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The Edmonton Oilers fell in the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers for a second straight year. They had to navigate a difficult offseason. The Oilers had limited salary cap space and still needed to re-sign some major players on the squad. General manager Stan Bowman did a solid job in this NHL free-agency period, bringing in new players while taking care of their own.
The Oilers had major salary cap issues coming into this summer. Still, they wanted to keep their core together for another run at the Cup.
To do that, the team needed to clear some cap space. They started with trading Evander Kane to the Vancouver Canucks. The team also moved Viktor Arvidsson to the Boston Bruins. They also made a trade for highly touted prospect Isaac Howard.
Meanwhile, they lost some players along the way. Connor Brown signed with the New Jersey Devils, while Corey Perry went to the LA Kings. Both Jeff Skinner and John Klingberg moved to the San Jose Sharks.
Still, the Oilers made seven signings this summer, and this is how they grade out.
Oilers bring back Trent Frederic
Trent Frederic, the former 29th overall pick of the 2016 NHL draft by the Boston Bruins, was re-signed by the Oilers on an eight-year deal worth an AAV of $3.85 million. After finishing his time with the University of Wisconsin, he joined the Providence Bruins, Boston's AHL affiliate.
The Missouri native played 15 games with the NHL club in 2018-19 and then two more in 2019-20 before becoming a full-time NHL player. In his last two full seasons with the Bruins, he started showing offensive growth. Still, he was struggling in the 2024-25 campaign and was traded to Edmonton in March of 2025.
Frederic played just one game in the regular season, but played 22 games in the playoffs, scoring a goal and adding three assists.
Still, a large chunk of his value does not come from his scoring production. He is a major fighter in the NHL and can agitate opponents into fighting or into other infractions. He is also a solid defender, and his presence on the ice as an enforcer brings value to the club.
While this is a long-term deal, the forward will turn only 28 during the season. Furthermore, at a cost of $3.85 million and with the salary cap rising, this will come out to be a solid deal for the team.
Trent Frederic contract grade: B+
Kasperi Kapanen returns to the Oilers on a 1-year deal
Edmonton has brought back the former 22nd overall pick in 2014 of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kasperi Kapanen, the son of former NHL player Sami Kapanen, broke into the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs after being traded in the summer of 2015.
He played just nine games in his first NHL season and then eight the next year. It would not be until 2018-19 that he became a regular NHL player, scoring 20 goals and 24 assists in 78 games for the Leafs. That was his best season as a professional.
He was traded back to the Penguins in the summer of 2020 but was ultimately put on waivers by the team in February 2023 and joined the St. Louis Blues. The Oilers then claimed him on waivers again in November of 2024.
While he did have the goal that eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime this past postseason, the Finn has not produced at a consistent level in the NHL. He has not had more than 25 points in a season since 2021-22, which was the last time he had more than 10 goals in a year. Still, at a cost of $1.3 million, this was a solid deal for depth for the Oilers.
Kasperi Kapanen contract grade: B
Oilers keep Evan Bouchard
Restricted free-agent Evan Bouchard is returning to the Oilers. The Canadian defenseman was the 10th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft by Edmonton. He joined the NHL squad that season, playing seven games. He also played 14 games in 2020-21, but it was the next season that he became a major player on the roster.
In the last four years, Bouchard has been a mainstay for the Oilers. In his four full years in the NHL, he has missed just two games. He scored 52 goals while adding 180 assists in this time. He also played in 75 playoff games, scoring 20 goals with 61 assists.
His 81 points in just 75 playoff games are worth a large contract on their own. The blue liner is also one of the highest point-producing defensemen in the NHL. Still, much of his production is due to the power play when he is on a line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
In the last two seasons, Bouchard was third in the NHL in points from the blue line. Still, his defensive numbers are not the same as Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar. The Oilers may have overspent here, but for the style of hockey they play, it may be worth it.
Evan Bouchard contract grade: B
Former Capital heads to Edmonton
Andrew Mangiapane is heading back to Canada. The former 166th overall pick of the Calgary Flames first made it to the NHL ranks in the 2017-18 campaign but failed to record a point.
Still, he returned to the NHL the next year and grew into a solid member of the Flames. Mangiapane scored 30 or more points in each of his last five seasons with the Flames, scoring more than 40 points three times and even adding a 35-goal, 55-point season.
He was traded to the Washington Capitals last summer, and his assist numbers declined. While he scored 14 goals, consistent with the low end of his career, his 14 assists were the lowest since 2020-21. Still, much of his production with the Flames in his final years there had been in odd-man situations.
His advanced statistics in 5v5 situations actually were better than in his last two years with the Flames. He was not on the ice a lot compared to career averages with the Caps. It is clear he was not used to the best of his ability in Washington, and if the Oilers coaching staff can get the most out of him, this will be a major win.
Andrew Mangiapane contract grade: A-
Goalie depth is added by the Oilers
Matt Tomkins, formerly of the Tampa Bay Lightning, joined the Oilers on a two-year, two-way deal worth $775,000 at the NHL level. The franchise needed to address the goaltending situation after the last two playoff runs, but the former 199th pick of the Chicago Blackhawks may not be the answer.
After his time at Ohio State, he played in the ECHL, AHL, and SHL before joining the Lightning as a free agent in May of 2023.
Since then, he has primarily been with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL but did play six games for the Lightning in 2023-24. He went 3-2-1 with a 3.33 goals against average and an .892 save percentage. While Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have been solid in the regular season, they have struggled in the playoffs.
This signing will not fix that. Tomkins has proven to be a competent goaltender at the AHL level but has yet to prove it in the NHL. At the age of 31, he may not grow into that, making this an odd signing for Edmonton.
Matt Tomkins contract grade: D+
Riley Stillman joins the Oilers
Riley Stillman has played 163 games at the NHL level, spending time with the Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Canucks, and Carolina Hurricanes. Still, he has registered just 26 points in his NHL career.
The defenseman has shown he can play at an NHL level but is not at the full level of an NHL defender. He gets pulled out of position and does not add much to the rush. Still, with his experience, he is solid enough to be a call-up in case of an injury, making him a fair signing for the Oilers.
Riley Stillman contract grade: C+
Curtis Lazar heads west
While the Oilers have lost some depth in free agency, they added some back with the signing of Curtis Lazar. The former Edmonton Oil King broke into the NHL with the Ottawa Senators. He spent time with the Senators, Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Bruins, and Devils before joining the Oilers this offseason.
He is not a massive production piece, scoring just 30 points in 119 games with the Devils in the last two seasons. The Canadian is still a solid two-way forward who adds value.
He does not put up a ton of points but takes up ice time without committing errors and can add to the penalty kill. He may be a healthy scratch for much of his time in Edmonton, but at a cost of $775,000, he is worth having around.
Curtis Lazar contract grade: C
Final grade on Oilers' 2025 signings
The ability to bring back players like Frederic and Bouchard was a win for the Oilers this offseason. Furthermore, Mangiapane is a solid addition to the roster and should pay dividends this year.
Still, the Oilers did fail in a couple of places. The Oilers needed to address their goaltending situation and only did so through making a change at the goalie coach position. They brought in Tomkins, but that most likely will not address the situation.
They also have yet to re-sign McDavid. He is scheduled to hit free agency next year and needs to be brought back if Edmonton wants to keep contending for the Stanley Cup. Overall, the re-signings and small additions were solid, but failing to address other concerns hurts the grade.
Overall grade for the Oilers' 2025 free-agency class: B
