Could Travis Dermott Be An Option For Oilers?
While there has been plenty of speculation surrounding the Oilers when it comes to adding a right-shot defenseman (either via PTO or a one-year deal) heading into training camp, Postmedia’s Kurt Leavins wonders if they might go a different direction. He suggests that it might be more likely that veteran blueliner Travis Dermott could wind up in Edmonton for training camp. While the 27-year-old is a left-shot player, he can play on the right side and he played for head coach Kris Knoblauch in his junior days with OHL Erie while Jeff Jackson, Edmonton’s CEO of Hockey Operations, used to be his agent. Dermott played on a two-way deal last season with Arizona, picking up seven points in 50 games while logging over 17 minutes a night.
Notes On Connor McDavid’s Next Contract
The Edmonton Oilers got a major piece of work done earlier this week by signing forward Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year, $112MM contract to keep him in Alberta through his age-37 season. They will have to visit a similar situation in a year with captain Connor McDavid as he will be eligible to sign an extension with the Oilers on July 1, 2025.
McDavid may very well break Alex Ovechkin‘s record of $124MM total salary on his next deal as the expectation is that he will become the highest-paid player in the league at the very least. The salary cap for the 2025-26 NHL season is expected to land around $92MM which would theoretically allow Edmonton to pay McDavid a maximum of $18.4MM a season. McDavid would only have to receive $15.5MM a year over an eight-year term to match Ovechkin’s record.
It doesn’t sound like McDavid is interested in receiving the maximum 20% of the total cap as he avoided that salary during his last negotiations with the Oilers. On his most recent episode of the ’32 Thoughts’ podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said, “The story I always heard about Connor McDavid’s last negotiation, Jeff Jackson is now the President of the Oilers, he was the agent at the time, and, you know, one of the things they said was, the maximum any player can be paid at the cap is 20% and at the time, they said, we’re not going to ask for 20% and the Oilers are like, ‘Oh, Thank God.’ And because if he would have asked for 20% they would have paid it. But McDavid wasn’t interested in that“.
McDavid’s desire to win likely plays a part in his avoiding a record-setting salary up to this point. If the former sought the max salary, the Oilers would only have around 65% of their cap space left to put together a competitive team around McDavid and Draisaitl.
As much fun as it would be to see McDavid become an unrestricted free agent in two years, there is no reason to doubt his commitment to Edmonton. All signs are pointing to the Oilers extending McDavid as quickly as they can, especially after making such a strong commitment to Draisaitl. He won’t come cheap though as McDavid will likely become the highest-paid player of all time on his next contract.
DeAngelo Wanted To Attend Oilers Camp On PTO
- Unrestricted free agent Tony DeAngelo expressed an interest in attending Oilers camp on a PTO deal but it appears the team has said no, suggests Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. The 28-year-old is a right-shot defender, the side the team appears to be prioritizing but while he has a track record of some offensive success (with two 50-plus-point seasons), last season was a struggle for DeAngelo who managed just 11 points in 31 games while being a frequent healthy scratch. That certainly hasn’t helped his market so far in free agency.
Four Teams Have Interest In Mark Giordano
The Score’s Kyle Cushman wrote that the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs have maintained interest in veteran defenseman Mark Giordano. The oldest player in the NHL last year has spurned any interest in retirement and is again looking for an NHL opportunity next year.
He is destined for bottom-pairing responsibilities next year after averaging his lowest average time-on-ice since the 2008-09 season. He’s spent the last two-and-a-half years with the Maple Leafs organization where he’s recorded nine goals and 45 points in 144 games while averaging 18:14 a game.
Calgary represents more of a ‘feel good’ landing spot as the other three interested parties have internal expectations of contentions next season. He’s spent 15 years of his career in southern Alberta where he recorded 143 goals and 509 points in 949 games including a Norris Trophy in the 2018-19 season.
He’s seen his possession quality dip in the last several years after finishing the 2023-24 season with a 48.4 CorsiFor% compared to a 53.0% career average. He’s still a formidable bottom-pairing veteran presence and could provide a bonus to any team.
