minor leagues. The former top-10 pick has been a healthy scratch in three of Pittsburgh’s last four games. This will be his second stint in the minor leagues, after spending a brief, three-game trip with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in late January. Puljujarvi recorded three points and a minus-two in the appearances – far more production than he’s managed at the NHL level, where he only has nine points in 26 appearances. The routine trips to the minor leagues are the start of a poor pattern for Puljujarvi, who joined the Penguins partway through last season in an effort to maintain his NHL career. He’s struggled to do that up to this point, and will now be tasked with trying to find his groove once again with a productive stint in the minor leagues.

Emberson Now Qualifies For RFA Status

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  • Oilers defenseman Ty Emberson played in his 80th career NHL game last night, meaning he will become a restricted free agent this summer, notes Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal. Had he not reached that mark, he would have been a Group Six unrestricted free agent.  Emberson has nine assists, 70 blocks, and 78 hits in just under 15 minutes a night through 50 games with Edmonton this season.  Leavins suggests a three-year deal worth $1.5MM per season might be a reasonable contract for the sides to come to although some of the recent comparables have come in a little below that.

Oilers Activate John Klingberg From Injured Reserve

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Oilers defenseman John Klingberg will make his debut for the team after signing a one-year deal nearly two weeks ago, head coach Kris Knoblauch told the team’s Bob Stauffer. He’ll need to come off injured reserve before Thursday’s game against the Red Wings, something Edmonton will have no problem doing with a pair of open roster spots.

Tonight will mark Klingberg’s first NHL game since Nov. 11, 2023. The 32-year-old, who had signed a one-year deal worth $4.15MM with the Maple Leafs for that season, ended up needing hip resurfacing surgery that ended his campaign and prevented him from signing anywhere on the open market over the summer. He only started skating last month as he geared up for an NHL return, eventually landing a $1.35MM commitment from the Oilers.

Klingberg told Mark Spector of Sportsnet that the 2023 procedure was the third he’s had on his hips in his career. He had double hip surgery twice between when he was drafted by the Stars in the fifth round in 2010 and when he made his NHL debut in 2014, neither of which fully addressed whatever issues he’d been having. He told Spector that he’s entering an NHL campaign pain-free for the first time in his 11-year career – a good sign for the Oilers that he might be able to recapture his form as a top power-play quarterback.

The 32-year-old will handle second-pairing duties alongside Darnell Nurse in his debut, giving Edmonton two offensively-inclined options at the top of their right defense depth chart with Evan Bouchard. Stay-at-home piece Ty Emberson, who’s logged a good portion of ice time alongside Nurse this season, moves down to more comfortable third-pairing duties with Brett Kulak, per Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic. Klingberg and Nurse will stay together on the team’s second power-play unit with Viktor Arvidsson, Adam Henrique and Corey Perry.

Klingberg posted five assists and a minus-seven rating in 14 appearances with Toronto last year before the surgery ended his campaign. He’s averaged 0.65 points per game over his career, though, 14th among defensemen with at least 200 games played since he entered the league.

Oilers Could Still Add A Defenseman

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The Edmonton Oilers could still be looking to add a defenseman despite signing John Klingberg just last week (as per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic). Klingberg signed on for the remainder of the season and could provide some offense from the backend depending on his health and how quickly he can get up to game speed.

With that need taken care of, Edmonton may be looking to fill out their defensive depth with a player who provides more of a shutdown skillset and comes with the ability to kill penalties. As LeBrun points out, Edmonton ‘s penalty kill is in the top five in the NHL since November, so the need isn’t an urgent one, however, given how many defenseman teams require in the playoffs, the Oilers feel it may be best to add to their depth.

Injuries in the playoffs can always change the dynamic of a series, and while Edmonton feels that have a solid seven skaters to fill out their defense core, one or two injuries could shake that belief. Teams that have won the Stanley Cup recently have had 8-10 NHL defensemen on their roster on average and have generally relied on all of them due to the unpredictability in the playoffs. Injuries piled up early in last year’s playoffs, and while Edmonton was fairly lucky in that regard on their way to winning the Western Conference, they can’t count on the same luck this season if they hope to get back to the Stanley Cups Finals.

