The Edmonton Oilers came up shy in the playoffs again, albeit just one game short of their ultimate goal. Despite how close they were, however, it still indicates that changes will need to be made in order to get them over the final hump.
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Unlike past years, however, less emphasis is being placed on finding upgrades on the blue line and in the crease. Instead, many believe the number-one goal for this team is to find one more legitimate top-six winger to help provide offence. Should this be the route the Oilers go, here are four they should strongly consider pursuing this summer.
Pavel Buchnevich
One name that the Oilers were rumoured to be interested in ahead of the trade deadline was Pavel Buchnevich. The 29-year-old was on the block, but ultimately remained with the St. Louis Blues for the rest of the season. He has one year remaining on his contract with a $5.8 million cap hit.
In what was a down 2023-24 season for his standards, Buchnevich still managed 27 goals and 63 points. Over the three seasons prior, he had a combined 191 points in 190 games. This guy can produce offence, and if placed on a team as offensively gifted as the Oilers, may be able to push for a 100-point season should he remain healthy. If the Oilers were to offer up their first-round pick in 2026 and pair it with a prospect such as Beau Akey, they may be able to get something worked out.
Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Tarasenko isn’t the elite goal scorer he was in his prime years with the St. Louis Blues, but he is still capable of producing big offensive numbers. In a combined 76 regular season games split between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, he managed 23 goals and 55 points. He also contributed five goals and nine points in 22 playoff outings on the Panthers’ Stanley Cup-winning run.
Tarasenko was in this same position last offseason as a free agent, and wound up settling on a one-year, $5 million deal. It’s clear that the market isn’t nearly as high for him as it would have been a few seasons ago, and the Oilers could take full advantage of that. Like Buchnevich, his offensive numbers would improve if he were to sign in Edmonton. Given his production this past season, another short-term deal with an AAV of around $4.5-5 million can be expected.
Jake DeBrusk
Some will argue on whether or not Jake DeBrusk is a true top-six forward. The Edmonton native has been quite inconsistent throughout his NHL career thus far, but boasts plenty of skill. He’s recorded 40 or more points in five of his seven NHL seasons, including a career-best 50-point 2022-23 season which came despite only playing 64 games.
DeBrusk has also proven to be a good playoff performer, having scored 27 goals and 47 points in 86 games. A change of scenery may be all the 27-year-old needs to truly figure things out, and you can bet he’d absolutely love the chance to sign with his hometown team in free agency this summer. He’s said to be looking at a longer-term deal this offseason. If the Oilers were to offer him roughly $4 million per season on a four-year deal, it may be enough to bring him in.
Viktor Arvidsson
Though injuries are a concern, the Oilers could do a lot worse than landing Viktor Arvidsson in free agency this summer. The 31-year-old brings a scrappy, hard-working style of play similar to Zach Hyman, and produces similar numbers offensively as well.
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Sure, Arvidsson hasn’t had anywhere near 54 goals in a single season, but he’s also never been afforded the opportunity of playing with Connor McDavid. He managed six goals and 15 points in just 18 games this season, and scored 26 with 59 points in 77 games the season prior. The good news here for the Oilers is that injury concerns have undoubtedly lowered the dollar figure on his next deal, and given that he has yet to win a Stanley Cup in his career could allow them to get him on a short-term contract with an AAV of roughly $4 million.
Oilers One Big Piece Away
The Oilers were as close as one could get to winning the Stanley Cup this year. You can’t help but feel if they had one more gamebreaker on their roster they would have gotten the job done. While the four players listed above may not be considered superstars, they are very good NHLers who could very well provide the Oilers with what they need to reach their ultimate goal.
