News Oilers Team Notes

[Edmonton Oilers]

NHL trade rumours: Oilers ‘are going to be able to find a trade partner’ for Mangiapane, Ducks among teams to check in

For the second time in three games, Edmonton Oilers forward Andrew Mangiapane sat out as a healthy scratch on Saturday, as rumours continue to circulate that the team may be looking to trade the 29-year-old.

Now, there’s an update on what his future may hold. In the weekly Saturday Headlines segment, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman talked about Mangiapane, saying there’s still a few considerations with this situation, but ultimately he believes the Oilers will be able to get something done:

“It’s gonna be interesting to see where this goes here. I do think there’s interest in the player. I heard there were some teams a little concerned about the second year, although I had other people say they don’t think that’s gonna be a big deal. He’s under contract for this year and next. I heard Anaheim was one of the teams kind of poking around at it, we’ll see where that goes. But Edmonton’s gonna have to do one of two things. Either they’re gonna have to move on from him or they’ll play him and see if they can get him on a good role. They did try the other night, but Mangiapane sits again today and they’re definitely looking. I do think eventually they are going to be able to find a trade partner for him.”

Mangiapane signed a two-year deal last July with the Oilers, with an annual cap hit of $3.6 million. So far in Edmonton, things have not panned out, with just five goals and six assists in 40 games played, averaging 13:22 TOI/night. And as the team begins to get healthier, it looks like Mangiapane may soon be the out man out on this roster.

With that in mind, the Oilers look to be shopping him. And while he has a no-trade clause, Friedman previously reported that Mangiapane would be willing to waive it in order to take on a bigger role somewhere else. As Friedman notes, taking on a nearly $4 million contract is a big ask for many clubs, but a team like the Anaheim Ducks could easily add that to their books, with over $12 million in cap space this season. Considering his past production and potential offensive upside, it’s not hard to imagine a team with that kind of space would be willing to take a chance and bring him in.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-t...-for-andrew-mangiapane-anaheim-ducks-check-in

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Sunday Scramble: Oilers’ cup future hard to envision, the glaring flaws, and the schedule positives

Heading into the season, I didn’t think the Edmonton Oilers were going to win the Stanley Cup. I was scared to give that opinion when I first joined Oilersnation in October.

Florida Panthers be damned, three consecutive final appearances is uncommon, never mind winning your first Stanley Cup in three tries, which has rarely ever happened in the NHL. Hockey is a random game. Great teams lose all the time.

That, combined with the question marks coming into the lineup, I had my doubts, and I still remain happy to have my thoughts proved wrong.

But overall, it reeked of being a “hot take” and doesn’t ingratiate yourself to a company based on Oilers fandom. So why share it?

“Hi! I’m Michael Menzies. Nice to meet you. Oh yeah, that thing we all want to happen. Nope, ain’t going to happen…”

Yet even with this opinion, and the lacklustre performances of the past week, I feel much less negative than a segment of the fanbase. Open up the Elon machine after the Flyers game on Saturday, and get your fill. Is the hashtag #FireKnob trending yet?

Nothing that’s happened so far this season has steered my opinion — most of their summer wagers haven’t panned out, and had massive question marks attached to them.

What about Trent Frederic’s post-season performance would get me excited about an eight-year contract? What about Andrew Mangiapane’s point production declining for three consecutive seasons made me think this year would be different? What about Stuart Skinner made me think his technical abilities improve over a couple of months? And so, and so forth…

That’s not a surprise.

The Flyers game on Saturday is a good example. Tell a hockey fan the Flyers would have one more win than the Oilers in the new year, and you’d be laughed out of your basement.

While the Flyers have some skill, they don’t have the top-end talent of the Oilers to be sure. But they are a clear example of having your wagers pan out and a team committed to their structure, which is the opposite of the Oilers.

Believe what they’re telling us​

I lead with this not to look like the smartest guy in the room — I’m the only one in my room, after all.

