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The Edmonton Oilers were defeated in the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight season by the Florida Panthers. While back-to-back Cup appearances is a great accomplishment, a team from Canada has not hoisted Lord Stanley since 1993. The Oilers would like to have another chance to break the Canadian drought, but in order to do so, they will need to make moves this summer. Some of the moves will involve trading players in the 2025 NHL offseason.
The core of the roster for the Oilers is under contract this season, and many of them are signed well into the future. Leon Draisaitl is going into his first year of a new contract signed before the season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has three years left on his deal, while Zach Hyman has four. Further, Darnell Nurse is under contract for five more years. The Oilers will need to address the contract situation of their captain, though. Connor McDavid is in the last year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season.
Meanwhile, the Oilers have cap constraints. They are projected to have just $12.5 million in cap space this offseason. McDavid could cost over $15 million per year, so Edmonton needs to start preparing for that this offseason. Part of that preparation will be moving on from certain players.
The Oilers move a blue liner
Evan Bouchard was the top defender for Edmonton this past season. He was third on the team in points in the playoffs, while leading the team in time on ice. In the regular season, he also led the team in ice time while playing all 82 games, having 14 goals and 53 assists. Still, Bouchard is a restricted free agent. He could command nearly $11 million per year. With just over $12 million in cap space, the Oilers need to find a way to save money to bring Bouchard back to the blue line.
The best option would be to trade Nurse. He is making $9.25 million per year, and the production has not matched his large contract. Nurse is eighth in the NHL in AAV among blue liners, ahead of players such as Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. The Canadian defender did have 33 points this year, but that is down from his 2022-23 mark of 43. Meanwhile, his advanced offensive statistics have declined over the last two seasons. He is creating fewer chances and is involved less in scoring plays. The defense also took a step back this year, with fewer takeaways and shots blocked. Still, he has a no-movement clause, which will make it difficult for the Oilers to move on from him.
The Oilers can move on from Mattias Ekholm, though. Ekholm will be turning 36 at the end of the next regular season, while also costing $6 million this year. He is also scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. With the Oilers having to find money to re-sign McDavid next year, they will most likely not be bringing back the aging defender. He has scored 30 or more points in eight of the last nine seasons, and his production has continued at a solid rate. With the need for cap space, trading away this defender who can play in a top-two pairing will save money for the Oilers, while also getting a solid return.
Evander Kane needs to be traded
Kane made headlines in the Stanley Cup Final, but not for the best of reasons. Kane was ejected from game six and then did not join the handshake line. The winger had a solid postseason overall, playing in 21 games, scoring six goals and six assists. Still, he also racked up 44 minutes of penalty time. Regardless of the postseason numbers, keeping around Kane may not be worth it for the Oilers.
To begin with, he will be a free agent at the end of the next season, and as with Ekholm, the Oilers may not be able to bring him back with the need to re-sign other major players. He will make $5.125 million this upcoming season. That is the same amount as Nugent-Hopkins, but for less production. Edmonton needs to find cap space, and trading the former Atlanta Thrasher first-round pick will do just that.
Then, there is the decline in production and lack of availability. While Kane had 44 points in the 2023-24 season, that is still a decline from his time with the San Jose Sharks. Further, he played in under 45 games in both the 2021-22 and the 2022-23 seasons. This past season, he missed the entire regular season. This means in his four years in Edmonton, the winger has played in just 49 percent of the games. With that lack of availability and his contract now having a modified no-trade clause, it is time to move on.
Edmonton must upgrade in goal
Stuart Skinner struggled in the Stanley Cup Final this season. In the 2024 Finals, Skinner had some rough games, with three games having a save percentage below .895 and losing all three of those games. The goaltender was even worse this year. After being benched after the first two games in the playoffs, he would return in the series with the Vegas Golden Knights. Skinner turned this around in that series, with two shutouts, and then another solid showing in the series with the Dallas Stars. Still, the cracks started showing in that series, with his final game against the Stars being a win, but also having a .824 save percentage.
In Game 1 against the Panthers, he took the win with a .906 save percentage. That would decline in Game 2 to .881, and then in Game 3, he was pulled after allowing five goals on 23 shots. He would be pulled again in Game 4, not play in Game 5, and then struggle in Game 6 on Tuesday night. The Oilers need an upgrade if they are going to win a Cup. Skinner is under contract for just one more year at a rate of $2.6 million. He has been solid in the regular season, but he is not the solution for the Oilers in the playoffs. Now may not be the perfect time to make the trade, but it is clear that Skinner needs to go.
Overall, the Oilers have fallen short of expectations twice in a row now, and to keep their best players together, they need to make moves this summer. Sending away expiring contracts to create space this year is the perfect solution for Edmonton.
