The Edmonton Oilers are coming off another loss in the Stanley Cup Final. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Stuart Skinner led Edmonton to a second straight Final against the Florida Panthers. And once again, Edmonton was unable to defeat its South Florida rival. This time, the Oilers lost the Final in six games.
Edmonton did not make any splash moves this summer. In fact, their season has been mostly defined by those who left the team. Corey Perry, John Klingberg, Viktor Arvidsson, and Evander Kane all no longer call Edmonton home. It's been a summer of overhaul on the Oilers roster, without question.
The names coming into the team are certainly intriguing. Veterans Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar give them quality depth. A trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning for Isaac Howard gives them a young NHL-ready forward who may have untapped potential. It's not anything headline worthy, but it could be meaningful.
Edmonton could still be looking to make some moves before and during the season. The Oilers have a chance to win the Stanley Cup sooner rather than later. They are especially under pressure to win, given that McDavid is a free agent at the end of this season.
McDavid is unlikely to be a trade candidate this season, even as a pending unrestricted free agent. With this in mind, here are two players who could become trade candidates for the Oilers this upcoming season.
Oilers could trade Stuart Skinner to upgrade goaltending
The Oilers have found a lot of success with Skinner over the last few years. Going to two straight Stanley Cup Finals is a feat teams dream of achieving. And yet, the experience with Skinner in goal has not been an easy one, to say the least.
There were times in this past postseason when the Oilers' goalie seemed like the best in the world. He legitimately looked unstoppable. When he won a game, he didn't give the other team anything. However, when he lost, it was atrocious. Skinner looked unplayable at the NHL level during these stretches.
It's hard to know which version of Skinner will show up in 2025-26. What can be said is that he stands as an Oilers trade candidate. He is only 26 years old. And teams around the league are seeking to add goaltending. If Edmonton has a chance to add a goalie themselves, they could send Skinner the other way in the deal.
Adam Henrique is a free agent next summer
The Oilers swung a trade with the Anaheim Ducks at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Edmonton wanted to add some depth to its forward core. And Adam Henrique was one of the best veteran options on the market. It came at a steep cost, including a first-round pick, but they aren't concerned about that at this point.
Henrique has not lit the world on fire since arriving in Edmonton. But he's been a steady presence on the third line. His leadership is also valuable to this team. The veteran pivot does everything the Oilers need him to. And he's played a role in their recent postseason success.
Henrique is a free agent at the end of this season, though. If the Oilers have a chance to upgrade their roster, players like Henrique may be on the chopping block. Don't be entirely surprised if Henrique's name pops up in the rumor mill ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