My point is, even with this belief, I’m not drawing final conclusions of what this team can do. The games have to be played. Slumps can be overcome. Decrees in January that it’s impossible that something in April, May, or June will happen is silly in my opinion.

But there is a blaring alarm sounding through Oil Country that points to a simple fear — the Oilers are telling us exactly what they are.

The Edmonton Oilers roster is a bunch of seemingly disconnected pieces duct-taped into a lineup that’s lone path to victory is McDavid, Draisaitl, and Bouchard dominating offensively, and losing nine times out of ten when they don’t.

It’s not just that the bottom-six isn’t scoring goals, they are often getting dominated five-on-five. It’s not just an ugly slump, a bad stretch, a pile of gosh darn bad luck. The bottom-six isn’t generating chances. They aren’t doing things that generate chances. They are losing shifts routinely.

Why the disconnect?​

The player performances can’t all be laid at the feet of Kris Knoblauch. Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark, Andrew Mangiapane, and Trent Frederic, have to take some responsibility for their play here.

The front office — including Jeff Jackson, because the Summer of Jeff was much more detrimental to the Oilers’ long-term Stanley Cup future window than anything Stan Bowman has done — deserves blame too.

But why the disconnect from Stan Bowman and Kris Knoblauch about the type of player they acquire and how they are deployed?

It’s not just that Frederic, Mangiapane, plus Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson from the previous off-season have underwhelmed. You can argue in each case, the worst-case scenario is playing out.

In some ways, they don’t fit, like a top-six player in Jeff Skinner being signed to play a bottom-six role (although he got a raw deal and still scored 16 goals). In other ways, they’ve changed how they play the game (Mangiapane doesn’t shoot the puck and isn’t hard to play against unless he takes a penalty).

The worst-case scenarios are where I assign the blame to management and coaching.

There have been ugly blowouts this season where the players look like they met for the first time in the parking lot 20 minutes before warm-up. Then, other ones where you wonder, what is the plan with these players?

Like harsh bathroom light, when McDrai aren’t at their best, all their beauty flaws are exposed. And you don’t have to squint to see them.

I’d like to know where they envisioned Trent Frederic playing. I’d like to know where they thought Jeff Skinner could be used if not in the top-six. Better yet, how can you improve a team that’s not good enough, if you have to annually undo the mistakes of the past?

But it’s not all bad ​

So not a great week for the Edmonton Oilers, who squeezed out a victory in Winnipeg despite being outplayed, outchanced the Bruins but got outdueled in goaltending, and then had each defensive pair fail to move pucks out of the zone effectively to dig a hole against the Flyers.

Good riddance.

For as quickly as the feeling can sour on a team — remember how the Oilers blitzkrieg’d the Flames before Christmas — by next Sunday, we could be looking at a more engaged group. The results can flip quickly. They may even win two out of three.

This isn’t to dump cold water on any questioning of the team, because the big picture issues and small window situations have been colliding head-on all season, but just keep in mind this.

It’s worth repeating that all their important games lie ahead of them. It’s worth repeating that the Oilers still sit first in the Pacific Division. More than eighty per cent of the league has major flaws, too.

• Oilers record this week: 1-2.
• Oilers record in matinees: 1-4.
• Oilers record vs Eastern Conference: 11-9-3.

This week:

• Home vs Nashville on Tuesday
• Road vs Winnipeg on Thursday
• Home vs Los Angeles on Saturday

And hey, Kasperi Kapanen could be back this week.

Ce qui s’est passé?​

One thing about Team Canada because I’ve laid out my critiques elsewhere.

There are no Quebecois players on this team, and it speaks to the lack of elite talent that the province has been producing for a decade plus.

Remember, this is the province of Richard, Beliveau, Lemieux, Roy, Brodeur, Lafleur, and on and on.

There wasn’t a player even close to being in consideration, so much so, Pierre Luc-Dubois or Thomas Chabot wouldn’t be on a second Canada team… you’d be stretching to make a third Canada team.

