The Edmonton Oilers season has officially come to an end. The team had a very disappointing season, which resulted in a first-round exit against the Anaheim Ducks. Many Oilers fans have vocalized their frustrations with how the team has been built.
From goaltending to defence, this team requires some changes in the offseason. Many players did not perform as expected in the playoffs, but I think this team seriously needs to reevaluate itself. Since the elimination, many fans have made roster suggestions on Puck Pedia’s Armchair GM. Let’s take a look and break down what some fans think the team should do.
Potential trade scenarios for Nurse
A player who many have wanted off the team for a long time is defenceman Darnell Nurse. He, along with Tristan Jarry and Connor McDavid, are the top three traded players on Armchair GM (as of Monday). Honestly, it was very difficult to find a Nurse trade that made relative sense. However, there were a couple of moves with the Pittsburgh Penguins that were at least reasonable.
I feel like Pittsburgh is a decent landing spot for Nurse. The team easily has the cap space to afford him (especially with retention), they could use another defenceman, and they have done recent business with the Oilers. Obviously, the Stuart Skinner and Tristan Jarry trade was an attempt for both goalies to get a better shot with a new team. I think the same could be done with Nurse.
If Pittsburgh plans to win now, I think that both of these trades are ideal with a few changes. The Oilers would absolutely have to retain 50% of his contract ($4.6M), another prospect or high pick would need to be given, and honestly, that sixth-round pick is the most Edmonton is getting back. I do think that maybe giving up Isaac Howard instead of Quinn Hutson would be the move alongside a first-rounder (2028).
I think Nurse could fit into the Penguins’ lineup. Guys like Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang are up there in age, and their contracts are nearly over (assuming Letang retires before 2028). Meanwhile, Connor Clifton, Ryan Shea, and Ilya Solovyov are UFAs who could leave in free agency. After all this, the only defencemen who remain are Sam Girard and Parker Wotherspoon.
Finally, the overall trade would look like a first-rounder, two second-rounders, Isaac Howard, and full retention for Nurse. Would Pittsburgh accept that?
Finding a goalie upgrade
The goaltending duo of Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram did not get it done in the playoffs. In my opinion, they are not much of an upgrade from a Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard duo. Unfortunately, I think the Oilers are going to be stuck with Jarry for now, but many Oilers fans can hope for a trade. Most of the trades on Armchair GM have the Oilers going after Jordan Binnington or Filip Gustavsson as his replacement. Let’s take a look at some Jarry deals.
Honestly, I do not think that this deal is great, but it’s not horrible. I think that this deal could work for both sides, but I would make one change. The Oilers need to give up a first-round pick instead of two second-rounders. A first and a second would be in this deal alongside Howard. I also think that the Oilers would need to retain some of Jarry’s contract, although they do not have much cap space to work with. This deal is a long shot, but if it could be pulled off, I think it could benefit both sides. Edmonton gets its starting goalie, while Minnesota gets some more trade assets to build upon its current team.
Another potential goalie swap here is with the Columbus Blue Jackets. This trade sends Jarry alongside a second-round pick to the Jackets in exchange for Elvis Merzlikins. I do think this trade is realistic, but it is a massive risk for both sides. Both Jarry and Merzlikins have been extremely inconsistent in their previous NHL seasons, and who knows how they would perform on different teams. In this case, I do think Merzlikins has more upside, which is why the pick going to Columbus makes sense.
Dumping Jarry
It was so difficult to find a realistic trade that dumped Jarry for basically nothing, but this was the best I could find. This trade occurs with the Vancouver Canucks and makes sense for both sides. Vancouver is in tank mode and could probably look at taking on some bad contracts. The only problem is that the Canucks already have two, potentially three NHL goalies. Kevin Lankinen, Thatcher Demko, and Nikita Tolopilo all have NHL experience.
The only way I see this happening is if Demko remains on LTIR. He has suffered from injuries in almost every one of his seasons, which makes him a liability. If Demko cannot stay healthy, I think acquiring Jarry for assets could make sense. Tolopilo could go to the AHL (he does not have good NHL stats, but who could blame him with Vancouver), while Lankinen and Jarry could split the season.
I agree with Howard and Stastney going the other way, but I also think a draft pick needs to go to Vancouver. Whether it is a first or second-rounder does not matter; otherwise, I do not think the Oilers get that third-rounder. The fact that Jarry gets traded without retention is a big enough win. Realistically, I do think the Oilers would have to retain on Jarry. That is the only way that this works.
Do you think it is even remotely possible to move on from Jarry this offseason?
Free agent signings
A lot of people on Armchair GM think the Oilers will bring back players like Colton Dach, Jason Dickinson, and Kasperi Kapanen. I absolutely agree with all of those, but there were a couple of other free-agent signings that stood out to me. One is taking a risk on a former top goal scorer, while the other targets a steady defenceman.
I like both of the short signings. I think Patrik Laine still has some skill to offer, while Jamie Oleksiak can help solidify the back end. Laine could be a replacement for Jack Roslovic, who I thought was extremely inconsistent after November. I know that Laine is a bit of a risk, but I think if he could find his scoring touch again, that would be a massive gain for the Oilers. Oleksiak could be a replacement for Ty Emberson or Connor Murphy (if they let him walk in free agency). Otherwise, he could help play a physical role on one of the bottom pairings and assist with the penalty kill.
Would you agree with either of these short-term signings?
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