If you listen closely to the news stories surrounding the Edmonton Oilers this week, you’d think the team is on the ropes early in the 2025 offseason heavyweight bout. Jeff Jackson and Stan Bowman are reportedly (via Ryan Rishaug) in Ontario speaking with Connor McDavid’s agent (the incredibly named Judd Moldaver, he sounds like a character from X-Files) about what the Oilers can do to retain the player past next season.
Offer sheets from Satan the Devil himself are being procured in a giant cauldron filled with evil and filth, about to be handed to Evan Bouchard’s representation.
If the book of Revelations had a hockey segment, the early Oilers verbal this summer would qualify.
Fans don’t really know what’s going to happen, but the early rumblings have Trent Frederic getting Evander Kane’s deal minus a million; Corey Perry getting a handsome increase to celebrate his 40th birthday; the Oilers are going to have plenty of cap space (via Bob Stauffer via Ira in the comments section) but we don’t yet know how. I don’t rate dealing Viktor Arvidsson as creating enormous cap space so there must be something.
Stan Bowman doesn’t have a full off-season track record as Oilers general manager, and he will have to negotiate difficult waters between now and September.
I like the moves he’s made so far, adding Vasily Podkolzin, Ty Emberson, John Klingberg, Jake Walman, Trent Frederic and others. He’ll need to rise above those moves and do something transcendent in the next two weeks.
On the Lowdown today, our feature guest will be Kevin McCurdy. We’ll talk about the way forward, noon to 2pm today.
The Oilers cannot trade Connor McDavid. But what would a potential deal even look like?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6446855/2025/06/25/oilers-connor-mcdavid-contract-trade-offers/
McDavid, Henrique, and Arvidsson to Toronto for Knies, Cowan, and Nylander and a boatload of picks.
Depending on one’s time zone, possibly too early to put a hurting on the bottle?
Is this a serious suggestion?
The question LT posed was “What would a potential deal even look like?”
That is what it would look like.
Stated as fact and not an opinion …
Nah, any McDavid trade would have to include at least a talented young C or RD. Cowan is a W.
Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue!
Part 2:
Bouchard, Ekholm, and Sorokin to Toronto.
Matthews, Stolarz, and Reilly to the Islanders
Dobson, Carlo, Woll, and Pageau to the Oilers.
This now feels like a cry for help. We are here for you, my dude!
Better include Scottie Barnes at the very least.
McD, Nurse, Stu to the flames for Andersson, Zary and Wolf. Be Bold Bowman
McDavid, Bouchard, and Draisaitl to the Sharks for Celebrini, Smith, Dickinson, Askarov, and the #2 OV pick in this year’s draft.
McDavid for Larsson.
The trade is one-for-one
to Maple Leafs, McDavid and Nurse for Mathews, Carlo, and Stolarz money is almost even
I will skip over this thread for sure.
Absolutely no doubt the extension is coming this off-season – 5-8 years and have always suggested the $16.5MM range.
This is not how you skip, -1 point.
I admit that I was a bit skeptical when Kane first joined the Oilers as I wasn’t sure about his character. Thankfully, I was proven totally wrong. Kane was an excellent teammate on the ice and a great Edmontonian off the ice with all that he did for the community. I’m happy for him as he’s going to the team/city that he wanted to go to.
That said, I’d rather have 1 more year of Kane at $5.125 than any number of years of Frederic at $3+.
Is Utah a team to watch re trades for draft picks? They have more than they can accomodate on thier 90 contract limit, realistically… do we have an opportunity there?
I am wondering if the coming play is Arvidsson and Henrique out, add Cody Glass or similar, give a chance to Philp… add in possible goalie move and a new top 6 winger?
A 4th like last summer. So it works out to Kane for Podkolzin and much needed cap. Good plan,Stan
That bizarrely awful, reported Frederic deal does not inspire confidence that Stan Bowman will know how to retool on the fly. Could that be part of the explanation why Oilers fans are a little edgy?