The QMJHL has done a good job steering attention from the state of their overall product by having their Memorial Cup representatives perform, making the WHL’s 12-year drought all the more mind-boggling.

But the “Q” is not what it once was.

Often viewed as a goalie factory, it’s just not happening anymore. What’s going on in Quebec?

Ekholm snub​

I understand why Oilers fans aren’t too cut up by Mattias Ekholm being passed over for Team Sweden, but for me, that stings more than Hyman or Bouchard’s exclusion.

We all have our man crushes on players, and Ekholm would be mine. He’s so bloody good, and the trade to acquire him is one of the greatest in franchise history.

“It’s disappointing,” said Ekholm after the news on Friday. “It was probably my last shot. It’s something that’s right up there with the Stanley Cup, the Olympics, so it’s obviously a huge disappointment.”

He’s gutted and that sucks.

However, as we all know, it won’t hurt to have most of the Oilers getting R&R during the Winter Games.

Bizarre Winter Classic​

Flipping through channels on Friday, to my chagrin, I saw a bit of Role Model’s performance at the Winter Classic, and the nauseating scene of Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov in white suits dancing with the Stanley Cup…

What a bizarre thing, never mind an all-time ugly jersey matchup.

The Winter Classic and all outdoor games don’t hold as a TV event anymore. But the Heritage Classic in Edmonton a couple of years ago was fun. It’s for the people there primarily.

I wonder what the appetite is to put more games in non-NHL cities. The rumours about playing at Bristol Motor Speedway is so Looney Tunes it just might work…

Michael Menzies worked as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville for seven years, and has worked in the Alberta Junior Hockey League as the Bonnyville Pontiacs play-by-by voice since 2019. He collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/sunda...-the-glaring-flaws-and-the-schedule-positives

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Monday Mailbag: How can Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson stick with the Oilers?

Good morning, everyone, and a happy Monday to you all. As per tradition, I’ve got a brand new mailbag set to go after taking your questions and sending them to the crew for their takes. This week, we’re discussing Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson’s rDonecalls, Andrew Mangiapane rumours, waivers, and more. If you’ve got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at [email protected] or on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.

Dec 31, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Boston Bruins left winger Viktor Arvidsson (71) celebrates a goal in front of Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram (39) in the second period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

1) James in Peterborough asks – The club’s defensive struggles have been well documented this season. Do you think there has been one decisive factor here (Cup Finals hangover; coaching/systems; defensive personnel; lack of commitment to details; goaltending)? Is it a combination of factors?

Tyler Yaremchuk:

Goaltending deserves to be in the conversation, and the Walman injury has hurt. I think the forwards and their lacklustre efforts need to be mentioned as well. Playing good defence is a full-team thing, not just on the goalies and blueliners.

Woz:

It’s a combination of factors, but one I’ll throw in is injuries. In the postseason, Ekholm was a shell of himself due to injury. In 25/26, it hasn’t helped that Walman has missed a chunk of the season already, mostly due to bad luck; a bone bruise could happen to anyone. Some players we saw regress as well, in Ekholm, more particularly Kulak, who we saw get shipped out.

Baggedmilk:

I think all of the above is appropriate, but I’d also include that our goalies weren’t exactly lights out to start the year. A big chunk of that lands on the skaters in front of them, but the goalies didn’t make enough saves through the first two months either.

Dec 20, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Edmonton Oilers left wing Andrew Mangiapane (88) skates with the puck alongside Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) during the first period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

2) Shaun asks – The Andrew Mangiapane trade rumours are happening way earlier than we would have liked or expected, but is this a larger problem with the Oilers’ pro scouting? Arvidsson, Skinner, and now Mangiapane are all veteran forwards who didn’t/aren’t working out here?

Tyler Yaremchuk:

It’s very frustrating, and that’s why I’ve said for a while now that they need to stop messing around with the mushy middle in free agency. Go use your money on high-end pieces in free agency and fill out the bottom part of your roster with $1m players. Go big or go home. Curtis Lazar is making better contributions than Adam Henrique, and that says something.