At the end of his career, the expectation is that Giordano will look to maximize his opportunity to win the Stanley Cup which would trim his potential teams down to Edmonton and Toronto. Without needing to shoulder top-level responsibility anymore at this stage in his career; he should have a ready opportunity in both organizations.
Bowman: Update On Kane Should Come Within Next Seven To Ten Days
For the past several months, there has been plenty of speculation about the availability of Oilers winger Evander Kane (or lack thereof). Even following a report last month that he would be undergoing surgery, there is still some uncertainty about how long he might be out for. It appears that we should soon have some clarity on that front as GM Stan Bowman indicated on a recent Oilers Now segment (audio link) that they’re hoping to have an update on Kane in the next seven to ten days. Kane played through a sports hernia injury for much of last season and the playoffs but still managed to put up 24 goals and 20 assists in 77 regular season appearances. Edmonton’s roster movement this summer has positioned themselves to operate without necessarily needing LTIR so even if Kane will be out long-term, they may not choose to put him there when the season starts.
Evan Bouchard's Next Contract Could Average $10MM Per Season
Max Bultman of The Athletic believes that the length of the Detroit Red Wings contract negotiations with Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider may have cost the Red Wings some money in the long run. Raymond and Seider remain unsigned as training camps are quickly approaching and Bultman believes that comparable contract extensions signed this summer may have only increased the asking price for both unsigned Red Wings.
Bultman cites Brock Faber’s eight-year, $8.5 million AAV contract as a potential floor for Seider’s new deal and adds that he believes both players will sign new deals before training camp and that should ease any tensions that might exist. However, Bultman does note that having two young core pieces unsigned this late in the summer might not be great for team morale.
In other evening notes:
- Jim Matheson of The Edmonton Journal tweeted that he believes Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard could get a $10MM AAV on his next deal with the Oilers. The 24-year-old is set to count just $3.9MM against the cap next season in the second year of a two-year deal and is coming off a year in which he registered 18 goals and 64 assists in 81 games. The 10th overall pick in 2018 has matured into one of the most prolific puck-movers in the NHL in just five seasons and has not only produced in the regular season but has been elite in the playoffs as well with 13 goals and 45 assists in 53 career playoff games. If Bouchard does indeed get an AAV at that rate, it will make for a tight salary cap for the Oilers who will also have to consider a Connor McDavid extension.
- Steven Ellis of Leafs Nation wonders if the Toronto Maple Leafs might have drafted a hidden gem in goaltender Timofei Obvintsev. The Maple Leafs selected the 6’4” Russian 157th overall in this year’s NHL entry draft and it may have been a shrewd move given that NHL teams hold Russian players’ rights indefinitely and goaltenders tend to develop slower. The 19-year-old hasn’t seen a ton of action the last two seasons, dressing in just 28 games, but scouts are raving about his quick hands and ability to direct pucks with his blocker out of harm’s way. As Ellis points out, Obvintsev is likely years away from being NHL-ready, but the team can be patient with him and give him time to develop his game.
Leon Draisaitl Signs Eight-Year Extension With Oilers
1:09 p.m.: A whopping $104MM of Draisaitl’s $112MM total compensation will be paid via signing bonuses, PuckPedia reports. His base salary will be $1MM per season. He’ll earn $15.5MM in signing bonuses annually from 2025-26 through 2027-28. That figure drops to $13MM in 2028-29, then $11.5MM in 2029-30, then $11MM annually for the final three years of the deal.
9:16 a.m.: Superstar Oilers center Leon Draisaitl has signed an eight-year, $112MM extension to keep him in Edmonton through the 2032-33 season, the team announced. He’s now the NHL’s highest-paid player with an average annual value of $14MM, as initially reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Draisaitl has a full no-movement clause for the life of the contract, per Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic. He adds the deal carries a front-loaded structure, although the specific salary breakdown has yet to be reported.
The 28-year-old Draisaitl also lands the second-largest contract by total value in NHL history, trailing only Alex Ovechkin‘s 13-year, $124MM deal with the Capitals signed under the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2008.
“This is a historic day for the Edmonton Oilers,” general manager Stan Bowman said in a team press release. “Leon’s commitment to our team, our city and Oilers fans everywhere cannot be overstated. His desire to help bring a Stanley Cup title home to Edmonton is central to everything he does both on and off the ice.”