I wonder if this Frederic report is giving McDavid pause too. If Bowman starts signing bottom-6 wingers to contracts that are too big and too long that affects the overall talent level of the team and just puts more pressure on McDavid and Draisaitl to carry the team.
My biggest question around Frederic is whether Knoblauch was consulted as to where he sees him in the line up. Seems Knoblauch likes him as 4th LW. If that’s where he will play Frederic next season, that contract is a disaster from the get go
Lebrun reporting Bouch contract could be 4yrs, in the $9M range. Still think it’ll be 8x$10.25M but if Lebrun is right the roster/cap would look like this:
RNH McD Hyman
X Drai X
Fred Hen Brown
Jan X Podz
Savoie
Ek Bouch
Nurse Wal
Kulak Emb
Stech
Stu
Pic
With $7.85M left on the cap
(assumes Fred at $3.75 and Brown at $1.75)
So next to no cap space and once again no wingers for Drai. Good plan.
That’s right. Unfortunately shopping in the Anthony Mantha, Mangiapane, Reilly Smith, maybe Grandlund, Claude Giroux aisle not the Marner, Boeser, or Ehlers aisle unless more cap is moved which we’ve told by Bowman won’t happen on the blue line so options are limited.
Henrique will be gone, Podz will not be playing his offwing on the 4th line.
Perhaps, that line up/cap would like this assuming brown and Fred sign:
RNH McD Hyman
Podz Drai X
Fred X Brown
Jan X X
Savoie
Ek Bouch
Nurse Wal
Kulak Emb
Stech
Stu
Pic
With $10.85M left to fill 2RW, 3C, 4C, and 4RW. Philip at 4C would reduce cap to $10M. Could pencil Savoie into 2RW and run a 21 man roster. Is a 2nd line of Podz Drai Sav championship quality? I say no but your mileage may vary.
How is trading Kane for a 4th(nothing) different than keeping Kane for the last year of his contract and letting him walk for nothing? Frederick for one million less to do the same job is hope beyond hopeful and has the likelihood of turning into a Jack Campbell.
EDIT, strike likelihood for posibility.
I’d be absolutely shocked if Bouchard signed and offer sheet – I’ve explained the many aggregate reasons why it doesn’t make sense including his arb case and the five year max term for determining compensation tier (effectively making a 6-7 year deal not available).
i look forward the 8 year $85MM deal to be made official.
We were shocked that Holloway did too. Not so much Broberg.
I like Evander Kane but this deal makes sense for the Oilers. $5MM of needed cap space for an aging and regressing power forward that didn’t play at all last season and worked his way to the bottom six in the SCF – after being sold for a few rounds.
The player style will be missed but this is likely no longer an 82 game player (he’s been hurt ALOT the last few years) and business needs to be done.
Agreed. I like Kane and appreciate the swagger, but as the saying goes – better a year too early than a year too late. At 33 and with recent majot surgeries and a rugged playing style, it is a good time to move down to a younger replacement.Sail on, good sir.
Never thought I’d say it but you’re right. I was adamant they needed Kane to win against Florida. I was wrong.
I wonder where Arvidsson will want to be traded to for a fourth rounder. That will give Stan $21M to play with.
I bet Pittsburg.
My guess is Tampa or Carolina.
I could see Tampa, I don’t see Vik and Rod the bod working well together.
Kane gave the team a great presence in the playoffs, but was a dude who was getting worse during the season. And frankly, if he couldn’t help the Oilers vs the Panthers this past season, he was not a guy they needed for next season.
His cap hit has a ton of value to the Oilers, he brings what the Canucks keep looking for and he will earn himself another contract to finish his career. I think this is a win for everyone involved.
Next, jettison Arvidsson for somewhere he wants to be.
“What are any of you going to do about it”. Evander Kane.