John Klingberg Still A Week Out From Game Action

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  • Don’t expect to see newly-signed defenseman John Klingberg to play for the Edmonton Oilers in the next few games. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported earlier that Klingberg is still a week out from game action. Although Klingberg has been working his way back to game speed over the last few months, it’s understandable he’ll need additional time given he hasn’t played in an NHL contest since November 11th, 2023.

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Oilers’ Connor McDavid, Canucks’ Tyler Myers Given Three-Game Suspension

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Jan. 20th: The NHL Department of Player Safety has issued their punishments to McDavid and Myers. Both players have been issued three-game suspensions for cross-checking.

Jan.19th: Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety for cross-checking Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland on Saturday. Garland grappled with McDavid in the final seconds of Vancouver’s 3-2 win, and McDavid responded by hitting Garland in the face. In the ensuing scrum, Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers also cross-checked Oilers defender Evan Bouchard in the face. Myers will also have a hearing with Player Safety. Both McDavid and Myers received match penalties for their infractions. The date and time of either hearing are yet to be determined – as is whether the hearings will be virtual or in-person, which will change the length of suspension both players will be eligible for.

This news brings a peak to McDavid’s recent violent streak. He gained notoriety after, seemingly, inadvertently elbowing Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson in the teams’ January 15th matchup. Johansson was placed on injured reserve with a concussion the next day. McDavid also earned scour with a high-stick against Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek in Saturday’s game, catching the defender up high after breaking into the zone. McDavid’s match penalty for cross-checking Garland was his first in-game penalty for any of these infractions – and, coupled with a game ejection, earned him a career-high 15 penalty minutes in one game.

It will be hard to determine how long either McDavid or Myers could miss with their looming hearing. Both players committed similar infractions, at the tail-end of an already-won game. But nine other players also received penalties for the late-game scrum, which could lead the league to react lighter to two big pieces of a larger scrum. Alternatively, this will be an opportunity for NHL Player Safety to send a message on stick infractions and headshots across the league, by coming down hard on the face of the NHL.

Oilers’ Derek Ryan Clears Waivers

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Jan. 20: Ryan has cleared waivers and can be assigned to Bakersfield at will, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports Monday. That reassignment will pave the way for newly-signed defenseman John Klingberg to come off injured reserve when he’s ready to make his season debut.

Jan. 19: The Edmonton Oilers needed to make a few roster moves to stay cap-compliant thanks to newly-signed defenseman John Klingberg’s contract hitting the books today. According to a team announcement, the Oilers organization has placed depth forward Derek Ryan on waivers for reassignment to their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, and have additionally reassigned defenseman Josh Brown.

It’s an unfortunate transaction for Ryan as he’s entered the twilight years of his NHL career. Ryan made his way to the NHL at the age of 29 during the 2015-16 season after an impressive run through European leagues, showcasing one of the more underrated stories of the last decade. After a brief three-year run with the Carolina Hurricanes, Ryan has been a key depth forward in Alberta since the 2018-19 season with the Calgary Flames and the Oilers.

His offensive production has decreased steadily throughout the years, similarly to his average time on ice. Ryan neared the 40-point plateau in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons before hovering around the 20-point total from 2021 to 2023 in Edmonton. Last year saw his biggest decrease in scoring over a full season, with Ryan only scoring five goals and 12 points in 70 games. His only true value anymore is his role in the faceoff dot, as Ryan has averaged a 55.2% success rate over 5,072 career draws, which is even more impressive considering 53.3% of his shift starts have been in the defensive zone.

Joining Ryan on the road to AHL Bakersfield is Brown, albeit unencumbered by the waiver wire. He’s primarily served as organizational depth on the blue line for the Oilers this year on a relatively expensive price tag of $1MM for the next three years. He’s tallied one assist in eight games in Edmonton this season averaging 11:29 of ice time per game.

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