While it was widely expected Draisaitl would sign a max-term extension to stay in Edmonton, few thought he’d be the first player to land a $14MM AAV. There was no guarantee he’d eclipse Auston Matthews‘ $13.25MM AAV to become the new highest-paid player in the league, let alone shatter it. However, since Bowman took the GM’s office in July, extension discussions have been reportedly smooth, which, in hindsight, should have been a strong indication that the Oilers were willing to shell out record-breaking cash to keep the German star in Edmonton.
Unlike his other generational teammate, Connor McDavid, Draisaitl wasn’t an impact piece immediately upon arriving in the NHL. The 2014 third-overall pick had just two goals and nine points in 37 games during his post-draft year. He developed into a high-end top-six piece over the coming years, routinely hitting over 20 goals and 70 points, but hadn’t quite captured the aura of a superstar.
That all changed in 2018-19. While the Oilers missed the playoffs for the 12th time in 13 years, it was a proper breakout campaign for Draisaitl, who led the team in goals (50) and finished second behind McDavid in points with 105. Since that season, Edmonton has made the playoffs every year, and Draisaitl has recorded or been on pace for over 100 points in an 82-game year. A two-time year-end All-Star, Draisaitl also took home the Art Ross, Hart, and Pearson awards/trophies during the 2019-20 season after leading the league with 67 assists and 110 points in 71 games.
The Cologne-born pivot is also one of the most prolific playoff performers in league history. His 108 points in 74 postseason games work out to 1.46 P/GP, which is fourth all-time among players with at least 50 games of playoff experience. Only Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61), and McDavid (1.58) have produced more on a nightly basis when the games matter most. It’s especially impressive when considering Draisaitl has played through injuries for a good chunk of the past three postseasons.
For the rest of the league, they now have certainty that the best available potential 2025 unrestricted free agent won’t hit the open market. There’s a chance he could have landed even more money per season with the salary cap expected to rise to at least $92MM for 2025-26, but the total value likely would have been smaller with a seven-year maximum.
Even after declining to match the rich offer sheets levied by the Blues for Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway last month, Bowman and the Oilers now find themselves in a seriously precarious salary cap situation for 2025-26. They already have a projected cap hit of $77.4MM, per PuckPedia, leaving them $14.6MM to re-sign pending RFA defenseman Evan Bouchard and fill at least three other roster spots (assuming a $92MM upper limit). 38.9% of next season’s spending is already dedicated solely to Draisaitl, McDavid, and Darnell Nurse.
As such, the Oilers’ directive to win a championship in the Draisaitl/McDavid era is clearer than it’s ever been in 2024-25. After falling one game short of their first Stanley Cup in over 30 years a few months ago, they’ll need to retrace their steps and find their way back to the Cup Final.
They’ll be able to score their way there after reloading offensively by adding names like Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner in free agency. However, question marks will remain on defense outside of their star pairing of Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm. There isn’t a ton of stability behind them, and while trade acquisition Ty Emberson should be a cost-effective replacement for Cody Ceci, declining play from Nurse is a significant concern.
Draisaitl will play out 2023-24 under his previous contract, earning $8MM in actual salary in the final season of the eight-year, $68MM deal he signed coming off his entry-level contract in 2017.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Former Oilers Goaltender Mikko Koskinen Officially Retires
Former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen officially retired from his playing career last week (as per Finnish media outlet Ilta-Sanomat). There were whispers earlier in the year that he would hang up his skates, but it has been made official. The 36-year-old began his career as a second-round pick of the New York Islanders in 2009 and played just four NHL games with the organization, playing mostly overseas before eventually signing as a free agent with the Oilers in May of 2018.
He was okay in his first full NHL season, dressing in 55 games and posting a 25-21-6 record with a .906 save percentage. This prompted then Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli to sign the Finnish netminder to a three-year $13.5MM contract extension.
The first year of the deal went well for both sides as Koskinen posted a .917 save percentage in 38 games and looked like a legitimate NHL netminder. However, after the success of the 2019-20 season, the wheels came off of Koskinen’s game and he became a lightning rod for criticism over the following two seasons.