Woz:

All these players seemed to be productive before arriving in Edmonton. It is puzzling, but I think the main factor is the coaching staff allocating a majority of the ice time to the top six forwards, specifically Draisaitl, Hyman and McDavid. Especially when the Oilers are down a few, Knoblauch loves to load up McDrai and limit the rest.

Baggedmilk:

It’s been a big problem that a lot of these UFAs haven’t worked out. I don’t know if it’s the pro-scouting, how these guys are sold on coming here, where they end up playing, or if it’s a combination of all of the above, but something has to change. The Oilers have spent a bunch of money on players that aren’t moving the needle much.

Dec 18, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; As Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm (28) looks on, Edmonton Oilers right wing Quinn Hutson (23) celebrates his first NHL goal during the second period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

3) Yves asks – The Oilers recalled Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard on Friday. What do both players need to do to stick with the big club this time around? How can the coaching staff help to ensure that happens?

Tyler Yaremchuk:

Howard needs to play better when the puck isn’t on his stick. That’s the big thing there. For Hutson, I really think it’s as simple as getting more opportunities. I really liked his game.

Woz:

The coaching staff needs to believe in them and not have such a tight leash. Playing under 10 minutes a night won’t help anyone. If Knoblauch and company can give them a bit more trust, it could go a long way.

Baggedmilk:

The Ice Man needs to remember to play some defence. His offensive instincts are sky-high, but he needs to remember that most of NHL games are played without the puck. As for Quinn Hutson, I think he’s good enough to force someone out of the bottom six. Maybe I’m drinking the Kool-Aid again, but that kid looks like found money for a bottom-six role.

Oct 19, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Noah Philp (48) plays the puck against Detroit Red Wings defenseman Albert Johansson (20) in the first period at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

4) Gregg asks – The Oilers lost Noah Philp to waivers last week, Troy Stecher before that, Raphael Lavoie a year ago, etc, and I’d like to know if anyone else is getting concerned about how often the team is losing depth pieces like this?

Tyler Yaremchuk:

Not really. I wish Philp got more of a leash over the last number of years, but it’s not the end of the world. They opted for younger pieces than Stecher, and that was the right call as well. Lavoie has never panned out, so whatever.

Woz:

Yes and no. Philp would’ve been nice to keep considering how bland the Oilers bottom six has been. Stecher brought energy but at times looked like a mess defensively. Lavoie, well even Vegas is taking their time to see if he’ll become an NHL player.

Baggedmilk:

I wouldn’t say that I’m concerned but it is definitely annoying. My tinfoil hat theory is that other teams are taking shots at the Oilers on purpose, but that could also just be my feelings getting hurt. Don’t miss Lavoie at all. Do miss Stecher. The biggest miss was not matching on Holloway.

Sep 24, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic (10) waits for the play to begin against the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

5) Brendyn asks – We know Trent Frederic isn’t going anywhere with that eight-year contract, but how can the Oilers make the most of their time with him, given his current struggles?

Tyler Yaremchuk:

Try to get him to commit to a role in the bottom six. He needs to bring energy, go to the net and just create more of an impact on a shift-to-shift basis. He doesn’t need to be scoring, but he needs to stop having games where he’s just a total ghost. If the coaching staff can get him to buy into that, then the results will come with it.

Woz:

For Frederic, it comes down to the player. There’s no doubt he’s lost a lot of confidence, but it comes down to the coaching staff giving him a defined role where he can succeed. For whatever reason, we haven’t seen the brash, bruising player he was billed to be; you don’t even see him getting under players’ skin. He needs a role in which he can rebuild his identity as a player.

Baggedmilk:

Lock him in a room and show him highlights from his time in Boston. Just play like that, and he’ll be fine. Sometimes I wonder if he’s putting way too much pressure on himself because he knows everyone is puzzled by that contract. Just a working theory, of course.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/monda...oward-quinn-hutson-stick-with-edmonton-oilers

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Oilers injury update: Kasperi Kapanen likely to return Tuesday, Jake Walman in a week

It looks as if the Edmonton Oilers could get some reinforcements back in the coming days.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch spoke to the media on Monday, with the first questions regarding two injured Oilers: Jake Walman and Kasperi Kapanen. When asked about the timeline of the return of both players, Knoblauch had this to say.

