How the Edmonton Oilers can best use salary cap in 2026–27

The NHL’s salary cap is set to take a big jump over the next few years. After a few years with a flat cap due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHL is making a major effort to increase the cap over the next three seasons, with a $95.5M cap this year, $104M next year, and a projected cap of $113.5M in 2027–28.

Much like the rapid growth seen in Ontario casino apps, the NHL’s financial landscape is expanding quickly, creating new opportunities for teams to spend and compete. The Edmonton Oilers will suddenly find themselves flush with cash next season after the extensions of Jake Walman, Mattias Ekholm, and, most crucially, the massive discount from Connor McDavid’s new deal. The Oilers are projected to start next season with $17,763,334 in cap space per PuckPedia. So what’s the most effective way for Edmonton to spend this money?

A Splash at forward

With nearly $18M to work with, the Oilers suddenly find themselves with the opportunity to add another big name in the forward core. The biggest marquee free agents of next offseason, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov, have all re-signed, but there are still a few names out there worth considering.

Martin Necas

Martin Necas would certainly be one of them. A former 70-point-player, Colorado’s big return in the Mikko Rantanen deal has continued to produce alongside Nathan Mackinnon. It’s possible his chemistry on the Colorado Avalanche’s top line may also take him out of consideration if Colorado decides to pay him rather than walk him into free agency.

However, the speedy winger would look right at home playing alongside McDavid on Edmonton’s top line. Necas is more of a distributor than a scorer, though, so maybe the Oilers look for a more goal-oriented addition.

Adrian Kempe

What about poaching an in-division rival? Famed Oiler Killer Adrian Kempe is due a new contract come July 1, and early reports have him and Los Angeles far apart on talks. Unlike Necas, Kempe is a pure sniper, able to put the puck in the net from just about anywhere with his lethal wrist shot.

If he does walk to free agency and decides “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” then Edmonton will instantly have one of the league’s best and most proven triggerman to ride shotgun with McDavid. Kempe is a two-time 35-goal man and cracked the 40-goal plateau just two years ago. It stands to reason he’d be in line for perhaps 50 with a centre like McDavid dishing him the puck.

Filip Forsberg

There are also some possibilities in the trade market. Depending on how their season goes, Nashville may be looking to sell. What if Stan Bowman picked up the phone about Filip Forsberg? His $8.5M contract still has four years left on it, and with the newfound cap savings, that’s suddenly not back-breaking.

Forsberg has proven himself as an elite offensive talent, with a career-high 48 goals and 94 points in 2023–24, and 31 goals and 76 points during a disaster season for the Predators last season. At 31, he’s a bit on the older side, but he still has talent to spare.

Alex Tuch

Speaking of selling, it appears to be early trouble again in Buffalo. Rumours are swirling about the Sabres losing more talent to trade demands, and one of the biggest names involved is Alex Tuch. Buffalo’s main return in the Jack Eichel trade, Tuch has quietly produced at a very high level, posting 36 goals and 79 points in 2022–23, and 36 goals with 67 points last season.

A big body at 6’4” and 216 lbs, a trade for Tuch could present the Oilers with a successor to Zach Hyman’s role on McDavid’s right wing, allowing Hyman to slide down the lineup as he continues to age. Tuch is due a new contract in the summer and reportedly wants big money, but Edmonton is equipped to pay him if needed.

Tage Thompson

This last suggestion is a little selfish, but let’s stick with the Sabres and daydream about Tage Thompson in the Oilers’ top-six. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman alluded to Thompson potentially asking out of town if things in Buffalo don’t improve, and although the price would be big, Thompson may have the highest potential out of all the forwards we’ve listed. A giant at 6’6” and 220 lbs, signed for four more years at $7,142,857M. 47 goals and 94 points in 2022–23, 44 goals and 72 points last season.

Unlike Buffalo, Thompson wouldn’t be asked to do everything offensively in Edmonton. Instead, the massive winger could blossom into one of the league’s most effective scorers. He’s only 27 and would no doubt put up massive numbers with either McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.

A solution between the pipes

It’s plain to see that the leash on Stuart Skinner is short. The Oilers are committed to him at the moment, but if the opportunity arises to find better, it appears they’d be interested in taking it.

Edmonton’s newly increased cap space just so coincides with a couple of big-ticket goalies suddenly finding their teams not so successful to play for, leaving them possibly open for a trade.

Ilya Sorokin

Ilya Sorokin is probably the most likely candidate. The New York Islanders are rebuilding, despite their claims otherwise. He’s on a sinking team, and in only year two of an eight-year pact at $8.25M, it’s possible he doesn’t have the patience to ride out the rebuild.

If Sorokin can be had, the Oilers should jump at the chance. He put up a .907SV% and 2.71GAA in 61 games last season for a very bad Islanders team. When the Islanders were a playoff squad in 2022–23, he posted a .924SV% and 2.34GAA. Imagine the Oilers with .924 goaltending! The Oilers are a team that will make even mediocre goalies look good due to their chance suppression skills, so Sorokin could easily regain Vezina nominee form in a different shade of blue and orange.

Juuse Saros

Circling back to Nashville, Juuse Saros is another possible candidate. He’s entering year one of eight at $7,740,000. With the Nashville Predators stuck in the NHL’s mushy middle, likely staring down the barrel of a proper rebuild, GM Barry Trotz may put his star netminder on the table. Saros’ stats last season were not impressive, with a .896SV% and 2.98GAA. However, the Predators were a horrible team that never did him any favours.

Looking at his first three years after taking the net from Pekka Rinne, Saros averaged a .914SV% with a 2.73 in 65 games behind much-improved Nashville rosters. Put him on the Oilers? His stats would certainly take a big jump. It’s possible Nashville is hesitant to trade such a talent in year one of his big new deal, but Barry Trotz doesn’t seem like a man interested in half measures. Saros is someone Edmonton should be watching with great interest.

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More of the same on defence

With pretty much all of their defensive core locked up, Edmonton will likely not allocate much of its cap space to making a splash on the blueline. The one decision the team will have to make involves possibly re-signing Brett Kulak. Kulak has been a rock-solid middle pairing option since his time with the Oilers began, and has shown the ability to play higher in the lineup if needed.

However, he is 31 years old and likely seeking a big raise from his current contract of just $2,750,000. As much as it would hurt to lose a dependable player like Kulak, Edmonton may have internal replacements like Atro Leppanen waiting in the wings. If Kulak wants a big new deal, the Oilers would likely be wise to thank him for his services and let him walk. However, the Oilers do have until next summer to decide their move on the Stony Plain, Alberta native.