In his final months in the NHL, Koskinen didn’t see much action with Edmonton as Mike Smith took over the net, largely out of necessity as Koskinen couldn’t find his game. Koskinen saw three games of playoff action in 2022, going 0-2 with a .897 save percentage and a 4.02 goals-against average. This was the last NHL action he would see.
In June 2022, Koskinen signed in Switzerland with HC Lugano where he would finish out the final two years of his professional playing career before deciding to begin a new career as a player agent. He officially registered as a player agent in Finland in July and will be reportedly based in Helsinki.
All things considered, Koskinen had a very successful playing career. His NHL numbers were certainly average, however, he posted elite numbers internationally, representing his native Finland on multiple occasions and his KHL numbers were terrific during his five professional seasons in Russia.
Henrique Turned Down $3.5MM Per Season From Jets; Holloway Comments On Limited Talks Before Signing Offer Sheet
While Adam Henrique ultimately decided to stay in Edmonton, he turned down at least one pricier offer to do so. Postmedia’s Kurt Leavins relays that the Jets offered the veteran a two-year, $7MM deal; he ultimately took two years and $6MM to stay with the Oilers. With Edmonton still trying to add to their roster on the trade front, it’s fair to say that extra half-million in flexibility that Henrique left on the table will come in handy. Winnipeg, meanwhile, didn’t fare well in trying to replace Sean Monahan and the fact they made a higher-money offer to Henrique suggests that they’re likely to be keeping an eye on the center market on the trade front in the coming weeks to see if someone becomes available.
- In an appearance on the Hockey Sense Show (video link), Blues winger Dylan Holloway acknowledged that his camp knew about the offer sheet coming before any true negotiations with the Oilers were held. Even before it was signed, the 22-year-old hoped to use it as a pressure point to kickstart discussions with Edmonton but those talks never came about. Holloway indicated that his asking price wasn’t particularly high but evidently, the Oilers weren’t interested in working on a deal at the time. He signed a two-year deal with St. Louis that carries a cap hit just above $2.29MM with Edmonton receiving a compensatory third-round pick in return.
Summer Synopsis: Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers were a win away from capturing the franchise’s sixth Stanley Cup and first, since 1990 but fell to the Florida Panthers in seven games. The team shook off previous playoff disappointments to win the Western Conference but fell short of the ultimate goal. This summer the team has made a pile of personnel changes, replacing general manager Ken Holland with former Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman. The new management group wasted little time overhauling the roster and dealt with a very unorthodox roster situation last month with two offer sheets that saw them lose two young players for draft picks. It appears that Edmonton’s roster is still very much under construction, and they do have some flexibility heading into training camp.
Draft
1-32: C Sam O’Reilly, London (OHL)
2-64: G Eemil Vinni, JoKP (Mestis)
5-160: LW Connor Clattenburg, Flint (OHL)
6-183: D Albin Sundin, Frölunda HC (SHL)
6-192: C Dalyn Wakely, North Bay (OHL)
7-196: C William Nicholl, London (OHL)
7-218: DBauer Berry, Muskegon (USHL)
The Oilers have one of the worst farm systems in the NHL and used the 2024 draft to try and replenish their many needs in the prospect pipeline. The Oilers moved into the first round and grabbed O’Reilly from the OHL’s London Knights. Edmonton was higher on the two-way center than most scouts but should end up with a player who can help them upfront. O’Reilly isn’t the quickest center, but he is elusive and has good offensive instincts that should allow him to create chances for linemates.
The Oilers selected a goaltender late in the second round, taking Vinni with the 64th selection. Many scouts had the Finnish goaltender as the most athletic netminder in the draft and the most complete. Edmonton has struggled to draft and develop goaltenders in the past but might have the goalie of the future in Vinni. The 18-year-old moves well, has good rebound control, and is a good size at 6’3” and 187 pounds.
The Oilers didn’t have another pick until the fifth round and they used it to select Clattenburg out of the OHL. The Arnprior, Ontario native won’t contribute much offensively but has no fear on the ice and is a big disruptor in the offensive zone. Some scouts believe that Edmonton reached when selecting Clattenburg, but the Oilers really don’t have another player like him in their organization.