“It looks like it, we’ll see how feels after practice, then he’ll get evaluated then he’ll get the full clearing. Right now it looks pretty good. [Walman] was not ready. Guessing sometime next week, probably when we’re playing that two-game road trip. Maybe before it, maybe after it, but that’s kind of mid-next week we’re looking at.”

Kapanen, a player the Oilers claimed on waivers last season, has played just six games for them in 2025-26, all at the start of the season. It looked as if he was on track to return in late November, but left evidently had a setback during a practice and left frustrated. In his own media scrum on Sunday, he said he’s aiming for a return on Tuesday when the Oilers host the Nashville Predators.

On Monday morning, Kapanen was paired with Vasily Podkolzin and Leon Draisaitl on the second line. The trio has some experience together, playing just under 37 minutes together during the 2025 playoffs during five-on-five action, where they had 58.69 percent of the expected goals, per Natural Stat Trick.

It won’t be surprising to see Kapanen drop to the bottom six soon, as the Finn is exactly what they need. He gives the Oilers speed, along with depth scoring as he potted five goals and 13 points in 57 regular season games with the Oilers in 2024-25, with three goals and six points in 12 postseason games (including one of the biggest goals of the Oilers’ playoff run).

Best Oilers Moments of 2025: Kasperi Kapanen series winner in overtime against the Golden Knights.

: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/OQPggoLZUW

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) December 25, 2025

Walman is just as important for the Oilers, as he gives the team another top four defenceman with a scoring touch. Of the 42 games the Oilers have played this season, Walman has suited up for just 17 of them, where he has three goals and 10 points. When healthy, he’s capable of playing on either side of the ice and gives the team a scoring threat from the point.

The left-shot defenceman has been out of action since Nov. 20, as he blocked a shot in the Oilers’ 2-1 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, suffering a fracture. Ideally, he’d be in the lineup more as the Oilers sent their 2026 first round pick to the San Jose Sharks last season for his services, but getting him back will be a big boost to the Oilers’ backend.

Both Kapanen and Walman are on the Oilers’ long-term injured reserve, meaning they’ll need to clear out the cap to activate them. Combined, they earn $4.7 million, which is a lot more than their current cap space of just under $321,000. Riley Stillman, Quinn Hutson, and Ike Howard are candidates to be sent down, but additional moves need to be made.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/edmon...n-likely-return-tuesday-jake-walman-next-week

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

NHL trade rumours: Ryan Strome potential trade option as Oilers’ look to move Mangiapane

Two months out from the March 6th trade deadline, the Edmonton Oilers are already hot on the market looking for a destination for Andrew Mangiapane.

The 29-year-old forward signed with the Oilers last summer, but has been scratched multiple times recently and is reportedly interested in being moved.

On Saturday night, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that he expects the Oilers “are going to be able to find a trade partner” to get something done with Mangiapane, noting the Anaheim Ducks as a likely landing spot. On Monday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman reiterated this report, going into detail about why he views the Ducks as the right fit for making a deal.

“I did mention Anaheim on Saturday night, and there’s two reasons I mention them,” Friedman said. “Number one, they’ve started to struggle a bit. They have a lot of guys who have never gone through this meat grinder before. … I just wonder if they might want a veteran to help some of their kids get through this. And they have the cap room.”

Friedman added that the Ducks have some good veterans but lost one recently with an injury to Frank Vatrano, who will be out for weeks. With regards to cap, Anaheim is in a favourable situation right now without too many big figures on the books, giving them more than enough room to take on Mangiapane’s $3.6-million annual salary, which runs until the end of next season.

In making a deal with Anaheim, Friedman noted one name floating around as a possible return is forward Ryan Strome, though it comes with its own complications.