I hated the acquisition at the time, but EK delivered and was a damn good Oiler, on and off the ice. Hope he has great success in Van, just not against us. I see a Kane Fredrick tilt in the future, and it’ll be a good one. Kane was a fantastic citizen, and I’m glad he rehabilitated his image here. I hope he has a great final stage of his career. Nothing but appreciation today.
Kane is looking for one more contract 2-3 years before he’s finished. Remember he just started over recently. He has a much better chance in Vancouver where he’ll see more PP and 6-5 time.
I’m happy with the trade as I don’t think Kane was a part of the solution for getting over the hump. Despite his tools, he was completely outmatched in board battles and net front in the Finals and has shown every sign of falling off the cliff. Freeing up his 5.125mil was vital IMO. Getting a 4th back is just icing on the cake 🙂
I imagine his trade list made getting much back hard. At least a full exit of the cap hit
Happy with a 4th
was thinking it was maybe part of a Demko thing and that worries me
no need to purposely plan on LTIR
Perhaps having learned from last offseason, the Oilers are no longer vulnerable to an offer sheet … until they make ridiculous signings on July 1.
Jake Allen at 5×5?
Frederic at 8 x 3.5M Perry 2 x 2.5M?
Over the past 10 years or so, cap space has become a tradeable asset.
So look at this as Kane for a 4th and $5M in cap space.
I would have been fine with keeping Kane, but at least Stan is pushing buttons and pulling levers.
Fine, but cap space doesn’t score goals. If the cap space is used to bring back Frederic and Kapanen is that worthwhile?
Tough loss in Kane, he will be missed. Arvi likely next. Will be interesting to see how they go about rebuilding the 2nd line and addressing 4C/PK.
For the love of god, please do no sign Perry for 2yrs at $2-2.5M. Unless its 1yr at league min or slightly above, its time to move on from Perry.
I expect Arvi and Henrique to be moved shortly, and as much as I like Perry at his age I only go one year deals unless the contract is almost completely buryable in case of decline.
Thanks for pointing us to some good tunes LT.
I didn’t know that one.
Walking inside an HEB (grocery store) in the Woodlands, TX wearing my Oilers Hat.
A guy w/ his 2 boys walks past me ” Go Oilers”
One of his little ones (about 9ish) “Go Oilers”
I said to the boy “Thanks buddy”
Made my day!
The pick acquired was originally Ottawa’s, so will be #117 overall.
Was the pick EDM got in the Bourgault trade that they then sent for Podkolzin. Full circle 🙂
How much would Vancouver want for a two year rental of Quinn Hughes? I read a post suggesting 3 firsts, 2 prospects, and a roster player.
They seem to like big defensemen, is there any framework where we rent Hughes for two years, and they get Nurse plus rebuild collateral?
There is potentially more value on rebuilding with the McKenna draft lottery coming up.
What if we gave 3 firsts, two 2nds, Nurse, and retained 2 million?
I’m guessing they could likely get better elsewhere, but strange things can happen when NMCs come in to play, and assuming Nurse would agree.
Big enough to not cause a Riot like it’s 2011.
Tidy work by Stanislas Bowman. Keep it going.
I am extremely sad to see Kane traded. He was awesome for this team. Can they use the cap space? Certainly. But will they fill this gap with the same level of scoring and toughness? I am not sure.
I am worried for sure that the Oilers lost a big piece of their identity today.
I agree this is a huge loss. Evander Kane on a contract year is probably going to be a great year for him, ride it and let him walk. IMO the person to trade is Hyman, 33 with declining numbers, a recent wrist injury and three more years at 5+ million would have went a lot further. Sail on Evander.
I think the SCF showed what Hyman means to this team. Hyman has the kind of toughness this team needs. Loved what Kane brought to the team but even in a couple months of playoffs he was fading hard. Hyman however was thriving. We will never know what Hyman would have done in this final in particular but his forecheck and board battle ability was missed significantly.
Nope. But at least we got the pick back the league is likely to charge us for no good reason (eye roll). Sure gonna be a fun 5 games against Vancouver.