Sundin is a two-way defenseman who will need to improve his skating if he hopes to become an NHL defenseman. He isn’t afraid to get physical and has good defensive instincts, controlling his gaps effectively and using his reach to break up plays in the defensive zone.
Trade Acquisitions
D Ty Emberson (San Jose)
D Paul Fischer (St. Louis)
F Vasily Podkolzin (Vancouver)
C Matthew Savoie (Buffalo)
Edmonton acquired Savoie from the Buffalo Sabres in a trade that was highly praised from an Edmonton perspective. Savoie was drafted ninth overall in the 2022 NHL entry draft and is an intriguing offensive prospect. His dynamic skating should allow him to flourish with the Oilers, particularly if he gets time on the power play, a place where he has excelled at every level. The 20-year-old is equal parts shooter and passer and can create offense in transition and with his playmaking. The knock on Savoie is his size as he stands just 5’9” tall. However, he doesn’t play like a smaller player and isn’t afraid to get into the dirty areas of the ice.
Podkolzin was acquired as a Dylan Holloway replacement and offers many of the same traits as Savoie (albeit at a lower skill level). The 23-year-old is a former tenth overall pick in 2019 and is also a speedy winger, with skill, who isn’t afraid to get physical. Despite his obvious talent, Podkolzin hasn’t been able to put it all together at the NHL level and has just four goals and five assists in 58 NHL games over the last two seasons. He is very much a project but should get an opportunity in Edmonton’s top nine given his offensive pedigree.
Emberson was brought over in the Cody Ceci trade and is a downgrade from the veteran defenseman despite offering a similar skillset. Emberson is a stay-at-home defenseman who won’t offer much offensively or jump in on the rush very often. He is a decent skater and can skate the puck out of trouble in the defensive zone, but his passing isn’t great and he tends to keep it simple rather than stretching out for breakout passes or moving the puck through traffic. He should be able to play in Edmonton’s bottom pairing this season.
UFA Signings
F Viktor Arvidsson (two-year, $8MM)
F Connor Brown (one-year, $1MM)
D Josh Brown (three-year, $3MM)
G Collin Delia (one-year, $775K)*
C Adam Henrique (two-year, $6MM)
F Mattias Janmark (three-year, $4.35MM)
F Corey Perry (one-year, $1.15MM)
G Calvin Pickard (two-year, $2MM)
F Jeff Skinner (one-year, $3MM)
D Troy Stecher (two-year, $1.575MM)
* denotes a two-way contract
Much of Edmonton’s work in free agency was to re-sign veteran players that they’d brought into the lineup over the past year. The Oilers brought back Connor Brown, Henrique, Janmark, Perry, Pickard and Stecher while adding low-risk options Skinner and Arvidsson to improve their forward group.
Skinner will be very interesting to keep an eye on this season as he has been a 40-goal scorer multiple times during his career and will have an opportunity to play with very high-end linemates in Edmonton. Skinner had just 24 goals last year but topped 30 goals in the two years before that and should have enough left in the tank to top 30 goals once again next season. Skinner has never played in NHL playoff games, holding the distinction of playing 1006 NHL games without a playoff appearance, but should finally break that drought this season with the Oilers.
The 31-year-old Arvidsson is a strong candidate for a bounce-back year having played just 18 games last season due to injury. The Oilers took a calculated risk in signing the two-time 30-goal scorer to a two-year deal but will be rewarded if he can stay healthy. Arvidsson had 15 points in 18 games last season and was fantastic the year prior, dressing in 77 games while registering 26 goals and 33 assists. Arvidsson is still a terrific skater which should translate well to Edmonton’s style of play, and he is a good shooter that can make plays with the puck on his stick. He should do well with the Oilers.
RFA Re-Signings
D Cam Dineen (two-year, $1.55MM)*
F James Hamblin (two-year, $1.55MM)*
D Noel Hoefenmayer (one-year, $775K)*
C Raphael Lavoie (one-year, $775K)*
* denotes a two-way contract
Edmonton had several restricted free agents to deal with this summer before receiving multiple offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues. Outside of the players they lost to the Blues, Edmonton was quiet on the RFA market, signing their remaining players to two-way contracts.