“I did have some people that thought a Strome for Mangiapane deal makes sense,” he said. “The problem there is that Strome makes about a million and a half more than Mangiapane, and Edmonton doesn’t have the room to take all that. So it would be interesting to see how Anaheim would feel about that situation … I’ve also heard, though I’ve not confirmed it through the Oilers, that they are looking for a player who would be more accepting of the role that Mangiapane was going to start to have to play. Sort of like a bottom-six, somebody who is not going to get as much of a chance to play with a Leon or a Connor … and Strome wouldn’t necessarily fit that.”

There’s also been some talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs as a trading partner, with Matias Maccelli cited as a possible return. Friedman acknowledged the rumour, but said he doesn’t think Toronto would do it, despite the fact that Mangiapane played under Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving in Calgary.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-t...dmonton-oilers-look-to-move-andrew-mangiapane

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

NHL News: Flyers’ Rasmus Ristolainen available for trade, Blue Jackets sign Zamula, and more

A right-shot defenceman could be available ahead of the March 6 trade deadline.

On Tuesday, Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco reported that Philadelphia Flyers’ defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen could be available before the trade deadline, albeit the Flyers aren’t actively shopping him.

Ahead of Tuesday’s slate of games, the Flyers occupy the first wild card spot and are just five points back for the Metropolitan Division lead with two games in hand. This isn’t the first time the Flyers have sniffed a playoff spot in the past three seasons, as they occupied a spot in April of 2024.

That said, Ristolainen would net the Flyers a sizable haul, as a prospective deal would be similar to the Ben Chiarot deal from four years ago. This season, the right-shot defenceman has played just nine games, picking up two assists in the process. Last season, the Turku, Finland native scored four goals and 19 points in 63 games.

Ristolainen has reached the 40-point plateau four times in his career, doing so with the Sabres from the 2015-16 season until 2018-19, but has transformed into a steady, defensively sound top-four defenceman the past few years.

Additionally, the 6’4” defenceman has a cap hit of $5.1 million on a contract that doesn’t end until after the 2026-27 season. He, along with Rasmus Andersson, could be the top options for right-shot defencemen on the market ahead of March’s trade deadline.

The Oilers could be a team that has interest in Ristolainen, as the team had been loosely linked to the blue liner ahead of last season’s trade deadline.

This news came a day after it was reported that the Flyers have extended Christian Dvorak.

Egor Zamula signs with Blue Jackets​

Another move recently involving the Flyers saw them acquire Philip Tomasino from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Egor Zamula. Well, the Penguins waived Zamula, with the Columbus Blue Jackets signing him on Tuesday afternoon.

Zamula, 25, went undrafted and eventually signed with the Flyers in 2018. He made his debut during the pandemic-impacted 2020-21 season, playing two games. The following season, the left-shot defenceman played 10 games, then another 14 games in 2022-23, where he picked up his first four National Hockey League points.

In 2023-24, the Russian defenceman became a regular, scoring five goals and 21 points in 66 games with the Flyers. He was often in their lineup in 2024-25 as well, scoring three goals and 15 points in 63 games in 63 games.

Zamula’s 2025-26 season has been bumpy, playing just 13 games with the Flyers where he had an assist in 13 games. After the trade, Zamula reportedly didn’t report to the Penguins’ American Hockey League team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, before being terminated.

World Juniors wrap up​

On Monday evening, the 2026 World Juniors concluded, as Team Sweden defeated Team Czechia by a score of 4-2 to take home their first gold medal since 2012, their second gold medal since 1991. Had Czechia won, they would’ve won their first gold medal since the 2001 tournament, but will settle for their second silver medal in tournament history, the fourth consecutive year they’ve medaled at the tournament.

It was a disappointing tournament for Team Canada, as they fell 6-4 to Czechia in the semifinal game. They needed a win against Team Finland on Monday to take home the bronze medal, doing just that in a 6-3 victory, thanks to strong performances from Michael Hage and Gavin McKenna. Former Edmonton Oilers’ prospect, Sam O’Reilly, had two goals in that game as he was named as one of Team Canada’s top three players.

