The Edmonton Oilers are set to face their west coast rival Vancouver Canucks on the back half of the Canadian classic Saturday night broadcast, Hockey Night in Canada.
As the New York Rangers publicly declared that they are entering a 'retool' phase this week, they join the Canucks who also recently spoke about embarking on a hybrid rebuild this season. This comes after trading away one of their top players last season in J.T. Miller to the Rangers and a blockbuster trade sending franchise defenceman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.
As the Oilers hope to once again fight for the Stanley Cup, they will likely be looking at players on the Canucks roster as the 2026 NHL trade deadline looms closer. There was already rumours that the Canucks tried to trade Evander Kane back to the Oilers, but the team declined.
Still, there could be a fit between these two unlikely trade partners if the Canucks truly are open for business.
Canucks trade chips could interest Oilers
There are plenty of veteran players on Vancouver's roster that are on expiring contracts or with only one year remaining. There are also a number of forwards on cheap short term deals which could be of use for a team like the Oilers that needs to upgrade their depth scoring.
Drew O'Connor
The 27 year old winger, Drew O'Connor was acquired by the Canucks last season in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has fit in relatively well as a depth piece, scoring 14 goals and 12 assists for 26 points in 78 games as a Canuck. He also has consistently logged minutes as a penalty killer throughout his NHL career, giving him even more value as a third liner.
His defensive ability along with his heavy forechecking style makes him an ideal candidate as a passenger player with stars and could make him a useful piece inside the Oilers top nine. If not, his abilities also make him a useful bottom-six player that could be acquired to help shore up the depth on the wings.
He has one year left on his current contract, giving him an annual average value of $2.5 million. If the Oilers are able to open the cap up, he could be a solid addition to the club.
Kiefer Sherwood
Since Kiefer SherwoodT signed with Vancouver as an unrestricted free agent in 2024 and has burst onto the scene after spending multiple years as a depth piece for the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, and Nashville Predators. The 30 year old has blossomed into a legitimate middle-six power forward winger, scoring 63 points (36 goals, 27 assists) in 122 games, also registering 672 hits with the Canucks.
His style of play would be appealing for any playoff contender, especially one that has seen the success of a team like the Florida Panthers who play a heavy and physical brand of hockey. His contract makes even more appealing as he is on the final year of a $1.5 million contract, likely making him a pure rental.
The Oilers have found success with a player who fits a similar billing in Vasily Podkolzin who is having a breakout year of his own. Adding another player who can provide secondary offence and can play a physical role could be beneficial for the Oilers, assuming the cost is right.
Teddy Blueger
Teddy Blueger has been injured for the majority of the 2025-26 season, playing only two games in October. However, he is expected to play for Latvia next month at the 2026 Olympic Winter games and is hopeful to return from injury before then.
The 31 year old has been a third line centre at the NHL level for many seasons now with the Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, and Canucks. He brings solid defensive results and some secondary offence that make him useful in a bottom-six.
This is the Oilers biggest area of need and with Blueger being a low-cost rental carrying a $1.8 million caphit, he makes an intriguing possible addition to the club. He would bolster their depth down the middle and with the right line, could be an impact piece as the Oilers attempt to make another Stanley Cup finals run.
Draisaitl takes leave of absence from Oilers
Hours before puck drop the Edmonton Oilers announced that star forward Leon Draisaitl would be taking a leave of absence to attend to a family illness in Germany. In their press release the club gave a timeline of his return, saying "He is expected to return to the team later next week."
Details are sparce but we respect his privacy and we wish Draisaitl and his family all the best during this time.