The most notable of the group is center Lavoie who had another strong season in the AHL last year. Lavoie is probably ready for the NHL, but given the Oilers’ forward depth, he might not receive an opportunity. Lavoie has great size and can skate, but his work in the defensive zone continues to hold him back from being a regular NHL contributor. If he can clean that up, he should get a long look at the NHL in the not-too-distant future.
Departures
D Philip Broberg (St. Louis, two-year, $9.16MM)
G Jack Campbell (Detroit, one-year, $775K)
F Sam Carrick (New York, three-year, $3MM)
D Vincent Desharnais (Vancouver, two-year, $4MM)
F Adam Erne (unsigned free agent)
G Ryan Fanti (Syracuse, signed AHL contract)
F Warren Foegele (Los Angeles, three-year, $10.5MM)
F Sam Gagner (unsigned free agent)
C Seth Griffith (Bakersfield, signed AHL contract)
F Dylan Holloway (St. Louis, two-year, $4,580,914)
F Brad Malone (retired)
F Greg McKegg (unsigned free agent)
F Ryan McLeod (traded to Buffalo)
D Markus Niemelainen (unsigned free agent)
F Carter Savoie (signed with TPS in the Finnish Liiga)
* denotes a two-way contract
Edmonton played the long game with Holloway and Broberg and it ultimately led to both players receiving offer sheets, and while it certainly stings to lose both players, it shouldn’t be an earth-shattering loss in the short term. Broberg had yet to establish himself as an everyday NHLer in Edmonton and Holloway was very much a fourth liner going into next season.
Beyond those two, Edmonton didn’t lose much talent this offseason. McLeod will hurt their depth up front a little bit, but Edmonton did a nice job filling out their forward ranks with other transactions.
Getting Jack Campbell’s contract off the books was an absolute must, and while it stings to pay a player for six more seasons not to play for your team, the short-term savings will allow the Oilers to bring in more depth during their competitive window. Campbell had become unplayable in Edmonton and needed a fresh start elsewhere, which Edmonton granted him when they facilitated his buyout.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Oilers will enter the season with roughly $945K in salary cap space but could see that number increase if Evander Kane is sidelined to start the season. Edmonton has room to make a move in season and could look to add a free agent or bring in a veteran on a PTO. The Oilers have a glaring hole on their second defensive pairing and will need to get creative to fill it. Long term, Edmonton’s salary cap situation is murky as they will have to sign their biggest stars (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard) to long-term extensions over the next two years.
Key Questions
Will Draisaitl Re-sign? The Oilers are exactly ten months away from seeing Draisaitl walk out the door for nothing in free agency. While it’s rare for players of his skill level to hit the open market, it’s not unheard of. Edmonton finally showed they can win in the playoffs and build a team around Draisaitl and McDavid, they’ve done it with both stars on bargain deals, particularly Draisaitl who is counting just $8.5MM against the salary cap next season. It seems likely he will re-sign in Edmonton; however, it is not a foregone conclusion, and it could get interesting if he doesn’t sign before the start of the season.
Can The Team Find Another Gear? It’s not often that teams lose in the Stanley Cup Finals and return the following season but look no further than the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers to see that it is possible. Florida lost in the 2023 final and returned this past year to win it all, can Edmonton do the same? On paper, the Oilers look better upfront, and weaker defensively, how that will balance out remains to be seen, but they are certainly capable of making another run. Especially if McDavid and Draisaitl are firing on all cylinders.
How Will The New Additions Fit In? Edmonton shuffled a lot of the furniture around in their forward group and will have to figure out a way to fit in two new top-six forwards without disturbing the existing chemistry. Arvidsson and Skinner are both veterans who have changed teams before and should be able to find their role in the new environment. However, nothing is guaranteed and there is always a risk when turning things over. On the backend is where Edmonton could feel some pain points, the losses of Ceci and Broberg aren’t insurmountable, but not having adequate replacements could become an issue as the season drags on.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.