As for current Oiler prospects, David Lewandowski played in his second consecutive tournament with Team Germany, as they managed to avoid relegation thanks to an 8-4 victory over Team Denmark on Friday. He’ll be eligible to return in next year’s tournament, which happens to take place in Edmonton (and Red Deer).

The Oilers’ other prospect in the tournament, Asher Barnett, played in all five of Team America’s games, as the hosts were defeated in the quarterfinals thanks to 4-3 overtime loss to Team Finland. It’s the third consecutive game between the two teams that saw the score finish 4-3 in overtime, with the Americans winning the gold medal in the 2025 tournament over Finland. Barnett is also eligible to return to the tournament next year.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-n...trade-egor-zamula-signs-columbus-blue-jackets

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Two months ahead of the NHL trade deadline, the Oilers’ plan remains unclear

This year’s NHL trade deadline will fall on March 6th, meaning we are just two months away from the final day for General Managers to make moves.

Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has already gotten involved in the trade market this season, and he didn’t exactly dip his toes into the waters either. The Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins swung a massive deal last month, and Edmonton acquired goaltender Tristan Jarry in exchange for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a second-round draft pick. They also acquired defenseman Spencer Stastney from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a third-round pick that day.

I’m bringing up those deals again for a number of reasons.

First off, in moving out Skinner and Kulak, the Oilers traded away two of the most expensive contracts that didn’t have any trade protection attached to them. In fact, the only Oiler who makes more money and doesn’t have a no-trade or no-movement clause is Evan Bouchard.

Bowman has already traded what would be considered his two easiest cap dumps.

Secondly, the Oilers aren’t exactly flush with assets. Remember, they traded their 2026 first-round pick last deadline to the San Jose Sharks for Jake Walman, and they also don’t have a fourth or a fifth round pick in this year’s draft.

Here are the picks they have over the next three years:

2026: 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th

2027: 1st, 2nd, 5th, 5th (BOS), 6th, 7th

2028: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd (STL), 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th

That is not exactly a lot of draft capital, and it’s not like their system is flush with valuable prospects that they could dangle in a deal.

Honestly, not having the assets to make a significant deal this season might not even be that much of a problem, considering the Oilers don’t really have much cap space either.

Once both Walman and Jarry are back and healthy, the Oilers would need to send down all four of Riley Stillman, Calvin Pickard, Curtis Lazar, and Isaac Howard just to be cap compliant.

That means they would have to run with a 24-man roster just to be under the cap.

Of course, the Andrew Mangiapane rumours continue to swirl, which means that they could free up $3.6m before everyone needs to be activated off of the injured reserve, but that’s also assuming that they can dump off Mangiapane’s deal without having to take a contract back, which is far from a guarantee.

So, the Oilers would have just north of $3 million in cap space by the deadline, but a trade will have to come first.

It’s also important to remember that some elements of the new CBA have already kicked in so there are some different rules this year compared to last year.

The double-retention loophole that the Oilers have used in the past to acquire players like Trent Frederic and Adam Henrique has been closed off by the league, meaning that a players contract can only be retained once.

Also, there is now a playoff salary cap, meaning the lineup that you ice for each playoff game needs to be cap-compliant. That hasn’t totally taken away the incentive to accrue cap space throughout the season, but it has certainly lessened its impact.

So with their limited cap space and small pool of assets, what will Bowman priority be at this years deadline?

Well, I think it’s safe to say that they’ve made their move between the pipes, so any additional trades will be to either the forward group or the blueline. Here are the possibilities:

Top-six forward​

This would be the flashiest addition that the Oilers could make.

Bringing in another legit, high-end forward to pair with Leon Draisaitl would allow head coach Kris Knoblauch to play either Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with Connor McDavid or Jack Roslovic on the third line and lengthen their lineup that way.

Alex Tuch was once thought to be the top player available this season but with the Sabres recent surge, that seems unlikely.