I am surprised with all the conversations that seem weird around the Oilers,
We have been the SCF twice in the last two years – we are a very competitive team
We have changed our management – we have a very competitive management team.
Stew Skinner has flaws, but is a 26 years old pushed into a starter role – he is way ahead of his development curve.
Evander Kane has a unique skill set and will be additive to the roster even at $5.1M
Perry, Brown, Avidsson, Henquire, Janmark are replaceable non impact players
If Ekholm, Hyman and Nuge were healthy in this year’s SCF could the Oilers have won two more games?
Bouchard and McDavid want to play here.
The UFA market does not have real answers
Cap space without trade assets in the summer is useless.
Counter – the Oilers should have won the last 2 Cups and were undone by specific flaws and weak points rather than an overall shortcoming.
You’re correct about the group of older, replaceable guys.
Here’s the thing – it isn’t about whether they could have won 2 more games. It is giving a big enough margin that even if all that happened and more, they still win.
Disagree re Cap space… trading in the summer the prices can be higher. Cap space at the trade deadline, however is VERY valuable.
Evander Kane
@evanderkane
·
8m
As my time with the @EdmontonOilers
has now come to a close, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank the entire organization, my teammates, and the incredible community of Edmonton.
To the Oilers Ownership, front office, coaching staff, and trainers—thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be a part of such a respected and passionate franchise. Your support meant everything, and I’ll always be grateful for the chance to compete in the blue and orange.
To my teammates—thank you for the battles, the friendships, and the memories. I’ll always remember the playoff runs, the highs and lows, and the pride of going to war with a special group of guys.
To the fans—thank you for embracing me and showing unwavering support throughout my time in Edmonton. Rogers Place was always electric, and I’m proud to have played in front of such a passionate hockey city. My family and I have built some incredible relationships that will last forever.
With that said, I’m incredibly excited for the next chapter of my career as I join the @Canucks
. It’s an honor to become part of an organization and team I grew up watching as a kid. Vancouver is a city that lives and breathes hockey, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of my hometown as I did many years ago as a Vancouver Giant.
With appreciation,
Evander Kane
For a mid round draft pick, no retention.Me no likey.
This is an awesome deal for the Oilers. Opens up cap space, plus Kane is very overrated. Awful defensively, old and injured a lot
Not over-rated for what he did early in his Oiler career but he’s now aged and regressing and hasn’t been healthy for any period of time for years.
The Oilers will miss what he once brought but he wasn’t even in the team last year and regressed through the playoffs and was more of a liability than anything in the SCF as he got moved down to the bottom six.
You like retention? this word does not mean what you think it means…
Wow, I am shocked by this. I didn’t think the Nucks would want Kane.
Interesting that Demko isn’t coming back as has been loudly speculated by some.
I think they want the menace to help Pettersen along. And more push back to help Hughes who gets manhandled in playoffs if they get there. A Hail Mary in hopes of keeping him
Makes sense. With Miller traded last season and Boeser likely walking in 7 days, the Canucks have few options for wingers or even forwards for their top 6 that tip the scales at over 200 lbs. Chytl is 210 but is at best a 2nd line center who never hits anyone and Drew O’Connor and Joshua Dakota, the only other 2 forwards over 200, would not be mistaken for regulars in anyone’s top 6. They were the lightest team by average in the NHL last season, and that was with with Miller, Desharnais and Boeser on the books.
The lack of size may have influenced Tocchet’s decision to leave if he didn’t think the roster had the size to keep playing his brand of hockey.
Marchment for a 4th, no retention.
Kane for a 4th, no retention.
Both a useful player with one year left on their contract.
Marchment was traded for a 3rd + 4th.
Good luck, EK.
Heck of a player when healthy. Seemed like a great bloke as an Oiler and Edmontonian. And big respect for even trying to play through the injuries he dealt with the last few seasons.
Also paterick from oilers fanatic mentioned around 11 pm last night big thinga are a brewing
Lovely headline love it 😀