My Oilersnation Everyday co-host Liam Horrobin won’t stop talking about the idea of acquiring Jared McCann from Seattle, and while I love the player and agree that he would make the Oilers a lot better, I’m not sure if he’ll be available.

A bounce-back project like Jake DeBrusk, who could certainly benefit from a change of scenery, would be the easiest to acquire, but he isn’t the offensive driver that would change the complexion of this forward group. Cheap to acquire, but potentially limited upside.

One thing that will really complicate the high-end of the trade market is the fact that there might not be many true sellers. Teams might be open to trading secondary pieces, but true top-of-the-lineup impact players might be harder to come by. Also, remember the Oilers don’t have a lot of assets to dangle.

Third line centre​

This is the spot where I think the club would benefit the most. Adding a third-line centre and playing them with some combination of Matt Savoie, Kasperi Kapanen, and Howard should give the Oilers a third line that can actually outscore the opposition while keeping Roslovic up with Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins with McDavid, where I think they’re both better suited.

Columbus has been a rumoured landing spot for Mangiapane and they have two centres on expiring deals in Boone Jenner and Charlie Coyle, although there has been much more talk about Jenner being available.

Anaheim has also been connected to the Oilers and they’re apparently looking to move on from Ryan Strome, but I think his $5 million cap hit makes him a non-starter for the Oilers.

Ryan O’Reilly would cost a lot, but he comes with some term and would be a very effective option.

If the Leafs sell, I wonder about the availability of Nicholas Roy, although he certainly wouldn’t be at the top of my list.

Top-four defenceman​

There have been some rumblings that the Oilers will look to make an Ekholm-esque splash on the back end, but personally, I don’t see it.

They seem to have a pretty set top-four as long as everyone stays healthy and newcomer Spencer Stastney has looked pretty solid during his first month with the club. I’m not sure if spending assets on another high-end defenseman is what this team needs.

I do think that they need to add some depth, but I think that could be done by sacrificing a late-round pick or by working the waiver wire closer to the deadline. I think adding up front should be the priority, but we won’t know what Bowman’s preference is for a while… potentially two more months.

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ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365​

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/two-m...deadline-edmonton-oilers-plan-remains-unclear

 

[Edmonton Oilers]

Better Lait Than Never: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ 500th assist, Oilers trade rumours, and healthy scratches

It’s been another wild week around here with the Oilers rollercoaster making another loop, and I’ve got a fresh episode of Better Lait Than Never ready to recap it all. On today’s podcast, I talked about Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ 500th assist, more Andrew Mangiapane trade rumours, healthy scratches, Connor McDavid’s heater, and much more.

I kicked off this week’s episode with a look at Ryan Nugent-Hopkins reaching the 500 assist mark in Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators. Nuge isn’t the flashiest player on the roster with Connor and Leon ahead of him, but that didn’t stop me from gushing about my guy for a few minutes as he inches closer to 1000 NHL games. I also looked at Kasperi Kapanen’s comeback and how quickly he made an impact. From there, I had to touch on the frustration many of us felt yesterday when we saw that both Andrew Mangiapane and Trent Frederic were healthy scratches against the Preds. And the worst part? It didn’t look like it mattered.

Finally, I wrapped up this week’s episode of BLTN with a guest Righteous Sack Beating, then closed out the podcast with another round of voicemails. The voicemail was alive this week, and everyone’s takes were all over the map and very fun for me to listen to. The voicemail is the best way to wrap up the show and give everyone a chance to share their thoughts. Another hearty thank you to everyone who contributed to this week’s episode. Having all of you in the mix makes the show so much better.

Want to leave a voicemail for next week’s show? Do it here!

Subscribe to Better Lait Than Never for FREE on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts from! Better Lait Than Never is proudly presented by Sports Interaction, Star Mechanical, and Trilogy Oilfield Rentals. Without them, this podcast would not be possible.

Source: https://oilersnation.com/news/bette...w-mangiapane-trent-frederic-healthy-scratches